H E RE AT T H E H E ART
These words from Reginal Rose’s clas-
sic courtroom drama “12 Angry Men”
came to life on Sacred Heart Major Sem-
inary’s stage this past spring. The show,
which ran the evenings of March 22 and
23, is a renewal of life for the theater
at SHMS.
After a three-year hiatus, the seminary
reopened the curtains to introduce its
latest production. The auditorium trans-
formed from a vacant stage into a 1950s
New York Court of Law. Co-directors
Ezra Lippert and Matthew Nordquist,
Theology II seminarians studying for the
diocese of Winona-Rochester, worked
together to manage and produce an un-
forgettable play. Through numerous re-
hearsals and coaching, their 30-plus cast
and crew members embraced the identi-
ties of the characters and built a set that
transported the audience directly into
the jury room.
However, this isn’t the first, or even
second, time that “12 Angry Men” has
graced SHMS’s stage. “The frequency of
this production has more to do with the
availability of men than the presence of
anger in our community,” Lippert wrote
jokingly in the playbill. For this third run-
ning of “12 Angry Men” the audience en-
joyed the opportunity to experience the
humor and drama brought to life by the
12 at-odds jurors portrayed by the 12 har-
monious seminarians.
Propelled by the high-stakes atmo-
sphere of the murder trial, the single-set
play is written to captivate the audience
and draw them into the tension of the
jurors. Subsequently, the importance of
anger and standing up for beliefs even
when those beliefs aren’t popular is a
strong theme throughout. The play asks
the question: what is justice, and how do
you stand up for it?
At the end of the performances, Mon-
signor Todd J. Lajiness, rector and presi-
dent of SHMS, took to the stage com-
mending the efforts necessary to give the
production the level of professionalism
it exuded. Following these words, Msgr.
Lajiness addressed the audience to thank
them for their attention as well as to ask
for continued prayers. Prayers are the
most important gift that anyone can re-
ceive, and prayer goes a long way in the
formation of healthy and holy priests
throughout the Catholic Church.
The time, effort, and commitment
given to this play was clear through the
seamless delivery of the lines, lighting,
and set. “The men have worked hard all
semester amidst busy schedules,” Lippert
wrote in his note. “I consider it a privi-
lege to bring this production to stage at
Sacred Heart Major Seminary and am
proud to now share a part of its grand
legacy of theater.”
shms.edu
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