Event

WHEN ANGELS WEPT

WHEN ANGELS WEPT is a semi fictitious story of the 1958 fire at the Our Lady of the Angels Roman Catholic School in Chicago, in which 92 children (ages 8 - 14) and three nuns died. It made international news. Even the Vatican got involved. It caused cities all over the country to update their building codes to make schools safer. To this day it remains one of the worst tragedies in the history of Chicago and one of the worst school fires in the nation.

But its cause is still a great mystery. Officially the Chicago Fire Department considers the fire "unsolved." Was it an act of arson? Could it have been prevented? Did the City of Chicago and the Archdiocese engage in a massive cover up to avoid responsibility? Playwright/Attorney Charles Grippo has studied the transcripts from the inquest, police and fire reports, and materials from other sources and has arrived at a conclusion that will startle you.

But WHEN ANGELS WEPT is also the human story of how ordinary people deal with unspeakable tragedy. It is the story of one man's relentless quest for answers and reconciliation. Its themes of courage and faith will touch your heart and give you a chance to ask your own questions when your life is shaken by circumstances beyond your contol. WHEN ANGELS WEPT takes you from the mountaintop, into the valley, and back up and shows you that, no matter what happens, there is hope. New Lincoln Theatre is proud to present the world premiere of this deeply moving play. This is the first time the Our Lady of the Angels fire has been treated as a live professional stage production.
Smoke effects & strobe lights will be used in this show.