The Camp Clarke Players brought uproarious laughter to this year’s Camp Clarke Days with their side-splitting production of Drinking Habits, a classic farce by Tom Smith. Performed on Friday night and Sunday afternoon, this delightful blend of mistaken identities, secret schemes, and rekindled romance had audiences in stitches, proving once again the enduring charm of community theater.
Set in the quirky Sisters of Perpetual Sewing convent, the story follows Sister Augusta (Stephanie Schmidt) and Sister Philamena (Charlee Faessler), two nuns secretly producing wine to keep their struggling convent afloat. Their covert operation draws the attention of Paul (Zeth Patterson) and Sally (Jayden Butler), reporters and former fiancés, who go undercover as a priest and a nun to investigate. The arrival of a new nun, Sister Mary Catherine (Alexis Corman), sparks paranoia among the convent’s residents, who fear spies from Rome have come to shut them down. Add in the stern Mother Superior (Melissa Butler), the eccentric George (Buffy Prince), and the mysterious Father Chenille (Wendy Wickard), and you have a recipe for comedic chaos.
As wine bottles pop and secrets spill, the play delivers a whirlwind of misunderstandings and laugh-outloud moments.The Camp Clarke Players’ impeccable comedic timing and infectious energy brought Tom Smith’s sharp script to life. Schmidt and Faessler shine as the wine-making nuns, their chemistry driving the show’s humor, while Patterson and Butler add heart and hilarity as the undercover reporters. Corman’s enigmatic Sister Mary Catherine, Butler’s commanding Mother Superior, and Wickard’s quirky Father Chenille keep the audience guessing—and giggling—until the final curtain. Amid the slapstick, the play weaves in touching moments of reconciliation, giving the story an unexpected emotional depth.
