If you are looking for a knee-slapping, toe-tapping comedy with lots of heart, look no further than The Artist Village production of the musical sensation Nunsense. Running three days for four performances, May 15-17, you will not want to miss out on this long-time fan favorite musical that has been leaving audiences rolling in the aisles for over 40 years.
Artist Village is relatively new to the arts scene in Cumberland County and started as a passion project during the Covid pandemic lockdown. Working primarily in Hope Mills, Teresa Davis and her team are on a mission “to entertain, inform, and educate youth and adult community members; thereby enriching cultural life through the arts” (artistvillagehm.com). Past productions have been performed at a few different locations, including the Hope Mills Recreation Center. Nunsense will be their first production to be performed at Fayetteville’s Arts XL venue at 214 Burgess St.
Nunsense is a musical comedy about the Little Sisters of Hoboken, who have recently experienced a tragic accident leading to the death of many of their sisters. With a collection of dead bodies in the freezer, the surviving nuns put on a variety show to help raise the funds necessary to bury the rest of their dearly departed sisters. While the premise seems dark, the resulting show is a hilarious revue featuring a variety of musical styles, from country to gospel, even some classic Latin choir arrangements.
Fans of the original show will recognize some updates in the Artist Village production. The original 1985 version has been updated to a Mega-Musical version, expanding the cast from 5 nuns to 9, and adding two men: Brother Timothy & Father Patrick Virgil.
The diverse cast features performers of various ages and levels of experience. There are two high school students performing alongside actors with a bit more age and stage experience under their habits.
Jackie Hill takes the stage as Sister Hubert for the second time, having played the character in the Lumberton Civic Center’s previous production of the show. One of the characters added to the extended Mega-Musical version is Sister Julia, Child of God, played by Kelly Whitback, who has been in a few Artist Village productions. Stephanie Bohn plays Sister Leo, the ballet dancing nun. Bohn currently works as a nurse, but is a classically trained ballerina and, as such, is taking care of her own ballet choreography. Angela Westmoreland plays Mother Superior, which follows her performance as Mother Abbess in Fayetteville Technical Community College’s recent production of The Sound of Music.
Led by director Jennifer Sell, the cast is reported to have great chemistry.
As explained by Westmoreland, “There is harmony, even in the comedy.”
Any play benefits from a cast with great chemistry, but for a show like Nunsense, it is essential and the Artist Village company has struck gold in that regard.
As the name of the company suggests, it takes a village to produce a play, and the Artist Village production of Nunsense is no different. The nuns’ costumes are on loan from FTCC’s theatre department, who recently used them in their production of The Sound of Music. Being able to stage the show without having to purchase such a volume of costumes means a lot to a company who is currently fully grant-funded, explains Davis. Additionally, performing the show at Arts XL means that the group is a guest in the home of the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County and the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. Davis says they “have been fantastic with their support” of the company who is currently a transient organization.
The Artist Village production of Nunsense is truly a shining example of what community theatre is all about: people from all backgrounds and walks of life coming together, with support from across the community, to tell a story that is full of humor, hope, and joy.
Performances will be held May 15 & 16 at 7 p.m. and May 16 & 17 at 3 p.m.
Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for students, and can be purchased ahead of time at artistvillagehm.com or bought at the door.