Cindy in Nunsense?

[HuntingtonM15]

Has anyone had the chance to see Cindy in the play Nunsense? Luckily, for once, I checked my school e-mail newsletter, and found out that she's doing the play at my school until the 18th. It's crazy--while I'm in night classes the next two weeks, she will be performing at the same time one building over! I'd like to try to see it at least once, and try to meet her as well.

[AB]

That sounds cool!

[Zoneboy]

Link

ROCHESTER HILLS — Although best known as Shirley Feeney from the television show “Laverne and Shirley,” Cindy Williams says her first love has always been live theater.

“At LA City College I was trained to do regional theater and then go on to Broadway,” Williams said. “But I was in the right place at the right time and got some luck doing commercials in California.”

Movie roles in films like “American Graffiti” came next, and then her successful television series, which ran from 1976 to 1982.

Williams is starring at Meadow Brook Theatre as the Reverend Mother in “Nunsense” through May 18.

The role gives Williams a chance to show off her comedic chops. “I’ve done drama and I’d like to do more,” she said. “But comedy comes naturally to me. God gave me a little gift there.”

Now in its 25th year, the musical “Nunsense” is the fictional story of the Little Sisters of Hoboken, who put on a show to raise funds for the burials of 52 accidentally poisoned nuns.

“It’s great,” Williams said. “I love the cast, they are so talented. Danny Coggin wrote a wonderful, fun piece.” Williams said she adores her “nun” costume and headpiece. “I don’t have to do my hair,” she said.

The cast also includes Bambi Jones, Mary Robin Roth, Stephanie Wahl and Alexandra Kaprielian.

The play is the first of two “nun-themed” productions at Meadow Brook Theatre. Next, “Nunsense Jamboree” — also written by Coggin — starring former Miss America Lee Meriwether hits the stage for a special two-week engagement.

Michigan native Coggin is the creator of seven “Nunsense” shows and will direct both MBT productions.

“Meadow Brook Theatre is one of my favorite theaters,” said Goggin, who grew up in Alma. “It is so exciting to be able to come back home to Michigan with my original New York creative team to celebrate 25 years of ‘Nunsense.’”

Tickets to “Nunsense” are $22 to $38 and are available by calling the box office at (248) 377-3300 or through TicketMaster at www.ticketmaster.com. Groups should call (248) 370-3316.

Meadow Brook Theatre is a nonprofit, cultural institution serving southeast Michigan for more than 40 years. The “Nunsense” schedule includes a 2 p.m. May 3 audio-described performance and an American Sign Language interpreted performance at 8 p.m. May 7.

Williams said she began acting in her teens and has appeared in several plays, including “Grease,” “Death Trap,” and most recently, “The Drowsy Chaperone” on Broadway. “That was a dream come true,” Williams said. “I played for three weeks until the stagehand strike closed the show.”

Regional theater like MBT is similar but different from the Broadway stage, she said. “The audience is more distant on Broadway, with lots of out-of-towners in the audience. Here, the audience comes from their homes. There is a different vibration.”

And stage acting is more similar to television than movies, Williams said. “Movies are not shot in sequence,” she said. “You could start with the car chase. A situation television comedy is rehearsed like a small play, and the fifth day of the week is ‘shoot day’ in front of a live audience.”

Five decades of acting have not been enough for Williams. “Next to my children, acting is the love of my life,” she said. “I’ll keep working until I drop.”

[Scoobiedoo30]

that sounds good

[HuntingtonM15]

Well, the play was awesome and Cindy was great in it. She was hilarious, as was the rest of the cast. Tonight's show price was $38, but since I'm a student, I only had to pay $8! They even incorporated a little L&S into it. One of the nuns was named Leo or something, so at one point she came out with a jacket with an 'L' on it, and she had a Boo Boo Kitty with her! Cindy's character gave her a funny look when she came out.

Immediately after the show ended, I hurried to my car to get the photo I wanted signed and went to the stage door. Less than 5 minutes later, Cindy came walking out with the cast. After she talked to this one couple for a minute, I asked her if she could please sign my picture. She started saying yes, but then fake sighed and said, "I mean...I guess." She then pointed out that it was already signed by Michael McKean. While she was signing, I told her how nice it was to see Boo Boo Kitty, and she said, "Oh, yeah. They made that." I said, "You have the real one, don't you?" and she confirmed that she did. I told her she was great in the play, and she genuinely thanked me. I then wished her a Happy Mother's Day and she thanked me again, and told me to wish my mom a Happy Mother's Day from her for raising such a nice son. She's a super sweet woman! I met her once before, but that was at a convention and not as personable.

I'm not sure if she will be taking this play to any other cities, but I definitely recommend seeing it if she does!