By Guy Gardner
Some shows whisper. Some shows sparkle. And some shows open with a tragic soup incident and five nuns scrambling to raise burial funds.
Welcome to “Nunsense.” The show runs March 14 – 29 at Theatre in the Park INDOOR, onstage at The BlackBox Theatre at the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center.
The Little Sisters of Hoboken have found themselves in a bit of a pickle. Or rather… a pot of vichyssoise. After an unfortunate culinary catastrophe involving Sister Julia, Child of God, and a batch of soup that absolutely should not have been served, most of the convent has been accidentally sent to their eternal reward. The remaining five sisters now face a practical problem. They need money. Fast.
Naturally, the only logical solution is to put on a talent show.
“Nunsense” is a wildly funny, joy-filled musical comedy that has been requested by our audiences again and again. And once you spend five minutes with these sisters, you understand why. They are chaotic. They are competitive. They are surprisingly theatrical. And somehow, in the middle of all the madness, they are deeply lovable.
Director Ile Haggins returns to Theatre in the Park after last season’s “Steel Magnolias,” and she could not be more thrilled to bring these sisters to life. ““Nunsense” is a fun-filled, heartfelt musical comedy packed with high-energy songs and dozens of classic pop culture references that remind us of simpler times,” she says. “Audiences quickly fall in love with these five zany nuns as they try their best to put on a fundraiser to get out of a crisis.”
And from the sounds of rehearsals, that love is already contagious.
“Fantastic,” Ile says of working with this cast. “From day one, these ladies have bonded and built the camaraderie that is so vital to this show. They are harmonizing beautifully, the dance numbers are coming together quickly, and everyone is having so much fun it hardly seems like work.”
Onstage, you’ll meet Mother Superior Mary Regina, who has big ideas and no intention of letting minor details get in her way. Sister Mary Hubert tries to keep the train on the tracks. Sister Robert Anne is convinced Broadway is calling her name. Sister Mary Leo wants to pirouette straight into sainthood. And Sister Amnesia… well… she’s still working on remembering who she is.
The first act is rehearsal chaos. Missed cues. Show-off solos. Slightly competitive holy rivalry. The second act is the actual fundraiser performance, which is somehow even more unhinged and even more delightful. Baking demos go wrong. Ballads get heartfelt. And through it all, these five women support one another in ways that are unexpectedly sweet.
When asked what she hopes audiences walk away with, Ile had a simple answer. “It’s not what I want audiences to remember. It’s what I want them to forget. Forget their worries. Forget their troubles. Forget their fears. Sit back and prepare to laugh until you cry.”
That might be the most holy mission of all.
At its core, “Nunsense” is about sisterhood. About turning absurd tragedy into comedy. About supporting one another even when things go wildly off-script. And honestly… it is about five very talented performers having the time of their lives.
If you have ever wanted to see a nun belt out a show tune, deliver a punchline, and raise money for a noble cause all in the same breath, this is your moment. It’s your time. And we are so thrilled you get it.
Come for the habits. Stay for the hilarity. And maybe skip the soup. (Not maybe…definitely skip the soup)
“Nunsense” stars Karen Seaton (Sister Mary Regina), Bri Nicoletti in her TIP debut (Sister Mary Hubert), Margot Reed (Sister Robert Ann), Katelynn Quick (Sister Mary Amnesia), and Kayleen Spear (Sister Mary Leo).
Theatre in the Park INDOOR performs at the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center located at 8788 Metcalf Avenue. Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., with matinees beginning at 2 p.m. The Box Office opens one hour prior to the performance time.
Tickets range from $18 – $20 before taxes and fees, with discounted tickets during matinees. The TIP Online Box Office can be found by visiting our website at theatreinthepark.org!
