The book “Street Sabbatical: Life Lessons for a Contemplative Beggar” by retired Diocese of Wilmington priest Father Paul Mast will make its premiere as a musical at four Delaware locations in April.
It’s called “Compassion Street – the musical” and it aims to reframe the social issue of homelessness based on six months Father Mast said he experienced with homeless people in eight different cities from August 2013 to March 2014. He kept a journal of the experience which resulted in the book.
“During his 2021 COVID quarantine, he revisited the book and the words became lyrics and the lyrics became a musical,” according to a news release announcing the musical which includes 17 songs.
“It’s three years in the making,” said the 77-year-old priest who lives in Clayton.
“Mast takes us down streets where saints disguised at beggars give us bread from their hearts,” said author Donald Cozzens in a review quoted on the book cover.
Dates, sites and times for the musical premiere are:
April 11, Smyrna High School, 7:30 p.m.
April 12, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, Dover, 7:30 p.m.
April 13, Ss. Andrew & Matthew Episcopal Church, Wilmington, 11 a.m.
April 13, Sacred Heart Oratory, Wilmington, 4 p.m.
For tickets, visit compassionstreetthemusical.com.
