MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers

Originally commissioned by Jacqueline Kennedy for the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. in 1971, MASS was composed by Leonard Bernstein based on the Tridentine mass of the Roman Catholic Church. Featuring an eclectic mix of genres that includes rock, jazz, Broadway, blues, opera and hymns, MASS uses this large-scale musical canvas to examine one celebrant's crisis of faith.  Jeff Award-winning director Dominic Missimi first staged the production on Northwestern's campus in 1991, describing the piece as “a work that defies categorization.”  Presented for one weekend only with new lyrics by Stephen Schwartz in consultation with Jamie Bernstein and featuring the Red Rose Children's Choir of Lake County, MASS remains as artistically and socially relevant today as when it first premiered almost 40 years ago.

Learn more >>
Listen to an interview [mp3] between TIC Artistic Director Henry Godinez and Grace Craddock Nagle Chair in Catholic Studies Robert Orsi on the social and religious relevance of the production.

Visit Mass on Facebook for a behind-the-scenes video.

Read more in an article from the Northwestern NewsCenter.

Music direction by Dr. Ryan Nelson
Choreography by Jeffrey Hancock
Set design by Scott Davis and Sarah Watkins
Costume design by Mekey Guberinic
Lighting design by Mike Stanfill
Sound design by Josh Horvath
Stage management by Kimberly Lewis

Featuring guest artists Henry Griffin and the Red Rose Children's Choir of Lake County.

Cast: Devin Archer, Marie Bakken, Brit Bananszynski, Ronen Bay, Royer Bockus, Allyson Boe, Brian Bohr, Brittany Bookbinder, Johnson Brock, Briana Bower, Justin Callis, Janna D’Ambrisi, Frankie DiCiaccio, Margaret Donnelly, Seth Dhonau, RB Embleton, Matthew Fletcher, Harrah Friedlander, Danielle Gaines, Jacklyn Gionntropani, Alex Goldklang, Angela Gould, Trey Herr, Julian Hicks, Andrea Hochkeppel, Ben Hoffman, Chase Hopkins, Gaby Hornig, Andrew Howard*, Laura Huizinga, Ariel Isakowitz, Leslie Jackson, Michelle Jacobs, Jung Kang, Andrew Karp, Justin Kim, Jessica Kingsdale, Lara Korneychuk, Amanda Kroiss, Emily Krulewitz, Andrea Krushefski, Jon Kwock, Johnny Langan, Nate Lewellyn, Kara Lewis, Jessica Malashevich, Ian Martin, Joseph McClelland, Tom McDonough, Alok Nadig, Liz Olanoff, Allie Parris, Christine Perkins, Lindsay Powell, Carly Robinson, Emma Rosenthal, Marcus Shields (soloist), Will Skrip, Zack Spound, Patrick Sulken, Monica Thomas, David Thomases, Sofia Trancoso, Kara Weinstein, Mara Winston

Cahn Auditorium
600 Emerson Street, Evanston