SISTER ACT : AUGUST 9th -14th 2021

Directed by :
MIKE CANNING

Musical Director :
ALLAN FOURACRE

Choreography by :
GEORGIA STEER

SISTER ACT 

It’s Philadelphia in the 1970s when disco diva wannabe Deloris Van Cartier sees her gangster boyfriend Curtis  commit a murder at the grungy club where she’s performing. She reports the crime to Eddie Souther at the Police Precinct. Curtis has a ruthless reputation so Delores is placed in the witness protection programme. Disguised as a nun, she is placed in the convent of the Holy Order of the Sisters at the Queen of Angels Church. You would think that she was safe at last ….. but her troubles were only just beginning!

The contrast with her own life could not be greater. There follows a series of clashes with the Mother Superior, and an increasing fascination of the Sisters regarding their new addition. Delores gradually finds her infectious personality brings her closer to her new friends, and as the story unfolds they become closer and closer.

Then she begins to lead them in their music …… and the story really takes off.  

CODS began the production of Sister Act in the first week of November 2019.

By mid March 2020 the production was looking really good, and was very nearly ready to move to our production venue in mid April. 

Then on 23rd March 2020 the first COVID lockdown happened. 

In the great scale of things the world of amateur dramatics paled into insignificance compared to the personal tragedies and economic disasters that followed, and indeed have continued for some considerable time. 

However the camaraderie, and enthusiasm of local Am Dram groups the length and breadth of the UK couldn’t be contained for too long! Indeed this was exactly the case with CODS. 

A mixture of quizzes, murder mysteries and meetings over the strange and unparalleled lockdown periods, morphed in to zoom rehearsals, albeit with their limitations, in particular for singing. 

As restrictions were eased, risked assessed rehearsals took place, masked and socially distanced. We even tried rehearsals in the open air! 

Finally, after much planning, risk assessment and endless changes, we were able to rehearse again and eventually to perform.

With reduced audiences and safety measures in place, extra hired toilets complete with voluntary cleaner, the show finally opened and the cast gave six happy and enjoyable performances.

It was a long, long road and not without many difficulties and frustrations,  but finally Sister Act hit the stage!

Stellar performances, and super choreography enhanced the enjoyment of our audiences who were so eager to see live performances in Crediton again.

Particular thanks must go to Georgia Steer, our Choreographer, and to Amy Charles who started and planned much of the early choreography. We are indebted to them both for their extraordinary work, which looked so good on stage. 

CODS PHOTO GALLERY “SMUGMUG”

Photographs from ‘SISTER ACT’ and previous CODS productions are all available on this gallery. 
These range from the very early productions to the present day. 
There are also some movie clips.
Just click the button and select the show. Enjoy!

“I COULD BE THAT GUY”

Sweaty Eddie dreams about the man he really wants to be. He’s a cop with out a gun, but a lot of kind thoughts and good intentions. 

He desperately wants to show Delores that he really is good enough for her. That he can be the man she is looking for …..

And he really can !

Performed by the one and only …  James Billington. It was a pleasure to have James join us for this show, before he goes on tour with his Michael Buble show. We all wish him well with this.

RAISE YOUR VOICE

Delores enters the Music Room and finds the Sisters singing … well sort of!

Asked how she thinks they are doing, after some thought she replies … “there are no words!”

She is persuaded to take up the baton, though of course she needs little persuasion!

What follows is the beginning of the Sisters new era. They are about to reach heights they had never ever dreamed of! 

A visit by the National Noda President. 

Hi Mike,
Thanks SO much for the photo.  It was absolutely my pleasure to come and see the show – such a feel-good show – I really enjoyed the whole evening.  I am such in the process of sending a note to ‘the Society’ to thank them and putting the visit on my NODA Presidents facebook page.  One of these days, we intend to visit Devon again and stay for longer – it is such a beautiful part of the world!
Thanks again so much for a wonderful show, and for the photo

Kind regards,Chris
Christine Hunter Hughes
NODA National President

COMMENTS FROM OUR AUDIENCES

And so it is that Delores teaches the Sisters to “Sing to the Lord”. 

 This they do with gusto and enthusiasm, they even jazz up their habits! Well you do don’t you! 

Mother Superior is so impressed with the improvement in their voices and their singing. 

But is this how it should be? Should the Sisters be packing ’em in? The pews are filling up, the collections have never been as generous. The Convent is no longer in financial trouble. 

But alas, she is still uncomfortable with what Delores has done with her quiet, reserved and simple living ladies!