by Haley Culliton
Come one, come all, come meet the fabulous Little Sisters of Hoboken – behind the habits! Delve into the captivating minds of these remarkable women who are making this show possible for Ojai, as they share their thoughts and experiences about the acting process. Read below to see what they were willing to unveil!
Meet Sister Mary Hubert, played by Darrienne Lissette Caldwell!
Darrienne has several musical theater credits, and some may recognize her as Marian Paroo from last summer’s production of “The Music Man”! She is also bringing her talents to stage in other ways- as a CalArts Vocal Performance alumnus and private vocal tutor throughout Ventura and Los Angeles, she is bringing her talents to the show as its Vocal Director. Ultimately, what made Darrienne want to be a part of “Nunsense” is its director, “Tracey. I love working with Tracey. I have learned so much from her, whether it be on the performance or production side…I would have been a fool not to take this opportunity. I’m so happy that I did.”
Darrienne was eager to take the role for personal reasons as well: “I love the role of Sister Mary Hubert. I am the youngest of all of my siblings so I’ve never been able to be the older sister. Hubert is the older sister. But she is not perfect. She makes mistakes and she holds herself and others accountable. I want to be more like Hubert…my older sister also played Sister Mary Hubert and she said it was a lot of fun. And she was right. I’m having the time of my life and I’m loving every minute of the process. “
Meet Sister Mary Amnesia, played by Anna Kotula!
Anna has so many credits on and off the Ojai ACT stage, it could make your head spin! Anna is an accomplished performer and choreographer, as well as a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Financial Advisor, and chair of the Ojai Art Center Theater Branch. She graduated from the theater division of LACHSA and NYU’s Drama program at Tisch, and her most recent works show off her acting prowess includingher years-long portrayal of Emily Dickinson in “The Belle of Amherst” and showed her full triple-threat prowess as Tanya in our hugely popular production of “Mamma Mia!” Anna is also the Choreographer and Producer of “Nunsense”! When cast as Siter Mamry Amnesia, she felt she had “found a connection to her journey and personality. Her resilience and quirky nature resonated with me on a personal level, and I saw an opportunity to bring depth and authenticity to the role… (She) brings a combination of innocence, humor, and unexpected moments to the story.”
Anna’s enthusiasm for this particular role is palpable. “The character of Sister Mary Amnesia is known for her cheerful and innocent nature. As her name suggests, she suffers from amnesia, which adds an extra layer of humor and unpredictability to her role… (h)er character adds a delightful and lighthearted touch to the musical.” She adds, “I was also drawn to an opportunity to explore the art of ventriloquism as my character works with a puppet in one part of the show.”
Meet Reverend Mother Mary Regina, played by Sindy McKay!
Sindy is no stranger to the OACT stage, having appeared in last year’s fall play as Patty in “Walter Cronkite is Dead.” She is also an accomplished writer, having been awarded two Emmy and four Humanitas awards for her work in children’s television, and her full-length show “Salvatori” was recently produced at the Elite! Her motivations for joining this production are straightforward- “A show with five women dancing, singing, and laughing together. Who could resist that?”
Sindy has found great joy in her role- which includes getting to be in charge. “Who doesn’t want to be the boss?? A firm but caring “mother” is exactly what the world needs these days!” She also loves “the joy in just letting yourself be silly and goofy sometimes. That’s just what “Nunsense” is all about!
Meet Sister Robert Anne, played by Dianne Miller!
Dianne is well-known to our stage and community, having starred as Rosie in our sold-out production of “Mamma Mia!”, and has sung in and around the community in The Dianne Miller Band and Party of 5. She also has been an educator in Ventura County, making it easier to relate to her character, saying “Robert Anne is such a wonderful character to embody. My parents are from New York and I’m a teacher, so I feel her vibe. I also know how a teacher or mentor can change someone’s life for the better, just like Robert Anne.” Dianne wasn’t sure about the show at first, admitting “I honestly didn’t know much about the roles when I auditioned… I was reluctant, thinking of the potential work involved, but am overjoyed I took the opportunity to be part of this lively musical.”
Dianne’s curiosity towards the show and what she wishes to express with Sister Robert Anne goes even further: “I wasn’t sure how someone could fashion great music around a group of nuns, but this musical succeeds! Once I listened to all of the fun and upbeat tunes, I couldn’t wait to join the sisterhood… I wanted to find a way to honor those who have dedicated their lives to their faith. I thought of Mother Teresa and all those people who work for the greater good; whatever their faith tradition.”
Meet Sister Mary Leo, played by Brianna Turner!
Having grown up as a technically trained competition dancer, Brianna is the perfect fit to play aspiring ballerina Sister Mary Leo! Just as her character dreams of dancing, Brianna is studying to become a professional dancer herself. She says of her character: “Sister Mary Leo is an aspiring ballerina, and as a dancer of many years myself it seemed like a fun challenge try and tie musical theater and ballet together!”
It’s no wonder that the character of Sister Mary Leo is what made Brianna to want to be a part of this production. “The character I play is what really drew me to audition for this show.”
Click here to learn more about the show!
Photo by Tracey Williams Sutton.
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