Back in the Habit! LATE NITE CATECHISM to Return Off-Broadway for 21st Anniversary

Tim Flaherty's ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS, INC. and Producer Robert Dragotta have announced the 21st Anniversary and the return to the Actors Temple Theatre of LATE NITE CATECHISM, the long-running hit one-woman show written by Vicki Quade and Maripat Donovan, with Denise Fennell starring as "Sister." Marc Silvia directs.

LATE NITE CATECHISM is an uproarious piece of theater that takes audience members back - sometimes nostalgically, sometimes fearfully - to the children they once were. The irrepressible Sister teaches an adult catechism class to a roomful of "students" (the audience). Over the course of the play, Sister goes from benevolent instructor, rewarding the "students" for correct answers with glow-in-the-dark rosaries and laminated saint cards, to authoritative drill sergeant. These abrupt mood swings are bound to strike a resonant chord with everyone who survived the ups and downs of going to school, with an omniscient authoritarian at the helm.

The production will play every Sunday at 2 p.m. starting on September 17. Actors Temple Theatre is located at 339 W 47th St, between 8th and 9th Avenues. Tickets cost $39.50-$49.50 and can be purchased by visiting www.telecharge.com/Off-Broadway/Late-Nite-Catechism or calling (212) 239-6200.

Late Nite Catechism made its debut at the Live Bait Theatre in Chicago, Illinois on May 28, 1993, and since then has grossed over $100 million in box office receipts. It has been presented in over 410 cities around the world, has played six countries with over 3.5 million people in attendance. The show has raised over $4 million for retired Sisters and Catholic Organizations. There have been over 100 actresses who have played "Sister" and eight shows in the Catechism series. Late Nite Catechism made its Off-Broadway debut in August of 1996 at St. Luke's Theatre, were it enjoyed a six-year run until 2002.

The show was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award in New York and won the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Lead Performance for Maripat Donovan. It is the longest-running one-woman show in Off-Broadway history and in the cities of Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, St. Louis, Scottsdale, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. Sister continues to entertain her classes and is available for private classes and fundraisers through Entertainment Events, Inc. at (877) FUNNY NUN.

"The show appeals to Catholics and non-Catholics alike since 'Sister' clearly explains religious references in lighthearted ways while maintaining a serious tone that isn't too preachy and far from being saccharine," The Catholic Register (Toronto) said in its review. The New York Times in 1996 declared that "Late Nite Catechism speaks to an audience much broader than the membership of any one church."

Denise (Marie Christina) Fennell ("Sister"). Maripat Donovan, the creator of the Late Nite Catechism series and the original "Sister," discovered Denise Fennell when she was appearing as Tina in the Off-Broadway production of Tony n' Tina's Wedding. Maripat apparently saw something that led her to believe there was a nun lurking somewhere behind the gum-chewing, wise-cracking bride, and she was right. She trained Denise personally for the role. Denise is now a veteran of the Late Nite Catechism series and has played to rave reviews across the US and Canada. She recently completed a run of Shear Madness at The Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston, TX and was singled out for her character work as Barbara Demarco. She has also appeared in the Off-Broadway company of Shear Madness in NYC. Denise is most recognized for her portrayal of "Sister" in the Late Nite Catechism series and in Jane Wagner's award-winning comedy The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe. She made her debut as Madeline Monroe in Tony n' Tina's Wedding, eventually taking on the role of Tina in the Off-Broadway company before touring throughout the US and Japan. As a producer, Denise co-created Totally Tubular Time Machine and Birdy's Bachelorette Party (NYC & Las Vegas) and her most recent project, Channeling The King, a touching, funny one-man show featuring Elvis Presley's greatest hits.

Robert Dragotta most recently produced Motherstruck with the Culture Project and Rosie O'Donnell Off-Broadway at the Lynn Redgrave Theatre. Other off-Broadway productions include The Fartiste, Girls Night: The Musical, Late Nite Catechism with Entertainment Events. Sarah Jones: Bridge & Tunnel, Shout:The Singing 60's Musical, We're Still Hot, and White Chocolate. On Broadway productions include Bombay Dreams with Andrew Lloyd Weber, Flower Drum Song, with Lea Salonga, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Noises Off . Other productions include Lorna Luft in Songs My Mother Taught Me at the Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale and in London's West End and the national tour of Some Like it Hot, starring Tony Curtis. Other productions include: Minor Demons, Electra, Now Hear This!, Epic Proportions, How to Succeed in Business, The Elephant Man, and Russell Simon's DEF POETRY. He was also a producer of David Mamet's play Boston Marriage starring Zoe Wanamaker in London's West End. Mr. Dragotta has produced documentary films and two infomercials including the award winning documentary "Encounters with Truth" which featured the Rajmohan Ghandi the grandson of Mahatma Ghandi.'

ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS, INC. is based in New York City. EEI has made its mark on the theatrical touring industry by offering a variety of new and exciting plays and musicals to an ever-growing list of professional presenting organizations throughout the country. In addition EEI has performed over 1,500 fundraising events for schools, church groups, and private parties. EEI brings all aspects of producing under one roof: sales, production, casting, creative and technical. EEI productions have been produced and presented in all 50 states as well as in Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia. Since 1999 EEI has produced: Late Nite Catechism: The Series, Maybe Baby, It's You, The Yiddish Are Coming, The Yiddish Are Coming!, Shout! The Mod Musical, Tony N Tina's Wedding, Defending the Caveman, We're Still Hot! The Musical. EEI is also the former producer of Jeanie Linders' Menopause The Musical. EEI is now proud to present Girls Night: The Musical, 'Twas A Girls Night Before Christmas: The Musical, Dishing With the Divas, Help! My Husband Has Gone Missing: My Daughter is Getting Married & I Am Having Hot Flashes!, Panties In A Twist, Cuff Me: The Fifty Shades of Grey Musical Parody, Late Nite Catechism, Sister Strikes Again!: Late Nite Catechism 2, 'Til Death Do Us Part: Late Nite Catechism 3, Sister's Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi's Gold, Sister's Easter Catechism: Will My Bunny Go To Heaven?, Late Nite Catechism Las Vegas: Sister Rolls the Dice!, Sister's Summer School Catechism: God Never Takes a Vacation!, Sister's Back to School Catechism: The Holy Ghost and Other Terrifying Tales!