Nunsensation

Critiqued by Holly Bartges

The stage loves the Nuns. Theatre loves the Nuns. Top-flight actors love the Nuns, especially when that cadre of impetuous fun-loving Nuns go to Las Vegas. Candlelight Dinner Theatre holds the proof of the pudding in their current success with Dan Goggin’s Nunsensations.

Cast in Candlelight's production of Nunsensations Photo Credit Arns Photography

A top-flight cast takes the five Nuns away from their Hoboken school for a Las Vegas extravaganza.

Melissa Swift-Sawyer, who wowed audiences at the Denver Center Attractions’ Galleria Theatre for over three years as Patsy Cline in Always…Patsy, turns on the lights for the smart-mouthed without-crossing-the-line-Brooklyn Nun, Sister Robert Anne.

Reyna Von Vett takes on the second in command as Sister Hubert, the Mistress of Novices. She recently starred in the Denver Center Attractions production of The Taffetas. Having a penchant for Las Vegas, Von Vett captured hearts in the Las Vegas production of Mamma Mia.

Playing Sister Mary Leo, the ballerina Nun, is Tracy Benner Warren. A favorite at Country Dinner Playhouse, she starred in several roles. She also has the distinction of portraying Belle in Disney's Los Angeles Production of Beauty and the Beast.

Gina Schuh-Turner dons the Habit of Sister Mary Paul, “belovedly” known as Sister Amnesia, performed for Denver Center Attractions in the record breaking I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change for the entire four-year run, and thrilled audiences with her portrayal of Marian, the Librarian in Candlelight’s inaugural production of The Music Man.

A Northern Colorado favorite, Kathy Leonard stars as the Irish Reverend Mother, Sister Mary Regina. Most recently she was seen in Open Stage's production of The Cripple of Inishmaan.

Understudy, Jill Nacke joins the cast later in the Nunsensations run when Schuh-Turner takes maternity leave. (Congratulations Gina!). She assumed the role of Mrs. Squires in Candlelight’s the Music Man, and had the honor performing with Holland America’s SS Rotterdam and for the Department of Defense on military bases in the Mediterranean.

Money talks. When a Hoboken parishioner offers $10,000 to their school if they perform a variety show in Las Vegas, who in their right mind would refuse? Mother Superior, Sister Mary Regina, hesitates with a pink blush creeping into her cheeks, while the other all too-eager four convince her “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”.

Before opening in "The Pump Room" at the Mystique Motor Lodge, they greet members of the audience offering the opportunity to fill out cards for a drawing. Las Vegas means gambling, and these five enthusiastic Nuns aren’t about to ignore the Las Vegas mentality. Introduced one by one, the real show in real time takes off in high-flying Las Vegas Style. They may be Nuns, but they know what a “circused” extravaganza is. If they’ve agreed to do something, they’re going to do it right. The actors pour their heart and soul into the Nuns as though no one has ever seen these five particular habit-forming Nuns before.

Wowing the audience with Life Is A Game of Chance, dressed in Habits and feathers worn with as much pride as the Habits. Without any hesitancy Swift-Sawyer’s Sister Robert Anne makes no bones about the fact that since they’re in Las Vegas, they must give the audience what they expect, some T & A. Oh, they’ll get T & A all right according to Reverend Mother, “I’ll give them Talent, and you’ll give them Attitude. Chorus Line becomes re-visited sporting silver hats with the Song T. And A.

Cast in Candlelight's production of Nunsensations Photo Credit Arns Photography

What’s a Vegas show without slapstick, silly, and obvious jokes that normally beg people to groan, but these five hilarious Nuns are so exuberant with their shtick, funny overrides silly-stupidity.

Sister Amnesia hosts the Holy Roller game featuring a very large Slot Machine. Instead of apples, oranges, or cartooned lemons, the slots feature three of the virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity. Three names provided by the audience are drawn with an opportunity to win a 1979 Dodge St. Regis.

One of the prizes includes free rides at the Mustang Ranch. Sister Amnesia mistakenly calls it a “Horse House”, which immediately gets changed. Audience members win if three of the same virtues appear together on the giant wheel.

A crisis appears. Sister Amnesia has been slated, with nerve-wracking hesitancy by Mother Superior to appear with her puppet, Sister Mary Annette. The puppet seems to have a mind of her own, wrapped in a reputation for being slightly uncouth. Gritting her teeth, the Mother concludes it is better to get it over with inviting Sister Amnesia and Sister Mary Annette to perform The...Ettes. With hands behind her back, Schuh-Turner’s Sister Amnesia starts the ever so delightful song. Her hand shoots out without the puppet. Oh, oh the puppet has disappeared. Sister Amnesia runs off to look for Sister Mary Annette; Sister Mary Leo demonstrates her dancing technique with From Vaudeville To Vegas, complaining to Sister Hubert she owns a terrible problem being the ballerina Nun. She can dance all she wants to, except Reverend Mother insists she wear the Habit at all times.

Sister Amnesia returns with a wad of money. Convinced Sister Mary Annette has been kidnapped for ransom, in her own rattle-brained mind, she gambles on gambling and wins. Now how will she be able to explain this to Reverend Mother? This conundrum leads to the pumped up song What’s Black And White With Her Money On Red by Sisters Amnesia, Mary Leo, and Robert Anne.

Directed by Nick Turner, the choreography by Robert Hoppe, feeds into the ability of these five stunning performers, showcasing their collective talent. Watching all five dance, sing, and cavort on stage with built-in silliness is as much relaxing fun as following the nonsensical Nuns to Vegas.

Knowing what surrounds them, Sisters Amnesia, Robert Ann, Hubert and Reverend Mother recreate The Hindenburg as comically addressed by Cirque du Soleil in Cirque Du Blimp.

Because these five are having so much fun, the audience can’t help but get caught up in the atmosphere.

Being in the gorgeous Candlelight building, served by the ever so delightful wait staff, the menu is changed for every show. The service and food carry a five-star quality. A night at Candlelight is equal to a mini-vacation. No matter how silly or corny, or goofy the Nuns are, you can’t help but love them simply because the production team and the actors do.

The leader of the Band, Troy Schuh, conductor and piano player, fills the theatre with a grand sound assisted by percussionist, Eric Thomas, and bass player, Jeremy Woods. They know how to make the instruments stand up and talk, or sing, as the case, may be. Toes tap in spite of themselves. Candlelight follows Nunsensations with Swing opening December 5, and Singin’ In The Rain, March 6.

Leonard, Von Vett, Swift-Sawyer, Warren, and Schuh-Turner are spectacular in their crazy Habits, and are worth every single moment.

Does Sister Mary Annette return? She surely does in time to perform A Little Goes A Long Way with Sisters Amnesia and Robert Anne. Schuh-Turner just doesn’t pretend to be a ventriloquist she is, even though she has to be on her toes with Sister Mary Annette’s uncontrollable mouth.

What happens when Sister Amnesia’s $3000 is found in Robert Anne’s locker? Now how much of smart mouth can she be in front of Reverend Mother? What happens when one of the Nuns questions whether she’s cut out to be a nun? Sister Mary Leo confesses to Sister Robert Anne her doubts concerning her decision to become a Nun, leading to a beautiful song about a boy she once dated, I Left Him There. Sister Robert Anne drops her smart-mouthed attitude sharing some of her own once-upon-a-time hesitancies.

Apart from the absurd silliness, the Nuns aren’t above sharing their warm, serious side with each other, and with the audience. Charm punctuates laughter with human natured warmth.

Swift-Sawyer takes center stage filling the theatre with her powerful voice with Why Sing A Ballad? Sister Robert Anne never had it so good.

Sixth in Googin’s nunnery line-up, it doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen the cavorting of the nuns getting themselves into screwy situations, clamoring by the Grace of God and a wooden spoon, and a whole lot of tom foolery, to un-scrape their scrapes. Candlelight’s Nunsensations is worth every second because this cast is just that good.

A mystery unveils itself concerning the Parishioner who baited them with the $10,000. The mystery also solves the question as what to do with Sister Amnesia’s winnings. Together, the Nuns belt out the song T.T.M. ‘n’ R., easily translated into Take The Money And Run.

These five endearing Hoboken Nuns brought to life with giggles, laughter, gusto, and incredible talent invite you to a star-studded, hilarious, mouth-watering night at a Las Vegas Casino right in our own backyard at Candlelight Dinner Theatre just South of Johnson’s Corner. Meeting them eye-ball-to-eye-ball, it’s an impossible invitation to turn down.

Nunsensation