By JD Henderson

The KW Players Catholic Youth Theatre Troupe will be presenting its spring production, “The Tidings Brought to Mary,” on Friday, May 19, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 21, at 4 p.m. in the downstairs theater room at Blessed Sacrament parish in Rapid City. The presentation marks the fourth play for the troupe, which began staging its productions in the fall of 2021. The script is an adaptation of the original play by French dramatist and poet Paul Claudel. Claudel himself experienced a strong conversion to the Catholic faith on Christmas Eve in 1886 at the age of eighteen, while hearing Vespers at Notre Dame in Paris, and his writings often reflect the themes of moving beyond worldly aspirations to grasp for those of the divine. “The Tidings Brought to Mary” explores this theme through the prism of a medieval French farming family, living during the time of the exploits of Saint Joan of Arc. Claudel referred to his play as a “mystery,” not only linking it in some fashion to the medieval mystery plays of antiquity, but also through utilizing, among other things, the traditional Angelus prayer to convey the deep theme of the mystery of God’s interaction with humanity. The play follows the storyline of two young sisters, Violaine and Mara—one holy and pious, the other subversive and malicious. As their father, Anne Vercors, the owner of the estate on which they live, departs for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Mara attempts to undermine Violaine’s betrothal to Jacques Hury, the incumbent heir of the vast farmstead. The resulting events dramatically challenge the faith of both sisters, as Claudel’s themes of sacrificial love and intercessory suffering are brought to the forefront of the story. 

As the KW Players are composed of young actors from the ages of 10-15, the intensity of the subject matter has provided plenty of challenges, a scenario from which the troupe has never shied away, staging such stories in the past as Les Miserables and Dracula. Having taken their name from the young Karol Wojtyla, the future Saint John Paul II, the company feels inspired to reach for lofty goals, as it was Wojtyla himself who helped to establish the Rhapsodic Theatre in 1940s Poland, an endeavor which could have cost him his life. The Rhapsodic Theatre was founded to preserve culture and to defy the tyrannical Nazi occupation of Wojtyla’s homeland, and the young members of the troupe staged secret dramatic presentations in their living rooms, using minimal sets and costumes. The KW Players hope in their own way to continue the legacy of the Rhapsodic Theatre by raising the intellectual, literary, and dramatic awareness of the young actors who participate in the troupe, and by providing a prayerful and Catholic environment in which to explore theatrical endeavors.

Due to the generosity of various sponsors, the productions of the KW Players have always been free, and a nursery is provided for those with children under eight years of age. A reception will follow each of the performances.