A television heads up: Tonight’s Live from Lincoln Center on your local PBS station is broadcasting a performance of the much-acclaimed new Broadway musical The Light in the Piazza. Fans of Catholic fiction should take note because it is based on a novella by Elizabeth Spencer and is redolent with Catholic themes. There was also a movie made of it back when, but for the life of me, though I remember seeing it—I think it starred Tuesday Weld and (oy!) George Hamilton—I can’t now remember if it was any good.

The story revolves around an American woman touring Italy in the 50s with her grown daughter, Clara, and her reaction when Clara falls in love with a vivacious young Italian. Cross-cultural complications ensue—neither of the young people speaks the other’s language—but there is a major complication, the nature of which I probably shouldn’t reveal beforehand, but upon which the story hinges in a most interesting and timely (as in “pro-life”) fashion. And, no, it has nothing to do with an unwed pregnancy or abortion, but I don’t wish to reveal more.

The musical has gotten rave reviews and won Tonys, so I shall be very interested to see what they’ve done with the story, and if the Catholic element—that “pro-life” theme—remains intact.

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