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Nunsense Oct.8 - 10, 2004 a musical comedy Book, Music and Lyrics by DAN GOGGIN directed by Diane Kerner Arnett presented in special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. A Note from the Author I spent a great deal of my life around nuns. And most of my experiences left wonderful memories. I wrote Nunsense because I wanted to share what I knew to be "the humor of the nun." Though it may be hard to believe, each of the Little Sisters of Hoboken is based on a real-life nun. ~~ Dan Goggin (from the script) The Cast | The Orchestra | The Crew | From the Director | Special Thanks |
SISTER MARY REGINA, the beloved Mother Superior of the Little Sisters of Hoboken, is originally from a small town in the South. She headed the pioneering group of religious who established the leper colony in the Mediterranean and later returned to Hoboken as Superior General of the Order. After Nunsense, Mother Superior says she has no desire to continue in the theatre. Rumor has it, however, she would consider doing national commercials or a television series to raise money for the Order. Prior to taking her vows, Sister Mary Regina was Dani Brien of Gifford, last seen in BLT's Godspell and also in the First Night Musical Theatre Revue.
SISTER MARY HUBERT entered the Little Sisters of Hoboken upon graduation from Precious Blood Elementary School. Sister currently serves the Order as Mistress of Novices, training new recruits. Her position is not unlike a drill sergeant, however, she is the first to point out that her approach is more gentle but firm. Sister is a little "off-the-wall" at times, but this is attributed to the fact that she was trampled by a camel that went berserk during the annual nativity pageant held in the leper colony. (She was portraying one of the three wise men.) Sister Mary Hubert is the former Fontilla Timmons of Olean, N.Y., vocalist for Mojo Hand Blues Band. Timmons was the voice of the plant in BLT's Little Shop of Horrors. Reprising her role from OCT's 1989 production of Nunsense, Timmons earned a TANYS Award for her work in OCT's An American Christmas.
SISTER ROBERT ANNE was a child of a disadvantaged inner city family. After poor little Ardyth R. Van Scoy dropped out of Verna's Cashier School, she was taken pity on by Reverend Mother and accepted into the Little Sisters of Hoboken, where she became Sister Mary Robert Anne. Today she is one of the most popular sisters with the students because she speaks their language. Reverend Mother regrets the fact that a lot of this language is unprintable. Sister Robert Anne had a checkered career prior to entering the convent. The nuns rarely discuss Robert Anne's stint as an exotic dancer at Busty Heart's, though that helped her as choreographer for Nunsense. Her most recent TANYS award was for her role in Godspell; she has received others for choreography, costumes and performance.
SISTER MARY AMNESIA is truly a lost soul. She arrived at the convent in her habit without a clue as to her identity, recalling only that a crucifix had fallen on her head. It has been said that she resembles Paula Johnson Alter of Bradford, who learned ventriloquism when she became a Little Sister of Hoboken, and previously appeared in BLT's First Night Musical Theatre Revue, God's Favorite and Godspell.
SISTER MARY LEO came to the order from a Glassport, Pa., farm. She entered the convent to dedicate her life to the dance. Many people think that she took her name from the famous "leotard," but that is not true. She is named after her Uncle Leo, a notorious Chicago gangster. Sister thought that by taking his name, the Lord would go easy on him. She is a novice and has much to learn. Before joining the order, Sister was known as Hillary Uziel who tested her dancing ability by organizing the UPB dance team. Prior to taking her vow of poverty, Sister supported herself by acting in The Mousetrap and A Midwinter Night's Scream.
NANCI K. GARRIS, assistant director and producer also making her debut as set designer, felt she had a moral and aesthetic obligation to design the set after viewing the rendering designed by the students of Mount Saint Helen's. She convinced Reverend Mother that her benefit would never be successful if the audience ran out screaming as soon as the curtain went up. To make sure no one tinkered with her masterpiece, she insisted on portraying Sister Mary Myopia so she could be in charge of the spotlight during each performance. After Nunsense closes, she is checking into the private Sophie Tucker Health Club for a long-term stay. The Bradford native has appeared onstage and behind the scenes in various a local productions including most recently in The Tempest, which garnered an ensemble award, Mother's Day and A Midwinter Night's Scream.
BROTHER GEORGE "Gee" CLEFF, musical director, is the convent musician. He was part of the original contingent who established the leper colony served by the Order. Brother achieved much notoriety when he published his first music book, Two-Part Inventions for the Fingerless, which he dedicated to the lepers. Brother has helped the Order enormously by taking his talent outside the convent walls as Eric L. Van Druff. A veteran of area performances, the Olean resident most recently directed BLT's Godspell, which merited five TANYS awards. Some speculate that may be the reason three members of that cast abandoned the theater and entered the Order. A veteran BLT member, he has also received TANYS awards for directing and acting work with OCT.
