'Nunsense II: The Second Coming' is this Weekend

The Sisters are back!

The Community Players of Concord will present “Nunsense II: The Second Coming,” on Mother’s Day weekend, May 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. and May 10 at 2 p.m., at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St. in Concord.

This riotous first sequel to the international hit, ”Nunsense,’ features the same five plucky nuns from the Little Sisters of Hoboken: Reverend Mother Regina, a former circus performer; Sister Mary Hubert, the Mistress of Novices and Reverend Mother’s loving but not-too-subtle rival; Sister Robert Anne, a streetwise nun from Brooklyn; Sister Mary Leo, a novice who is also a wannabe ballerina; and the delightfully wacky Sister Mary Amnesia, the nun who lost her memory when a crucifix fell on her head. In this sequel, the sisters are back on stage at Mount St. Helen’s School to present another musical comedy variety show as a “thank-you” to the folks who supported them in their first show. Truth be told, the sisters have “been bitten by the show business bug” and each is excited for another chance to showcase her own unique talents.

Of course, not everything goes as planned for these endearingly silly sisters, who must deal with a variety of wacky off stage complications while trying to keep the show going, all with hilarious consequences. Reserved seating tickets cost $16 for adults and $14 for juniors and seniors if purchased online before Wednesday, May 6, $18 and $16 thereafter. Tickets may be purchased online at communityplayersofconcord.org, or at the Auditorium box office, which will be open May 6th - 9th from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., and on May 10 from noon to 2 p.m.

For more ticket information, visit the above website or contact David Murdo at (603) 344-4747 or nhdm@comcast.net.

Beth Fenske, director and choreographer of this Players’ offering, is pleased to have gathered a talented five-woman cast, most of them well known to Players’ audiences, with Anne Orio as the Reverend Mother, Melinda Wolfe as Sister Hubert, Cheri Birch as Sister Robert Anne, Ellen Burger as Sister Amnesia, and newcomer Katie Griffiths as the novice, Sister Mary Leo. The show entertains with comical songs from various genres, some pleasing ballads, dancing, and various shenanigans. Gentle Catholic humor mixes seamlessly with amusing puns, sight gags and naughty double entendres (innocently uttered by the sincere sisters). The fourth wall is obliterated; the sisters interact with the audience and pull them into the fray, teaching the Mount St. Helen’s cheer, running a riotous bingo tournament and a short sing-along, and more, while repeatedly asking for the audience’s patience as the sisters periodically attend to pressing but ludicrous backstage dilemmas. The resulting show is smile-inducing, laugh out loud entertainment, because, let’s face it - nuns in full habit putting on a ridiculous and often chaotic variety show definitely make for toe-tapping fun.

Nunsense and its sequels are an international phenomenon. The original Nunsense, which premiered 30 years ago, was a smash hit and ran for a near record-breaking ten years off Broadway. The show’s astonishing success and its audience pleasing formula prompted its writer, composer, and lyricist, Dan Goggin, to create more than six sequels, including Sister Amnesia’s Country Western Nunsense Jamboree, Meshuggah-Nuns!, Nunsensations: The Nunsense Vegas Revue, and Nunset Boulevard, among others. TheNunsense franchise also includes made for television productions, cast recordings, and international versions of the various shows in more than 21 languages.

The shows are a perennial favorite of regional and community theater groups around the world, because their audiences love them. “The Nunsense series of musicals is arguably the most popular series in theatre history.” (Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine) The Concord Community Players staged Nunsense in 1993 and Nuncrackers, the Christmas musical in 2001. Why do audiences love these shows? The answer is perhaps fairly straightforward: “The Nunsense shows have made millions laugh . . . they have raised the human spirit.” (New York Times) After the long winter of 2014-2015, the Players think that “raising the human spirit” sounds like an excellent and timely idea and that Nunsense II: The Second Coming is just the ticket.

3 nuns, standing picture: Three of the Little Sisters of Hoboken stop by to say hello to Season Sponsor Red River Theatres. Pictured left to right: Ellen Burger, Katie Griffiths, Cheri Birch

5 nuns, Standing picture, left to right: Playing the Little Sisters of Hoboken from Mount Saint Helen’s School: Anne Orio, Ellen Burger, Melinda Wolfe, Katie Griffiths, Cheri Birch

5 nuns, Circle Picture, clockwise, starting bottom left: Ellen Burger, Anne Orio, Melinda Wolfe, Cheri Birch, Katie Griffiths