Troy Civic Theatre presents Nuncrackers

I don't have any photos of the cast because I was concerned that the precipitation coming down after the performance was sleet so we left immediately.  As it turned out, Tom and I drove through mostly rain as we headed toward home, only a little sleet now and then. Nevertheless, I was glad the drive was a short one.

If you live in or near Troy, Ohio and you are looking for something to do this coming Friday or Saturday evening, consider attending this play.  Mount Saint Helen's Elementary School Christmas program, The Nutcracker,  is being televised in the studio of the Little Sisters of Hoboken.  The performers are the nuns and the students in Mount Saint Helen Elementary School.

I guarantee you have never seen The Nutcracker performed as these actors perform it. Because the soloist who is to dance as the Sugar Plum fairy is accidentally injured, the Reverend Mother (Terressa Knoch)  steps into the role. She gives a truly memorable performance.

In addition to their version of The Nutcracker, the nuns and students sing and dance to fractured Christmas songs as well as original songs that were written for the play.  The seven children in the cast perform a cute Santa's Little Teapot song and dance, the tune being the familiar "I'm a Little Teapot."

Since fifty of the members of the Little Sisters have died recently due to poisoning, the order is recruiting.  The nuns and Father Virgil explain the joys of convent life with a jolly song, "In the Convent." The tune was suspiciously similar to the song, "In the Army" or is it "In the Navy"? The revival meeting type song, "It's Better to Give" is sung by Sister Hubert (Jessica Carson)  backed by the other nuns and Father Virgil.  Some nights Father Virgil is played by Donald Kuchta and other nights by Kevin Glover.

During intermission, the audience was invited to buy at the Mount Saint Helen's bake sale.  There were even tiny slices of Father Virgil's fruit cake if we were brave enough to sample it.  He took the cook's place because the cook was  at the police station reporting the stolen Christmas gifts when it was time to televise her cooking demonstration.  His demonstration was different from the usual cooking demo.

The plot is light but the aim is fun and laughter and there is plenty of that.  Oh...the Christmas gifts turn  up though not at the convent.

Actors and actresses in addition to Terressa Knoch as Reverent Mother, include Jessica Carson, Bonnie Littlejohn, McKenzie Stotler, Sydney Edington, Jason Studebaker, Donald Kuchta, Kevin Glover, and Chuck Fox.  Mount Saint Helen students are played by young people who were part of the cast of Annie, the musical which was presented last year.