The humor of Late Nite Catechism works best on those who've experienced Catholic school. When I saw the show Jan. 12, "Sister" (played by stand-in Lisa Buscani) asked the audience how many of them had attended such a school: I'd estimate 90 percent of the audience raised their hands. (As we've said elsewhere in CityBeat, "that's so Cincinnati!") Although I'm one of those "public school kids" she disparages, I was laughing along with everyone else -- even if I didn't fully get all the humor.

At intermission I overheard a man recalling Sister Repenta breaking a ruler on his knuckles: Late Nite Catechism has that memory-jogging effect. In fact, as Sister conducts "St. Bruno's Adult Catechism Class," much of the humor comes from recognizable stereotypes, in addition to the show's technique of putting audience members on the spot.

You might be called upon to define the "immaculate conception" -- and if you forget to identify yourself by saying, "Sister, my name is ..." she'll sternly remind you of the protocol. The show ranges through topics like which saints are still valid and why the concept of limbo has been abandoned. But the greatest humor derives from adlibbed moments: Sister confiscates a purse from a woman not paying attention. When she breaks a piece of chalk, she silently waits for someone to pick it up. And the evening culminates in a wide-open Q&A session that takes on whatever audience members ask. It's an adventure.

That was even truer the evening I attended because Buscani arrived in Cincinnati from Chicago just two hours before show time, replacing actress Mary Zentmyer, down with the flu (on opening night she let the stage twice, but soldiered on and completed the show). Buscani has played the role on numerous occasions including a recent run in Detroit, and she didn't miss a beat. But to use her closing thought, Broadway in Cincinnati had to make a "leap of faith" to entrust a sizeable audience to a performer on short notice. Zentmyer should be back by the time you read this, and I suspect Cincinnati audiences will be packing the Jarson-Kaplan Theater for the balance of January. Grade: B+