By Benedicte Dansie
Nunsense, presented by the CenterPoint Legacy Theater in Centerville, Utah at the Leishman Performance Hall is a riot, filled with quirky characters, lots of audience participation, and a wild narrative line. Even as the storyline zig-zags from one topic to the next, the heart of the story is one of women holding each other up in a time of need. While the characters almost never agree on any subject, they still work through their misunderstandings to learn and accept more about each other. Nunsense gives the audience a crazy ride as they journey into this musical in a zany night to save the nuns.
Meredith Gibson (Sister Mary Regina) leads the charge as the Mother Superior of the convent. She shows that even though we are all flawed, we’re all trying our best. Gibson is able to encompass a large range of emotions in her character from a stern leader, to a riotous stoned nun, to the loving mother of all these somewhat wayward young women. Rebecca Hess (Sister Mary Hubert) offers a bright contrasting personality and helps tie everything together as Gibson’s second in command. While Hubert’s go with the flow attitude drives Mother Superior mad at times, she does truly love all the members of their little convent. Hubert offers a voice of calm, reason in the chaotic lives of the sisters and strives to buoy everyone up with her positive attitude.
Megan Smyth (Sister Robert Anne) brings a scrappy edge to the little sisters of Hoboken. She has a quick wit and smart mouth that is constantly getting her into trouble—much to the entertainment of the audience. She is wholeheartedly dedicated to her vows, although she at times struggles with not being given her moment in the spotlight. She adds a realness and devotion to the convent and musical that makes it feel more tangible. Samantha Wursten plays the darling and dazed Sister Mary Amnesia. Constantly confused, and just trying her best to keep up, Amnesia offers a quirky humor to the group. Wursten has a beautiful singing voice, which ranges from a high trilling vibrato to the twang of a country superstar. Stephanie Bruckman (Sister Mary Leo) is a bubbly personality that brings light and life to the convent. Bruckman is an incredible dancer and incorporates this into her role by dancing through her prayers and wearing her pink ballet slippers throughout the musical. As the youngest nun in the group Mary Leo is a sweet and sensitive soul that helps smooth out some of her sisters’ rougher edges.
Brian Hahn (Producer/ Set Design), Carol Madsen (Director), Derek Walden (Technical Director/Sound Design) famously pull all of the elements of the storyline and musical together. They assure that the interpretation is fun, light-hearted, and audience inclusive. Sunny Simkins (Choreographer) and Matthew Hewitt (Music Director) are able to highlight the huge variations in the music through the dance numbers and musical interpretations. The songs range from ballads, classic musical theater, country, and gospel.
Alyn Bone (Stage Manager) and Jessica Love (Board Operator) ensure that everything runs smoothly during the show. At certain parts of the musical they even yell back and forth with the nuns adding a playful, relaxed element to the musical. It makes you feel as though you really are participating in the nuns haphazard benefit concert.
Jordan Fowler (Lighting Design), Zack Western (Videographer), and Josh Madsen (Projection Design) orchestrate fun light and film elements which really add to the show. There are small feature films shown by the nuns and a silent feature at the beginning depicting the death of the Hoboken sisters.
Raquel Davis (Property Design), Tammis Boam (Costume Supervisor), and Rachel Lindsay (Costume Design) create such unique characters who live on a detailed set in wonderful authenticity. Even though there is only one setting, the characters are able to utilize it for a wide variety of activities and it’s full of little details such as old movie posters. Although the nuns all wear the traditional Habit, they each stand out individually due to their headdresses, shoes, and rosaries.
CenterPoint Legacy Theater’s Nunsense is very fun. It relies heavily on audience participation. The whole theater is lit for the entire show, allowing the actresses to call on audience members and interact with them whenever they feel inclined to. This is a little uncomfortable at first, especially if the audience is timid, but eventually they warm up to the act. There is definitely some adult humor in the show, and a lot of the jokes focus around making fun of Catholicism. The musical is a playful show and makes for some light, fun summer entertainment.
CenterPoint Legacy Theater Presents Nunsense, Book, Music, and Lyrics by Dan Goggin.
CenterPoint Legacy Theater, 525 N 400 W, Centerville, UT 84014
Tickets: $15
Contact: 801-298-1302
June 13-July 6, 2019 7:00 PM
CenterPoint Legacy Theater Facebook Page
Leishman Performance Hall, CenterPoint Legacy Theater, Centerville, Utah, Nunsense, Musical, Musical Magic, Meredith Gibson, Rebecca Hess, Megan Smyth, Samantha Wursten, Stephanie Bruckman, Brian Hahn, Carol Madsen, Derek Walden, Sunny Simkins, Matthew Hewitt, Alyn Bone, Jordan Fowler, Jessica Love, Zack Western, Josh Madsen, Raquel Davis, Tammis Boam, Rachel Lindsay, Dan Goggin, Benedicte Dansie, Front Row Reviewers
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