The above photo was taken Thanksgiving 1991, in my apartment on Union Street in Winooski. There were 8 fine arts majors in this photo who graduated in 1992.
Pictured on top row: Julie Alexander, Michael Lounsbery, Chris Burrage, Karen Newcombe
Bottom row: Robin Perez, Rick Homan, Bridget Edwards, Rebecca Padula
We did a lot, and I mean a LOT, of theater together in our years at St. Mike’s. A bond that is hard to explain—similar to being on a sports team, I suppose—adding in many long rehearsals and the oddity of pretending to be someone else in front of an audience.
Many of the people in this photo were roommates at some point, more than once. Intense relationships then, and strong and savored relationships now.
We all suffered the loss of our beloved professor Joanne Rathgeb together, and, many years later, lost one face in this photo much too young to cancer, Chris Burrage.
These people are not just “friends.” They are people who sang at my wedding, people I have seen come through marriage, divorce, childbirth, adoption, sickness and health, people who traveled from far for my father’s funeral. I know where every single one of them is, and, if I had to, could pick up the phone right now and find them.
I’ve been living in France for 15 years. Our education system in America is so different from much of the rest of the world, we certainly were oblivious as to how fortunate we were back then, experiencing our time together at St. Mike’s.
Faces gleaming, smiles bright, thinking about our next show, the next play, the next adventure, together, in McCarthy Arts Center, creating something magical.
Here’s to friendships from St. Mike’s!
– Julie Alexander ’92
