The musical workshop celebrates the courageous life of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (Mother Cabrini), a fearless woman breaking barriers and blazing trails long before it
was acceptable or “happening.” Courtesy of AnnaMarie Prono
Musical celebrating the trailblazing life
of Mother Cabrini heading to Forest Hills
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
A musical about the courageous
life of Italian-born Roman
Catholic nun, St. Francis
Xavier Cabrini, also known as
Mother Cabrini, is coming to
Forest Hills.
The theatrical production,
“Happening Woman,” by playwright
AnnaMarie Prono, will
take place on Saturday, Nov.
13, and Sunday, Nov. 14, at Our
Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic
Church, located at 70-01 Kessel
St.
“I think that this show is
a wonderful opportunity for
people to learn about the first
American citizen to be named
a Saint in the Catholic Church.
I am looking forward to seeing
it,” said Rev. Frank Schwarz,
pastor at Our Lady of Mercy.
Set in the present day
through the eyes of a 13-yearold
girl with multiple sclerosis
(MS), Cabrini’s life provides
the backdrop to inspire a
young woman to overcome her
own challenges as she comes
of age.
Cabrini founded the Missionary
Sisters of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus, a Catholic religious
institute that was a major
support to her fellow Italian
immigrants to the United
States. She was also the first
U.S. citizen to be canonized as
a saint by the Roman Catholic
Church in July of 1946.
Prono, a native New Yorker
and architect whose career
was cut short by MS, a condition
which affects the brain
and spinal cord, had an epiphany
to produce a play about
Cabrini after Mayor Bill de
Blasio refused to erect a statue
of the nun — even though she
received the most “She Built
NYC” campaign votes in 2018.
According to Prono, she
was fascinated and needed to
know more about Cabrini.
“She was a woman who
refused to take ‘no’ for an answer.
As someone with compromised
health, I identified
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.2 COM | NOV. 12 - NOV. 18, 2021
with that and spent the next
year getting to know her. She
accomplished great things and
I want to do the same,” Prono
said.
“Happening Woman” is
more than a feel-good musical,
Prono’s team said.
“It’s about real people and
real-life situations and finding
solutions. We aren’t highlighting
the negative, rather we are
celebrating a real life miracle
maker, who lived and worked
in New York City,’’ the team
said. “She made a difference
in the lives of people who are
no longer with us, but today
she continues to motivate and
bring positive energy to all
who are receptive. We want
our show to resonate with the
youth in our communities.”
“Happening Woman” was
conceived just before the COVID
19 outbreak in March 2020.
According to Prono’s
production partner, Malini
McDonald, despite social distancing
restrictions, Prono
continued writing and collaborating
with musician, friend
and the show’s composer,
Robert Kaufmann.
Kaufman wrote the theme
song and “Happening Woman”
was officially born.
“Despite social distancing
restrictions, AnnaMarie continued
writing and collaborating
with Bob Kaufmann. Technology
aided us with Zoom
and emails, until it was safe
to meet in person again,” said
McDonald, who also has MS.
ThermApparel, a company
that focuses on technologically
advanced and barely visible
cooling vests commonly used
by actors, athletes and individuals
with heat intolerance,
is a presenting sponsor of the
musical.
Kurtis Kracke, CEO and
founder of ThermApparel, said
their goal is to help people do
more of what they love by reducing
exhaustion and fatigue
caused by heat and exertion.
“You can’t tell, but AnnaMarie
was wearing her
cooling vest during her Go-
FundMe video,” Kracke said.
“Like Mother Cabrini, she is
inspirational to others as an
example of someone living life
to its fullest despite significant
challenges brought on by MS.
In addition to sponsoring the
musical, we are featuring AnnaMarie
as a #RIPupMS hero
because of her dedication.”
To help bring “Happening
Woman” to other churches
and schools, Prono’s team has
launched a GoFundMe page
to raise $6,800. The funding
will be used for the venue, the
production (set, costumes,
props), the technical team and
technical support.
Adult tickets are $15 and
tickets for children/seniors
are $12. However, since it’s a
workshop, the team is inviting
guests within the church
and theatrical circles at no
charge. Guests are required to
wear masks and show proof of
COVID-19 vaccination.
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