On Thursday, Nov. 15 the ETSU division of theatre opens its second production of the semester, “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains it All for You” and “The Actor’s Nightmare.” The night is a one-act festival of two of Christopher Durang’s plays.
The first, “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains it All for You,” is about a Catholic nun whom is a teacher giving a lecture to the audience on Catholic doctrine. The play takes a turn into the absurd when four of her former students interrupt her lecture with motives other than promoting the strict Catholic principles that Sister Mary is there to discuss.
The play remains obscurely humorous and poignant today even though it takes place in the 1980s. It is topical especially in today’s society where religion may be more important than ever. Costume Designer Karen Brewster says that the play does takes place in the ’80s, but they want it to feel like it could take place today. All of the design decisions have been made with this in mind.
The second play is “The Actor’s Nightmare” and it does not have the societal commentary of “Sister Mary.” However, it is a hilarious look at a dream most every actor that has ever been involved with an elementary school production has had – being thrust into a play that you have never rehearsed.
The play opens with the mild-mannered accountant George Spelvin wandering onto an empty stage when suddenly the stage manager informs him that he must report to costuming and that he must go on stage immediately. George is then thrust into four completely different plays, none of which he has ever rehearsed, which include Hamlet, Private Lives and, A Man for All Seasons.
ETSU Director of Theatre Dr. Robert (Bobby) Funk says that he hopes these plays bring a lot of fun and laughter to his audiences. “If people leave offended, then they have missed the point.” Sister Mary touches on a lot of beliefs that can be modestly described as controversial. However, Funk hopes that it is taken for the fun that it is. In contrast, Nightmare is just good old fashioned fun.
Play-goers should find delight and humor in these plays. The show runs from Thursday,November 15, through Saturday November 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00p.m.

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