Sister's Christmas Catechism

Sister's Christmas Catechism delivers a sleigh load of side-splitting holiday laughs as Sister tackles "whatever happened to the Magi's gold" through a forensic examination of the nativity scene (MOP). Written and produced by Maripat Donovan with Marc Silvia and Jane Morris, the show stars Donovan reprising the sister of "Late Nite Catechism" fame.

The local choirs around Orange and Los Angeles Counties were invited to perform in the show in exchange for comp'd tickets for friends and family. St. Angela Singers and Voices of Joy along with Cantor, Mary Lee, joined forces to perform on November 5th and 19th (sold out) evening shows, caroling at the beginning where we were interrupted by Sister to Christianize the last song, Jingle Bells by putting "Baby Jesus in the sleigh". Then Sister continues with her Christmas catechism, treating the audience like her students, chastising them when they answer wrong or oddly, are dressed a little too revealing, sneak in late, etc. She even confiscated two cell phones at the show on November 17th, when St. Juliana's Choir performed.

During the second act, Sister chooses people from the audience to serve as actors in a living Nativity; she and her assistant, Jim, dresses them in old clothes and household linens that are in give-away bags under the Christmas tree. After all of the players are on stage, Sister then uses her "forensic talents" she's acquired by watching Forensic Files on TV to discover who stole the Magi's gold from the Holy Family. She uses a technique she contrived called MOP - Motive, Opportunity, and Proximity to point the investigation towards the . . . well, you'll have to see the production yourself.

When Servite Men's Choir baled on their commitment, we agreed to cover the last show, November 20th. On the 19th, Tom McCoy, came by to converse with us. Many of us know his (large) local family, or someone in it. His sister, Eileen, teaches at St. Angela's; many of us knew his father, a St. Jude's Surgeon who used to teach human reproduction classes at local Catholic Churches; Tom, himself, coached Marybeth's basketball team when she was in 8th grade at St. Mary's. He said he really appreciated us filling in for the one choir who cancelled with little notice.

We began the show with our Gospel song, Soon and Very Soon, followed by Hark, The Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night, The Santa's Comin' Song, and Jingle Bells.

Second Act - one verse of: O Little Town of Bethlehem, Angels We Have Heard On High, Away in the Manger, and We Three Kings, and Little Drummer Boy, ending the night with Jingle Bells - Oh what fun it is to ride with Baby Jesus in the sleigh!