'NUNSENSE II' RECAPTURES ENERGY OF ORIGINAL (A REVIEW)

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Two years after "Nunsens" enjoyed one of the most successful runs in River City Players' history, the Cape County theatrical troupe is bringing "Nunsense II: The Second Coming" to the stage.

The rollicking musical/comedy centers around The Little Sisters of Hoboken, an unusual collection of sisters from Mount St. Helens Convent, with a penchant for getting themselves into fixes.

Jackson's Ann Swanson directs this energetic sequal, brought to life by an inexperienced but enthusiastic cast.

"The experience on stage is a big difference," Swanson said, when asked to compare this production to the popular August 1998 production. "The first cast had much more stage experience."

Although the characters in Dan Goggins' script are the same, none of the 1998 cast members are back. This time, though, the cast and crew is doing "a lot more with choreography," thanks to choreographer Raina Childers, a former Southeast Missouri State Unviersity gymnist and long-time dancer.

The sisters are led by the Reverend Mother, Sister Mary Regina (Elizabeth Michel). The Reverend Mother occassionally slips into sentimental recollections of her upbringing in a circus tight rope-walking family, but keeps a generally firm rule over the teaching nuns.

Sister Mary Hubert (Benthani Vandeven) is her sweet-natured assistant and overseer of novices. Although the thought occasionally registers to Sister Hubert that she would be in charge, should anything happen to Mary Regina, she is a loyal lieutenant to the Mother Superior.

The other three nuns are a bit more unusual. Sister Robert Anne (Jill Smirl) is the Mount St. Helens School P.E. teacher and a person who fancies herself to be quite the entertainer. Her 36-inch TV screen is a prized possession for her and the others.

Sister Mary Leo (Jessica Hency) and Sister Amnesia (Danetta Held) are younger nuns, both possessing seemingly non-nun-like talents and desires. Sister Leo wants to be the world's first nun ballerina. Her main obstacle is the Reverend Mother's objections to her performing in a tutu.

Sister Mary Paul, also known as Sister Amnesia, who lost her memory in the first "Nunsense," when hit on the head by a crucifix, has since remembered that she was on her way to Nashville to try for a country music career before she felt her calling. She still intends to pursue the country singing dream, giving her riches to the church.

The Revererend Mother, meanwhile, has discovered that Sister Amnesia had won the Publisher's Clearing House. This has helped the sisters out of a bizarre jam that includes having two dead sisters in the cafeteria freezer, following a bad batch of vichyssoise.

Unfortunately, Sister Amnesia, who has taken to using a puppet (named Sister Mary Annette), has also remembered that she had committed to a rival order, the Franciscans.

As the action begins, the sisters are putting on a repeat show for local patrons. Things quickly come unglued, though, as a group of alleged Franciscan sisters show up, demanding not only Sister Amensia's money (and the spoils the good sisters had bought with it, including the VCR and 36-inch TV), but Sister Amnesia as well.

Meanwhile, the Reverend Mother and Sister Mary Hubert unknowingly sample the sakki, for use in their production of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado," Sister Mary Robert punches out one of the Franciscans and a call comes that another sister is in jail for battering chickens.

Naturally everything works out in the end. The (never seen) visiting Franciscan sisters are actually the father of an expelled student and two friends, in drag, and the sisters get to keep Amnesia and her money. Of course the plot is merely mortar between the bricks of 23 musical numbers, nine of which feature all five sisters.

Viewing a musical in its early stages of production (second full run-through) is more difficult than judging a drama in its early stages. It is obvious, though, that the production will be energetic, bright and enjoyable. All five nuns have fine voices and Childers' choreography has led to the amusing spectacle of nuns in full garb doing a variety of dances. Even a grumpy reviewer, not in the mood for such spectacle, can be won over by the second act.

The cast, while lacking in experience, successfully fleshes out the five unique personalities among the nuns.

Michel is making her debut as a stage actress, but seems perfectly at home on the stage. As the sometimes stern, sometimes chummy Reverend Mother, she makes an impressive debut.

Vandeven is strong as the cherubic, sweet-natured Sister Mary Hubert. She is enjoyable to watch on stage and interracts well with Michel and the others.

Held and Hency are charming as the younger nuns, determined to bend the convent "habit" to fit their personal skills. Both are bouncy and and naive, in contrast to the three older, wiser sisters.

Probably the most delightful is Smirl, whose expressive face and body language bring the unconventional Sister Robert Anne to life. Whether punching out rival nuns, dancing, or doing her unique "habit humor," Smirl is a joy to watch.

The staff is much more experienced than the cast, with LeAnne Statler assisting Swanson and Jeff Quigley serving as stage manager (including brief appearances on stage in this role). Quicklgy also handles lights, with Lloyd Williams and Claudette Hency, and also works with Charlie Kent and Tim Roth on set design and construction. Suzanne Scherer is sound property manger, while Bill Dunn handles publicity and Statler does the programs.

The show debuted Friday at the River City Yacht Club, above the Port Cape Restaurant and continues Aug. 19, 25 and 26, with dinner buffet ($19.95 per person) starting at 6 :30 p.m. A presentation with no meal ($7) will be made Thursday (Aug. 24) at 7 p.m.

While no Jackson actors are in the cast, Swanson's troupe gives another performance that is well worth the drive to Cape.