This is the original Nunsense — a musical comedy for five character actresses. This production is different from most because it features five high school actresses.
Performances are at Placido Domingo Hall, National Opera Center on January 1/18, 1/19, 1/25, and 1/26 (2019). All shows begin at 7 pm sharp.
There are two casts, St. Valentine (patron saint of greeting cards) and St. Genesius (patron saint of comedy)
St. Valentine Cast (1/18 @ 7pm and 1/25 @ 7 pm)
- Camila Pagan (Mother Superior)
- Anais Escobar (Sister Mary Hubert)
- Montserrat Pagan (Sister Robert Anne)
- Katie Ceniza-Levine (Sister Mary Leo)
- Natalia Pagan (Sister Mary Amnesia)
St. Genesius Cast (1/19 @ 7 pm and 1/26 @ 7 pm)
- Emily Lang (Mother Superior)
- Anais Escobar (Sister Mary Hubert)
- Montserrat Pagan (Sister Robert Anne)
- Rebecca Kim (Sister Mary Leo)
- Natalia Pagan (Sister Mary Amnesia)
About Nunsense
Nunsense is a hilarious variety show put on by an unlikely cast of characters — five nuns. Here’s the backstory: The Little Sisters of Hoboken discover that their cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, has accidentally poisoned 52 of the sisters. All have been laid to rest except four, at which point they ran out of money and had to tuck the remaining nuns in the convent freezer for safekeeping. The sisters decide that the best way to raise the money for the remaining funerals is to put on a variety show. They borrow the school auditorium (the Mount St. Helen’s School), which is currently set up for the eighth grade production of “Grease.” Here we meet
- Sister Mary Regina (Mother Superior), a former circus performer;
- Sister Mary Hubert, the Mistress of Novices;
- Sister Robert Anne, a streetwise nun from Brooklyn;
- Sister Mary Leo, a novice who was a wannabe ballerina; and
- Sister Mary Amnesia, the delightfully wacky nun who lost her memory when a crucifix fell on her head.
Featuring star turns, great music, some tap and ballet dancing, an audience quiz, a puppet (Sister Mary Annette) and some comic surprises, Nunsense has become an international phenomenon with more than 8,000 productions worldwide, sequels, a TV show, spin-offs and translations into at least 26 languages.
Nunsense remains the second longest running off-Broadway show in history, second only to The Fantastiks.
Roles
Sister Mary Regina (Mother Superior)
The head of the convent, she is respected greatly by the sisters. While she is strict, she has a hard time keeping the craziness of the convent at bay. She keeps her guard up in front of the nuns, but has an extroverted side. The part requires some very physical humor.
Sister Mary Hubert
Hubert is in charge of novices, but fancies herself a Mother Superior and is constant competition with Mary Regina. She exudes maternal wisdom to novices, but also likes to let loose.
Sister Robert Anne
Once a child delinquent, this rough and tumble nun is a jokester and constantly challenging authority. She speaks with a thick Brooklyn accent and constantly displays her lack of refinement.
Sister Mary Amnesia
As the name suggests, she has lost her memory and does not know who she is except that she is a nun. She is spacey and incoherent, often slipping into displays inappropriate for a nun. Must be able to sing in classical and country styles. She also animates the puppet, Sister Mary Annette.
Sister Mary Leo
Leo is the novice nun, still learning the way and coming to terms with her decision to give up “civilian” life. She is a ballerina and displays her talents through much of the show. She is also easily swayed to join in mischief.
Each sister gets her chance to be center stage. Nunsense is a showcase for all five actresses. It’s not to be missed!