**** Highly Recommended Drury Lane Theatre’s new production of Sister Act, one of my favorite musicals, is terrific. Drury Lane productions always include talented actors, beautiful costumes and sets, and really, really good music; Sister Act fits that criteria perfectly. Kudos to Director E. Faye Butler for ‘hitting it out of the park’! 4 BIG Spotlights
Just a quick note: the musical version of Sister Act is slightly different from the movie starring Whoopi Goldberg as Delores. Instead of Reno and San Francisco, these sisters live in Philadelphia. Instead of a soundtrack heavily influenced by Motown, Alan Menken’s score pays tribute to 70’s pop and disco.
Even though Delores Van Cartier (Rae Davenport) nailed her audition for her married boyfriend/nightclub owner, Curtis Jackson (Kelvin Roston, Jr.), he refused to let her sing in his club. Then he told her he wouldn’t be seeing her the next day, which happened to be Christmas – and his Christmas gift turned out to be an ugly blue fur jacket which he ‘liberated’ from his wife’s closet.
As she’s leaving the club, she saw Curtis shoot someone. When he saw her, she said she hadn’t seen a thing, then ran, ending up at the police station. When she tells Officer Eddie Souther (Lawrence Flowers), whom she knew as ‘Sweaty Eddie’ in high school, about the shooting, he decided to hide her until she can testify.
Michelle Duffy, Rae Davenport. Photo by Justin Barbin
Meanwhile, Monsignor O’Hara (Lorenzo Rush, Jr.) informs the Mother Superior (Michelle Duffy) that she needs to hide someone in her convent. When she objects, he informs her that the church desperately needs the money since the Diocese is planning to sell the church to a couple of guys who sell antiques.
When she found out that Delores was a lounge singer, Mother Superior was outraged. Delores wasn’t exactly thrilled about staying in a convent either, what with the ugly black dress and veil, not to mention all the praying.
Rae Davenport, Meg Thalken, Aurora Boe, Kayla Shipman, Amanda Walker. Photo by Justin Barbin
When she was deprived of dinner, Delores – now Sister Mary Clarence - decided an excursion to the neighborhood watering hole – accompanied by the eagerly adventurous Sister Mary Patrick (Rachel Carreras) and the novice who isn’t sure about her vocation, Sister Mary Robert (Amanda Walker) – which almost landed her back in Curtis’s clutches. Back at the convent, Mother Superior makes her displeasure known.
Since Delores just didn’t fit in anywhere else, Mother Superior assigned her to the tone-deaf choir (and I’m still not sure how people with such gorgeous voices could sing totally off-key). In addition to Sister Mary Robert and Sister Mary Patrick, the choir included Sister Mary Lazarus (Meg Thalken), Sister Mary Theresa (Kelly Anne Clark) and Sister Mary Martin-of-Tours (Christine Mayland Perkins) and more.
Rae Davenport, Meg Thalken, Aurora Boe, Amanda Walker, Rachel Carreras, Kelly Anne Clark, Christine Mayland Perkins. Photo by Justin Barbin
After listening for a bit, Delores made a couple of suggestions to get them singing on key, then started teaching them how to move. Forget about choral-ography on the risers, these sisters got out there and danced! They brought down the house with the Act I finale, Take Me to Heaven. The Act II opener, Sunday Morning Fever, had everyone dancing.
Lawrence Flowers as Eddie Souther. Photo by Justin Barbin
By the way, the men in Sister Act were pretty cool, too. Curtis absolutely prowled around the stage as he sang When I Find My Baby with his henchmen, Joey (Jonah D. Winston), Pablo (Trey Deluna) and TJ (Richaun Stewart) following his smooth, sexy dance moves. ‘Sweaty Eddy’ has his own fabulous song and dance number, I Could Be That Guy. Joey, Pablo and TJ have moves that made the ladies cheer as they show just how they attract the ladies with Lady in the Long Black Dress. Kudos to Choreographer Kenny Ingram for the groovin’ numbers.
The Sister Act Ensemble: Aurora Boe, Trey Deluna, Lorenzo Rush, Jr., Kayla Shipman, Richaun Stewart, Arik Vega, Johan Winston. Dance Captain: Richaun Stewart. Assistant Dance Captain, Matheus Barbee. Swings: Marta Bady, Matheus Barbee, Maddison Denault, Darryl D’Angelo Jones.
Trey Deluna, Jonah Winston, Richaun Stewart. Photo by Justin Barbin
The Drury Lane Orchestra: Chris Sargent (Conductor/Keyboard), Karl Montzka (Associate Conductor/Keyboard), Lawrence Kohut (Basses), Vance Okraszewski (Drums and Percussion), Jim Gailloreto (Flute, Alto Flute, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone), Matt Whfler (Flute, Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone), Carey Deadman (Trumpet, Flugelhorn).
Sister Act is based on the 1992 film. The musical was written by Cheri Steinkellner & Bill Steinkellner with additional material by Douglas Carter Beane, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater. The musical, produced by Stage Entertainment and Whoopi Goldberg, premiered in London’s West End in 2009. A revised version of the show opened on Broadway in 2011.
The Cast of Sister Act. Photo by Justin Barbin
Sister Act runs through January 11th at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. Parking is free. Running time is two hours, 15 minutes, with an intermission. Performances are Wednesdays at 1:30 pm; Thursdays at 1:30 & 7:00 pm; Fridays at 7:00 pm; Saturdays at 3:00 and 8:00 pm; Sundays at 2:00 & 6:00 pm. Tickets range from $75-$150 (including taxes & fees). FYI (630) 530-0111 or www.drurylanetheatre.com.