Frassati play brings life to young Italian saint — tickets available now
Maura Baker
Staff Writer
Lights are on St. Pier Giorgio Frassati — one of two saints canonized this September. An Italian saint from the early 20th century, St. Frassati became patron to young Catholics, students and mountaineers — dedicated to works of social action.
The Angelico Project, a Cincinnati non-profit focused on revitalizing the Catholic arts, is teaming up with Open Window Theatre to bring the young saint to life with the play “Frassati,” coming to Cincinnati’s Aronoff Center for the weekend of Oct. 17–19.
Jeromy Darling, an actor with Open Window, will be portraying the titular saint. “We’re privileged to do any of this for the Lord and for the Church,” said Mr. Darling. “And I think that’s really before all of us, and there’s a great desire to honor St. Frassati and to do right by him.”
Mr. Darling, who has been performing the role for some time as the theatre tours, has developed a special devotion to the saint, even before his canonization.
A convert, he describes his becoming Catholic as the “single most destructive force” in his life. “I lost pretty much every relationship that mattered to me,” Mr. Darling said. “The truth exacts a terrible price … to be a disciple of Christ is to embrace being perpetually misunderstood — Jesus, of course, is still the most misunderstood figure in all of history.”
He described Frassati’s life also as “a wonderful picture of a man who embraced being misunderstood.”
“It was wonderful to be introduced to his life and to his world, and it’s a very strange way to get to know a saint,” he said. “Most Catholics, we develop devotions to saints through books and stories and novenas — but never would we ever think to spend a couple hours a day dressing like them, talking like them, trying to act like them and embody them. And so, to be introduced to a saint that way … was one of the most transformative experiences of my life.”
Describing it as “sacramental, in a way,” his portrayal and devotion to St. Frassati was instrumental in helping him let go of the hurt, heartbreak and frustration of being misunderstood.
Of course, Mr. Darling said he had no idea that the saint would be canonized in his lifetime.
“We knew right away that this is a very clear sign to take this show on the road,” he said.
“We need folks to come see it. It’s a long way to trek, it’s a big theater, and we really want folks to see this play of this man’s life for the sole purpose of bringing glory to God.”
