Meshuggah-Nuns! - Vallejo Music Theatre

Left to right: Robert W. Wilson, Vicki Reza, Adele Margrave, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Jeanine Perasso-Kaczmarczyk.


Went to Vallejo with a few of the DMTC group to see Michael Manley's latest directorial venture, Meshuggah-Nuns! at Vallejo Music Theatre (VMT). Friday was opening night.

The premise is that a cruise ship's production of "Fiddler on the Roof" is torpedoed by seasickness, forcing the nuns, and a Tevye who didn't get sick, to improvise a variety show. The show is the fifth of the 'Nunsense' series (sixth if the all-male 'Nunsense - Amen!' is counted).

I had some trouble with the first half of the first act. The trouble was the script: the jokes seemed older than vaudeville, and a warm and winning cast wasn't enough to compensate. But then, they did an elaborate takeoff of boats in trouble, called 'Das Boat', featuring ships in trouble - the namesake German submarine, the Titanic, the Poseidon, and the S.S. Minnow. Very good - it saved the first act!

The second act featured a beautiful duet, "A Love Like This," between Sister Robert Anne (Jeanine Perasso-Kaczmarczyk) and Howard (Robert C. Wilson). An audience participation number was included as well ("Fiddlerspiel").

Overall, a nice show, much more Jewish than Catholic in nature.

Howard Liszt (Robert W. Wilson), with Sister Mary Paul, aka Amnesia (Elizabeth Mitchell) on puppet.

Left: Sister Robert Anne (Jeanine Perasso-Kaczmarczyk).

"Three Shayna Maidels" - Sisters Robert Anne, Amnesia, and Hubert (Jeanine Perasso-Kaczmarczyk, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Adele Margrave).

Elizabeth Mitchell has been featured as Amnesia in the other Nunsense shows presented by VMT. Despite the fact that she recently moved to Santa Fe, NM, she wanted to do this show so bad she made significant sacrifices in order to return temporarily and participate.

Left: "Matzo Man" (after the Village People's 'Macho Man').

Show dates and ticket prices:
February 8, 2008 - 8 PM, February 10 - 2PM - all seats opening weekend deal - $15
February 9, 2008 - OPENING NIGHT GALA - Dinner, Show and Auctions at 5 PM
February 10. 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 29, March 1, 2, 2008
3467 Sonoma Blvd., Suite 10, Vallejo, CA 94590