THEATER PREVIEW:Mystery spoof comes to play

With the continued popularity of mystery plays, as well as the growing interest in shows featuring nuns (“Nunsense,” “Sister Act,” “Late Nite Catechism,” etc.), it was only a matter of time before someone combined the two genres.

A pair of someones, Bruce W. Gilray and Richard T. Witter, came up with a nun-themed spoof on murder mysteries about 15 years ago and have encountered considerable success with it around southern California.

Astonishingly, “And Then There Was Nun” hasn’t yet touched down in Orange County. That omission will be corrected next weekend when the show opens at the Huntington Beach Playhouse. And take it from the director, it can be a real drag.

“Various female roles have been played by male actors in different productions,” explains Robert Rotenberry, a veteran actor who also directs at Huntington Beach High School’s Academy for the Performing Arts.

“The uniqueness of the script is what attracted me to it,” Rotenberry notes. He explains that the nun characters have been inspired by stars of vintage Hollywood movies — hence Sister Alfred saying “Good evening” and Sisters Vivien, Hattie, Bette, Joan, Tallulah, Mae, Gloria, Katharine, Marilyn and Judy (with Toto too).

The action is set on Grauman’s Chinese Island and takes its thematic cue from Agatha Christie’s “Ten Little Indians” (the screen version of that play, you may recall, was titled “And Then There Were None”).

As the good sisters are systematically knocked off, nun figurines are pushed over by a mysterious hand.

“The play offers some of the wildest deaths you can imagine,” Rotenberry declares.

“The play works as a murder mystery because, behind the laughs, you are wondering who did it,” the director comments. “Plus there is a huge Busby Berkeley-style production number, choreographed by Ed Bangassner.”

Two of the Huntington Beach cast members are veterans of previous productions. Oriana Nicole Tavoularis reprises her role of Sister Vivien and Michael Latsch is taking his seventh turn. Having previously played Joan, Tallulah, Katharine and Bette, he now makes his debut as Sister Gloria

“He’s definitely ready for his close-up,” Rotenberry quips.

“And Then There Was Nun” opens June 29 and will run through July 15 in the Library Theater at Huntington Beach’s Central Library, 7111 Talbert Ave. Reservations are being taken at (714) 375-0696.