The Final Performance of Cathedral High School’s Founding Class

On November 19, the founding class of Cathedral High School held its final school play. The sophomores and seniors presented A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt, a comedic play based on the actual life of Saint Thomas More. It was hosted by Cathedral High School at St. Benedict XVI Hall. Open to the public for $5 a ticket, the seniors and sophomores attracted a great audience. The play ran from 7 p.m. to about 10 p.m.

The lead role of Sir Thomas More was played by Josef Castillo. The rest of the cast included Rene Torello as the Common Man, Francis Martens as the Duke of Norfolk, Maggie Kramer as Lady Alice More, Heidi Neumayr as Lady Margaret, Stanley Zimmerman as Cardinal Wolsey, JP England as Thomas Cromwell, Charlie Hough as Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, Jack Hand as Chapuys, Dominic Meade as William Roper, Christina Hill as Catherine of Aragon, Clay Feenstra as the Boatman, Oliver Aycock as the Headsman, David Bolanos as the Foreman of the Jury, and Dominic Block as Sir Richard Rich. The rest of the sophomores and seniors contributed behind the scenes as the stage crew.

A Man for All Seasons follows Sir Thomas More, who, after his death, was canonized Saint Thomas More, when King Henry VIII wishes to divorce Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn. Because Sir Thomas More is a devout Catholic, he cannot support the king’s wish to divorce. Despite men like Thomas Cromwell working to make him submit to King Henry VIII, Sir Thomas More sticks to his morals throughout the play, using silence to protect himself from legal issues. The Act of Succession required him to swear an oath approving the king’s marriage and authority, but he refused, leading to his imprisonment in the Tower of London. When Sir Thomas More is put on trial for high treason, Sir Richard Rich lies, claiming that Sir Thomas More denied the King’s authority. After the verdict based on the fake testimony, he makes a speech openly declaring his beliefs and is finally executed.

A significant portion of the student body attended the play, and the next day, students raved about how wonderful it was and how well the performers had done with their roles. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the cast for their excellent line delivery and stage presence. A Man for All Seasons was very well-received as the memorable final performance of Cathedral High School’s founding class.