“Genuine devotion is consistent with every state of life. Like liquid poured into a container, it adapts itself to any shape.” St. Francis de Sales

“If we say less than we should it is easy to add, but having said too much
it is hard to take it back.” St. Francis de Sales

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival proudly opens its 27th season with the Broadway musical Ragtime, on the Main Stage at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of DeSales University.

Based on E.L. Doctorow’s 1975 novel, and written by  the composer/lyricist team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, and Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally, this acclaimed musical features show-stopping songs such as “Wheels of a Dream,” “Till We Reach That Day,” “Back to Before,” and “Make Them Hear You.” Called by Time Magazine “A triumph for the stage,” “Intoxicating” by the Associated Press, and “Explosive and thrilling!” by Bloomberg News, Ragtime was nominated for 13 Tony Awards and won for best score, book, and orchestrations.

Set in the volatile melting pot of turn-of-the-century New York, three distinctly American tales are woven together — that of a stifled but determined upper-class homemaker (Brandi Burkhardt as Mother), an indomitable Jewish immigrant (Samuel Druhora as Tateh) and a daring young Harlem musician (Nkrumah Gatling as Coalhouse Walker, Jr.)—Each are united by their courage and their pursuit of the American dream, against extraordinary odds. [Read more…]

“Comets appear to be larger than stars and more fanfare is generally made of them. Yet, they are not comparable to stars either in size or in quality and only seem more spectacular because they are closer. So, too, most people
generally esteem the virtues which are, so to speak, closer, more tangible and more material.” St. Francis de Sales

“Charity never enters a heart without bringing with it all the other virtues, empowering them and marshalling them as needed, just as a captain does his soldiers.” St. Francis de Sales

“Let your speech be gentle, frank, sincere, straightforward, candid and faithful.” St. Francis de Sales