Actors Theatre of Indiana welcomes the cast of Nunsense – the first show for this season at ATI.
When the Little Sisters of Hoboken discover that their cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, has accidentally poisoned 52 of the sisters, they find themselves in dire need of funds for the burials.
How will they raise the money?
You can join the following cast members as they perform in the variety show – the best way they decide they can raise the money they need.
Katelyn Lauria says she is so excited to join the Nunnery at the Actors Theatre of Indiana. Her previous credits include Charlotte in Cinderella, Mary Patrick in Sister Act, The Wardrobe in Beauty and the Beast, Madame/Gargoyle in Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, and Gertie in Oklahoma! You can visit her website at katelynlauria.com.
Rachel Weinfeld has found a home for herself as a versatile crossover singer in the opera and musical theatre worlds and she says she is thrilled to be making her ATI debut. Noted for her comedic timing and “heavenly soprano,” her previous regional credits include Phoebe D’Ysquith in Gentleman’s Guide, Marian Paroo in The Music Man, Amalia Balash in She Loves Me, Meg March in Little Women and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance. Rachel holds a Master of Music in voice performance and literature from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor of Music in voice performance from Ball State University.
Stephanie Wahl says she is so excited to be back in the convent with the wonderful team at ATI. Her credits include: Off-Broadway – Sister Leo in the 25th Anniversary production of Nunsense as well as the 30th Anniversary Cast Recording. Regional Award Winner, Best Actress in a Drama as Diana in Next to Normal and Best Actress in a Musical nominee as Sadie in I Love a Piano. Other Regional credits include Annabella/Pamela/Margaret in The 39 Steps, Abigail Adams in 1776, Lina Lamont in Singin’ In The Rain, Dorothy in Summer of ’42, Z’s Favorite in Will Rogers’ Follies and Laurey in Oklahoma! Stephanie is also a proud former world-famous Radio City Rockette. Her television credits include Bull, Law and Order, SVU, and The Other Two. You can visit her website at stephaniewahl.com.
Audiences may remember Suzanne Stark as Lita Encore from ATI’s production of Ruthless, but frankly, playing nuns is getting to be a habit. In 1978, Suzanne played a nun onstage for the first time in The Sound of Music. Since then, she has been the SOM Mother Abbess three times and that failed-nun Maria Von Trapp twice – plus the stern and proper Mother Superior in Sister Act. As an Equity actress, for over 40 years she has had the pleasure of inhabiting diverse leading roles primarily at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre – most recently Dolly Levi, Clairee Belcher in Steel Magnolias, Carlotta in Phantom, the aforementioned Mother Abbess, and Mrs. Schubert in Shear Madness. Suzanne says she is grateful to be back in the habit again. You can visit her website at suzannestarkphotography.com.
Illeana Kirven says she is ecstatic to make her ATI debut. Pre-COVID-19, she portrayed the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe at The freeFall Theatre and The Hippodrome Theatre, both in Florida. A few of her favorite credits include Caroline in multiple productions of Caroline, or Change (Spinning Tree Theatre, KC & Playhouse on the Square, TN (Ostrander Award for Best Lead Actor in a Musical), Gary Coleman in Avenue Q (Broadway World Award nomination), Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act (Broadway World Award nomination). Keep up with Illeana at broadwayworld.com/people/Illeana-Kirven.
Director Karen Sheridan says she is delighted to be working with ATI. When she is not here with a gang of nuns making theatre, she is in Michigan or Wisconsin doing the same thing. Favorite projects include directing The 39 Steps and Heroes (Peninsula Players); the Michigan premiere of Mary’s Wedding (AM Productions) and Italian American Reconciliation (Epicenter). As an actress – the world premiere of Eric Coble’s The Hat Box, Silent Sky and Chapatti (Williamston Theatre); and The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Detroit Public Theatre). Karen acknowledges the artistic work of the resilient theatre community. And she celebrates storytellers in theatres and at kitchen tables, whom we cannot live without.
Jay Schwandt says he is thrilled to be back at ATI music directing Nunsense. He was last seen at ATI playing the flamboyant “Corky Weinstopper” in the show Lillian Baxter and Friends: We Enjoy Being a Girl in 2018. This collaboration with actor, writer, and husband John Vessels has also produced four more shows about the fictional television personality: Lillian Baxter: An Evening with Lillian Baxter, A Very Lillian Baxter Christmas, An Evening Lost with Lillian Baxter, and most recently A Fabulous Evening with Lillian Baxter, all of which have been produced around the country. In addition to music directing and performing, Schwandt is a writer of several musicals. He teaches at Ball State University.
The Choreographer is Anne Beck. Anne says she is happy to work on Nunsense for friends at ATI. She is an Associate Director at Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre as well as the coordinator for the The Young Artists Program (YAP). She lived in NYC for over 15 years performing on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in First National Tours and regionally. She is an associate choreographer for Yuletide Celebration and other Pops shows for Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Anne is an Associate Teaching Professor for the acclaimed Theatre and Dance Dept. at Ball State University. Performing credits include: Broadway – Saturday Night Fever (original Broadway Company), The Who’s Tommy National Tour (Sally Simpson), Saturday Night Fever 1st National Tour (Stephanie Mangano), and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes with Barbara Eden. Anne has performed alongside Judy Kaye, Gary Beach, Beth Leavel, Casey Nicholaw, Andy Blankenbeuhler, Rachel York, Sandi Patty, Angela Brown, John Waters, and George Wendt. Some Creative credits as Director/Choreographer at Civic include: Mamma Mia, Annie, The Cat in the Hat, Guys & Dolls, The Music Man, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins, Saturday Night Fever and Elf the Musical.
Gillian Norris, Production Assistant, says she is excited to be returning to ATI for this newest production. Gillian graduated college in 2021 where she studied studio art and theater. This will be her second production with ATI, and she is beyond thankful to be working with such talented people.
This is Kevin Casey’s eighth season with Actors Theatre of Indiana, his 46th year working in the professional theatre and his 37th year as a member of Actors’ Equity Association. Out of almost 200 productions for which Kevin has served as Production Stage Manager, some favorite shows include: Working, A Chorus Line, 1776 (performed on July 4, 1976), Buddy, South Pacific, Sweeney Todd (x2), Murder for Two, CATS, I’m Not Rappaport (with Ted Lange and Fred Grandy), Nunsense II (with Karen Sheridan), The Second Coming, The Full Monty, Evita (with Marin Mazzie), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, La Cage Aux Folles, The Foreigner, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Hairspray, The Fantasticks (x5), Emergency Room, Greater Tuna (x2), Menopause The Musical, Forever Plaid, Amadeus, Tuck Everlasting, Antigone, Angels In America, The Smell of the Kill, Annie, A Year with Frog and Toad (x3), The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (x5), The Gifts of the Magi, and Holiday Memories. Kevin served as a member of the Executive Board of the National Stage Managers’ Association from 2013 to 2015.
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The show begins Sept. 9 and runs through Sept. 25 at The Studio Theater in Carmel.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting ATIstage.org or by calling The Center for the Performing Arts box office at (317) 843-3800.