East Clare Musical Society (ECMS) welcomed sellout audiences to their four performances of the musical comedy, Sister Act, at Scariff Community College during Easter Week.
Standing ovations every night were testament to the hard work by the cast, crew and organising committee during rehearsals and pre-production of this crowd pleasing Holy Show.
Directed and Choreographed by Sarah Allen with Musical Direction by John O’Brien, the cast and chorus of Sister Act succeeded in bringing our audiences to their feet. Huge smiles on the faces of the audiences as they left the theatre in Scariff Community College justified the selection of this magical, toe tapping, colourful performance of feel good music, singing and dancing that is Sister Act.
We had an amazing set designed and built by John Wright, Colourful sparkly costumes supplied by June Young, with professional and awe inspiring lighting, sound and hall dressing by Ger Kilkenny and Experience Productions. We also had a committed group of volunteers and society members who helped out backstage or front of house, with car parking, and venue cleaning, each night.
The Committee and members of the East Clare Musical Society are extremely thankful to the Principal of Scariff Community College, Angela McNamara, and her staff who have once again let the ECMS take over their school for rehearsals and performances. A special thanks to Music teacher Denise Glass for the use of her classroom, props and instruments during the rehearsals and performance of Sister Act. Thanks to the musical theatre loving people of the Mid West who attended and played their part in making Sister Act a success for the ECMS.
Below are the thoughts of our Director and Choreographer Sarah Allen, Our lead actress Sinéad O’Callaghan who played Deloris Van Cartier and new member Kévin Saudé who played TJ.
Sarah Allen said: “The reaction from both the cast and audiences were more than I ever could have imagined! I hope the input I gave helped but at the end of the day the cast and chorus put every last part of themselves into their performances and I know the audiences saw their true joy being up on that stage!”
Sinead O’Callaghan added: Rehearsing and performing Sister Act with ECMS has been an immensely joyous and uplifting experience. On top of the immediate adrenaline buzz this show gave me, the long term benefits are just as prominent. It has given me friends for life, boosted my confidence and self-esteem across the board and ignited a passion for musical theatre that I know I can always return to when I’m in need of a dose of joy. I would encourage everybody, no matter their age, talent or background, to get involved in a musical theatre society and as Deloris would say “let it sweep you completely away”.
Kévin Saudé said: “Just over a week has passed since our last show. The proverbial Sunday morning fever is beginning to cool down, bodies have recovered, and the daily grind has resumed. However, one conclusion remains: Sister Act the musical was one of the best experiences of my life. We’ve all made sacrifices to make the musical such a resounding success, but I’ve always been guided by one motto: When an opportunity feels right, seize it, because life is short.
In fact, this year I’m at a crossroads in my life, and this debut experience as a cast member in the East Clare Musical Society’s Sister Act will weigh significantly in my decision to seek greener pastures after 15 years spent in this country. This stage production in Scariff encapsulates pretty much everything I have come to love about life in rural Ireland: passion, community, generosity, and friendships, all of which with a unique Irish twist that I would be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Words cannot express how thankful I am for this experience alongside such talented people.
Musical Theatre is alive and well in East Co. Clare.