The Last Mass at St. Casimir's - Surviving the Storm, Family Love to Keep Them Warm

The title “The Last Mass at St. Casimir’s,” perhaps evokes images of run-down churches and sparse congregations, but you might be surprised to learn that this show takes place in a tavern. It’s 1977, and Ellen, the matriarch of the Pazinski family, has sold the home where her children grew up, which was a bar with an apartment above it. In fact, this show is the final installment in a trilogy of stories that began with the show titled “Over the Tavern.” In this show, we see all of Ellen's children return home to Buffalo, New York, to gather one last time, say goodbye to the family home, and attend the final Mass at their childhood church, St. Casimir’s. The “old” neighborhood is slowly fading away. People are moving elsewhere, shops and establishments are closing down, and making way for new people with new dreams and new things to make and sell, and the church is going out along with that old version of this neighborhood. But one thing that endures, even past old neighborhoods and churches, is family. We reached out to the cast of this production and asked them about their feelings towards family and home. 

Playing our matriarch, Ellen (Pazinski) Fronzak is Cheryl Grimshaw. For Cheryl from the mom’s point of view, coming home means reconnecting with mom and all she embodies. “She is usually the glue that holds the family together,” Cheryl says. And Ellen is all about that family that she’s holding together. “Whether it’s her handicapped son, Georgie, her daughter, or her other two sons, Rudy and Eddie, she is there for all of them.” And Cheryl is able to relate to Ellen very closely. “Having my kids come home feels right to me, though they may not think so. I want to recapture all the feels that having my kids home has always represented [in this performance.]” Cheryl left home at a very young age, when she got married at 19 (She shared that, in her opinion, she doesn’t recommend getting married at that age). “Since I was married, I created a new life that just didn’t fit with my ‘home' life anymore. It was hard to go home. Everyone expected the old me to show up, and the new me didn’t fit in.” This will likely be Cheryl’s final production. “There are not many parts for senior actors. I can’t think of a better play in which to end my career.” 

The one and only daughter of the Pazinski family is Annie, and she will be played by Amanda Charles. Annie still lives in Buffalo, though she’s getting a bit sick of the snow. “There’s too much snow!” To be fair, this play takes place in 1977, when a historic blizzard occurred in Buffalo. The blizzard lasted from January 28th to February 1st, and during that time, 12.3 inches of snow fell; however, high winds created massive drifts up to 30 to 40 feet high. Throughout the entire 1976-77 winter, the area received 199 inches of snow. All that is to say, Annie may have a point about there being too much snow! All that snow is enough to make anyone a little bit nervous. “Annie carries the burden of being the ‘worrier.’ No one else seems to be thinking about the future or how to plan for it. Annie is dismissed as the ‘nervous nut,’ in an attempt for the family to hide their own fears about the future. Despite that, she loves her people dearly. Annie is a deeply attentive mom, determined to make her daughter feel seen in a way she never was.” But when it comes to what this play is really about, Amanda says, “At its core, it’s about recognizing each other, accepting each other’s differences in personality, dogma, and ambition. It’s a story about the struggles families deal with, like to love unconditionally, facing big challenges, and making hard decisions. And it does it with a joke at every turn.” 

Rudy, one of Ellen's three sons, is the only member of the family who hasn’t stayed in Buffalo and instead moved to New York City. Matt Cummins plays Rudy, “home to him is spending time with his family and getting away from the constant hustle of the city. Rudy loves his family even (perhaps especially) when they drive him crazy. His love language is teasing, which he does constantly,” proving that Rudy loves his family quite a lot. Matt says, “I was unfamiliar with the work of Tom Dudzick [the playwright] before working on this play. I was surprised by how much its exploration of family resonated with me. This play is a great reminder that, even if you don’t get to choose your family, you get to choose to be a part of your family.” 

Families can sometimes be messy, but there is love there. And the concern for one another, especially within the Pazinski clan, always comes through. We hope you’ll join us for this snowed-in story of a family reconnecting, remembering the good old days, and digging themselves out so they can make it to “The Last Mass at St. Casimir’s.” 

Performances are September 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, & 14. Shows start at 7:00 on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and 2:00 on Sundays. The concession stand will open 1 hour before the show starts, and the house will be open for seating at this time as well. Get tickets at lofte.org/tickets or call the box office at 402-234-2553.