Owen Garvey ‘27
News Editor
This past week on the Hill, a song cycle with poems was performed at the Prior Performing Arts Center. Close and Apart was adapted from a memoir by Holy Cross professor Matthew Jaskot and Professor Dr. Susan Elizabeth Sweeney. The performance tells the story of a 19-year-old, Christopher Gregory, who becomes an organ donor weeks before he tragically passes away in a car accident. The commentary follows the experiences of the people in Chris’ life, along with the impact of his donation on the recipients. The collection of songs and poems had a theme of optimism intertwined with deep sadness.
After the performance, students were asked if they enjoyed Close and Apart. The common trend was that students were not expecting the poems to be sung, but the singing added another level of complexity to the overall storyline. Martin Connoly ‘27 says the performance “was amazing and unique in the way it was a song cycle and poetry performance.” Many students responded similarly, claiming that the performance was like nothing they had seen before. Connoly continues, “The story was a tragedy, though, and with that comes the reminder that humans are mortal. Performances of this kind are reminders of human life and its importance.” It is safe to say that the play moved many individuals with its tragic story and the true kindness of the 19-year-old Christopher. Patrick Ryan ‘27 says, “I was moved… especially knowing that Chris’ parents were in the audience with us.”
The performance provided new experiences for first-year students on campus. For many it was their first opportunity to see a performance in the Prior Performing Arts Center. First-year students found it interesting to see a professional performance on their own campus. Additionally, the music allowed students to experience artists with vastly diverse backgrounds. Two of the musicians, Kevin and Matt Nolan, produced music for Yellowstone, and other musicians had been on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and other famous shows. The performance was also popular among students because they had the opportunity to see their professors’ work performed live. We can only hope that the amazing song cycle and poetry can be shown to the rest of the world.
Overall, this experience was more than exciting for the students of Holy Cross. To visit the Prior Performing Arts Center was amazing. The ability to watch a performance created by Holy Cross faculty and performed by talented musicians was one of the most exciting experiences for first-years thus far.
Featured image courtesy of Close and Apart
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