GayMardiGras.COM GayNewOrleans.COM SouthernDecadence.COM March 2-15, 2010 The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM 21

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1 GayMardiGras.COM GayNewOrleans.COM SouthernDecadence.COM March 2-15, 2010 The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM 21

2 Nunsensations! The Nunsense Vegas Revue trodding the boards by Patrick Shannon, III Nuns on stage are usually a sure thing, especially in towns with a high Roman Catholic population, such as our town. That s just one of the reasons that Don Goggin s musical about those women in black and white habits should delight audiences at Jefferson Performing Arts Society production of Nunsensations! The Nunsense Vegas Revue. The other reasons are written about in this review (please take note of this word, of which there will be more later in the review); and the reasons can be found in this expert production presented by the Jefferson Performing Arts Society, and appropriately for a show about Las Vegas, the Boomtown Casino, New Orleans. This show is one of five - so far - all involving the nuns of the Little Sisters of Hoboken, the first one being Nunsense. Mr. Goggin was a seminarian in his earlier years; and was taught by the Madewood Dominican Sisters. The Genesis of the original show was a line of greeting cards featuring a nun spouting pithy quips with a clerical bent. The greeting cards were so popular that Mr. Goggin expanded his concept into a cabaret show titled The Nunsense Story. This show opened for a four-day run at Manhattan s Duplex and continued selling out for 38 weeks. Its creator expanded it into a full-length theatrical production. Now you know why he writes with such wit and sauciness about nuns. Dancing and singing nuns, occasionally doing things which are just a little off color or naughty on a public stage even without a cute dog and children in the show (think the of the Mother Abbess and her singing nuns in The Sound of Music foiling those cute, determined, and pesky Nazis by divinely destroying the carburetor of their evil car in which they planned to pursue the scrappy/happy von Trapp family singers as they traipsed across the Alps as the strains of Climb Every Mountain filled the crystalline mountain air in yet another reprise swelled in the orchestra) will usually be an entertaining sure fire hit. I m happy to say that Nunsensations! The Nunsense Las Vegas Revue (not review - which this is - but what cabaret shows are not -but the word is popularly and constantly misused by so many Stage Cliquers or Clickers) in its current venue at the Teatro Wego! Theater in beautiful Westwego, Louisiana is just that: a very entertaining, funny musical about nothing really serious in the lives of five nuns who want to raise funds for some good old nunish cause. The hook is that they end up in Sin City also known as Las Vegas, and get convinced by a con artist to create and perform a song and dance musical revue (again take note of the word) to earn it. As we all know (Roman Catholic mackerel snapper or otherwise) this is something that any conservative Roman Catholic (like the current Pope Benedict, or Papa Benny as he is known to his friends like the infamous Melba Carondelet) would be aghast to bless even if it had a cute dog and a bunch of adorable kids in it. Such a non-nun like fund raising event is fertile ground for a mass of various sins especially if done in a Las Vegas showgirl style in Sin City. Before going on, there will be a digression of sorts. The plots for more installments in the Nunsense franchise seem to be as infinite as God s powers. For The Tennessee Williams Literary Festival there could be: Nuns on a Hot Tin Roof, The Nuns of the Iguana, A Nun Named Desire, or The Milk Train Doesn t Stop in Hoboken Anymore also known as Boom! Nunsense!. For a Science Fiction/ Fantasy Geek Fest there could be: The 5,000 Nuns of Dr. T, The Sister of Oz, Nun Trek, Nuns Versus Aliens and Predators or The Day the Nun Stood Still. For Halloween time, to be played at Edward Cox s Haunted Mortuary, there could be: The Nuns from the Black Lagoon, Last Convent on the Left, The Hoboken Chain Saw Massacre, The Convent on Elm Street, or The Nuns of Frankenstein. For those who like exploitation films and B movies: Beyond the Valley of the Nuns or Faster Pussy Nuns, Kill, Kill, Kill!. And during Carnival time there could be: the racy Nuns Gone Wild -The Little Sisters of Hoboken on The Big Easy s Bourbon Street or in collaboration with Ricky Graham the family friendly, local color production The Nuns and All..., the later presented at Le Chat Noir and then at The Muriel Cabaret at Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre. There can even be tranny inspired shows such as: To Nun Foo, Thanks for the Egg Roll, Love Julie Newmar; The Hoboken Horror Picture Show; or The Adventures of The Little Sisters of Hoboken, Queens of the Desert. And of course I can t wait to see the nudies, nudies, nudies!, as Neely O Hara would screech in Valley of the Dolls, Naked Nuns Swinging! most probably presented at The Marigny Theatre behind the lesbian lounge AllWays. The plot from the official website for all of the shows in the franchise: Nunsensations! The Nunsense Vegas Revue takes the sisters on a brand new adventure. When a parishioner volunteers to donate $10,000 to the sisters school if they will perform in a club in Las Vegas, Mother Superior is hesitant to accept. However, after being convinced by the other sisters that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas Reverend Mother agrees. What follows is the most featherfilled, sequin-studded, fan dancing Nunsense show ever! Performing in The Pump Room at the Mystique Motor Lodge, the sisters experience show-biz like never before. You ll meet Sin-City Sue, find out who s Black and White with Her Money on Red, and try to win a new car with the Holy Rollers Giant Slot Machine. Taking a line from another show, a critic pointed out, It s a whole lot funny and a little bit naughty, but there ain t nothin dirty goin on! Nunsensations! The Last Vegas Revue as brightly directed by our towns own professional clown, Uncle Wayne Daigrepoint is definitely a major/minor sensation. He has done an admiral job with his kinetic pacing and his well-timed comedic touches. These nuns dance (like they have spiders up their butts) to the energetic Las Vegas-like choreography of Lindsey Peeps Price. They prance, parade, and occasionally give out with a faux mini-prayer; and sing songs performed celestially by the JPAS Broadway Pit Orchestra, under Alan Payne s heavenly expert musical direction with good strong voices wearing Las Vegas-like showgirl feathered headpieces, feather boas and as much bling bling glitter of rhinestones and sequins on almost everything without ever removing a single piece of their black and white habit, thanks to the costuming by Kelly James-Penot. Claire Conti is a huge success playing Reverend Mother/Sister Mary Regina, and she has finally found a role that she was destined to play as she lugs her massive self on stage at one point in the revue (there is that word again) as the infamous Hindenberg blimp that exploded in 1937 over Lake Hurst, New Jersey doing one of the many hilarious skits found in this laugh-tickle show. All I could think of was the phrase type casting as I watched her work up a drenching sweat doing those high kicking, kick ass dance numbers with the rest of the somewhat slimmer cast members. Every time I see Ms. Conti I see myself as we both seem to be spreading out wider and wider with time. Great performance girl, try not to blow up on stage in future, let me do it first I m older. Melinda Taliancich Falgoust plays the role of the hard bitten street wise Sister chop chop by Rip & Marsha Naquin-Delain marsha@ripandmarsha.com Robert Anne so convincingly that I over heard the audience member sitting next to me ask her if she was a real nun. I nearly choked on my colorful pack of M&Ms. Not only did she give a fine performance; but she sang with a clarity of tone and a big well-tuned voice. Katie Coplen played Sister Mary Leo with charm; and a little hot pepper. Brittney James played Sister Mary Hubert with a lot of sense and salty sass. Anna Toujas Rosenberg played Sister Mary Amnesia/ Paul with a sweet certitude that swept one into her character; and her puppet routine was a very funny thing to see. All of these performers gave us a seamless production which you should see and enjoy. Almost hidden from view was the wonderful, multi talented Musical Director/Actor/(when in highest drag) Actress and all around show biz personality Alan Payne who was able to mash out a sizable sound from his little band. The marvelous set pieces and scenic design were the very clever bling bling creations of Elizabeth Broomall, with costumes by the already mentioned Kelly James-Penot; and sparkling effective lighting was done by William Spratt. This tight and delightfully manic high energy kick-ass production of Nunsensations! The Nunsense Vegas Revue is well done and delicious to experience. A toast with Divinity Fudge and Heavenly Hash to a clutch of chunky nuns, a director, and this ballooning critic. I can t wait to see you all in Naked Nuns Swinging when it gets done here. And can I be Clair Conti s understudy? I will be big enough in time. Don t miss her in this show. New Orleans Restaurant Guide 700 Club Restaurant, 700 Burgundy St., , has just opened and is now serving sliders, paninis, quesadillas, and more at the popular club in the French Quarter. Restaurant hours are 7pm til Wed.-Sun. Visit 700ClubNewOrleans.COM. Bywater Restaurant, Deli & BBQ, 3162 Dauphine St., , is noted for its gumbo, barbeque, pizza, sandwiches and specials serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Open 9am-9pm Mon.- Tues., 8am-10pm Thurs.-Sun., closed Wed. MasterCard/Visa accepted. Clover Grill, 900 Bourbon St., is open 7 days and features breakfast including build your own omelettes. But let s not forget their fab burgers grilled right under a hub cap and then there s all those sandwiches, sides, desserts and shakes. Call or visit CloverGrill.COM. Country Club Restaurant, 634 Louisa St. Under the direction of Chef Coy LeBeau, he has taken attention to detail and ingredient, and focused on a more contemporary menu at an even more affordable price point. Still the best food, but at even more unbelievable value! Serving 7 days 11am- 10pm and Sunday Brunch 11am-3pm. Visit TheCountryClubNewOrleans.COM or call for more information. Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, 95 French Market Place is famous for its wood fired gourmet pizzas, pastas, salads and appetizers. Open 7 days from 11am-10pm, call or visit LouisianaPizzaKitchen.COM. Maximo's Italian Grill, 1117 Decatur Street, features New Orleans inspired Italian cuisine along with a wonderfully assorted wine selection. Experience Maximo s open kitchen and watch Chef Thomas Woods prepare his extraordinary dishes. Open 6pm 7 days a week, call or visit MaximosGrill.COM for reservations and information. Mona Lisa Restaurant, 1212 Royal St., features Italian specialties including salads, pizzas, sandwiches and both lunch and dinner entrees. Lunch 11am-5pm Thurs.-Mon., Dinner 5pm-10pm 7 days. Call for info. The Pelican Club, 312 Exchange Alley, , PelicanClub.COM. With its tasteful but comfortable ambience, The Pelican Club serves contemporary Louisiana cuisine specializing in seafood. The restaurant is conveniently located in the French Quarter on historic Exchange Alley, an easy walk from most downtown hotels. Quartermaster: The Nellie Deli, 1100 Bourbon St., , was voted Restaurant/Deli of the Year once again and is open 24 hours 7 days. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the deli offers free delivery. Rooba's Crescent Spoon Cafe, 2307 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, , Roobas.COM. Home of the Weenie Panini, Rooba's has an extensive menu with starters, garden fresh salads, paninis, specialty sandwiches, pizza, daily hot specials and homemade desserts. Open Mon. Sat. 11am-3pm. 22 The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM March 2-15, 2010 Official Gay Easter Parade Guide GayEasterParade.COM

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