Jesuit Play Looks at Refugee Experience

The national Jesuit Refugee Service organization approached leaders about holding a student play looking at the refugee experience.

The result is "Imago Dei: Journeys of Courage, Hope & Home," which opens tonight at Jesuit's Black Box Theater.

The play follows in 's history of what director Ed Trafton calls "documentary theater." Students from Jesuit, , and Jesuit's sister school St. Francis used as primary sources testimonies from refugees themselves, a process Trafton said was "sometimes grim, sad and overwhelming."

"The play honors their experiences," he said. "We decided against costumes...because we cannot portray their realities."

Trafton said he and students kept coming back to the mission statement of the Jesuit Refugee Service- "to accompany, serve and advocate for refugees."

"Stories like this can seem overwhelming, pessimistic and debilitating," he said. "But if you look at the relief agencies, there is so much hope."

"We are being honest about the realities of these people's experiences," Trafton said. "The human spirit is a beautiful thing."

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Do you plan to see the play? Why or why not? Tell us in the comments.

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Performance dates:

- November 3, 4, 5 at 7:30pm (Thu, Fri, Sat)
- November 10, 11, 12 at 7:30pm (Thu, Fri, Sat)
- November 13 at 2:00pm (Sun)

Jesuit High School’s Black Box Theater
Located in the Harris Center (opposite the gym at the back of the school)
900 Gordon Lane (off of Fair Oaks Blvd.)

Cast:

Jelani Bramble-Manning
Taber Brown
Erin Cairns
Daniel Cook
Nic Crumley
Devin Farrell
John Flynn
Joanna Glum
Mayme O’Toole
Will Peters
Anna Pongratz
Javier Salcedo
Megan Shanahan
A.J. Singh Randhawa
Tanya Zielke

Production staff:

Construction Design Supervision- Chris Adamson
VPA Program Direction & Assistance - David Bischoff
Box Office & Beyond the Black Box - Cindy Dunning Jakle
Script Supervision - John Flynn & Joanna Glum
Dramaturgy - Rev. Mike Gilson, S.J.
Costumes - Rachel Malin
Managing Direction & Patrons - Cathy Levering
Sound Engineering - Brian O’Neill
Production Stage Management - Alexander Parsley
Production Supervision & Media - Spencer Price
Technical Direction & Lighting - Ms. Sally Slocum
Concept, Design & Direction - Ed Trafton
Research Coordination - Roberta Wahlberg
Associate Direction - Gina Williams