"Late Nite Catechism" returns to Boston for the first time in 31 years

For the first time in three decades, "'Til Death Do Us Part: Late Nite Catechism" has returned to Boston. And the one-woman comedy show now has a Newton, Massachusetts, native in the main role. 

"Every night's different because it's like somewhat scripted and somewhat interactive, so the audience really drives the story for us," Denise Fennell, who stars as Sister, told WBZ-TV. 

Fennell has played Sister for nearly 17 years now, but this is the first time she's brought the character home to Massachusetts. 

"What I love about Sister is she is kind of knock-around neighborhood girl from New England, and she just represents all of us," Fennell said. "I think Boston girls are hardcore, right? We have to survive seasons, and that's not, you know, there's some grit to us." 

"What happens in this room is so outrageously spectacular at moments that you can't believe it's even happening," she added. "There hasn't been one show in Boston where I'm like, the audience isn't full on into it the second walk in the room, so I'm, like, 'What will happen tonight?'" 

Fennell learned from the best. The show's creator and original Sister, Maripat Donovan, trained her. 

"She was like, 'Be a nun.' And I was like 'Oh my God, that sounds extremely intimidating!'" Fennell said. 

She has now come into her own and has a message for other performers. 

"Believe in yourself. And hopefully, when you don't, you find people like Maripat that believe in you until you're performing at the Charles Playhouse, where she performed 31 years ago. So yeah, I mean, that's a pretty full circle moment." 

You can see "Til Death Do Us Part: Late Nite Catechism" at the Charles Playhouse in Boston through Nov. 22. 

"Sister's Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi's Gold" will run from Nov. 27 through Jan. 3.