'Nunsense A-Men' opens Friday at Barn II

One of the most popular shows ever produced at The Barn II Theatre in Goodfield is coming back, with some of Conklin's most popular performers in key roles.

The wild musical comedy "Nunsense A-Men!" starring Dan Challacombe, Pat Gaik, Chad Kirvan and Dave Windsor, along with Fred Heskett and newcomer Joel Shoemaker, opens Friday and plays for only six weeks, through July 1.

The dinner theatre has shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday brunch.

(Photo courtesy of Conklin's Barn II Theatre) The cast of "Nunsense A-Men," which opens Friday for six weeks at Conklin's Barn II Theatre in Goodfield, includes, in front from left, Joel Shoemarker and Fred Heskett, and in the rear from left, Dave Windsor, Dan Challacombe and Pat Gaik. "Nunsense A-Men!," the all-male edition of "Nunsense" by Dan Goggin, "has been one of the Barn's most requested repeats since the original production in 2000. Audiences are getting their wish, and none of the original hilarity has been lost in this remounting," said a release from Conklin's Barn II.

The story line is that the Little Sisters of Deer Creek need to raise money to bury four deceased nuns who were victims of food poisoning by the convent chef, Sister Julia, Child of God. The surviving nuns bring together the most talented (of what's left of the sisters) to take over Conklin's Barn with an evening of songs, silliness, and soul-saving.

Challacombe is Reverend Mother Mary Regina, who tries desperately to keep the show going, even when everything threatens to spin out of control. Aiding Regina is Pat Gaik as Mistress of Novices Sister Mary Hubert, who also tries to keep the rest of the rag-tag troupe in line, including Dave Windsor as wise-cracking Sister Robert Anne, Joel Shoemaker as impressionable and ballet-obsessed novice Sister Mary Leo and Fred Heskett as the comically confused Sister Mary Amnesia, who, because of a head injury, has forgotten her true identity.

Chad Kirvan serves double duty as Father Chad and as musical director/pianist for the show. "The crazy evening, complete with a few rounds of bingo and an audience sing-along, will have audiences laughing until they are holy-rolling in the aisles," the release said.

The show is directed by Mary Simon with technical direction by Tom Weber. Choreography is by Debi Redington, adapted by Mary Simon.

Tickets for the dinner and show are $34 for Thursday, $36 for Friday and Saturday and $38 for Sunday brunch. For reservations, call the box office at (309) 965-2545. For more information, visit the Barn on the internet at www.barn2.com.

Paul Gordon is editor of The Peorian. He can be reached at 692-7880 or editor@thepeorian.com

About the Author

Paul Gordon is the editor of The Peorian after spending 29 years of indentured servitude at the Peoria Journal Star. He’s an award-winning writer, raconteur and song-and-dance man. He also went to a high school whose team name is the Alices (that’s Vincennes Lincoln High School in Indiana; you can look it up).