LATE NITE CATECHISM ENDING ITS LONG RUN AT The Final Performances of
LNC 1 - By Vicki Quade and Maripat Donovan LNC 2 - By Maripat Donovan All Performances are at 7:30 p.m. |
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LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA – On October 23rd, the international hit comedy sensations Late Nite Catechism and Late Nite Catechism 2 will be ending their remarkable runs at The Laguna Playhouse that began on July 21, 2003. Late Nite Catechism by Vicki Quade and Maripat Donovan was created in 1993 with Maripat Donovan as “Sister”, and has played worldwide. Its popularity led to the creation of a sequel Late Nite Catechism 2, subtitled “Sometimes We Feel Guilty Because We Are Guilty”, by Maripat Donovan, which The Laguna Playhouse began offering in July 2005.
The Playhouse ran Late Nite Catechism on Monday evenings as a dark night special presentation for two years (2003-2005), followed by Late Nite Catechism 2 (2005-2006) and began presenting both shows on alternating Sunday and Monday evenings earlier this summer.
Late Nite Catechism will have been performed a total of 85 times and Late Nite Catechism 2 a total of 54 times. More than 32,000 people will have seen Late Nite Catechism and Late Nite Catechism 2 when they conclude their runs this fall. Although several different actresses portrayed “Sister” over the past three years at The Laguna Playhouse, author and original “Sister” Maripat Donovan was on stage at the opening nights and many other performances as well.
The Late Nite legacy will live on, however, as the Playhouse revives Sister’s Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi’s Gold, by Maripat Donovan, Marc Silvia and Jane Morris, for 13 performances, November 19-December 24. The theatre presented this holiday version for 10 sold-out performances in 2005.
The two-act solo performances feature Sister giving instruction to a roomful of “students” (the audience). Throughout the course of the class the benevolent instructor rewards the “students” for correct answers with glow-in-the-dark rosaries and other nifty prizes. Naughty students may well find themselves on stage sitting in a corner reflecting upon their actions.
It has been described as “uproarious interactive theatre” (The New York Times), “a marvelous portrayal of the Nun with Attitude” (Orange County Register), “Don Rickles in a habit” (Los Angeles Times), and “a laugh-filled evening cutting across all faiths…first-rate, a blend of John Wayne drill sergeant and Julie Andrews singing her way through the Alps.” (Hollywood Reporter)
