Kathy Largent figured that the first play she directed should be one that she could relate to.

So having grown up in Philadelphia’s Catholic school system — Christ the King School — she chose a play that she once performed in as a nun, the musical “Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?” for her first effort with the Mason Community Players.

“This is my life,” she said. “I lived it.

“It’s really a cute little music about eight children growing up in the Catholic school from first grade through high school.”

Eddie (Erich Geoppinger) is going back to the school to look for his first love, Becky (Christina Ballas), and other characters appear to re-live the parochial school experience.

“Becky starts out overweight, so she and Eddie vow in the second grade to be friends throughout school because everyone else is picking on her,” Largent said. “But by the eighth grade, she blossoms and looks very nice.”

The play talks about different milestones in growing up Catholic, including first communion and sex education, from where the title is derived.

“Way back then, they had some real interesting ideas about sex,” she said. “They’d tell you that if you had to get in a crowded car and had to sit on a boys lap you should put a phone book on his lap, or if you went on a date you had to stay some distance apart to make room for the Holy Spirit.

“Also, you should wear pearls because they reflect down, nor patent leather shoes because they reflect up and would let boys see things they shouldn’t see.”

With music direction by Sara Davis and Larry Hirth, and choreograpy by Laureen Catlin, the production also features Keith Largent as Father O’Reilly, Teri Beerens as Mary, Diane DeHaven as Nancy, Bryan Campbell as Mike, Jason Gonzalez as Felix and Phil Catlin as Louie.

The nuns are played by Rebecca McLaughlin, Mary Taylor, Sierra Minton and Debbie Wesolowski.

WHAT: “Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?” by John R. Powers, James Quinn and Alaric Jans
WHERE: Mason Middle School Auditorium, 6370 Mason Montgomery Road, Mason
WHEN: 8 p.m. Nov. 1-3; 2 p.m. Nov. 4
COST: $12 adults; $10 seniors/students
MORE INFO: (513) 398-7804; www.masonplayers.org