Late Nite Catechism
The co-creator of the popular audience-interactive comedy “Late Nite Catechism” was inspired by her Catholic upbringing and a line from St. Lawrence, a third century martyr who is said to have quipped while being burned on a gridiron, “This side is done; turn me over and have a bite.”
“If you’re going to go down, go down with a smart remark,” said Chicago actress Maripat Donovan, who co-authored “Late Nite Catechism” with fellow Chicagoan, journalist Vicki Quade, 15 years ago and continues to pen its sequels.
In short, the play is a strict nun teaching a catechism class. The class is the audience. And the nun manages to nurture nostalgia for the days that “Sister ruled” at the same time making her “students” squirm a little. Donovan, who spoke with Catholic San Francisco from her office in Hollywood, said the “Sister” character grew out of her intensely religious upbringing.
“We said the rosary on our knees every night,” Donovan said. “I put the time in at Mass. This is payback for that.”
Donovan sought to make the play both funny and respectful toward a faith about which she cares deeply. Largely for that reason, she said, she and the other actresses who play the role have been warmly welcomed at parishes and Catholic schools across the country to perform the play.
Donovan said her own Donovan Entertainment, Inc. owns and operates the show in California and Chicago, while New York-based Entertainment Events runs shows elsewhere. During its 15-year run, the show has played across the United States as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. The play was originally supposed to run for two weeks in Chicago, but ballooned in popularity and longevity – success beyond the playwright’s wildest expectations.
“It’s a dream that hardly anyone ever achieves,” Donovan said. “It’s been a lot of hard work, but it’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Part of the enduring appeal of the play is an improvised segment during which the “students” may ask questions. There is a certain depth of knowledge necessary to come up with answers on the fly.
Nonie Breen knows. She has played the part of Sister for seven years. Preparation for the theological questions is a major part of learning the role, she said, noting that she cracked open the Baltimore Catechism, studied the lives of the saints, and researched Catholic doctrine available online. She also stays current on topics that touch on Catholic theology and life.
“The Catechism shows are an homage to growing up in the strict discipline of the Catholic school system circa the 1950s to the 1960s, where you had fully habited nuns or priests as educators,” Breen told Catholic San Francisco. “When you came to class, well, you had better be prepared. We have fun. We don’t make fun.”
Breen said she sometimes feels better prepared than some who actually present Church teaching for real. “It is a comedy and I am not really teaching a catechism class,” she said, although it is common for her to encounter Catholics who think the Immaculate Conception refers to the Virgin Birth rather than Mary being sinless from her first moment of existence. Such “students” in her “class” are put on a humorous hot seat. Breen, who had an aunt who was a nun and several cousins who were in the priesthood, said she was “knocked out” by the material in “Late Nite Catechism” when she first saw it performed in Chicago by Donovan.
Creator Donovan said the demanding theological preparation, coupled with theatrical considerations, make it difficult to find actresses capable of pulling off the part. About a dozen actresses have been trained for the role with Donovan acting as “Mother Superior.”
“You have to carry a one-person comedy, which is not easy,” Donovan said. “You also have to be a Catholic. You can’t fake it. People will know if you’re faking it.” For her stage work as “Sister,” Donovan received the Los Angeles Critics Award for Best Solo Performance as well as the New York Outer Critics nomination for Best Solo Performance.
Some time ago Donovan initiated an effort that has become a hallmark of “Late Nite Catechism” shows. As “the class” funnels out the door, “Sister” raises money for real Sisters.
Aging and retired nuns often face financial problems, Breen said. “Some orders are in better shape than others, but the situation is dire for some. The audiences across our country have been extremely generous.” To date, more than $3 million has been raised.
The play has also been a source of revenue for local churches and schools that host the production. Donovan said this began in Chicago, and grew slowly as people came to trust her and her pool of actresses. “Religious people, nuns especially, are reticent to jump on the bandwagon,” Donovan said, citing examples of plays about the Church that did not entertain respectfully, but rather derided.
“They don’t want to be tricked or duped. Once they realized who we were, we were embraced with open arms by all kinds of Catholic churches all over the country.”
Among those who have welcomed the play are real-life women religious. Social Service Sister Celeste Arbuckle, a “Late Nite Catechism” fan and director of the Archdiocese of San Francisco’s Office of Religious Education and Youth Ministry, called the charitable work “fantastic.”
“What a great way to honor the religious communities that have given so much,” Sister Celeste said, adding that she appreciates the way “Sister” makes jokes about the Church and women religious, while still remaining true to the spirit of the faith.
“It’s always good to laugh at yourself, and where we were in our history,” Sister Celeste said. Referring to a recent performance, she lauded the level of commitment “Sister” showed in getting the theology right, something that would be daunting, even to a professional. “I was scared to death she would call on me and I wouldn’t have the right answer,” she laughed.
Breen said the part of “Sister” has taken her across the country. “I have met the most incredible people and it has brought me great joy and made me quite an optimist,” she said. “The world can be pretty scary. Having a couple of laughs just keeps it all in perspective.”
For more information about “Late Nite Catechism,” visit www.funnynun.com or www.latenitecatechism.info.
By Michael Vick
