“Nunsense . . . is habit forming!”

So sings a chorus of slightly risqué nuns in Dan Goggin’s unstoppably popular musical "Nunsense," currently running at the brand new Raven Players Windsor theater, expanding doubling the Raven fiefdom from one theater in Healdsburg, to two. That remark about “habits,” could also definitely apply to urge to theatrical expansion and change, because right now, amongst North Bay theater companies, changing locations seems to be the big trend.

In addition to the Ravens acquiring a nifty cinderblock building right off the Windsor Town Green, a building that was once a church, another new site is about to open less than ten minutes away.

The brand new North Bay Stage Company is actually a split-off from the Raven Players, making its new home at Wells Fargo Performing Arts Center. And in Napa, the Napa Valley Players are currently winding up their final season at their longtime location, an eccentric little theater space tucked into a corner behind a Napa strip mall. Facing the necessity of expensive renovations, NVP has decided to hit the road, and for its next season, will play the nomad game, performing in a number of spots around the Napa area.

In Windsor, meanwhile, the Raven’s have launched their new enterprise with the shrewdly chosen "Nunsense," and play that is about as enduring and popular as its songs are maddeningly catchy.

The show was inspired by a line of greeting cards featuring The Little Sisters of Hoboken, nuns who say vaguely dirty things, and it says something that some of those greeting card quotes are amongst the show’s funniest moments. The plot, such as it is, revolves around the recent demise of several dozen sisters, and the need to raise money to bury the last remaining few, who are currently hidden in the convent freezer. With a health inspector about to visit, the remaining nuns are throwing a fundraising variety show, in hopes of burying their sisters before the health inspector buries the convent in legal red tape.

Following that set-up, what remains is essentially a series of songs about life in the convent, interspersed with skits and bingo games. If I sound less than effusive, its only because I’ve seen so many productions of "Nunsense," the original shock and charm of the concept has long ago worn off. But the show continues to be a huge crowd-pleaser, and opening night of the new theater was no exception. With a cast of local community theater veterans, the show has plenty of fun moments, merrily percolating in the juices of its own cozy familiarity. The highlight is Cindy Brillhart-True as sister Mary Amnesia, the convent’s resident amnesiac, after a crucific fell on her head. Her true identity contains the one possible salvation for the Little Sisters of Hoboken, and Brillhart-True - who’s played the part four times before - shines with befuddled dignity and charm, and has a wicked way with an accidental naughty joke.

Raven needed a surefire hit for their opener in Windsor, and with "Nunsense," though hardly an original or bold choice, they certainly do have it.

"Nunsense" runs Thursday–Sunday, through April 19 at Raven Theater Windsor. Ravenplayers.org.