Theatre Review—

Enough Already With The Singing Nuns

By June April

BRIDGEPORT — If one edited together segments from Hee Haw, The Grand Ole Opry and Laugh-In, the hybrid would be Nunsense III, which is the current production at Polka Dot Playhouse. Toss in some third or fourth grade-level jokes and canned choreography and it turns into one of those theatre experiences some of us wish, devoutly, to forget.

The fact that the lead character’s name is Sister Amnesia should tell you something right there.  However, the audience at a recent show loved the production, evening giving its players a standing ovation at the end of the show. Vive la difference in taste.

Playing through April 22, this production is subtitled “The All-New Sister Amnesia’s Country Western Nunsense Jamboree.” Like the multiple variants of the film Rocky, one would wish there had been fewer millions better spent. Isn’t one outstanding experience is enough?

Shakespeare is a great turn-on when it’s well done (even medium rare), but one generally expects a higher level of entertainment in the world of theatre.

The director and writer of Nunsense, Dan Goggin has six of these good Catholic sisters sagas around. Nunsense and Nunsense 2 (appropriately subtitled “The Second Coming”) have been recorded for the Arts & Entertainment network. Polka Dot Playhouse’s presentation of Nunsense III has just been taped for television, as has Nunsense 4, otherwise known as Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical. For those who are still keeping count, the remaining version of this done to death saga is Nunsense A-Men, in which men play the lead characters.

The first Nunsense was delightful and justifiably won the 1986 Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Book, Best Musical and Best Music. Somehow, it is beyond difficult to even think of that quality level when one knows the true greatness of musicals like South Pacific or The King and I, or even Peter Pan.

Be that as it may, appreciation for the enthusiasm of the cast must be addressed. One of the best voices in the cast belonged to Bambi Jones, who played Sister Mary Hubert. The petite lead, Amanda Butterbaugh has an incredibly amusing voice which is first-rate for cartoon characters. A Hoosier by birth, this woman does sparkle and as Sister Amnesia, otherwise known as Sister Mary Paul, is probably one of the reasons the audience related to this production.

Credible performances were brought in by David Ranson as Father Virgil, Carrie Keskinen as Sister Mary Leo, and Randye Kaye as Sister Robert Anne.

There is interaction with the audience, which always works to create laughs and a connection across the footlights.  Cast members brought a man onto the stage to pose in a group picture, while another scene had audience members involved in a fundraising auction.

The three-piece band did a fine job, with Leo Carusone doing double time as conductor and keyboardist, John Bowen on the synthesizer and Danny Mellon doing all the percussive instruments.  They even had a few lines with the actors and seemed to be enjoying the antics on stage.

The sound was clear and balanced; hats off to sound designer Jim DeVivo for a job well done. The set design by Barry Axtell worked very beautifully, as did the lighting by Richard Latta, which served to enhance the bright and cheerful nature of this production.

There is nothing offensive about this play, so children could be brought along if one enjoys this kind of theatre.

(Nunsense III continues through April 22. Contact Polka Dot Playhouse at 203-333-3666 for the performance schedule or ticket information.)