York Little Theatre Presents NUNSENSE, 7/27-8/5

York Little Theatre will present Dan Goggin's zany, comedy musical Nunsense. Winner of four Outer Critics Circle Awards including Best Off-Broadway Musical, Nunsense is the story of the five surviving Little Sisters of Hoboken, a one-time Missionary order that runs a leper colony on an island south of France. Their cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, accidentally kills the other 52 residents of the convent with her tainted vichyssoise and the survivors decide to stage a variety show to raise the necessary funds needed to pay for the burials of the last four nuns currently being kept on ice in the deep freeze. The entertainment they present includes solo star turns, madcap dance routines and an audience quiz. The New York Times called Nunsense, "A hail of fun and frolic…Wacky and outrageous with a hysterical "anything goes" sense of fun!"

Nunsense is directed and choreographed by Chad-Alan Carr who has directed Nunsense three times. "I think some shows take you away from the stress of the world with simple fun and laughter, and this is definitely one of those shows," explains Carr. "If you enjoy musicals, you're particularly going to love it. There are satirized recognizable elements within the show which are hysterical." Carr adds, "We've got Nuns doing bits of Chicago, A Chorus Line and The Wizard of Oz."

Carr feels his cast has a lot on their shoulders. "They are all almost always on stage, and there is no chorus to back them up," he explains. "It's up to them, singing and dancing in Nun's habits, to carry the show." The local cast of five includes Chris Ausherman, as Sister Mary Regina, Mother Superior, a former circus performer who can not resist the spotlight; Becky Wilcox, as Sister Mary Hubert, Mistress of Novices, a competitive but dignified rival for Mother Superior; Cara Giambrone, as Sister Robert Anne, a streetwise nun from Brooklyn; Melissa Rosenfeld, as Sister Mary Amnesia, the wacky and childlike Sister who lost her memory when a crucifix fell on her head; and Rachel Mitts, as Sister Mary Leo, a novice who is determined to be the world's first ballerina nun. Carr particularly enjoyed watching this multi-generational cast connect so well. "This group has so much love for this theatre that they connected with each other instantly through stories and reminiscences of their previous experiences at YLT. "

The production team includes Beverly Spangler, Musical Director; Kathleen Davis, Stage Manager; Bob McCleary, Set Design, Light Design and Technical Director; Lisa Gildea, Costume Design; and Jason Berenstein, Sound Design.

"There shouldn't be an empty seat in the house," says Carr. "This show is great fun." Nunsense is appropriate for all ages and there is no mature language. The production is sponsored by Harvey and Win Bradley, Media Sponsor Flipsidepa.com, and runs July 27, 28, August 2, 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. and July 29 and August 5 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $10- $23, reserved, and group discounts are available. Tickets can be purchased at www.ylt.org or 854-5715, from 11 - 5 weekdays.

York Little Theatre, now enjoying its 79th season of shows, is a nonprofit community theatre which values and nurtures the irreplaceable role of the arts and is dedicated to engaging and enriching its entire, diverse community in the dramatic arts through a broad range of entertaining, stimulating, and sometimes provocative performances. York Little Theatre is located at 27 South Belmont Street, York PA, just south of Market Street at the intersection of I83.