Five years ago the world was slowly–a bit reluctantly–emerging from the long isolation of COVID. We had found this sweet little play with the long, ridiculous title–in fact, we’d planned on producing it in April of 2021, but the world was still shut down. We produced it in September for an audience eager to experience live theatre again, happy to laugh together over someone else’s troubles. (However, we suspect that many people who were not ready to come to the theatre missed it back then. Now you have a new opportunity!)
Fast-forward to 2026, and how much has changed? Everything is open, but we are probably a bit more conscious of just how quickly life can change. There are certainly plenty of natural disasters, wars, and dangerous diseases filling our news feed. “Charity” is always in high demand–send money, send supplies, send workers! In the midst of so much need, it’s easy to get jaded, to grow numb, to forget that there are needs right here at home, too.
And so The Charitable Sisterhood of the Second Trinity Victory Church still feels like a very relevant piece. In it, a small (dwindling) cohort of church ladies oversees contributions for an overseas relief effort, in the midst of a disaster of their own: torrential rains and flooding have stranded them in the church where they’re collecting the donations! This is their fourth charity drive in as many months, which has led most of their sisters to stay home.
At a time when it is easier than ever to stay home–grocery delivery, restaurant delivery, streaming services make it possible to never leave your couch–how do we develop and sustain honest relationships? How do we encourage and help one another in tangible ways, when we don’t really know one another?
Not only does The Charitable Sisterhood provide lots of belly laughs, and bit of a mystery to solve, but it offers the audience a look at how to grow in meaningful, caring friendship. Ultimately the play asks, “What does ‘church’ even mean today?” The answer given is by no means the only one. But it is a richly satisfying picture of practical charity in its truest sense. We think you will come away inspired to seek out more intentional friendships, and more local and authentic service to your community.
