Total Rating: 
***1/4
Opened: 
1993
Ended: 
open run (as of August 2018)
Country: 
USA
State: 
Illinois
City: 
Chicago
Theater Type: 
Regional
Theater: 
Ivanhoe Theater
Theater Address: 
750 West Wellington Avenue
Phone: 
(312) 975-7171
Running Time: 
2 hrs
Genre: 
Solo Comedy
Author: 
Vicki Quade & Maripat Donovan
Director: 
Marc Silvia
Review: 

 Joining the roster of performers in Late Nite Catechism (still going, like the Energizer Bunny, after three years) is Bailiwick's Artistic Director, Cecilie D. Keenan. Director Marc Silvia also makes a brief appearance as Father Gilby, asking the audience for suggestions on how to stage the community production of the Seven Sacraments and how to integrate their favorite musicals as part of it. Silvia even improvs funny repartee with the audience in his priest persona. Keenan, too, is best when she banters with the crowd, be they late-comers, disruptive candy unwrappers or volunteers answering her questions, eagerly raising their hands to recite what "the immaculate conception" or "stigmata" are.

The funniest part of the text itself is the "Saint-Not A Saint" section, where a list of antiquated is updated by purging a few. Actually, when we hear why most of these guys were sainted, our first reaction is to dump them all -- especially in the humorous way presented by authors Maripat Donovan and Vicki Quade. Ah, but the Late Nite Catechism sister is dictatorial and selects whom she wants to stay, with the audience's tacit approval. Keenan leaves her sisterly duties on March 10, when Patti Hannon returns.

Cast: 
Cecilie D. Keenan, Marc Silvia.
Technical: 
Set: Marc Silvia; Costumes: Carl F. Forsberg
Other Critics: 
THIS MONTH ON STAGE Mary Shen Barnidge +
Critic: 
Effie Mihopoulos
Date Reviewed: 
January 1996