By Tim Brennan   

Pacelli One-Act Play director

Pacelli Catholic Schools advocates theater in its curriculum for many reasons. Performance theater is a universal cultural phenomenon. It exists in every society around the world. Understanding theater exposes us in ways as to how to express ourselves more effectively. It teaches us about the world around us, our place in it, and, more importantly, what it means to be human.

Theater fits Pacelli Catholic School’s Classical Catholic Education model emphasizing the higher-order thinking skills such as art appreciation and creation.  It also reminds students that even in our ever-changing digital and Internet society, there is a human body at the center of every exchange. Accounting for the body in our world helps us understand that technology can work for us rather than us working for technology.

Pacelli offers theater performance at the high school level through participation in Minnesota State High School League One Act competition. Pacelli recently traveled to MSHSL subsections to compete with area schools (Rochester Lourdes, Stewartville, Kingsland, etc.) at Rochester Lourdes High School performing “Breaking Up is Hard to Do.” One Act Play is an extra-curricular fine arts offering.  It’s a great way for students to look at history. It has its own textbook (script) and allows history and storyline to come alive through participation. One Act also promotes self-empowerment, self-priority, and self-interest as academic eligibility must be maintained to participate.

Pacelli offers theater on a school-wide level through “all school” productions involving high school students, middle school students, and on occasion, elementary students. For instance, this year’s Pacelli fall production of “Father Knows Best” consisted of 24 students from all grade levels performing a three-act comedy focusing on family values. Involving students of all ages in theater productions gives Pacelli’s younger students a great opportunity to observe older students as role models and to stress Pacelli Catholic Schools as one creative thread from elementary age to graduation. All school productions are the perfect blend of grade levels. Non-acting creative avenues are also part of the theater experience and available to Pacelli students (make-up, set design, and the technical side of production — sound and music). There are many outlets in theater beyond the traditional classroom setting, all of them educational.

Pacelli’s auditorium itself is a real asset. Warm and homey, well-lighted, sound enhanced, and comfortable, Pacelli’s 300-seat stage area is well-maintained and doubles as the focal point for the Pacelli Catholic School Convocational student gatherings, and provides a fine site for any number of parent, students, faculty, or religious educational meetings.

At Pacelli, students are fortunate to receive opportunities to grow in all aspects of their lives. If you are interested in learning more about Pacelli Catholic Schools visit our website at www.pacellischools.org, email admin@pacellischools.org or call 507-437-3278.