Wacky, hilarious nuns hit the stage again

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, May 19, 2005

The Northwest Savoyards scored one of their biggest hits ever with “Nunsense,” a musical comedy that introduced appreciative audiences to the Little Sisters of Hoboken a few summers ago.

Dan Goggin’s comedy, about five wacky nuns trying to stage a fundraiser in their convent, scored a direct hit to the funny bone.

And now the sequel is at hand as the Savoyards’ present “Nunsense II: The Second Coming,” opening tonight in Everett.

The sequel continues the adventures of the Sisters as they return to the stage to present another variety show.

The Sisters couldn’t be more excited. In the words of Sister Mary Hubert, the Mistress of Novices, “If you’ve got the cheese, we’ve got the ham!”

Proving the claim that the show is “habit-forming,” four of the five original nuns from the Savoyards’ 2003 production of “Nunsense” reprise their roles.

Dee Smith is the stern but lovable Reverend Mother; streetwise Sister Robert Anne is played by L. Sam Samano; Laura Benofsky brings wacky life to the amnesia-prone country-music-singing Sister Mary Paul; and the wanna-be ballerina Sister Mary Leo is portrayed by Valerie Vestal.

New cast member Pat Ainsworth is gospel-belting Sister Mary Hubert. Even the raucous Sister Mary Annette, a precocious hand puppet, makes a return appearance.

The show is directed and choreographed by John Edwards, with musical co-directors Ken Keatts and David Spring.

As with the first play, the audience gets involved with the action as they interact with the nuns, play games, and win prizes.

A common wealth: Residents of Darrington and the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe are collaborating on an original musical play that celebrates the differences in their cultures and what they have historically had in common: a communitywide mutual reliance and a strong relationship with the natural world around them.

“Common Wealth: A Play about the People of Darrington and the Sauk-Suiattle” will be performed today, Saturday and Sunday in a big tent in Old School Park.

This is a communitywide event and is the culmination of a long-running project by Will Weigler. Weigler, an author, playwright and director, has been living in Darrington while he researches the local history.

The result of this work is the play that premieres this weekend, with a cast that includes 45 children, teens, adults and elders from both town and the Sauk-Suiattle reservation and original music by Darrington resident Tim Monte Calvo.

The show also includes songs drawn from both communities’ cultural heritage such as “The Timber Bowl Song,” a spirited ballad about the life of a logger written by Darrington logger Earl Hayter in 1950, and original and traditional songs from American Indian culture.

The play opens with the salmon beginning their journey down the rivers. It then follows the seasons through spring, summer, autumn, winter, and back to spring again.

In each season, the time frame shifts back and forth revealing the lives of the people who have lived in this corner of the world during the past 150 years. Fictional characters are interspersed with portrayals of real people.

A pre-show celebration of local music begins 45 minutes before each performance.

A documentary about the making of the show and a video of the performance itself is being produced by Master’s Touch Video Services of Darrington, 360-436-1065.

Steve Bye photo

The Northwest Savoyards’ production of “Nunsense II” stars Laura Benofsky (left), Valerie Vestal, L. “Sam” Samano with Sister Mary Annette, Pat Ainsworth and Dee Smith.