Previews: NUNSENSE: AMEN at Straz Center's Jaeb Theatre

Opening on July 13 is the Straz-produced musical, NUNSENSE: AMEN, where all the sisters are misters, and the comedy is nonstop.

NUNSENSE: AMEN stars Matthew McGee as Mother Superior, JS McLaughlin as Sister Mary Hubert, Aaron Castle as Sister Mary Amnesia, Ryan Patrick Mclaughlin as Sister Robert Anne, and Jaryn McCann as Sister Mary Leo.

The musical asks what happens when you accidentally poison 52 nuns with your toxic soup and can only afford to bury 48? Why, you have a showcase fundraiser, of course, to bury the remaining four.

Ryan explained how Sister Robert Anne craved the spotlight in the fundraiser.

"She is a nun from Canarsie in Brooklyn. She grew up as a tough kid and joined the nunnery to the great surprise of all her friends in the hood. She has a secret desire to be a star, but Mother superior doesn't want to let her show all of her talent. She spends the fundraiser trying to convince Mother Superior to let her be the star she really is."

JS said it was his third time playing the role of Sister Mary Hubert, the second in command.

"She's like the first lady. She takes care of things behind the scenes so the president can run the country well. She's sassy. She's brassy, but she's friends with Mother Superior, and they've been together for very, very many years," he said.

What he liked best about the production was it honestly didn't matter what gender you were.

"Once you put on the habit, you're a nun," said JS. "With everything going on with gender in the world, it's interesting just to play a character as a person, and it doesn't matter what their sex is because it doesn't have anything to do with who they are," said JS. "It's a funny show, especially if you know anything about the Catholic religion. It's a show about love, community, and sisterhood. We don't have glittery costumes, just nun habits, so it's all about the characters. I hope the audience feels that each character is three-dimensional and well-rounded. They are nuns trying to be showgirls, not showgirls trying to be nuns. They are not perfect. At their core, they are nuns."

Ryan explained that NUNSENSE: AMEN is pure escapism.

"This is an evening of so much fun: fun for us to perform - certainly, that's probably what I love most about it. I know it's going to be enormous fun for the people who come," said Ryan. "Right now, especially at the time we are in the world, this is a great opportunity for people to come and laugh their butts off, to have a good time, see a bunch of men in nun habits, dancing and making jokes. It's just a lot of fun, and it's truly, truly funny."

JS added, "With all the things going on in the world today, it's a really good time to come to the theatre, and just sit and laugh."

NUNSENSE: AMEN is July 13 - August 7 at Jaeb Theatre at Straz Center.

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