The Bottom Line
Pros
- Sister is adorable, in a crusty old nun sort of way.
- Every show is a little different.
- Intimate theatre.
- All seats are good seats.
Cons
- No refreshments available at theatre, not even bottled water.
Description
- Thank you, Sister, for solving the mystery of the Magi's gold!
- Sister's Christmas Catechism is suitable for all ages, but the humor will best be understood by people in their teens and up.
- Patti Hannon is scrumptious in this role. She has been donning her habit for these performances for many years now.
- A small girls chorus from a Catholic high school was used for this show. They were not professionals, adding to the charm.
- Theater 4301 has stadium seating, so every seat is a good one.
- I'm not used to going to the theatre and not being able to buy a soft drink or coffee.
- Attendance at Sister's regular catechism classes is not a prerequisite for attending the Christmas Catechism class.
Guide Review - Sister’s Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi’s Gold
Thank you, Sister, for allowing us to attend your Christmas Catechism class. We've already attended your introductory class, so we were prepared, knowing the rules of conduct and what was expected of us as an audience.
Having recently seen the original Late Nite Catechism I admit that I was concerned about whether or not this could be as enjoyable, since some of the originality of the presentation is inevitably diminished. After all, we know not to chew gum, be late or have too much cleavage showing, and we understand Sister's demeanor and comedic style, as portrayed by Patti Hannon. As it turns out, I had no reason to worry; Sister's Christmas Catechism was even more fun than the original.
This holiday production has decorations, gifts, a choir, and audience members play pivotal roles in the production. Of course, the more audience participation there is, the riskier it is for Sister to make it work. On the evening I attended, she had a challenge with one audience participant, but I'm sure Ms. Hannon can turn any situation into a funny one as she did during this performance.
I saw Sister's Christmas Catechism at Theater 4301, which is a venue used by the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, but is not at their main location. Theater 4301 at the Scottsdale Galleria was originally built as the Scottsdale IMAX theater.
This production is slated to be performed every year during the holiday season. Studying won't help you, but a sense of humor is absolutely required.
Note: The writer was provided with complimentary tickets for the purpose of reviewing this play. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy. (12/07)
