LATE NITE CATECHISM to Celebrate 23rd Anniversary at Royal George Theatre This Month

A Chicago original and international hit, LATE NITE CATECHISM turns 23 this month in the city where it all started.

A special anniversary performance of LATE NITE CATECHISM will be held on Sunday, May 29, at 2 p.m. at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted, Chicago with actress Mary Zentmyer in the role of the fast talking nun. Zentmyer is celebrating 20 years in the role of "Sister".

A pre-show celebration with food, drinks, and assorted sweets will begin an hour before performance time.

The role of Sister, the wise-cracking, lovable character of LATE NITE CATECHISM, was created by Vicki Quade and Maripat Donovan, both products of the Catholic school system.

Since opening in 1993 at Live Bait Theatre in Chicago, LATE NITE CATECHISM has gone through three popes, two cardinals (and the current archbishop), three presidents, two Chicago mayors, at least a dozen Chicago area theaters, 20 local actresses, and provided laughter to more than a 3.5 million audience members in more than 410 cities, playing in six countries on four continents. Worldwide, the show has grossed more than $100 million in box office receipts.

In addition, LATE NITE CATECHISM has helped raise more than $3 million for the retirement funds of various orders of nuns.

So what else was happening in 1993 when LATE NITE CATECHISM opened?

* Donald Trump married Marla Maples.

* Hillary Clinton moved into the White House.

* Bill Clinton was sworn in as the 42nd President.

* It was the year Prince changed his name to a symbol.

* The movie Jurassic Park opened.

* David Letterman left NBC for CBS.

* John Paul II was just a Pope, not a Saint yet.

* Boris Yeltsin was president of Russia.

* The Dow-Jones hit a record 3793.49.

* A gallon of gas was $1.16.

Call it Carol Burnett meets Whoopi Goldberg. This interactive comedy is part catechism class, part stand-up routine. Ruling her classroom with an iron fist, Sister teaches her students - who happen to be the audience - everything she knows about saints, sin, heaven and hell...while dolling out rewards and reprimands with lightning speed.

The New York Times calls it, "hilarious, well-written and inspired." The Chicago Reader calls it "a top-notch comedy." Jeffrey Lyons from TV's Sneak Previews called LATE NITE CATECHISM "something to savor and enjoy....one of the most intimate, rewarding shows in town."

For more information, go to www.nuns4fun.com. For tickets at the Royal George, call the box office at 312-988-9000.

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