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| | Issue #19.18 :: 11/28/2007 - 12/04/2007 | Habit-forming
Musical from Le Chat Noir perfect for getting into the holiday spirit — just go easy on the holiday spirits!
| BY STACEY HUDSON
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AUGUSTA, GA. - It seems the folks at Le Chat Noir have gotten into the holiday eggnog a little early, because the visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads — they aren’t what you think.
Their first holiday show, the loopy comedy musical “Nuncrackers,” will leave audience-goers drunk on the holiday spirit.
“People who come and see it will probably leave and buy Christmas presents for everyone they know because it’s that kind of show,” said director Richard Justice.
Based on the “Nunsense” series by Dan Goggin, “Nuncrackers” picks up where previous installments have left off. But the pertinent information — the Little Sisters of Hoboken have lost 52 members of their order to an outbreak of botulism and can’t afford to bury all of them until forgetful Sister Mary Amnesia remembers that she won the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes — gets covered enough as the story unfolds.
With their winnings, these orderly ladies have turned their convent basement into a television studio — that about brings people unfamiliar with the “Nunsense” series up-to-date — and are hosting their first holiday special.
“It’s a really cute show,” Justice said. “It’s going to be so much fun and it is such a departure from what we normally do because it is a feel-good, funny, funny, funny holiday show.”
Click here to hear clips from the musical.
Things go wrong from the beginning. Their Sugar Plum Fairy is injured leading for a dance-off the likes of which no one in this town has ever seen. Scatter-brained Sister Mary Amnesia gives out door prizes to the audience, and Father Virgil manages to accidentally intoxicate himself while filling in on the cooking portion of the show for Sister Julia, Child of God. But the sisters Christian soldier on.
The comedy is sure to be habit-forming for lovers of musical theater in Augusta, as it has been for fans worldwide. Goggin has a series of seven of the witty musicals that have grossed more than $300 million. Part of the success lies in Goggin’s loving but loopy characterizations. A product of parochial schools, each character in the “Nunsense” shows is based on a nun he actually knew from his school days.
Le Chat Noir is limited in the musical theater they can produce by two things. First, the size of the theater doesn’t allow for things like high kicks. A mass of jazz hands might blow half the chairs into the foyer. Second, the cost of renting the rights to a musical is higher than that of a stage play without music.
“This one works well because it’s done in a TV taping studio, which works well for our space,” Justice said.
Le Chat Noir is known for focusing on provocative productions, and so a holiday musical might seem like a trick. But this time, there’s no catch from the black cat. It’s truly a show with wide appeal.
“This is probably the first time that we’re doing a show that is appropriate for all ages,” Justice said. “Although eventually we want to do a naughty holiday show.”
But of course.
"Nuncrackers"
Le Chat Noir
Nov. 30, Dec. 1, 7-8, 13-15
8 p.m.
$25
706-722-3322
lcnaugusta.com | |
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