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A Letter from Nicholas May, Founder of St. Genesius Theatre Troupe and Advising Director of Little Women
A Letter from Nicholas May, Founder of St. Genesius Theatre Troupe and Advising Director of Little Women
As some of you may or may not know, this troupe started with a simple conversation on December 6th, 2021. Isaac Colyar and I stood around the bonfire we had for St. Nicholas Day and talked about classical literature and our past experiences in the performing arts. ”We should do a play!” I said.
I then wrote up a plan, got Fr. John Phelps’ approval, and sent it out to all the local Orthodox families, who also readily approved of the idea. We then practiced for five months working on a performance of Shakespeare's 12th Night. It was an incredible production, and we received a lot of positive feedback.
Around four months later, we arrived at the new planning and rehearsal season in October, 2022. To sum things up and make it short, we completely changed our whole system of operations. We appointed people to manage certain aspects of the Theatre Troupe so that it was not just Isaac and I like last year. It was a massive improvement from our first endeavor.
We worked with so many incredible and talented people this year! First of all, I want to give thanks to our Lord and Creator of the earth and all living and created things. He gives us the inspiration and power to create, assemble, and produce things that glorify Him, such as this Theatre Troupe. Secondly, I would like to thank my ‘partner in crime’ Isaac Colyar for heading things up this year. I also would like to thank Emma Wadsack who has done an absolutely, practically perfect job with being our Producer. I would also like to thank Olivia Colyar for filling in my role as Act One Director towards the beginning of rehearsals for Little Women (Because of my job I had to step down to the role of Advising Director, which mainly advises and gives feedback to the actors). Last but not least I want to give thanks to David Smith, who during his life had a great love for classic literature and plays, and wanted to see an Orthodox Theatre Troupe start in Goldendale.
I hope you all enjoy the show!
Sincerely,
Nicholas May
Who is St. Genesius?
Who is St. Genesius?
Genesius was a gifted actor, comedian, playwright and the leader of a troupe of actors in Rome during the 4th century. When Diocletian initiated his great persecution of Christians, Genesius, who was a pagan, hatched a grand scheme to construct a play parodying the Christian Sacraments, to expose them to the ridicule of the audience.
Thus he resolved one day to represent Baptism, with all its ceremonies, as ludicrously as possible. To this effect he became well acquainted with all that takes place at holy Baptism, he appointed the parts for the play, and instructed the actors as to what they were to do.
On the day of the performance Emperor Diocletian and his court were present. The comedy began, with Genesius acting the principal part. Feigning to be sick, he lay down, calling to his friends to bring him something to relieve his suffering. When they had done this, he said that he felt that he was soon to die, and wanted to become a Christian, and that they should "baptize" him. Everything was brought upon the stage that was used at Baptism, and an actor playing a priest came on stage in order to "baptize" the ailing catechumen. All the questions were put to him which are made to those who are to be baptized. The ceremony was performed in so ludicrous a manner, that the Emperor and all the people shouted with laughter.
At the moment when the pagan actors scoffed and blasphemed the Holy Sacrament of the true Church, as the actor poured the water over his head, the Almighty touched the heart of Genesius and illumined it with a ray of His divine Grace. Seeing the truth of Christianity, suddenly an entire change took place in the actor, and he loudly and earnestly proclaimed his faith in Jesus Christ.
His companions, not knowing what had happened, continued the blasphemous mockery. When the whole ceremony was performed, they threw a white robe over Genesius in derision of the garment usually given to the newly-converted and baptized; thus clothed, they presented him to the people amidst great hilarity. But Genesius, already a true believer in Christ, turned to the Emperor and other spectators and confessed to them with great dignity what had taken place within him. He declared solemnly that until that day, blinded by idolatry, he had scoffed and derided Christianity, and therefore had proposed to represent baptism on the stage, for the amusement of the people. But during the sacrilegious performance, his heart had suddenly changed, and he desired to become a Christian. He said that he had seen the heavens open, and perceived a hand that touched him, when the baptismal water was poured over him. He further stated that before they had baptized him, he had seen an angel, with a book in which all his past iniquities had been recorded, who assured him that they would all be washed away by holy baptism, and that he had in fact seen that all his vices had been obliterated from its pages. After relating this, he added that he renounced idolatry, and believing that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and the Redeemer of the world, he would henceforth live and die a Christian. In conclusion, he exhorted the Emperor and all present to follow his example and worship the only true God. (Article from https://orthodoxwiki.org/Genesius_of_Rome)
St. Genesius reposed on August 25th, 303 AD at the hands of Emperor Diocletian. He is commonly considered among Orthodox Christians to be the patron saint of actors.
Holy St. Genesius pray to God for us!
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