AUBURN — “Nunsense,” with all of its delightful irreverence and pun-filled comedy and music, is returning to the Community Little Theatre (CLT) stage for two weekends beginning April 12. This will be CLT’s third go-round for this hilarious musical, but “Nunsense” has no problem bringing in many faithful repeat fans. They can’t wait for new productions so they can introduce the show’s special brand of hilarity to friends and family.

Jon Carr of Portland is directing this production. He said his job is proving to be “pretty easy and lots of fun,” given the talent of his five-woman cast, and the fact that three of them have played the mad-cap nuns before.

“I have simply allowed them to find the humanity of the nuns and let them go with it,” Carr said. He directed CLT’s “Children of Eden” in 2010.

Nancy Durgin portrays Sister Mary Regina, the Mother Superior at Mount St. Helens convent. She is back in a CLT production after quite a few years. Among Durgin’s favorites were appearances in “Guys and Dolls,” “Pirates of Penzance,” and “Nine.” Durgin, who retired recently after 37 years of teaching middle school students, is sister of long-time CLT director, actress and board member, Judith A. Walker, who died in 1997. She has performed with many theatre companies throughout Maine.

Nakesha (Kay) Myrick plays Sister Mary Hubert. Myrick directed the cast of this season’s production of “The Wiz.” She performed in CLT’s “Children of Eden,” and appeared in “To Kill A Mockingbird,” “Almost, Maine” and “Aida.”

Renée (Mahon) Davis, who has the role of Sister Amnesia, has been entertaining CLT audiences for almost 30 years. “This is my fourth time performing in ‘Nunsense,’ but it’s my first time in the role of Sister Mary Amnesia,” Davis said. She has played Sister Robert Anne in previous productions.

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In this production, Davis will be featured in several of the show’s popular numbers, including “The Quiz,” “Lilacs,” “A Word from Reverend Mother,” “Baking with the BVM,” “The Drive In,” “So You Want To Be A Nun” (a duet sung with a foul-mouthed puppet named Sister Mary Annette), and “I Could’ve Gone to Nashville,” a big, show-stopping song.

Davis has starred in many CLT musicals, including “Crazy for You,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Singing in the Rain,” and “Guys and Dolls.”

Rhonda (Martin) Webber plays Sister Robert Anne. She has been in numerous CLT shows, starting at the age of 14 as Louisa in “The Sound of Music.” Other shows include “A Chorus Line,” “Sweet Charity,” and “Meshuggah-Nuns,” which was one of playwright Dan Googin’s several sequels to “Nunsense.”

Heather Marichal is playing the novice nun, Sister Mary Leo. This is her second CLT show following an ensemble part in last season’s “Aida.”

Paul Bell is assistant director, costumer and stage manager.  Paul G. Caron is musical director for the show and Eileen Messina, long-time CLT director and actress, is the choreographer.

Katie St. Pierre is producer. Phil Vampatella is building the set with Carole Hodgkin in charge of set décor. Mitch Thomas is publicist. “Nunsense” opened in New York in 1985 and ran for 3,672 performances. It’s becoming the second-longest running off-Broadway show in history (after “The Fantasticks”).

Performances are at the Great Falls Performing Arts Center, 30 Academy St., Auburn. Show times are 7:30 p.m. on Fridays, April 12 and 19, Saturdays, April 13 and 20, and Thursday, April 18. Performances on Sundays, April 14 and 21, are at 2 p.m.

For tickets, call the box office at 783-0958, or purchase online at www.laclt.com.


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