Identity
\īˈden(t)ədē\
Noun
Definitions
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a: the distinguishing character or personality of an individual
b: who someone is: the name of a person
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the condition of being the same with something described or asserted
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a: sameness of essential or generic character in different instances
b: sameness in all that constitutes the objective reality of a thing : oneness
Etymology
Middle French identité, from Late Latin identitat-, identitas, probably from Latin identidem repeatedly, contraction of idem et idem, literally, same and same
Our 2026 Theme
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This year, we will explore the idea of "identity" through our three productions. This word is a bit loaded today... it is divisive, misunderstood, and misused. Our society tells us that we create our identity—we decide who we are and what we are about. Certainly our God wants us to have a say... free will doesn't exist for nothing! But I have found that when I forget who I am, and whose I am, that's when things stop to make sense. The first sin says it all; Adam and Eve forgot they were already like God, so satan's lie took hold.
We desire to know who we are—let us listen to the Father as He reveals our truest identity.
Beloved son. Beloved daughter.
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– Emma Cox
The Lily
By Sophia Hoffert
Directed by Isabella Schott
March 13-15, 2026
Who are we after we die— when everything else is stripped away? This question of identity, of who we really are, echoes throughout our modern world. In The Lily, Susanna, with the help of the Saints, wrestles with this exact question. Her story of conversion focuses around this struggle with identity, of who she is, and even more importantly, who she belongs with. In addition to the difficult task of discovering herself, Susanna is confronted with who she believes others to be and their identities. Throughout the conversion process, she is challenged again and again to go deeper into the relationships with the Saints around her, as well as her relationship with God, who is love, to discover the Other as they are rather than as she thinks them to be.
The definition for the word “identity” talks about the distinguishing marks of an individual. A huge reason I wrote The Lily the way that I did is from a love for the Saints. A few years ago, a very wise priest told me that the Saints are all unique, and they are all uniquely themselves. Evil gets blurred and muddy and always looks the same, but we are each unique and individual; each of us bears the indelible marks of a unique identity from a loving creator, in this life and the next. But who are we after we die, when everything else is stripped away? The Catholic faith gives one resounding answer: loved.
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- Sophia Hoffert, author
A wise person once said to me that when we try to plan out our lives, God laughs. And the characters in The Importance of Being Earnest, certainly try and fail hilariously to plan their lives without God. But what could be better than to giggle at than a fake brother who lives far off in the city, two men having to share their alias, and two women obsessed with the idea of marrying a man named Ernest. While these characters end up in quite the tangled mess of lies and deceit, we can see the true importance behind this story is actually being your authentic self, even if you or the world would prefer you to be someone else. It may be fun to pretend to be another person, especially if it helps you get the woman of your dreams like our leading men. But by pretending to be someone you are not, can that person ever truly love you?
The Lord knows us and chooses to love us unendingly. And in that love He longs for us to be loved and accepted for who we are, and even more importantly, whose we are. While this play is a comedy it also reminds us of the truth that all we need is to accept that we are loved as we are to find the love that we long for. Because in being our true selves and living as a beloved one of the Lord, we are able to let His love pour out from us into the world.
But I hear you still asking “so what the heck is so important about being earnest?” Well earnestness means having intense sincerity and great conviction. Once again pointing back to how the Lord wishes for us to live truthfully as His beloved children. That being said, the two men at the heart of this story struggle with that notion and feel the need to compensate an awful lot by using the pseudonym Ernest Worthing. Can they ever truly realize that who they are on the inside matters more than the title they give themselves? You’ll have to join us for a night of love triangles, disguises and much confusion to know the truth!​
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- Isabella Schott, director
Beginning in my Acting IV class in college, and up until now, St. Joan of Arc in theatre has piqued my interest– how can one write about a person who lived in the 1400s? How can we capture a person whose entire mission on earth was contested by her own religion? How do we find the truth of the woman, Joan, under the titles and esteem she is granted today? And should we? This has been a question in my mind for many years, and I am thrilled to explore it further in our production of St. Joan by Bernard Shaw.
The back cover of my copy of this play reads: “Fascinated by the story of Joan of Arc, but unhappy with the way she had traditionally been depicted, Shaw wanted to remove the ‘whitewash which disfigures her beyond recognition’. He presents a realistic Joan: proud, intolerant, naive, foolhardy, and brave…”. I have always loved this play for this very reason. Shaw’s Joan is different. Often for a young Catholic woman looking to pursue holiness in our day, I look to the saints and see perfection rather than relatability. Perhaps this is not a struggle for many, but for myself, I find that holiness, through the lens of these perfectly polished stories of greatness, seems unrealistic. I don’t rejoice at suffering, or perfectly approach difficult situations. Of course, we should strive for perfection, and depend wholly on the Lord while doing so, but we also need guides along the way. Many young people, especially young women being confirmed, seem to resonate with Joan of Arc’s story – why? I wonder if it is because we can see ourselves in her disobedience of the “norms”, of her challenging those in charge, her youthful “full throttle” attitude… typical behaviors of myself and many at the ripe age of 19. I wonder if her story shows young women a mirror – perhaps pieces that match who we are, and pieces that match who we want to be – a beloved daughter of a God much bigger than us, but who created us and chose us specifically and personally for a purpose beyond ourselves.
Joan’s story also shows us the consequences of not being who others expect you to be. There are consequences today of “not conforming” to the social & political narrative of our day – and isn’t that what living an authentic Catholic life delivers? St. Joan faced this challenge within the Catholic Church, and we face it today in our society – who we are called to be, that is, faithful children of God, is misunderstood, shamed, and ridiculed. While we may not be literally martyred, we may be “burned at the stake” in our careers, socially, or even in our families. But it is exactly this call we must answer. Let us, like Joan, be willing to live boldly, go bravely, and be authentically ourselves, regardless of the consequences.
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- Emma Cox, director
