AMY SZPARA

PHOTO: The “Nunsense” cast rehearses at Paulina Elementary School. (Staff Photo by Amy Szpara) PAULINA – The first full dress rehearsal for an upcoming musical in St. James Parish took place Thursday night at Paulina Elementary School, as a group of five crazy nuns took the stage to sing, dance and cause their small audience to roar with laughter. The nuns, five local women who are not really sisters of the church, are the stars of St. James Theatre’s production of “Nunsense,” a musical about a group of nuns who are having a fund-raiser to bury some sisters who died from eating tainted soup. Like the theme of the play, the St. James Theatre is also having a fund-raiser, using the upcoming musical as a way to fix up a small building that has been donated to the theatre to use as their community theatre. The thespians in St. James now rehearse at various locations, and their plays are presented in schools in the parish. According to Becky Foret, president of the theatre board, they plan to use the money raised to make repairs to the building and build a small stage for dinner theatre. Director of “Nunsense,” Glenn Waguespack, who is usually on stage instead of directing and who is also the assessor in St. James, said rehearsals were going great. “These women are really talented. They have worked hard and done a good job. Every one of them has done several shows. We have no rookies here,” said Waguespack. Claudia Frederic, theatre board member, said that Thursday night was the first night they had run straight through in costume. “I think these ladies are really talented, and they’re having a lot of fun,” she said. With songs like “We’ve Got to Clean Out the Freezer,” about getting the deceased nuns out of the freezer and into the grave after the unfortunate soup poisoning, and “I Could’ve Gone to Nashville,” sung by a nun who has amnesia from a Crucifix falling on her head, the musical is a laugh a minute. Tammi Esposito of LaPlace plays Sister Robert Anne in “Nunsense.” She said she thinks they are just about ready for the real thing. “We’ll be ready by next week when it starts,” she said. Esposito, whose family has always been involved in acting, said she did her first play in high school and has been interested in it ever since. Irene Poche’ of Gramercy plays Sister Mary Regina. “She’s a lot like me. She loves the spotlight. If she gets half a chance, she’ll entertain,” said Poche’, who added that she has been acting since she was five. Kathy Tuson of LaPlace is starring in “Nunsense” for the third time, though she played Sister Mary Amnesia the first two times. This time she is Sister Hubert. Tuscon’s favorite role was Peter Pan in the 1993 production of the play “Peter Pan.” “I got to fly and sing, and it was fun.” She added that she was playing a nun for the fifth time. “This is getting scary,” she laughed. Sister Mary Leo, played by Kristi Reulet of Vacherie, is the novice in the play. Reulet, a voice major at Nicholls State University has been in about five other plays, but her favorite role was The Little Mermaid. “It was my very first play. I did “Part of Your World” as Aerial,” she said. Jeanine Vicknair of Paulina, who has been acting with the theatre on and off for 10 years, plays Sister Mary Amnesia. “This is my favorite role,” she said. “She is so like me. I’m the most forgetful person on the earth.” “Nunsense” can be seen July 27-29 and Aug. 10-12. For times and locations call Frederic at 225-869-9036.