The lights dimmed, the camera rolled and the audience hushed. The show was about to begin.
“Fairfield can you hear me?” Fr. Terry Devino shouted into the microphone.
No, he was not introducing a rock concert but rather the Jesuit Cabaret, during which a handful of Fairfield Jesuits proved they could rock out just as much as any student band – well, in their own way.
“Jesuits at Fairfield University are the most talented men in the world,” said Devino as he prepared to introduce his fellow performing Jesuits.
More than 50 people filled the Oak Room in the Barone Campus Center Monday night, including University President Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., as light-hearted Jesuits showed off their strikingly unique talents. Extra chairs were even added to the venue to accommodate the growing crowd and some even stood to enjoy this surprisingly popular event.
Round tables had been decorated with candles and sparkling confetti to offer a cabaret-like atmosphere complete with food and beverages. However, Devino announced with a smirk that they were “out of Busch Light, and there’s Aquafina instead.”
The Jesuit Cabaret was part of Jesuit Spirit week, a series of events to raise awareness of the Jesuit community and commemorate the anniversary of the tragic murder of six Jesuit priests in El Salvador in 1989.
Fairfield University has honored the Jesuit community through a week-long celebration like this for several years.
This year, however, was the first time that a Jesuit talent show was part of the week’s events.
The show was run collaboratively by the Magis Society, headed by Tim Dee ’08, and the Campus Ministry Council, led by Katharine Staszowski ’07 and Talia Pettini ’06.
The Jesuits were certainly enthused about their chance to perform. While Devino had been set to thrill the audience with his yodeling ability, an unfortunate case of laryngitis disabled his partner and thus the act. Yet the show did go on as seven other Jesuits took the stage.
Walter Conlan, S.J., started off the night with a set of three love songs of various national origins, complete with four costume changes. His act even included student volunteers dancing the hula as he sang in Hawaiian tongue.
“I figure I gotta do a lot since the other guys don’t know how to do anything,” said Fr. Conlan with a smile.
Another performer, Charles Allen, S.J., offered a humorous and touching account of his experience of living in the dormitories. Here, he has found all the family he needs while praying during those loud rambunctious weekend nights.
“Thank God none of them are mine,” he comically remarked.
A unique act by Vincent Burns, S.J., had students laughing out loud as he read short fairytales of what may have initially seemed like a foreign language but turned out to be an accent fit for Little Italy that would have made any Soprano proud.
Cesar Maldonado, S.J., is the newest addition to Fairfield’s Jesuit family and his performance was perhaps the most unique.
With rolled up pants, hats and ponchos, Fr. Maldonado and a student volunteer stomped around in a Bolivian wedding ritual dance. Their good-humored and intense stomping during this dance, which Fr. Maldonado noted is usually done while intoxicated, had audience members clapping happily to the beat.
The night was wrapped up with a short film made by Mark Scalese, S.J., that documented the interests and experiences of some of Fairfield’s active Jesuit priests, tying the show into Jesuit Spirit week perfectly.
Student organizers were delighted by the turnout.
“I was impressed by the amount of student participation,” said co-leader Staszowski. “It was a good chance for students to see a side of the Jesuits they weren’t aware of…and the Jesuits had a lot of fun too.”
Audience members were surprised at the variety of talents displayed.
“I didn’t realize it was going to be so varied,” said Sarah Howe ’07. “It was a really good show.”
Josh Shettle ’09 was also impressed by the talent.
“I had no idea the Jesuits could dance so well,” he said.
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