Songs of a Catholic Childhood

NEWS! SPRING SHOWCASE

April 19, 22 and 26 at Chief O’Neill’s Restaurant, 3471 N. Elston, Chicago. Special dinner theater packages. Stay tuned. www.chiefoneillspub.com

(Scroll down to hear SONGS audio samples)

J. O’Reilly Productions Presents
Jamie O’Reilly & Michael Smith in

Songs of a Catholic Childhood

Reading.
Writing.
Remembering.

First communion.
First confession.
First crush.
First kiss.

Listen:

SONGS audio sampler © J.O’Reilly Productions

In solos and duets, Smith and O’Reilly perform a winning group of songs, and talk about life in parochial schools during their “formative” years: His – as the eldest of 6, in the working class Irish/Italian neighborhoods of post-WWII New Jersey, in the ’40s, and ’50s. Hers – as the 4th-girl-in-the-middle of a family of 14 kids, in a small Illinois town during the post-Vatican II, Baby-Boom era of the ’60s and ’70s.

In the course of their 17-year musical partnership, Jamie and Michael have created powerful theatrical productions: Pasiones, Hello Dali, Gift of the Magi, Scarlet Confessions. None is as heartfelt as “Songs”.

They bring us to our lives, to cherish what is simple, know what is lost, heal what is hurt. And remember the best of times…

Middle Kids. Jamie (left) at St. Thomas

…Fasting on Fridays, the Christmas play, Latin Mass, report card day, tornado drills, diving under the desk, reciting the rosary, nightly prayers, May-crownings…

First Communion

Read the Songlist
CatholicChildhood-sets.

photo by Nia

History. Songs of A Catholic Childhood debuted to a full – and captivated house – at Mayne Stage, Chicago, as a benefit for St. Scholastica Academy. New songs were written for the show, which also features odes to the Virgin Mary, hymns, folk-songs and popular songs and music from the movies: 1936-1970s (Vaya Con Dios, True Love, Bells of St. Mary’s). Among the concert’s 20 plus songs are signature songs from Jamie’s concert repertoire (The Holy City, She Would Sing the Kerry Dances), and from Michael’s 1995 autobiographical play Michael, Margaret, Pat and Kate, winner of 5 Jefferson Awards (Sr. Clarissa, 5 Angels, I Brought My Father With Me).

What people are saying about “Songs”

“People were over the moon about what they experienced. They laughed; they cried. I have carried the songs in this show and CD in my mind, heart and soul for years. They mean more as time goes on. Once performed, they are a gift that we share forever.” (Judi Heikes, St. Scholastica Alumnae Board)

“Jamie and Michael’s paring of simple, poetic and poignant stories of a catholic youth will resonate with any Catholic School student – past and present. (Bernadette Haderlein, LA Archdiocese Early Childhood Advisory Board)

“I was there at the first concert. I laughed; I cried; I sang along. I remembered how magical the May crownings were in my childhood at St Margaret Mary and St Thomas the Apostle schools. I remembered the thrill of singing as a boy soprano. It all came back, and I was happy just to be there and enjoy it all.” (Willem O’Reilly, Artist, Boulder, CO)

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More music from Jamie and Michael

Michael sings Pagan Babies
Jamie sings I Fell Out of Love With Sin Today
Interview on WGN RADIO, with Rick Kogan

“There was child named Bernadette, I heard the story long ago. She saw the queen of heaven once, and kept the vision in her soul. No one believed what she had seen, no one believed what she heard. That there were sorrows in this world, and mercy on this world.” (fr Song of Bernadette, by Leonard Cohen, Jennifer Warnes)
LISTEN to Jamie (take 2) Song of Bernadette

“Car trips to Pennsylvania
When all of us would sing
He sang Bells Of Saint Mary’s
And he sounded just like Bing
Summer days down at the shore
Remembering how he
Would bless himself with foam before
He’d dive into the sea”
YouTube Michael: I Brought My Father With Me

Be a Songs Sponsor – book the show.
Download pdf CatholicChildhood-form-2.

email jamie@jamieoreilly.com

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Songs is produced with support from these businesses

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