Centenary Stage Company’s Summer Musical Theatre two-show series kicks off with Dan Goggin’s hilarious musical comedy Nunsense, July 11-21, in the Lackland Performing Arts Center at Centenary University.

Nunsense begins when the Little Sisters of Hoboken discover that their cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, has accidentally poisoned 52 of the sisters, forcing the surviving sisters to raise funds for the burials. The sisters decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show and take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for the eighth-grade production of Grease.  Here we meet Reverend Mother Regina, a former circus performer; Sister Mary Hubert, the Mistress of Novices; a streetwise nun from Brooklyn named Sister Robert Anne; Sister Mary Leo, a novice who is a wannabe ballerina; and the delightfully wacky Sister Mary Amnesia, the nun who lost her memory when a crucifix fell on her head. Featuring tap and ballet dancing, an audience quiz, and comic surprises at every turn, Nunsense has become an international phenomenon with more than 5,000 productions worldwide and translated into 21 languages.

The Summer Musical Theatre Series is produced by Centenary Stage Company’s NEXTstage Repertory and features early career performers including current students and alumni of Centenary University and local talent. The series also includes a production of Jesus Christ Superstar running August 1 through August 11.

Performances for Nunsense run July 11-21 with specific performances on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets range between $18-$30 with special discounts available for certain performances. For more information about specials or to purchase tickets, please visit centenarystageco.org or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979-0900. The box office is located in the Lackland Performing Arts Center at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 1-5 p.m. and two hours prior to each performance.