Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics by Glenn Slater. Book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner. Additional material by Douglas Carter Beane. Direction by Leigh Barrett. Music direction by David F. Coleman. Choreography by Dan Sullivan. Scenic Design by Jenna McFarland Lord. Lighting Design by Christopher Brusberg. Costume Design by Kelly Baker. Sound Design by Alex Berg. Presented by Lyric Stage Company of Boston, through May 14
by Linda Chin
With composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, Little Shop of Horrors) behind this musical, I was surprised to leave the Lyric without a song stuck in my head. Have faith, however – with its star – (and sequined) studded cast divinely directed by Leigh Barrett, spirited choreography by Dan Sullivan, and a funk-R&B-gospel-disco score soulfully conducted by David F. Coleman, Sister Act lives up to its billing as a “feel good” musical comedy. Regardless of what church you belong to, after seeing this show “you will go out in joy (Isiah 55:12).”
Sister Act has a simple plot: Mild-mannered Officer Eddie of the Philadelphia PD (Davron S. Monroe) arranges for brassy and sassy singer Deloris Van Cartier (Yewande Odetoyinbo), the key witness to a murder committed by her not-very-nice boyfriend Curtis (Damon Singletary), to hide at a convent led by Monsignor O’Hara (Todd Yard) and Mother Superior (Cheryl McMahon). The show’s script intersperses more light-hearted/humorous dialogue between Deloris and various scene partners with more poignant moments, for example, when she gets a Christmas present from Curtis in an early scene:
DELORIS: I know what it’s got to be. It’s a white fox fur. I just know it. Like Donna Summer wore when she played Philly.
BACK-UP SINGER MICHELLE (Carolyn Saxon): Open it!
(DELORIS opens the box; the fur is blue.)
BACK-UP SINGER TINA (Kara Chu Nelson): Oh my, somebody shot a Smurf.
The show also includes chase scenes reminiscent of The Three Stooges or The Pink Panther that make you fully appreciate the scenic design, creative use of the theater’s multi-leveled (and awkward) playing areas, and clever entrances/exits through the audience aisles and crossovers off-stage. Sister Act also includes sight gags and bits that are especially charming if you are familiar with the star power on stage. Listening to the nuns sing off-key during choir practice when the group includes Kathy St. George and Carolyn Saxon is a special treat, and the same can be said for watching actors who’ve played dramatic roles act like thugs. Having ten (over half) of the 19 actors making their Lyric Stage debuts also demonstrates a commitment to inclusiveness.
If you had the chance to see Davron S. Monroe and Yewande Odetoyinbo’s award-winning performances in Breath and Imagination, you will understand my delight in seeing them reunited on the Lyric Stage in Sister Act in the roles of Eddie (known to Deloris in high school as “Sweaty Eddie”) and Deloris (who adopted Van Cartier as a stage name), enjoy a budding romance, and perform the show-stopping numbers “I Could Be That Guy” (with two breakaway costume changes), and “Bless Our Show,” “Raise Your Voice,” “Take Me To Heaven,” and “Sister Act.” For tickets and information, go to: www.lyricstage.com
