Broadway World

Melissa Giordano

 

I am a longtime fan of Whoopi Goldberg with her Sister Act movies ranking as some of my all-time favorites. So, as you can imagine, I am thrilled I finally had the opportunity to see the musical adaptation that Ms. Goldberg produced on Broadway at Long Island's Gateway Theatre. This lively production runs through July 18th at the gorgeous Bellport venue.

Leading the brilliant Steven Beckler directed cast is Rashidra Scott (Broadway: Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, Hair, et. al.) as Deloris Van Cartier (Ms. Goldberg's role from the movie). The tale centers on sassy Las Vegas headliner Deloris as she, under police protection, hides in a convent from her mobbed up boyfriend, Curtis, portrayed by Apollo Levine, after witnessing him murder one of his associates. Ms. Scott is absolutely dazzling as Deloris. Her voice carries the Alan Menken (music)/Glenn Slater (lyrics) score so beautifully with loads of energy to boot.

Incidentally, the stage incarnation (book by Cheri & Bill Steinkellner) primarily focuses on the first of the two movies with some changes (naturally).

Also a highlight among the stellar cast is Gateway vet Tina Johnson (Broadway: Damn Yankees, South Pacific, et al.) as Sister Mary Lazarus, Dierdre Friel (Broadway: Leap Of Faith) as the perky Sister Mary Patrick and Celeste Rose as mousy postulant Sister Mary Robert. They all work incredibly well together and it is apparent they are enjoying their time in this show. Another audience favorite is Jennifer Allen (Broadway: Bridges Of Madison County, Sister Act, et. al) as Mother Superior. Her rendition of "Haven't Got A Prayer" is met with an extended applause.

The entire company is truly top notch.

As for the creative team, Adam Koch is on point with the beautiful scenic design particularly with the deteriorating nunnery. Additionally, Dustin Cross' costumes are exquisite and relevant and special kudos to the incredible live orchestra headed up by Musical Director Brent Alan Huffman with Nancy Blair Wolfe conducting.

And so, Sister Act is indeed another hit for the Gateway Theatre. An incredible cast and an exciting, dramatic, story make for a thrilling night of theatre. Next up for the Gateway is an exciting production of Billy Elliot which will run at The Patchogue Theatre beginning July 22nd.

Sister Act is presented by the Gateway Playhouse of Bellport, Long Island, through July 18th in collaboration with Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine. Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Glenn Slater, Book by Cheri & Bill Steinkellner, Additional Book Material by Douglas Carter Beane, Directed by Steven Beckler, Production Management by Brian Loesch, Casting by Michael Baker, Scenic Design by Adam Koch, Comapny Management by Bethany Sortman, Lighting by Rev. Jose Santiago, Stage Management by Karen Parlato, Costume Design by Dustin Cross, Sound Design by Don Hanna, Orchestrations by Doug Besterman, Vocal & Incidental Music Arrangements by Michael Kosarin, Musical Direction by Brent Alan Huffman, Conductor is Nancy Blair Wolfe, Original Choreography by Anthony Van Laast, Choreography Recreated & Adapted by Erin Henry.

 

NY Theatre Guide

Kristen Weyer

 

What do you get when you combine nuns, mobsters, and soul music? Sister Act! This crazy musical is based on the hit 1992 movie of the same name starring Whoopi Goldberg. It boasts original music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater and a book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner with Douglas Carter Beane. Gateway’s production also features four members of the original Broadway production: Rashidra Scott, Jennifer Allen, Blake Hammond and Musical Director Brent Alan Huffman. Sister Act is an entertaining time for the whole family, a little bit campy, and a whole lot of fun.

Sister Act is a “fabulous” good time.

All that nightclub singer Dolores van Cartier (Rashidra Scott) wants is to be discovered and become famous. Unfortunately, her life develops complications the night she witnesses her mobster boyfriend, Curtis (Apollo Levine), commit a murder. Now a key witness in Curtis’ trial, she is on the run with her career on hold. Policeman Eddie Souther (Dashaun Young) knows she needs to be hidden from Curtis and his goons, and he finds the perfect place: a convent! However, neither Dolores nor the Mother Superior (Jennifer Allen) are particularly happy with this arrangement. With the church in disrepair and in imminent danger of closing, Dolores brings her own special style to the choir and starts filling the pews. This brings attention for the church, but attention is exactly what Dolores should avoid.

This cast jumps wholeheartedly into the energetic musical numbers and humorous situations. Rashidra Scott and Jennifer Allen play off each-other beautifully — both displaying stunning vocals and excellent characterization. Blake Hammond is hilarious as Monsignor O’Hara, while Apollo Levine’s smooth and deep vocals bring the perfect evil chill to Curtis. Who doesn’t love bumbling mobsters? Chris Cooke, Tyler Simahk and Avionce do justice to their comedic roles as Curtis’ trio of goons. Not to fear, your three favorite nuns are also present. Crotchety old-timer Sister Mary Lazarus, bubbly Sister Mary Patrick, and quiet Sister Mary Roberts are played by Tina Johnson, Dierdre Friel, and Celeste Rose, respectively. Their amusing, quirky characters are just what you’re hoping for, and their singing talents are a pleasure to hear. The entire ensemble does a wonderful job with spot-on singing and enthusiastic dancing.

Adam Koch’s set design for this production is beautiful. Stunning faux stained glass pieces, soaring archways and intricate details all combine for an impressive display. The sliding and rotating pieces bring the church to life in a brilliantly executed cloister chase scene. Sparkling costumes by Dustin Cross did not disappoint, while Musical Director Brent Alan Huffman, Conductor Nancy Blair Wolfe, and the entire orchestra produced a wonderful score. The only disappointing part of the performance was the sound issues. Any time more than one person was singing, the words became drowned out by the volume. Sadly, this caused many clever lyrics to be lost in the general shuffle.

Directed by Steven Beckler, Sister Act is a “fabulous” good time.

 

The Long Island Advance

Linda Leuzzi

 

A Sister Act that raises the rafters.

Poor Deloris.

She has a mob boss for a boyfriend who’s nixing her talent in his nightclub and, what’s more, his unsubtle present on Christmas Day is his wife’s blue fur coat. If that’s not enough to dis a girl, Deloris accidently walks in as Curtis pops off one of his henchmen. Uh oh. She’s next.

The dead man was an informant and Deloris is spirited off by the Philadelphia police to a convent and church with a bunch of nuns for safe keeping until Curtis is reeled in.

This musical, a rouser straight from Maine’s famous Ogunquit Playhouse, where its cast precluded Gateway with a three-week stint, includes Rashidra Scott as Deloris Van Cartier. “It’s a coproduction launched in Maine first,” said Scot Allan, Gateway’s director of development and public relations. “It’s a great collaboration and we do like to brag about it.”

Scott played on Broadway and in the tour company of “Sister Act” as well as “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” and, simply put, she owns the role.

Out of her league, the only prayer Deloris admits to is a plea for a white, sequined Donna Summers gown and a white fox stole and, while it doesn’t count, Mother Superior grudgingly assigns newly designated Sister Mary Clarence — that is, Deloris — a job, pulling riveting chords out of the badly languishing nun’s choir. “Bigger! Brighter! Bolder! Better!” Deloris shouts. As they hit the chords, the dozen or so nuns start to express their faith, not only in meditation, but also in song, unlocking a glorious, reveling and run-for-cover production numbers like “Raise Your Voice.”

The throwback to 1976 and its boogie disco nights is a delicious reminder of the times when sequins and bellbottoms ruled, but also the Catholic school nuns who taught some of us and it’s fun to see Deloris’s sisters, the monsignor and the altar boys get into the dancing and the glitz. The show is based on the 1992 movie with Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith; Goldberg was a producer of the 2011 Broadway musical.

Curtis (Apollo Levine) is positively Machiavellian. He’s a polished villain with his Temptation dance moves and pumping arms in “When I Find My Baby.” His yes men, Joey (Chris Cooke), Pablo (Tyler Simahk) and TJ (Avionce), who fantasize about hoodwinking the nuns with their charms to get to Deloris, bring the house down.

There’s a sweetness to this tale and maybe a lesson here, and it’s the evolution of two women, Mother Superior, played by Jennifer Allen (another Broadway alum), a spiritual leader earnest in her vision for a church that’s a safe haven away from throbbing music and crime-filled streets, and Deloris, the street-wise chick whose idea of success is big record deals and a fawning audience. These two pros face off flawlessly in song, dance and dialogue along the way and eventually get, well, religion.

The sets conjure up a convincing old church in need of renovation with its Gothic wood doors and stained glass windows and the nuns’ habits, staid throughout, but sometimes regaled with glitter, are a good backdrop for Deloris, who looks great in anything she wears. But it’s the entire cast letting loose with unbridled joy that’s enough to make you shout. As in ‘Hallelujah!’

 

Dan's Papers

Genevieve Horsburgh

 

Theater Review: Gateway’s ‘Sister Act’ Is Fabulous, Baby

Some movies that have been made into musicals have been huge successes from an artistic standpoint—think Little Shop of Horrors, Hairspray and Newsies. Others have been less memorable—think The Producers, The King and I, Spiderman. Sister Act, based on the hit film of the same name, definitely belongs in the first category. It stays true to much of the film’s basic story, but the score is quirky enough and the script different enough to make it work on stage.

Playing at the Gateway Playhouse in Bellport, Sister Act is raucous without being raunchy, loaded with one-liners and scenarios designed to make audiences laugh out loud.

Deloris Van Cartier, played by the vivacious Rashidra Scott, is a sultry singer hoping to fulfill her dreams of stardom. Her boyfriend, gangster Curtis Jackson (played here by Apollo Levine), is married but has made false promises to Deloris. Just as Deloris decides to call it quits with Curtis, though, she stumbles into a murder scene—Curtis has shot a member of his gang he suspects has ratted them out to the cops. Terrified, Deloris flees to the police to report the crime.

Meeting police captain Eddie Souther, Deloris realizes he is actually “Sweaty Eddie,” whom she knew in high school and who had a crush on the beautiful Deloris. Eddie decides Deloris needs to hide from Curtis, and he finds the perfect hiding place where Curtis wouldn’t dream of looking: a convent.

So the outspoken and worldly Deloris becomes Sister Mary Clarence, banished to a world where material possessions do not matter. She clashes instantly with the Mother Superior, played by Jennifer Allen. Both actresses are powerhouses. Rashidra Scott has portrayed Deloris both on Broadway and with the national tour of Sister Act. She is a formidable singer who expertly uses the nuances of her voice. From sultry and low to loud and proud, Rashidra as Deloris is a confident, sexy starlet with a stage presence that will blow you away.

A veteran of her role on Broadway, Jennifer Allen as Mother Superior is spot on, capturing the haughty exterior of the character. Allen lets us feel the power and grace of her voice in the moving solo “Haven’t Got a Prayer.”

But the group number “It’s Good to Be a Nun” is where the playful side of Sister Act starts to show. The nuns are a loveable, irresistibly witty crew of characters. Our main Sisters are the outgoing Sister Mary Patrick, the shy and quiet Sister Mary Robert and the aged and hysterical Sister Mary Lazarus. When Deloris finds herself at choir practice with a choir that can’t sing, she realizes she might have found something to do while she’s hiding out. During the number “Raise Your Voice,” Deloris coaxes the talent from her choir of nuns, from the piano playing genius of Sister Mary Lazarus to the hidden voice of Sister Mary Robert. They turn Deloris Van Cartier’s number “Take Me to Heaven” into a gospel showstopper.

Other favorite numbers include “Fabulous, Baby” sung spectacularly by Rashidra Scott as Deloris. The comical supporting numbers “When I Find My Baby,” “I Could Be That Guy,” and “Lady In the Long Black Dress,” keep the mood of the musical light. Sister Mary Robert’s solo “The Life I Never Led,” was touching and sung beautifully by Celeste Rose. The title song “Sister Act” was surprisingly soft and moving, sung by Rashidra Scott, and really gave heart and soul to the show. The final number, “Spread the Love Around,” sung by the entire company, will get you up on your feet, dancing and clapping along with the cast.

Sister Act is fun and upbeat, with an exciting story and stellar talent, and a musical score that is spectacular.