When the curtain call of “The Music Man” dinner theater hosted at St. Peter Church in St. Cloud in April hit, it was just the beginning of the show’s impact and ministry.
Joyce Baumann, the show’s choral director and producer, has witnessed how the play has been a source of community-building for the Together as One Area Catholic Community, which includes the St. Cloud parishes of St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Michael and St. Joseph in Waite Park.
“Hopefully, the production will bring in another group of people who want to be involved. It’s like a drop of water. Where do the ripples end?” Baumann said. This year marked St. Peter’s 10th “Art and Soul” dinner theater production, but their youth theater programs existed before that.
“We started a youth theater camp that we run during the summer for a week. We wanted a wholesome activity for kids to engage families and the parish,” Baumann said. “We also wanted to teach the stories of our faith.”
Each summer a Bible story is depicted by children in kindergarten through grade 12. This coming summer, the children’s camp will prepare “Malice in the Palace,” the story of Esther.
After a few summer productions occurred, Baumann spoke with Tom Seikkinen, “The Music Man” director, and Meaghan Baynes, producer.
“We thought, ‘What else can we do to unite us as a parish, and now as Together as One Area Catholic Community?’ Now it includes not just St. Peter’s, it’s St. Paul’s and St. Michael’s and St. Joseph’s and others too,” Seikkinen said.
“We’re excited whenever anyone from the other parishes joins us. That is our goal, bringing people together,” Baumann said. “What’s so much fun is there are many players in everything we do.”
Both shared how they have built relationships with local school theater departments and theater communities.
“A group does not exist unless you have those backers,” Seikkinen added. “Not just financial but spiritual. Those who pray for us. That’s such a wonderful feeling to have a family behind you.
”Phil and Marva Jorgensen are one St. Peter’s couple who has backed the work of the Art and Soul group, with both spiritual and financial support.
“Very soon after the first show closed, our pastor became an Art and Soul supporter. It brought new life to the parish,” Phil said.
Marva added, “There are many things that Art and Soul has done. They are all about evangelization. We need that so much. This is a different way that attracts new people.”
“In times when churchesare searching how to be relevant in people’s lives, this adds a neat dimension and draws people into the Church,” Baumann said.
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Story by Amber Walling | Photography by Dianne Towalski