On stage: November offers singing nuns to macabre little girls in Cape Cod's new shows

Gwenn Friss, Cape Cod Times
·5 min read

As we head into November, all but the hardiest summer visitors have gone. But the Cape’s stages are still as full as they were in July ― with a new batch of shows, kicking off Nov. 2 with the Barnstable Comedy Club’s “Nunsense.”

The musical comedy, with book, music and lyrics by Dan Goggin, debuted off-Broadway in 1985 and ran for 3,672 performances, making it the second-longest running off-Broadway show in history. Translated into 21 languages, it is the story of a convent of nuns holding a musical fundraiser to raise enough to bury four of the order’s nuns who died of botulism, because of a mistake by the convent cook.

You might anticipate some crazy antics ― and you would be right, although you may be surprised at the tender moments, such as Sister Mary Amnesia singing “I Could Have Gone to Nashville.”

"Nunsense" has been a popular visitor on Cape with productions at the Academy of Performing Arts in Orleans (shown in this file photo) and the Cotuit Center for the Arts. Now, it is Barnstable Comedy Club's turn as they stage the musical comedy.
"Nunsense" has been a popular visitor on Cape with productions at the Academy of Performing Arts in Orleans (shown in this file photo) and the Cotuit Center for the Arts. Now, it is Barnstable Comedy Club's turn as they stage the musical comedy.

At Barnstable Comedy Club, the show is directed by Ann M. Ring, with music direction by Lisa Zinck Taylor and choreography by Elena Novero. The cast of nuns includes Chris O’Sullivan, as the Rev. Mother Mary Regina, Sonia Schonning as Sister Mary Hubert, Ruthe Lew as Sister Robert Anne, Kathy Hamilton as Sister Mary Amnesia, and Mackenzie O’Sullivan as Sister Mary Leo.

The Barnstable Comedy Club production runs through Nov. 19. Tickets, at $30,  may be purchased online at www.BarnstableComedyClub.org or reserved by calling the box office at 508-362-6333.

Eventide's 'Wonderful Life' explores faith, community in Dennis

The Eventide Theatre Company in Dennis presents Frank Capra’s “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” based on the classic 1946 holiday movie in which banker George Bailey (James Stewart) gets a look at what life would be like in Bedford Falls without him.

"It's a Wonderful Life" movie poster. Eventide Theatre Company will perform the radio play version.
"It's a Wonderful Life" movie poster. Eventide Theatre Company will perform the radio play version.

“With the help of a virtuosic, tight-knit ensemble that embodies a few dozen characters and live Foley artistry (live sound effects,) the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve. "This holiday season, join us for a story of hope, faith, and the power of community,” Eventide officials wrote in a release.

Directed by Toby Wilson, a veteran of several Eventide shows, the cast features some local favorites including Susannah Creel, Frank Hughes , Bob Boch, Mike Weber, Chuck Gifford and Bill Salem.

There are eight performances, running Nov. 2-12. Tickets at $31 are available at www. eventidearts.org/.

Nina Schuessler directs 'The Couch' in Wellfleet

Nina K. Schuessler, longtime artistic director at Cape Cod Theatre Company/Harwich Junior Theatre until she retired two years ago , is directing Susan Lambert in “The Couch” for one night only. The musical solo show is coming at 5 p.m. Nov. 4 to  Wellfleet Preservation Hall, 335 Main St.

'The Couch' is an hour-long cabaret-style show with Susan Lambert.
'The Couch' is an hour-long cabaret-style show with Susan Lambert.

Jonathan Goldberg is on the keys. Lambert has played leading roles, character roles, and roles written for her in musicals, dramas, and comedies off-Broadway, in stock and regional theater, and on European tours. Lambert has performed in the cabaret and concert world in New York City and Europe for many years, with some of her favorite haunts being Don’t Tell Mama’s, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Metropolitan Room and more.

Susan Lambert, who is coming to Wellfleet Preservation Hall, has performed in New York City and in Europe.
Susan Lambert, who is coming to Wellfleet Preservation Hall, has performed in New York City and in Europe.

Tickets for the hour-long show are $15 and are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/.../the-couch-starring-susan/.

'The Mousetrap' comes to Chatham Drama Guild

Anyone who has ever played the board game “Clue” knows the creepy feeling that infuses Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap,” where a group of people trapped by bad weather in a mansion are dropping one-by-one. And by dropping, we mean departing this mortal coil in one circumstance or another in the mansion.

Written in 1952 as a radio play for the Queen, Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” has been translated into 27 languages, performed in 50 countries and is one of the  longest-running plays in the world, according to agathachristie.com.

The Chatham Drama Guild takes its turn in the mansion from Nov. 3-26. Tickets are $25 for cabaret seating; $22 for regular seats, and available online at onthestage/.

This is a 1956 photo of mystery writer Agatha Christie.
This is a 1956 photo of mystery writer Agatha Christie.

The cast includes Erica Morris and John O’Hara as Mollie and Giles Ralston; John Hanright as Christopher Wren, Lee LaCroix as Mrs. Boyle, James Batzer as Major Metcalf, Violet Moos as Miss Casewell, Richard Wilber as Mr. Paravicini and Bragan Thomas as the beleaguered Detective Sergeant Trotter.

Singing two-by-two in 'Duets' at Academy in Orleans

On Broadway, you don’t have to sing alone.

So many musicals have beautiful harmonies written for duets, which is exactly what the Academy of Performing Arts is tackling from Nov. 10-19 in their show “Duets.”

The show is described as “a speakeasy-style performance of your favorite songs from some of the most talented performers on the Cape.

Those performers include, according to the cast list, Terrence Brady, Jennifer Almeida, Lucas Almeida, Ryan Van Buskirk, Esme Van Buskirk, Fred Carpenter, Ann Carpenter, Sue Lindholm, Kimberly Matthews, Denise Page, Rachel Hischak, Brynn Grambow, Anne Vohs, Susanna Creel, Missy Potash, Jennifer Rabold, Dan Rabold, Garrett Kasper, Brandon Prentiss, Doug Sivco, DJ Kostka and Randy Doyle.

Enjoy the dark humor of Roald Dahl's 'Matilda' in Cotuit

British author Roald Dahl first published “Matilda” as a children’s book in 1988, two years before his death. The play made its way across the pond from the Royal Shakespeare Company to Broadway where it added Tony Award-winning to its nearly 50 international accolades.

“Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical" will be staged at Cotuit Center for the Arts from Nov. 21 to Dec. 17.  Coraline Goers and Sylvie Weimer share the role of Matilda, with Lily Anderson playing her kindly boarding school teacher Miss Honey and Hadassah Nelson as the evil Miss Trunchbull. After all, every children’s tale needs a hero and a villain — and what can you expect from a dark boarding school where the school motto is “Children are maggots.”

You will find yourself rooting for “Matilda” and the title character’s psychokinetic powers and heart of gold.

Gwenn Friss is the editor of CapeWeek and covers entertainment, restaurants and the arts. Contact her at gfriss@capecodonline.com. Follow her or X, formerly Twitter: @dailyrecipeCCT

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: 'Nunsense,' 'Mousetrap,' 'Matilda' 'Wonderful Life' in Cape theaters