The all-gay cast of Show Palace’s upcoming Nunsense A-Men! are all laughs during their first week of rehearsals. The five men haven’t even donned their habits yet, but they know their production will get plenty of laughs.
The show opens on Friday, July 31, and runs through Sept. 13.
“The guys all have great chemistry and it’s one of those shows that creates this camaraderie among the people in it,” says director Susan Haldeman. “Immediately the cast has a good tie with each other and formed a relationship with each of these nuns. Every time I’ve been affiliated with this play it always seems to gel very quickly. I think it’s because the material is so fun.”
Of course, to bring material alive you have to have the right actors. Haldeman says each of the actors playing the five nuns in the play was her first choices.
Matthew McGee, who plays the Reverend Mother, has plenty of experience with Nunsense. He played Father Virgil in previous productions. But this is his first time as one of the nuns. It’s not, however, his first time to perform in drag.
“I just did Our Leading Lady at American Stage,” McGee recalls. “It seems every show there seems to be the conversation of “Let’s see, is there a dress in a size 20 for Matt?” But I enjoy all the work. I love being on stage and I take every opportunity to perform. I enjoy it and I’m a ham.”
The story of Nunsense A-Men! doesn’t change when men take on the roles. The plot still follows the Little Sisters of Hoboken as they discover that their cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, has accidentally poisoned 52 fellow sisters. The sisters find they are in dire need of funds for the burials so they decided to raise money by putting on a variety show.
They take over the school auditorium, which is set up for an eighth grade production of Grease. The performers, Reverend Mother, Sister Mary Regina (McGee), a former circus performer; Sister Mary Hubert (Reggie Whitehead), the Mistress of Novices; a streetwise nun from Brooklyn named Sister Robert Anne (Joey Panek); Sister Mary Leo (Michael Titone), a novice who is a wannabe ballerina; and Sister Mary Amnesia (Show Palace musical director Michael Ursua), the nun who lost her memory when a crucifix fell on her head.
The rural area of Hudson may seem like a strange place to perform anything in drag, but McGee says all of the productions at the Show Palace that feature drag have done extremely well.
But this production isn’t about men in drag, the performers say.
Panick, who lives in Sarasota, believes that after the first number or two, the audience will forget that the nuns are actually men in habits and will focus on the plot and the message of the production.
“I was raised Catholic,” Panick says. “I guess I dabble in church a little as a singer and I stick to the common phrase that I’m spiritual, but not in an organized religion. This isn’t campy drag. It’s a sweet, funny show with a lot of heart, and putting men in the roles really doesn’t take away from that.”
Some jokes may take on new meanings, but the script stays true to the original Nunsense production, according to Whitehead, who is featured on the original Nunsense A-Men! cast CD out of New York.
“I’ve played Sister Mary Hubert many times and I did this 10 years ago with Greg Louganis,” Whitehead says. “Each show has different personalities and possibilities. This is a thoroughly witty show and I’ve always liked the production. And I love that we do it in habits. Those can hide a multitude of sins on a human body. It will be wonderful.”
Titone is the youngest member of the cast and plays the youngest sister, Mary Leo. The 27-year old grew up in Tarpon Springs and says he was brought up Catholic and the show brings back plenty of memories—some good, some bad—from his formative years. But theatergoers, regardless of religious affiliation, will enjoy the show, he says. He’s also not a stranger to playing a woman on stage.
“This is a comedy for everyone,” Titone says. “I’ve been working since 2004 and it seems that people just love to put me in dresses. I actually prefer doing dramas, but with this economy and everything, people want to laugh. So we’re having fun with this.”
And that’s the big draw for Michael Ursua, who has never played a woman on stage in his entire career.
“I’m the musical director here at the Show Palace so I know this production well,” he says. “So I feel pretty prepped. But this will be my first time tapping in heels. It’s been quite an experience.”
Ursua plays the forgetful Sister Amnesia, which he sees as an advantage.
“The character is really more about listening and reacting and facial expressions than anything else,” Ursua says. “Plus, it’s great because if I mess up, I can play off of that. The character is scatterbrained so we can work that in if necessary.”
The combined talents of so many seasoned actors should make for an incredibly successful production, according to Haldeman. And working with an all-gay cast has proven to be a lot of fun for the lesbian director.
“In our first week of rehearsal we’ve laughed almost uncontrollably,” Haldeman says. “This is a fun production that provides a way for the community to escape into some fun music and laughter. It’s not a show about men in drag. It’s a show about nuns struggling to survive in a comedic situation.”
What: Nunsense A-Men!
Where: Show Palace Dinner Theater, 16128 U.S. 19, Hudson, Fla.
When: July 31-Sept. 13
How: $46 for dinner and the show; $34.95 for just the show. Call 727-863-7949 or 888-655-7469.
