NunsReviewACTTwo

"MESHUGGAH-NUNS!" AT BREVARD LITTLE THEATRE
by Jim Cavener, Asheville Citizen-Times Correspondent

Think Yiddish Mother Superior and you've got the drift of what "Meshuggah-Nuns!" is
all about. Brevard Little Theatre's summer musical is a wacky waltz through what
Roman Catholics and Jews have most in common: GUILT. It's another romp with
those zany Little Sisters of Hoboken, who took us into the convent and into their hearts
with their "Let's put on a show!" routine in the frequently-performed "Nunsense."

This time the Sisters are shipboard, on a "Faith of All Nations World Cruise," which
they won as a result of a lottery, or some such. Each evening there is scheduled a
musical presentation representing a different faith. Well, tonight it was to be "Fiddler on
the Roof" -- except that most of the cast for that show is feeling the effects of a heavy
storm at sea. The Sisters, however, are still stalwart, thanks to the convent cook, Sister
Julia, Child of God, who had laced their going-away brownies with Dramamine.

Ironically, Brevard Little Theatre's "Meshuggah-Nuns!" opened on the very day of the
death of the actual Julia Child, the kitchen diva, at her home in Santa Barbara. Sister
Julia, Child of God (the convent cook), is always the unseen foil in Dan Goggin's parody
scripts, which good-naturedly chide the feisty women in this mythical Order.

Well, in this most recent reprise, Goggin leaves no surplice unturned, and the one-liners
this time are coupled with rich possibilities as the sassy Sisters take over the show and
incorporate all the Borscht-Belt shtick into their own funning of their tradition. They
come close, but never quite "kick the habit."

This time, the famed "Fiddler" recitative of "Tradition!" takes on Roman Catholic
overtones and becomes "Contrition!" Lots to be contrite about: the Jew who was to
have played Tevye in "Fiddler" admits to once having had a ham sandwich, while one of
the Sisters had meat on Friday, back when that was a culpable "no-no."

Every one of the cast of five is a winner. Some have decades of professional stage
experience, and it shows. Carla Wilson-Avery comes to the role of Sister Robert from
the North Carolina School of the Arts, and she brings with her a professionally-trained
coloratura voice of note, although with little chance to display its breadth. Wilson-Avery
has fun with this versatile role.

Charlotte Gilmore is the more restrained Reverend Mother (Superior) who also shows
her vocal training at Baltimore's Peabody Conservatory. This is not the open-ended role
enjoyed by others, but Gilmore gives it what it needs.

Sister Hubert is a pixie, and Geri Hambley can belt out the tunes with the best of them.
Guest appearances by the hand-puppet Sister Marionette (sic!) test our credulity.

Sister Amnesia (a crucifix fell on her head once, and she can't remember her religious
name) is charmingly given by Laine Lewis, who has scads of past musical theater
experience in Florida and in Brevard.

The sole male in the show, and the only purveyor of the rich Hebrew tradition is
Howard Liszt, who was to have been Tevye in "Fiddler." Brevard Little Theatre regular
Bob Stacy holds his own in this bevy of belters.

The bottle dance, the reference to Temple Beth Meyerson, the bagels and
(pad)locks/lox, and the St. Andrews Sisters all segue into "Matzo Man," a rousing
rendition of a variant from The Village People's macho mannerisms of that pseudo
masculine parody group.

The spirited musicians on electronic keyboards are Virginia Stone, Patti Black and Ann
Host.

Music direction is by co-director Dede Hunter. It holds together this string of vignettes
hung on a very slight story line. This highly-spirited, sprightly and spunky show is good
late-summer entertainment.

Jim Cavener writes on theater for the Asheville Citizen-Times. He can be reached
at: Jim Cavener@aya.Yale.edu