Dennis Hollingsworth: Peggy

October 27, 2012

Peggy

My mother in law, Peggy Hurley, passed away last week after a summer's struggle with cancer. Her children flew and drove to Massachusetts to attend the memorial at her church, Victory Baptist Church at Brant Rock, MA. Peggy's church was filled with friends and family, many testimonials were spontaneously delivered, the day was sad and full of love.

Peggy went with Stephanie and yours truly to see the Los Angeles production of the Gospel at Colonus back in 1986. Gospel at Colonus by lee Breuer and Bob Telson, was created in 1985. Sophocles' third act of his Theban Plays is a consummation of the tragic, the nature of which had never lent it much leverage with the modern stage since the play was about reconciliation, a limp driver for drama. This was the genius of the Gospel at Colonus: the marriage of black Pentecostal gospel and ancient Greek tragedy, one reinforced the other.
Lyric fragment:

SOLOIST:
Let every man consider his last day
When youthful pleasures have faded away
Can he look at his life without pain?
Let every child remember how to pray
For the lost of the earth to find the way
And the kingdom of Heaven reign
CHOIR:
Live where you can
Be happy as you can
Happier than God has made your father
Live where you can
Be happy as you can
For he may not be here tomorrow

My wife Stephanie, brothers Albert and Richard.