Elizabeth Grimes Droessler's lighting fills in some scenic gaps and helps with transitions from more somber scenes to energetic onesdisco balls are a godsend! Costumes by Raleigh Little Theatre favorite Vicki Olson capture the time period perfectly, though her best work here is the glittering rework she gives to the nuns' habits in the second act. Scenic design by Thomas Mauney makes remarkable use of a stage whose size limitations are obvious, working in some great '70s references in the process. Musical direction by Michael Santangelo is of high quality, delivering the score with a richness that enlivens even secondary moments. Slater's witty lyrics, which enliven "When I Find My Baby," a love song with a sadistic twist delivered by Curtis as he hunts for Deloris, and "I Could Be That Guy" sung by Eddie the cop (a silver-voiced Benaiah Barnes), who dreams of being the hero Deloris needs.ĭirected and choreographed by Nancy Rich, the production flows well, with just slight hiccups in pre-recorded sound queues and an awkwardly staged chase scene near the end. Though this is not the most memorable of Menken's scores, he does hit a homerun with the ballad "The Life I Never Led," sung by meek novice Sister Mary Robert (the heartbreakingly lovely Averi Zimmerman), who yearns to experience things that she has thus far denied herself this is one of Menken's best songs in recent memory. Slater's score shifts from the Motown-influenced movie soundtrack to a blend of disco-era Philly soul. The musical does introduce a love interest with Eddie the cop, and a group of Three Stooges wannabes in the form of three bumbling henchmen for Curtis, not particularly necessary for the story, but entertaining nonetheless. The book by Cheri Steinkellner and Bill Steinkellner, with additional material by Douglas Carter Beane, does not stray far from the plot of the film, with a screenplay by Joseph Howard. Some of them embrace her "progressive" ideas, but Deloris unexpectedly finds her true calling when she transforms the tone-deaf choir into a mass-stopper that even Pope John Paul II would want to hear. But keeping a low profile is not Deloris's style, and in short order she is injecting her street-smart perspective into the daily life of these nuns. She is welcomed reluctantly by the stoic Mother Superior (a delightful Alison Lawrence), who agrees to the placement as long as Deloris keeps a low profile, viewing this as an opportunity to win a wayward soul for God. After witnessing a murder by her lover Curtis (a talented JaJuan Cofield), Deloris is taken into protective custody by the police and hidden in a local convent (the show is set in Philadelphia). With music and lyrics by Disney alumni Alan Menken and Glenn Slater, the musical follows Deloris (powerhouse Tyanna West), a so-so singer with high aspirations. In 1992 the nun-centric film Sister Act, starring Whoopi Goldberg, was a box-office hit, and about fifteen years later it inspired a musical stage adaptation, currently in an impressive production by Raleigh Little Theatre, playing at the Cantey V. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of musical comedy? Nuns, right? Stay with me: From Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music to the more contemporary Off-Broadway cult favorite Nunsense and its various sequels, nuns have fared pretty well on the musical stage, showcasing both their serious piety and their potential for ironic comedy.
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