Pittsburgh Musical Theater’s 2018-2019 Seize the Stage Season continues with Nunsense: The Mega Musical. It centers around the Little Sisters of Hoboken raising money to give a proper burial to their recently departed Sisters. As morbid as that might sound, Nunsense is anything but. A talent show filled with tap dancing, singing, and habit humor, Nunsense is an entertaining show with lots of laughs and fun to be had.
The Little Sisters of Hoboken are dealing with a tragedy within their convent: fifty-two of their Sisters passed away after eating tainted vichyssoise. They were able to bury most of their Sisters but, unfortunately, four remain unburied and currently on ice in the freezer. So, the remaining Sisters put on a talent show to raise funds to give proper burials for the recently deceased. Led by five of the convent’s most talented nuns, the Little Sisters of Hoboken pull out all the stops to deliver some show stopping performances.
I remember seeing Nunsense years ago in middle school. The show was a bit different than the one performed by PMT. The one I had originally seen only featured the five main nuns in the cast. Doing a little research I found out that Nunsense has spawned several sequels and spins-offs, The Mega Musical being one of them. This version includes a bigger cast: an ensemble of men and women that make up what’s left of the Little Sisters (and Brothers) of Hoboken. There’s also an additional song added to this version, along with extended musical and dance numbers as well. So if like me you’ve only ever seen the original version of the show, I would definitely recommend checking the show out again to see the updates to the story, characters, and songs. I actually think I prefer The Mega Musical version as it felt like a fuller show, and was definitely more entertaining to watch with the addition of the ensemble members.
Chris Laitta busts a move as Sister Robert Anne
PMT lucked out with the cast of Nunsense. Even though the cast wears the exact same costumes, they all manage to bring something unique to their characters that make each very likeable, humorous, and charming. A standout to me was Sister Mary Hubert, played by Brady D. Patsy. Along with providing a good chunk of the laugh-out-loud moments of the show, his song, “Holier Than Thou” was my favorite number of the night, and will definitely be stuck in my head for days to come. I also enjoyed Meg Pryor as the Reverend Mother, who has a very humorous scene at the end of Act I that had everyone in the audience dying of laughter. A couple more stands out to me were Sister Robert Anne, played by Chris Laitta, and Brother Timothy, played by Brecken Farrell. I felt the entire cast worked well off of one another and made the show very enjoyable to watch.
Meg Pryor as the Reverend Mother and Brady D. Patsy as Sister Hubert
The Gargaro Theater used to house St. James Catholic School, so it seems the appropriate venue for Nunsense. The talent show takes place on the same stage as the Mount Saint Helen’s School’s (that the Sisters operate) production of Grease, so the stage is set accordingly. You feel at any moment someone could break out into a chorus of “Summer Nights” or “We Go Together.” It’s definitely an odd setup, but helps with the feel of it being a last-minute fundraiser. The theater itself is relatively small, which works for this particular production as there is some audience participation throughout show (there IS a quiz, so be prepared), so it feels a little more intimate.
While Nunsense is entertaining, be prepared for a more cabaret-style show than what you would typically expect from a musical. It has a very simple plot, and most of the show consists of the Sisters performing their musical numbers for the audience. No fault to anyone involved in this production, my issue lies more with the show itself. I feel the shtick wears off after awhile, and think this show would benefit from being one act vs. two. PMT does a great job with the material however, and it makes for a fun evening.
If you’re in the mood for a light-hearted musical, and in need of a good laugh, check out Nunsense: The Mega Musical. I hear it’s habit-forming.
Nunsense: The Mega Musical plays at the Gargaro Theater through March 31. For tickets and further info, visit PMT’s site.
Photo Credit: Melissa Wallace
Jade Goodes is a graduate of Penn State University where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English. While attending Penn State she became the Managing Editor for the school’s literary & arts magazine, Absence. Jade has been involved with the Pittsburgh theater community since elementary school, and has performed in many productions over the years. In her free time she enjoys reading and attending all the concerts she can.
Categories: Archived Reviews