Nunset Boulevard
They’re nuns, they’re entertainers, they’re back for more. Meadow Brook Theatre’s Nunset Boulevard, directed by creator/writer Dan Goggin, is a recent entry in the decades-long Nunsense canon, and for better and worse, it shows. The musical readily takes shortcuts to tap into its already invested fan base, leaving the sense that potential content and character arcs have been pretty well picked over at this point. Yet whatever staleness leaks into the composition doesn’t weigh down this assembly of series veterans, who bring enthusiasm and delightful, sharp silliness to the highly concentrated entertainment of the revue.
On the heels of their growing acclaim from prior shows, here the sisters arrive in Hollywood, expecting to hit their career stride at the iconic Hollywood Bowl. Because the characters were built on being hapless comic foils for whom things go inevitably sour, they are chagrined, but not deterred, by the unexpected suffix “-A-Rama” in the venue name. Barry Axtell’s set design perks up the underwhelming bowling-alley-annex surroundings with loftier architectural elements that both recall the place’s namesake and comfortably house the band, led by music director Michael Rice. Mike Duncan’s barreling sound design glibly reminds viewers that in the world of the play, the sisters aren’t even the main attraction at this lowly establishment; lights by Reid G. Johnson similarly hang on to the conceit, but judiciously get caught up in the pageantry. Costumer Rich Hamson transcends the expected fare by layering on increasingly bizarre and unexpected show pieces that add to the humor of splashy ditties.
Drawing primarily on movies (particularly movie musicals) as inspiration, the original tunes are inundated with familiar strains. The numbers are inventively staged and fleetly choreographed by Teri Gibson, who also plays the mischievous Sister Robert Anne. The streetwise but benevolent Reverend Mother Mary Regina (by turns Laurie Birmingham and Bonnie Lee) adds wry leadership when necessary, but generally plays along as one of the gang. As Sister “Amnesia” Mary Paul, Jeanne Tinker lends a comic spark to her daft, addled charge. Although it’s Sister Mary Hubert (Bambi Jones) who wants to try playing out a story this time around, the dramatic focus here falls to star-struck Sister Mary Leo (Stephanie Wahl), who can’t shake the dream of getting her big break while in Tinseltown. A slender narrative escapes from the bonds of fluffy filler numbers; among the comic exchanges and prudently controlled audience participation interlude, news of an open audition inflames the group’s aspirations and challenges one sister’s calling. However, the production's real strength is its tight-knit ensemble, which has confidence in the material and pulls off the singing, dancing, and comedy with a relaxed ease in any combination.
In concert with the floor-show numbers that anchor the revue, the burgeoning Hollywood fairy tale does add some welcome dimension, but it also unearths a serial greediness to Nunset Boulevard that finds it grabbing with both hands. Callbacks draw on and allude to past shows to appease return viewers, yet these “you may remember” and “last time we learned” shoehorns are a poor substitute for new content; witness the puzzling appearance of a puppet-nun who does little more than proclaim it has nothing to contribute to this installment. Similarly, despite deliberately rejecting a story line, with characters whose rough outlines have just enough detail for jokes and segues, the production then calls on the viewer to get invested in Sister Leo’s shot at fame. Fortunately, the relatively weak offering is made successful by the darling sunny disposition of Wahl’s performance, which she cements in a tender early ballad and follows through with genuine emotion.
On paper, Nunset Boulevard is an umpteenth genre sequel churned out to satisfy longtime Nunsense devotees; onstage, this production is a showy, kitschy confection whose accomplished musical and comic performances keep it active and fun. Although dependence on formula makes the show unable, or at least completely unwilling, to stand on its own, its vaudevillian sensibility is light and appealing enough to show even newcomers why fans have returned to the franchise time and time again.
January 26, 2012