Brother Orchid Play

Flowers and Philanthropy: Bringing the Work of God to the Stage

REV. MR. JAKOB HURLIMANN ‘22, DIOCESE OF AUSTIN

One of the largest tasks for the director of the College’s house play is finding a suitable script. In years past, we have performed adaptions of Chesterton’s Father Brown, Shakespeare’s Henry VI, and Miller's A Canticle for Leibowitz—all of which are familiar to at least some of the audience. I decided on Brother Orchid, an admittedly obscure work, due to its themes of brotherhood, sacrifice, and conversion—not to mention the well-written humor. Each time I read over the script last summer, I found new lessons to be drawn from the characters and their decisions. Humility, courage, and trust in God were all present, and they were intertwined with a healthy dose of reality in the form of the relationships among these very human characters.

In short, the play is set in the late 1920s. On one side, you have the gang—a classic group of excitable mobsters who are not afraid to get their hands dirty to achieve their goals. Yet, not all fit the “classic baddie” trope. There is the chance for real conversion held out to these men at various points in the play. On the other side, there is the Order of the Floratines—the Little Brothers of the Flowers. Their lives are characterized by prayer and simplicity. Even they are not a homogenous group, however. The brothers each have a checkered past—some even question their place in the community or the value of the life they have chosen.

Rev. Reed Flood '21 (Des Moines) as "Fat Dutchy," Joseph Brodeur '24 (Providence) as "Freckles," and Patrick Ryan '23 (Providence) as "Solomon."

At the center of it all is Little John Sarto—a former gangster who, after being shot by his former gang, ends up joining with the monks in their life of simplicity, yet is called to more than a life in the monastery. Through a remarkable story of conversion, his life becomes an example for not only the monks in the community, but also for those watching in the audience. The ending is particularly poignant, and certainly provides much in the way of reflection and discussion.

There really are no words to fully express my gratitude to everyone that was involved in the process, from Fr. John Cush ‘98, C’15 (Brooklyn), our producer, to Andrew Westerman ‘24 (Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter), my assistant, and the entire cast and crew for all the time and dedication they put into making this show successful. The theme of doing God’s work runs throughout Brother Orchid, and I was privileged in laboring with these talented brothers in doing our small part, through moments of levity and reflection, in accomplishing that very work. n