Holy Mother of Bingo production delivers evening of laughter & applause

Vox Performing Arts has once again filled the community with laughter and applause through their latest production, Holy Mother of Bingo, a lively, interactive murder-mystery comedy written by Patrick Walsh. The show ran from November 21–23, and audiences knew they were in for a treat the moment they entered the school. They were greeted by the play’s characters already deep in their roles, offering an early glimpse into parish gossip, heated bingo rivalries, and the unexpected twists and turns that were about to unfold.

Set against the backdrop of the fictional Mother of Mercy Parish, the play follows an enthusiastic (and suspiciously competitive) group of parishioners and school staff as they gather for a bingo night that quickly turns into chaos. What begins as a friendly evening of dabblers and lucky charms soon unravels into a mystery of who did what and why, taking the audience along a humorous hunt for clues.

The cast featured a robust lineup of local talent from Glenboro and the surrounding communities of Wawanesa, Cypress River, and Cartwright. Each performer brought colorful energy to their role from the stern but lovable parish staff to the quirky bingo-night regulars and the cast delivered a performance that kept the crowd laughing as well as guessing.

Mother Superior Culpepper (Michaela Graham) and the Parish crew came out swinging as they set the tone for the show with sharp comedic timing and ability to switch from sweet to suspicious in a heartbeat.

Sisters, Josephine (Paige Savard) and Helen (Tanis Nicholson) were both parts devout and dramatic. Whether whispering clues or defending their innocence, they delivered expressions that earned plenty of giggles.

The parishioners of Mother of Mercy were a merry band of colorful characters who also were regulars of the weekly Bingo. The small group brought a little competitiveness and conspiracy theories to the mystery. Their reactions alone were worth the price of admission, especially as the plot thickened.

The rivalry between the soft-spoken and caring Brother Dearlove (Isaac Coleman McGillis) and the larger-than-life Reed Yackley (Mat Rémillard) also added to both the drama and the laughter.

Anyone would be hard-pressed to choose who was more convincing in their dying scene: the ancient and weary Monsignor Aldo Stoffregen (Megan Ellis); Lumpy Landers, the bumbling maintenance man (John Griffin); or Mack O’Mally (Mari Ingram), who through a thick Irish accent made it crystal clear that Mother of Mercy still owed him what was due.

Although not on stage for long, Detective Quin stole the show with her acrobatic, wildly animated, and uniquely delivered explanation of how she solved the mystery. And television personality and news reporter Beatrice Bolden (Vicki Marchi) skillfully relayed the entire story to her viewers with polished flair.

What made this cast shine wasn’t just their individual talents, but the way they played off one another. Whether they were accusing, defending, denying or dramatically gasping, every performer committed fully giving the show its heart, humour and small town charm.

The production team deserves a special medal for transforming the school theatre/lunchroom into a bingo hall/crime scene. Front the backdrops, lighting, costumes, makeup, lighting and sound everything marked a top class production.

Meagan McGill, Director, summed it up best as she thanked everyone who pitched in to make the show possible from the actors, producers, and production crew to all those who filled the seats. She also thanked all the local businesses who generously provided BINGO prizes and Sunrise Credit Union for refreshments as well as to the Glenboro Bakery who generously provided 600 delicious sugar cookies for the three performances. “This is teamwork at its finest,” she said with a brilliant smile.

In the end, Holy Mother of Bingo wasn’t just a show, it was a reminder of what this community does best; laugh together, pitch in together and turn even a simple bingo night into a full-blown event worth writing about.

If you missed the opportunity to see these characters come alive onstage, keep an eye on Vox Performing Art, you will want front row seats next time this group puts on another show!

PHOTO CAPTION: (l. to r.) Brother Dearlove (Issac Coleman McGillis) with Sister Josephine (Paige Savard), Karen (Amanda Fisher), Monsignor Aldo Stoffregen (Megan Ellis), Lumpy Landers (John Griffin) and Zippy Rudolph (Hayden Young) get ready for Holy Mother of Bingo. PHOTO BY SUZANNE PADDOCK