A hallelujah

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Aug 18, 2000 by Bill Blankenship Capital-Journal

During an auction, bids are taken on a real Bible belt and a Santa Lu Chia Pet, and there's even an appearance by a habit-wearing puppet named Sister Mary Annette. Get it? Sister Mary Annette, as in Sister Marionette.

Rounding out the cast are: Sister Leo (Kelly Grecian, a K-State theater major); Sister Stage Manager (Abby Riblett, a Wamego High School freshman); Sister Robert Anne (Glynis Kickhaefer, a second- grade teacher in Maple Hill); Sister Wilhelm (Chris Day, a Junction City music teacher); and the first male character in a "Nunsense" play, Father Virgil Manly Trapp, who is played by John Rapin, a soldier from Fort Riley.

The other orchestra members are Dr. Steve Bates, a Wamego dentist, on violin; Peggy Boggs, the music director's sister, on synthesizer; Kimberly Patrick, the music director's daughter, on tuba; and Sam Wisman, a Topeka High School senior on drums. Erica Farris is stage manager; Jason Jones is choreographer; and Therese Doll is technical director.

Moore said "Nunsense Jamboree" is pure entertainment and escape.

"It's just such a crowdpleaser," she said. "One of my favorite things about theater is that it really takes you away from your life, not only as a performer but as a theater-goer. That's one of the great things about 'Nunsense' is you can leave there feeling happy. It's not a heavy duty, thinking show."

And as an added treat for the "Nunsense Jamboree" audience, Kickhaefer decided to employ the theatrical flying skills Moore learned as the Wicked Witch in "The Wizard of Oz."

Yes, Sister Amnesia becomes a "flying nun," or with the stage's relatively low ceilings, "dangling is probably a better word for it," Kickhaefer said.

Bill Blankenship can be reached at

(785) 295-1284 or bblankenship@cjonline.com.

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