Ovation West Musical Theatre Presents NUNSENSE At Center Stage In Evergreen

Ovation West Musical Theatre presents "Nunsense" February 22 through March 10 at Center Stage, 27608 Fireweed Drive, Evergreen, CO, 80439. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m., plus two Thursday evening performances, Feb 28 and March 7 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $30 Adults; $26 seniors (62+), $20 Youth (18 and under), $25 groups of 10 or more and available by phone 303-674-4002 or online at www.ovationwest.org.

Created by Dan Goggin, "Nunsense" is the second-longest-running off-Broadway production in history and received the 1986 Outer Critics' Circle Awards for Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Music. The musical presents the antics of five nuns who stage a performance to raise money to cover the burial costs of their sister nuns who fell victim to food poisoning, and in spite of its bizarre plot line, is a light-hearted romp which involves the audience in the production. The show has been updated from the original and includes new jokes, new lyrics, and two new songs.

Ovation West is excited to welcome director Edith Weiss to Center Stage. In addition to directing and acting at the Denver Center, Arvada Center, Phamaly Theatre, Avenue Theater, Littleton Town Hall Arts Center, Backstage Breckenridge Theatre and Aurora Fox, Weiss is a standup comedian, has published more than 30 plays, and toured the country as a comedian with the military. She has the depth of comedic experience to breathe new life into this classic stage comedy, which spawned six sequels and has been delighting audiences world-wide since its premiere.

When asked about her take on this show, Weiss commented "I think this is the perfect time to do "Nunsense" - a play that is joyous, funny, improvisational, and makes the audience part of the action. You never know what can happen in live theater, and that goes double in "Nunsense" as the five Sisters of Hoboken hold a benefit performance to get the money to bury four freezer-residing nuns. Important questions are answered along the way: will Sister Amnesia remember who she is? Will Sister Hubert ever get over the Mother Superior of the Maryknolls cheating at Bingo? Will Sister Robert Anne ever get a solo? Will the audience pass the quiz or will they be put in detention? I hope you will join us and our five talented actors as they sing, dance, and joke their way into your heart."

The production team includes Weiss, music director Patrick Lee, choreographer Melissa Trader, artistic director Christine Gaudreau, costume designer Linda Bolinger, set designer Biz Schaugaard, lighting designer Brian Billings, and sound designer John Fate. Stage manager Alexandra Romberg, assistant stage manager Jen Richards, and production manager Shannon Guarneros round out the staff. The rights to the musical are licensed through Samuel French, Inc.

Denver area theater-goers are in for a treat with this fantastic cast. Elaine Sohrweid, most recently seen as Grandma in the Evergreen Chorale production of "Billy Elliot" (2017) leads the cast as Mother Superior. Sohrweid has been delighting audiences on this stage since 1976, and still does not miss a beat. Shelley Krane practices her excellent comic delivery as Sister Robert Anne and Hopi Moore Sargent is delightfully ditzy returning to her role as Sister Mary Amnesia, Anna Smith, most recently on stage in the Evergreen Players' production of "The Dining Room", brings a sassiness to Sister Mary Hubert, in contrast to Katrina Atkinson's sweet yet determined Sister Mary Leo who is striving to be the first ballerina nun.

Ovation West Performing Arts is an organization based in Evergreen, Colorado, which includes the Evergreen Chorale, Ovation West Musical Theatre, Center Stage, Altezza Chamber Choir, Summer Music Camp, and the Shining Stars Concert Series. More information and tickets for all events are available at www.ovationwest.org or by calling (303) 674-4002.

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