above left: Fr. Tom with Pat and Joe. Above: Pat and Joe rehearse. LEFT: Colleen, Joe and Pat Reilly.
“My father had great respect for actors, both student and professional, because he knew how difficult it is to act and what courage it takes to be on stage,” Colleen said. “He really liked to see actors work and he loved helping them to do the best they could.” The respect that students and professional actors had for Joe was evident. An actor who performed here this past summer described Saint Vincent Theatre as “actor heaven.” A student enrolled in Joe’s acting class last spring commented, “Mr. Reilly is one of the best teachers I have had at Saint Vincent College. He is very personable, patient with the students and treats everyone with respect, while making the class fun and educational at the same time.” Another student said, “Mr. Reilly has been a fantastic teacher and clearly knows and loves what he teaches. He always has good feedback for us
students and is not afraid to challenge us. He makes the course interesting and is very interested in seeing his students succeed.” In every moment of every rehearsal and every production Joe was passionate. He loved the reaction of the audience and often watched the people as much as he did the play. He brought life to the stage, and also a lot of fun. After Fr. Tom passed away in June 2008, Joe hoped that another Benedictine would be appointed to the Theatre to maintain the Benedictine spirit of the place. In July, Joe’s hope came true when Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., assigned Br. Bonaventure Curtis, O.S.B., to the College for the appointment as Executive Director of Saint Vincent Summer Theatre. Saint Vincent Theatre will continue to build on the influence of Joe and Fr. Tom and their legacy will endure for many years to come. Joe, Fr. Tom, take a bow – you deserve a standing ovation!
fall 2009
15