Hard Road Theatre: The bootlegging nuns are back

The hilarious hijinks with the nuns at the Sisters of Perpetual Sewing will return to the Hard Road Theatre stage this weekend with the family-friendly comedy Drinking Habits 2. The play is a direct sequel to last winter’s highly popular play, Drinking Habits and features all of the same characters.

Tom Varner, the show’s director, said audiences are in for a real treat, as Hard Road’s production is only the second place in the world to be performing this play. The play hasn’t even been officially published, yet, and is being produced in direct accordance with the author.

“Drinking Habits was so successful and well received than when we were presented with this opportunity, we couldn’t pass it up,” said Varner. “It isn’t necessary to have seen the first show to enjoy this one. Audiences are going to love this show and what occurs as the convent tries to put on their play while the sisters secretly start bootlegging wine again.”

Set in the present day outside the small town of Shady Glenn, USA, Drinking Habits 2 follows the misadventures of the Sisters of Perpetual Sewing and their friends. An orphanage with a strong connection to the convent is in danger of closing unless $5,000 can be raised in four weeks. In order to raise the needed funds, the convent decides to perform a play written by Mother Superior.

Meanwhile, the other nuns of the convent agree to make a secret batch of their award-winning wine to sell to supplement the play’s proceeds. But when Mother Superior believes she’s had a holy vision, the lead male actor can’t remember his lines, and the woman playing the Blessed Mother can’t stop her uncontrollable cravings — because she’s pregnant with twins — things are thrown into chaos and everything that can go wrong does just as the curtain rises.

The cast includes Breanna Noe as Sister Augusta, Linda Collman as Sister Philamena, Chad Korte as George, Mary Knebel as Mother Superior, Evan Fifer as Paul Billings, Gentry Nessel as Sally Andrews, Megan Jakel as Kate, and Rob Bowman as Father Chenille.

Sponsored by Staunton Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in association with the Highland Arts Council, Drinking Habits 2 is acceptable for families as it contains no foul language or adult situations.

This story was originally published January 20, 2016 at 4:47 AM with the headline "Hard Road Theatre: The bootlegging nuns are back."