STG brings holiday hilarity to area with heart-warming production of ‘Nuncrackers’

At the surface, “Nuncrackers” appears to be a nice, little show. The songs are simple and charming and the dialogue is swift and genial. One could almost be convinced that once you throw some actresses in a few nun habits, the show is ready to go. The cast and crew of Southside Theatre Guild’s production of “Nuncrackers,” can now tell you that this is far from the truth. Since the show was cast at the end of September, everyone has been working tirelessly to put the not-so-small production together, creating the dozens of costumes that are needed in nearly all of the numbers, making the hundreds of props and decorations that bring the set to life, installing the choreography and learning the songs that are complex in their apparent simplicity.

“It has been a long process, but now we get to see the payoff,” said director Michael Boylan. “We have created a very entertaining and unique Christmas show. Fans of the “Nunsense” shows should be very pleased.”

Dan Goggins created “Nunsense” in 1986 and he has written a number of other “Nunsense” themed shows since. “Nuncrackers” premiered in 1998 and was nominated for an Emmy for Best Musical Score. The Southside Theatre Guild production stars Tammy Hyder-Williams as Sister Mary Regina, the Mother Superior, Kat Thatcher as Sister Mary Hubert, Judi Levy as Sister Robert Anne, Dorothy Ramsdell as Sister Mary Paul and Dwain Eidson as Father Virgil. Rounding out the cast are Anne Eidson, Frankie Asher, Heather Utt, Nicholas Andersen and Audrey Faulkner.

“I’ve been involved with a number of shows at Southside Theatre Guild now and I can honestly say this was the hardest working cast that I have been involved with,” said Boylan, who also gave a ton of credit to the crew, including his wife, Sabine, who stepped up to serve as choreographer, co-director, costume designer, props mistress and whatever else she was needed to do on any given night. “The theater kind of resembled a sweat shop on some nights with people trying to sing over the sewing machine, but this show would not have been possible without her efforts.”

“Nuncrackers” is the first Christmas special to be taped in the Mt. St. Helen’s Convent Basement, which they have converted into a television studio. Things go wrong with the taping right from the beginning and it is up to the Little Sisters of Hoboken to keep things moving and to make this Christmas special one to remember. The show is full of hilarious moments but it is often heart-warming as well.

“A lot of the show can be described as silly, but there are moments that would even give Scrooge a lump in his throat,” Boylan said. “That’s an important part of any Christmas show and I’m proud that we can have people crying with laughter one minute and then tearing up with emotion a minute later.”

“Nuncrackers” opens Thursday, Dec. 7 at Southside Theatre Guild in Fairburn and runs Thursdays-Sundays through Dec. 17. Show times are at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $12 on Thursdays and $12 for students and $15 for adults at all other performances. The box office urges people to reserve their tickets as soon as possible as the holiday shows at Southside Theatre Guild have a history of filling up quickly. Phone 770-969-0956 or visit www.stgplays.com to reserve your tickets today.

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