[NEohioPAL] Review of "Sister Act" at PlayhouseSquare

[Bob Abelman]

National tour of 'Sister Act' is déjà vu in excelsis Deo

 

Bob Abelman

News-Herald, Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times, Geauga Times Courier

Member, International Association of Theatre Critics 

 

This review will appear in the News-Herald on 3/8/13

 

In her "Sister Act" program note, Gina Vernaci, Vice President of Theater Operations at PlayhouseSquare, discusses the hilarity to be found in shows about nuns.

 

Citing "Late Nite Catechism" and "Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?" as points of comparison, Vernaci reflects on how liberating it is for those who grew up Catholic to be able to laugh out loud about topics that were previously forbidden from debate or discussion.  "'Sister Act'," she adds, "takes everything we have seen previously to a new high."

 

Her intention in writing this, of course, is to promote the "new high" but, when watching "Sister Act," the "seen previously" is what immediately comes to mind.

 

"Sister Act" is the same nun-on-the-run story that was first told as a major motion picture in 1992 starring Whoopie Goldberg.  It tells the tale of Deloris Van Cartier, a wannabe nightclub diva whose life takes a turn when she witnesses a murder and the cops hide her in a down-on-its-luck, inner-city convent.  Disguised as Sister Mary Clarence, she finds herself at odds with the cloistered lifestyle and the disapproving Mother Superior, but manages to use her talents to save the convent.  While helping her tone-deaf fellow sisters find their voices, Dolores finds her own.

 

With music by Alan Menken, witty lyrics by Glenn Slater, and comic playwright Douglas Carter Beane adding gags to Cheri and Bill Steinkellner's original book, this screen-to-stage confection was turned into a Broadway musical in April 2011 after a London run and some refurbishing.  It received five Tony Award nominations.  It won none.  

 

Despite or, perhaps, because of veteran Broadway laughsmith Jerry Zaks' direction, which places so much emphasis on Beane's frequent one-liners that they jump in your lap and beg for attention, this show - now on national tour - seems desperate, formulaic and rather uninspiring.  

 

This is not surprising given the play's predictable and familiar plot and the creative team's dubious task of retrofitting it with original music.  To do this, they changed the play's location from Reno to Philly and its timeline from 1992 to 1977 for no other reason than to find a sound and look that might go with the story.  As such, this musical employs Motown, funk and the soul of Barry White for its soundtrack and disco as its inspiration for costuming.  It all comes across as contrived.  

 

Only the jubilant, late-arriving choral numbers, such as "Raise Your Voice" and the show-ending "Spread the Love Around," keep things interesting.   

 

This is unfortunate given the quality of talent in this tour.  Ta'rea Campbell is a delightful Deloris.  She is at her best during the big production numbers, but her voice is a pleasure to listen to throughout the show.   Her transition from sinner to savior is too abrupt, but this may be the material rather than her handling of it.  

 

She is surrounded by superb sisters, who are identical to those featured in the film, including the charming Florrie Bagel as big-voiced and overly jocular Sister Mary Patrick; Lael Van Keuren as the mousy, four octave-blessed Mary Robert; and Diana Findlay as the sarcastic Sister Mary Lazarus.  Hollis Resnik is wonderful as Mother Superior, particularly in the second act when she gets to reveal her feelings and unleash her wonderful voice.   

 

Although much of this musical's malaise falls squarely on the broad characterizations of the bad guys in this play, Kingsley Leggs as Curtis Jackson, Todd Horman as Joey, Erinie Pruneda as Pablo, and Charles Barksdale as TJ do the most they can with the material they are given.  So, too, does E. Clayton Cornelious as Eddie the kindly policeman.

 

Given her experience in the movie "The Lion King," "Sister Act" producer Woopie Goldberg should have known not to put her money on a stage-to-screen production unless it is based on Disney animation.  Few other films survive the transition with their artistic integrity intact.  She should also have learned a lesson from the making of "Sister Act 2," after Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert asked "Why did they decide to take a tired formula off the shelf, dust it off, and recycle it?"  



Many in the audience of this national tour of "Sister Act" are wondering the same thing.

 

"Sister Act" continues through March 17 at PlayhouseSquare's Palace Theatre.  For tickets, which range from $10 to $75, visit www.playhousesquare.com.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.neohiopal.org/pipermail/neohiopal-neohiopal.org/attachments/20130306/de475a55/attachment-0004.htm>