By DON TOAL, Jr./For the Sentinel
OCEAN CITY – There’s so many ways to take advantage of the summer season. The most underrated option, for this reviewer’s money, is to take in one of the many fabulous productions put on by the Greater Ocean City Theatre Company (or OCTC if you’re in the know).
Now in the thick of its 19th official season, the company’s most recent addition to their mainstage offerings, “Sister Act,” makes joyful glitz and gleeful glam a habit you just can’t kick.
Poduced in collaboration with the City of Ocean City and featuring the incomparable Ocean City Pops Orchestra, “Sister Act” is based on the 1992 Touchstone Pictures comedy classic starring the iconic Whoopi Goldberg (and written by Joseph Howard). This musical adaptation pairs a book by Cheri Steinkellner and Bill Steinkellner, lyrics by Glenn Slater, and additional book material by Douglas Carter Beane with the unmistakable music of Alan Menken. Yes, that Alan Menken, of “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Newsies” and a little thing called the Disney Renaissance.
Under the professional hands of the OCTC creative team, each note and each punchline shines as bright as the glittery gowns of its cast. Director Morgan D’Alessio ensures that the human heart of the story and its themes of friendship and integrity are never swallowed up by the razzle dazzle of Hannah Catanoso’s vibrant and show-stopping choreography. Every dance break sizzles with high energy and character.
Music Director Jonathan Kreamer keeps the score on track without missing a beat, prioritizing rock-solid vocal support and beautiful harmonies from the cast. His smooth conduction of the Ocean City Pops Orchestra – consisting here of Eric Svejcar and Chris Burcheri on keyboards, Doris Hall-Gulati and Howard Issacson on reeds, Andrew Moreschi and Steve Heitzer on trumpets and flugels, Catherine Bridge on trombone, Brian McAnally on bass, Dave Tarantino on drums, Mark O’Kain on percussion and Greg Snyder on guitar–effortlessly swings from hymnal to disco and back again, giving Menken’s toe-tapping melodies a phenomenal presentation.
And phenomenal is also apt for describing the cast as well. As Philly-nightclub-singer-turned-accidental-murder-witness-turned-reluctant-nun, Anne Bragg’s Deloris Van Cartier is wonderfully quick-witted and just self-absorbed enough to give her character arc an uphill climb as she rediscovers her moral compass. Her vocals are heartfelt and powerful, full stop, and her chemistry with her costars is magnetic across the board. This goes double for her cop-turned-unexpected-romantic-foil “Sweaty” Eddie, played with charm and cheek by Myles Lee Knight. Knight’s voice is as buttery smooth as his perspiration – I mean, charisma, particularly during “I Could Be That Guy.” Bragg and Knight give off plenty of sparks in every scene together.
Sparks of a different kind altogether fly when Deloris clashes with the Mother Superior (Maria Panvini), who matches energy and banter with Bragg without ever breaking a sweat. Panvini has superb comic timing, making each dry remark a comedic bulls’-eye. Her vocals combine expressive storytelling with a dynamite operatic vibrato, used to great effect in her musical monologue “I Haven’t Got A Prayer.”
The other residents of The Holy Order of the Little Sisters of Our Mother of Perpetual Faith each make their mark on the stage with plenty of heart and a heaping communion’s worth of personality. Skylar Raye Noyes’ timid wallflower Sister Mary Robert is adorably terrified in the wake of Deloris, creating some endearing comedy. Her own arc of finding her voice and her courage is no less impactful than Deloris’, perfectly peaking during her beautiful ballad “The Life I Never Led.” Rachel Maselek contrasts Noyes excellently as the brassy, loud and proud Sister Mary Patrick, whose failure to read the room always results in a belly laugh (from both her and the audience). Noyes and Maselek make a truly delightful double act. Hannah Breed’s Sister Mary Lazarus displays some wonderful moments of quirkiness as well, and expert wordsmithery I won’t dare spoil here. (In case you forgot, the movie was made in the nineties. Make of that what you will.) And Joe Costal puts the emcee in Monsignor (O’Hara, that is), with a great sense of showmanship throughout. It’s clear that he’s having an absolute ball as the church’s hype man.
Also enjoying leaving teeth marks in the scenery are the antagonists of the piece. Keith Livingston gives nightclub owner Curtis a calculated menace when it’s called for, but it’s also apparent that Livingston embraces the fun and silliness of the book, particularly during “When I Find My Baby.” The same can absolutely be said for Curtis’ trio of mooks, nephew TJ (Brantley Evans), loverboy Joey (Blake McGregor) and Pablo (Ronnie Parker). The three goons are a highlight of the show’s comedy, moving with grace or gracelessness depending on the gag, and singing capably from start to finish.
The ensemble definitely puts their dues in here, with each track having plenty of heavy lifting to manage. In particular, the nuns, including Megan Castellane (Michelle/Mary Stephen), Brinley Edwards (Mary Celeste/U/S Mother Superior), Bella Jarecki (Mary Theresa/U/S Mary Lazarus), Megan Lozito (U/S Tina).Kate Michel (U/S Mary Robert), Morgan Murphy (Newscaster), Eliana Pinckney (Tina/Dance Captain/U/S Deloris), Tess Sinatra (Mary Irene), Grace Szczepkowski (U/S Michelle) and Brynne Wiser (Mary Martin-of-tours/U/S Mary Patrick), absolutely earn their sparkly habits with one dynamic dance break after another. They’re having great fun moving and singing as a unit, but also finding plenty of moments to sprinkle in characterful reactions. The same can be said for the rest of the chorus, including James Craver, Ethan Forman and Vincent Pirano (Ernie), who flesh out the world of the show and keep things moving fast and funny.
After 19 seasons (or more depending on how you keep count), Artistic Director Michael J. Hartman has gotten the act of putting on a dynamite show down to an art and a science. The resulting precision performance is one that will make you laugh, make you rejoice and make you appreciate the humanity in us all. If all this sounds like a good time to you (and if it doesn’t, try it on for size anyway), show your support for the hard working artists of OCTC and see “Sister Act.”
Performances run through Thursday, Aug. 13, at the Hughes Performing Arts Center, 501 Atlantic Ave. To purchase tickets, visit oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice.
Photos courtesy of Greater Ocean City Theatre Company.
