An award-winning musical theatre group are set to get back in the habit of wowing Monklands audiences.
Airdrie & Coatbridge Amateur Operatic Society (ACAOS) will perform classic show Sister Act in March – and the production follows the troupe’s highly regarded 2024 show Made In Dagenham.
The previous show scooped the award for outstanding production for Scotland at the National Operatic and Dramatic (NODA) annual conference.
And Society members are ready to follow that with a shout out to a seminal musical – once again back in their “home” at Airdrie Town Hall.
Laura Johnston from ACAOS told Lanarkshire Live: “Sister Act hasn’t been performed in Monklands for a long time.
“It’s a really feel-good show, riding off how emotive our Made In Dagenham production ended up being.
“It will be as much fun for the cast to perform as the audience to enjoy. The music by Alan Menken is very uplifting.
“There will be 37 nuns on stage – it’s like the cast of Ben Hur in habits!
“Rehearsals began in September as we give members as much time as possible and ensure everything is move and note-perfect.
“Now we are working on logistical things like lighting and staging.
“Tickets are selling really well – the venue is more than half full most nights already – and the cast and crew are all very excited to get back on stage.”
ACAOS’ awards success at the NODA annual conference is made even more remarkable by the “troubled time” the group endured due to COVID and the cancellation of their Oklahoma production after Motherwell theatre was shut down due to the discovery of collapse-risk aerated concrete in the roof structure.
Laura said: “We weren’t anticipating the NODA award at all.
“I got asked to attend the organisation’s AGM on the Sunday – my son was actually born the day before so I couldn’t go for the full weekend – and discovered we were selected for the win by NODA regional councillor Stuart McCue-Dick, who said our show Made In Dagenham ‘stood out’.
“It was a tear-filled moment and a tribute to everyone involved in our shows.
“Bert Lumsden, who donated the award and sadly passed away last year, was a big fan of our club.
“He and his wife Anne lived in Broughty Ferry and travelled down to our shows in Airdrie each year.
“It was extra special to receive the award given Bert’s passion for the Society.”
Laura added: “Sister Act will be our second show back in Airdrie Town Hall since all the nonsense we endured with COVID and RAAC issues.
“The support we have received from the local community has been amazing and we’d also like to give a huge thanks to North Lanarkshire Council.
“Given Airdrie Town Hall is now the main venue for shows like ours in North Lanarkshire, it could have been difficult for the council to accommodate us, but they have been great and told us that the town hall was our traditional home and would remain so.”
Sister Act will take place at Airdrie Town Hall on March 11-15 and tickets are available now here or via ACAOS’ Facebook page.
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