Newman Week includes musical fundraiser

The student-written production raised money to help youth.

By Catherine Newhouse

Published Feb. 12, 2010

The St. Thomas More Newman Center recently organized a week of events, including a formal, kid's carnival and musical, to raise donations for the Columbia-based Youth Empowerment Zone.

The Catholic Student Association debuted the student-written "Signs from God" musical on Thursday, which is Newman Week's biggest fundraiser aside from sponsors, musical director Carla Jimenez said.

"Signs from God" features a string of characters who are struggling to understand God's plan for their futures. They ponder entering religious life, staying single, getting married and other personal callings.

Music director and composer Eric Haslag said he came up with the idea to create a play about vocations in April 2009. "We thought this would be a good opportunity to embrace other callings besides the priesthood, like married life or single life," Haslag said.

CSA Steering Committee facilitator Katie Hemmann, who plays the character Shannon, said the musical helped her learn about trusting God.

"It's about finding God's path for you," Hemmann said. "It's taking that scary word, vocation and turning it into something really positive and accessible to people. This doesn't just mean religious life, it means doing what you're called to do as a child of God."

Newman Week coordinator Katie Miller, formerly of The Maneater staff, said the Newman Week theme, "Find the Way," fits the musical and the cause.

"It kind of goes along with the musical theme and the whole theme of what the organization does for its kids, helping them find the way they're meant to in life," Miller said. "Our banner and our T-shirts have a picture of a path that leads to a cross and a dove."

Miller said the Steering Committee selected the Youth Empowerment Zone out of three local nonprofit organizations as this year's Newman Week beneficiary. The groups gave presentations about their causes to the Steering Committee.

"They had the shortest presentation but they left the biggest impression on us," said Jimenez, who is also the Steering Committee secretary. "I'm really glad the funds are going to them this year. It makes the musical to me so much more special considering the subject matter of the musical and charity are so closely related."

Hickman High School junior Ahmonta Harris talked to the Steering Committee about how the Youth Empowerment Zone helped him get a job at the Sbarro restaurant, where he has worked for a year and a half. The Youth Empowerment Zone practiced mock interviews with him, taught him how to dress for an interview and gave him a place to go after school, Harris said. Since then, Harris said his grades have improved, and he has joined the track team.

"You would think they would just teach you do certain stuff, and once you're done with the program, then they cut you loose," Harris said. "With them, it's different. They work with you, they check up on you every once in a while, see how you're doing. They're like your mentor, your parents. They're basically family."

Harris also shared his experiences with the Youth Empowerment Zone at the student-led prayer vigil Monday.

CSA member Liz Demse, who read an excerpt from the Gospel of Luke at the vigil, said the service also included worship music and prayer for the Youth Empowerment Zone.

The musical will run again at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Newman Center chapel.