Well, this is a busy week for me. Between the 6th and the 13th I will be attending and reviewing five shows. First up is Sister Act being performed at the Countryside Community Theatre in Eldridge. While the script is based on the 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg, do NOT expect a regurgitation of the film. With music and lyrics by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater, respectively, and book by Bill and Cheri Steinkillner the songs are all original to this show.
After a blockbuster season last year with Countryside’s productions of In the Heights and Disney’s, The Little Mermaid, I was prepared for a “rock ‘em, sock ‘em” production this season but, for me, this show fell short of what may have been over-inflated expectations on my part. If so, as a life-long Roman Catholic writing about a show of Roman Catholic nuns, I extend the appropriate mea culpas.
Let me start with what was really good about the show. Strong performances were brought in by Harmoni Eiland as Delores Van Cartier, the lounge singer on the lam after witnessing her boyfriend murder one of his gang members, and Yvonne Siddique as Mother Superior, although there were times the orchestra drowned them out in places. However, Siddique’s number “I Haven’t Got a Prayer” was a highlight that could be heard and it was delightful. Really impressive, in spite of the souped up orchestra, was Haley Tromblee as Sister Mary Robert whose beautiful, strong voice soared above the orchestra and belted out the emotional number, “The Life I Never Led.” And the quaintly titled “nunsemble” was lively and energetic.
The primary weakness in this show, to my and my companion’s ear, was that the male characters vocals were flat and out of tune – but, maybe that’s what the director wanted as they all were rather stumbling, bumbling characters so those imperfections may have been intentional to reinforce their characterization.
There were costuming issues that perhaps most audiences might overlook but really rankled me, largely because they are so easy to fix. Footwear for the nuns was inconsistent; not all wore black stockings which was especially egregious for one member who was wearing what were pseudo ballet flats with ankle ribbons making her lack of stockings very conspicuous. Also, police uniforms were frumpy, there were no badges, nor any other police equipment of any kind, and the young man playing Deloris’ love interest, Eddie, had a longish, messy mop of a head of hair and a beard. Police tend to follow paramilitary grooming so I would have liked to see him with a haircut and clean shaven. I understand that would be a significant sacrifice on his part, but hair grows back.
Despite what I deem as drawbacks does not mean you shouldn’t see this show. It’s attention to detail that can take a show from good to excellent.
Sister Act performances by the Countryside Community Theatre continue at North Scott High School Fine Arts Auditorium located at 200 South First Street in Eldridge, Friday and Saturday, July 11 and 12 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, July 13 at 2:00 p.m.
I’m Chris Hicks…break a leg.