As much as I love seeing my favorite shows on repeat I also love checking shows off of my blind spot list that I’ve long wanted to see but never had the chance. Such was my opportunity this weekend with Springville Playhouse’s wonderful new production of Nunsense. Oddly enough I’ve seen the sequel to Nunsense entitled Nuncrackers but never the original musical. Now I’m so glad I have as this is a very funny little musical well performed by Springville Playhouse.

The concept for the musical actually sounds quite grim. The nuns lost 52 of their numbers in a horrible accidental poisoning mistake. Now the Reverend Mother Mary Regina played by Robinne Booth is leading the remaining women to put on a talent show to fundraise for the burial of the remaining 4 women. Again this sounds quite morbid but the musical is in reality very funny. I guess you might call it a dark comedy but it’s mostly just a funny good time.

The production is directed by Michael Roberts and Julia Allen and they have created a very intimate space with only a couple of rows on each side of the stage (it’s basically a black box space.) The nun’s school is putting on Grease so the main backdrop looks like a high school production of Grease. It’s delightfully random. I also appreciate the performers are close enough to the audience that no microphones are needed. There were a few times the music drowned them out a little bit without microphones, but I loved the intimate feel the production has. I also enjoyed how the actors would peak out over the top of the set as if they were watching the performance right along with us. It feels authentic, which I appreciate.

My favorite of all the characters is Mary Amnesia played by Amber Roberts. She is a nun who, as the name would suggest, has forgotten who she is or what her real name is. Roberts has terrific comedic timing for the character and plays the dumb blonde in some very funny scenes. I really loved her songs “So You Want to be a Nun?” and ” I Could’ve Gone to Nashville.” I also really enjoyed Andrea Wardle as Sister Mary Robert Anne. She is given the most banter with Boothe, and they pull it off very effectively.

All that said a show like Nunsense is all about the laughs and fortunately the show is funny. It is honestly funnier than I expected- never feeling like it is putting down the characters or their religion which I appreciate. It makes for an endearing and sweet performance that I’m so glad I got to take part in. There are some adult jokes but nothing too bad. I think you could bring kids to this and they’d have a good laugh. Nunsense is playing at Springville Playhouse until Sept 5th and tickets can be purchased here.

Nunsense has music, lyrics and book by Dan Goggin. It premiered Off-Broadway in 1985 and it has spawned 6 sequels including 3 spinoffs.

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