REHEARSALS THAT END WITH PRAYER

The sixty teen-agers at the St. Vincent Parish Center have been working and partying all summer long. The parties, usually held at a pizza parlor or one of the teen-agers' houses, celebrate the completion of another long night of set-building and rehearsing.

They are assembling the pieces of a comedy called "The Man Who Came to Dinner." But to Sarah Strohmeyer, director of youth ministry for St. Vincent's Parish, the rehearsals and even the parties mean much more.

"When the group comes together it symbolizes the body of Christ -- all of us coming together under Christ," she says.

"We end every rehearsal with a prayer."

The George S. Kaufman-Moss Hart comedy will be presented at 8 tonight, Friday and Saturday night at the St. Vincent Parish Center, 742 Forest Ave. Admission is $5.

For reserved seating, call the parish office at 335-9649 or Strohmeyer at 335-1566.

The three-act comedy is about a radio personality who takes a spill and then takes over household. Chaos, eccentricity and even a love story ensue.

The marriage of theater and religion is a natural one, says Strohmeyer, whose father Gerry is directing the play and whose brother Marty is the production designer.

"It gives the kids a positive project, it keeps them busy and keeps them with good kids," she says.

"It's a way of community building."

The play also is a way for the larger community "to see what good the youth are doing," Strohmeyer says.

Some people who might not ordinarily get out to a theatrical production -- nursing home residents, a group from the Community Counseling Center and some children from a group home -- were invited to Wednesday night's dress rehearsal.

Members of the cast include: Mike Renick, Beth Essner, Laura Hoffman, Ben Edwards, Sarah Essner, Danny Strohmeyer, Mark Buehrle, Nina Prost, Ryan Fenwick, Krissi Cox, Chad Heuschober, Jessica Hency, Joe Essner, Beth Bishop, Rebecca Mattes and Michelle Hency.

Also in the cast are Ryan Mattes, Jean Stoverink, Jyothi Dirnberger, Tyler Berens, Janel Welker, Abby Heisserer, Cecilia Kuntz, Jill Edwards, Jaime Higgins, Kathryn Pelikan, Micaela Shaffar, Bryan Glosemeyer, Jennifer Markin and Sarah Vickery.

Members of the choir are Andrew Essner, Marissa Gibbar, Jill Ourth, Amanda Sharp, Jordan Tatum and Natalie Watts.