Boulevard Theater's production of Catholic School Girls is a must-see for anyone who "survived" a Catholic education. And for the rest of us, this hilarious show is the perfect antidote for a dreary, endless winter. The show treads familiar territory, but playwright Casey Kurtti has a way of making familiar things seem fresh and vibrant.
The play draws on her experience growing up in a world of nuns, priests and religion classes. Set in a Catholic school in the 1960s, the play has been staged in a number of venues around the country, and recently enjoyed a brief stint Off-Broadway.
Catholic School Girls follows a quartet of girls from first grade through eighth grade graduation. From the beginning, the girls ponder questions of faith. "Is it a sin to pray to Jesus to kill someone?" asks one of them. "Probably," replies her friend. "But you can pray for them to go to the hospital."
The four girls include a goody two-shoes (Anne Miller), a smart-alecky troublemaker (Liz Mistele), a hefty butcher's daughter (Caitlin Kujawski), and a shy, gawky girl who's basically forgotten in the midst of her growing family (Marion Araujo).
Although the production occasionally turns serious, it's typically a brief diversion from the comedy. Most of the script's attention is focused on the girls, as they go through air raid drills, the death of President Kennedy, "scandalous" dances such as the twist, and their own puberty. Despite the fact that the nuns play second fiddle to the girls, they still make a favorable impression.
Adding to the evening's fun is an interactive element. The entire audience in this cozy theater space is considered to be part of the "class." This may sounds hokey, but it works like a charm, drawing many of the evening's biggest laughs. Director Mark Bucher coordinates the movements of his eight actors so fluidly that one can forget that they are working on a postage stamp-sized stage.
In sum, Catholic School Girls promises to bring a warm glow -- and some hearty laughs -- to a cold winter's evening.
