tlf news

Vol. xxxvi #1

April 2015



The School of the Heart

-- Patrick Rogers sj




I can't remember where I was the first time I heard about teatro la fragua but I do remember that the whole concept of a Jesuit-run acting troop working in Honduras immediately caught my imagination. I also remember saying to myself, "I wonder how that happened? There's got to be something really interesting to that story!" Fortunately for me there IS something really interesting to that story, a story that continues as teatro la fragua is now in its 36th season. For most of my Jesuit life I didn't have much time really to think about the work of el teatro because my studies and work as a member of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus took me to places far from Honduras. Just last June I finished up 9 years of work in Georgetown University's Office of Campus Ministry in order to complete the last stage of Jesuit formation: tertianship. During this nearly year-long program, we tertians from the world over have engaged in many different spiritual and academic activities, including the 30 day silent retreat of St. Ignatius called the Spiritual Exercises and a deep study of our Jesuit history and Constitutions.

We tertians are also asked to spend three months doing serious pastoral work. This work is what Ignatius calls "the school of the heart," meant to challenge each Jesuit to deepen his response to the Gospel message while walking in faith with the people he is sent to serve. He is to learn from them and lift them up with his prayers in celebration of our common humanity.

My heart was set from the start to come to Honduras for this pastoral work and see first-hand why people the world over talk about teatro la fragua as a place where many special things happen.

My work with teatro revolved around the teaching of music: both the basic principles that make up musical notation and also the music score for the show being readied for performance, "El Asesinato de Jesús."

The dedication of the actors of el teatro to their craft was evident from the start. First thing every morning I would "feed them a musical breakfast," which actually meant that I would teach them some lesson on how to read and understand the basic principles of music notation. This process could get complicated at times because my Spanish was rarely up to the task of explaining the subtleties of musical notation. Thank God they are smart and talented or it may have been a disaster from the start! At times I would say something and see their blank stares back at me and then one of them would inevitably say "Do you mean...?" "Yes," I would reply, "that's exactly what I mean. Thank you for helping me out!"

What was most impressive for me was how quickly they learned not only the basics of musical notation, but how to count and execute very complicated rhythmic patterns. One of our favorite exercises had us keeping a steady beat tapping the prescribed time signature with the left hand on the left knee while executing a complicated, syncopated rhythm with the right hand on the right knee. Even for seasoned musicians this can be challenging but the actors of el teatro really embraced the opportunity to learn and in doing so kept me really busy writing out new and innovative exercises for their daily "breakfast."

The most important part of our mornings were when we were actually singing; learning the art of listening and blending our voices. The difference between groups that are "good" and groups that are "outstanding" can almost always be traced back to the blending of their voices. Many of the actors have lovely singing voices but they lacked the experience of choral singing -- where blending one's voice with another's becomes the priority so that group can have one sound while singing many different notes. Almost every morning we would do solfeggio exercises to work on pitch and blend. Many had not had the experience of singing in such an intimate way but we learned through a lot of determined practice and our sound became better and more stable with each passing week. The music of "El Asesinato" was deceptively difficult because it required close three-part harmony singing that, when done well, sounded fantastic! When just a little out of tune... not so good.

In many ways singing is like acting. One is constantly listening to others and reacting to their words or actions. Active and attentive listening is one of the most important aspects of singing, as is the case with acting. No one person performs in a vacuum. All the performers (and professional stage crew) come together to create something that is meant to elicit a reaction from the audience, to give them an experience of what it means to be a human being in this particular time and in this particular circumstance.

The talent and skill of this company is real and powerful. Watching them perform this amazing work was a blessing on so many levels. First and foremost it touched my heart because it tells so passionately the incredible story of Jesus' death and resurrection. A perfect way for me to pray through Lent. Even after many times seeing the production I would still be moved by the drama of this ancient story as portrayed by these gifted actors and stage personnel. Their success is not accidental nor does it have anything to do with luck. They are well trained and take their art seriously. I was continually impressed with how our director Edy Barahona left nothing to chance in this production and how he challenged each actor to interpret her or his character down to the finest detail. Again acting, like music, is all about the details and his keen vision for this work clearly inspired his actors and inspired me as well. My "school of the heart" here at el teatro has been a gift of the highest caliber and one I shall always remember with much affection and fondness.

I would like especially to thank my brother in Christ Jack Warner for giving me the opportunity to be a part of something that is truly amazing for the city of El Progreso, the country of Honduras and the Society of Jesus. My initial thought about teatro la fragua of so many years ago has indeed been verified, that there is something really interesting to this story -- and something truly blessed! Thank you to our director Edy, the cast and crew of "El Asesinato de Jesús," and the entire production team of teatro la fragua. You've helped me create memories that will last a lifetime!


A professional musician by trade, Fr. Rogers sj studied clarinet performance at Towson University and also played saxophone for jazz great Hank Levy, one of the most innovative jazz writers of the late 20th century whose music is featured in the academy award winning film Whiplash. Before entering the Society of Jesus he sang for five years as a tenor in the Baltimore Opera Chorus and was the Assistant Conductor of the Towson University Orchestra. He doesn't get to play the clarinet much anymore but instead plays and teaches guitar when time permits.








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