Nuns and wine: Players open new show

Mistaken identities, romances and

accusations plague the Sisters of Perpetual Sewing Convent in the

Bigfork Community Players’ farce “Drinking Habits,” which opens

Friday at the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts.

The show is directed by Erin Flores,

who is in her third show in that role for the Players. Flores

debuted last season, when she directed both “Christmas Belles” and

“Break a Leg.”

In choosing her show for this spring,

Flores said she had to keep in mind factors of the time of year,

like that it should include a smaller cast since it opens during

local schools’ spring break. She stumbled on “Drinking Habits,”

written by Tom Smith.

“I just laughed through the whole thing

the first time I read it,” Flores said.

She hasn’t stopped laughing, even after

weeks of rehearsals.

The comedy is about two nuns at the

Sisters of Perpetual Sewing who have secretly been making wine to

keep their convent’s doors open.

Two reporters, on the trail of a story,

go undercover as a nun and priest. Between the two of them and

another new nun, paranoia spreads through the convent that spies

have been sent from Rome to shut it down.

“All I say to people is it’s about nuns

and about wine,” she said. “That’s all you have to know.”

The eight-person cast contains a mix of

newcomers and old-timers to the Bigfork Community Players, an

amateur theater group in the Village that puts on three shows a

year with people from throughout the Flathead Valley. The cast

includes Jodie Thole as Sister Augusta and Shannon Bagley as Sister

Philamena.

“We have a good mix of people and

ages,” Flores said. “I like just seeing the characters come

together.”

The comedy is appropriate for all ages,

Flores said, and its humor makes it a worthy evening even for those

who aren’t regular theatergoers.

“I think that it’s a great show if

you’ve never really been into plays,” she said.

The show hits the stage at 8 p.m. April

1, 2, 8 and 9 at the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts.

Matinees will be at 2 p.m. April 3 and 10.

Tickets are available at Kalispell

Grand Hotel, Sliter’s Ace in Somers, Bigfork Drug and at the

door.

Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $10

for seniors and Bigfork Community Players members and $5 for

children under 12.

For more information, visit

bigforkcommunityplayers.com.