Saint Paul’s take on Sister Act will have you saying Hallelujah!

Groovy disco music, organized crime, and — nuns? This seemingly strange combination creates the perfect storm of gut-busting comedy and catchy tunes that make Saint Paul’s depiction of Sister Act the ultimate spirit-lifter.

Based on the 1992 film, this lighthearted musical is centred around Deloris Van Cartier (Taya Caesar), a nightclub singer who witnesses a murder. Fearing for her life, Deloris is forced to seek refuge in a convent, where surly Mother Superior (Sara Ferro) thinks she can educate the sin out of the singer via spiritual methods. Little did Mother Superior suspect that it would be Deloris who would teach the nuns a thing or two.

Caesar managed to charm the audience with her compelling voice and had them roaring with laughter at her stellar comedic delivery as lead of this talented cast. Deloris’ counterpart, the conservative Mother Superior, portrayed by Ferro, whose powerful voice did justice to her complex character.

Mikhail Clemente played the endearing “Sweaty” Eddie Souther, the awkward cop who looks out for Deloris. Clemente sold his character’s vulnerability and quirkiness in a way that will make his performance hard to forget. Ivan Bilecki was hilarious as Monsignor O’Hara, never failing to bring on the laughs whenever he was on stage.

Jordan Mason, Eric Evans and Tyler Walsh creatively portray mob boss Curtis and his two thugs, respectively. The gang acts menacingly enough to be believable without taking away from the comedic tone of the musical, performing their own share of comedic moments.

One standout was Bryan Serra as TJ, who was able to sustain the eccentric nature of his character throughout the performance, never breaking character.

The nuns, played by Giuliana Mascia, Maia Szanati, Barbara Jones, Madison Marino, Grace Rufenacht and Stephanya Zimakas distinguished themselves as unique personalities by carefully adding physical nuances that made each character unique and memorable. Madison Marino blew the audience away with her heartwrenching performance of the song The Life I Never Led.

Throughout the performance, there were a few technical glitches with the microphones and sound equipment, but the cast and crew handled this with a degree of professionalism that was exemplary for a high school production.

Much of the finesse in this performance is owed to the meticulous stage management of Carling Revill, Bridget Meehan and Brianna Roussell. Choreography by Sydney Johnston and Hunter Oatley was seamless and eye-catching, giving life to the most memorable moments of the musical. Carling Revill’s lighting directed the viewer’s eye conscientiously, always on cue.

The band’s live music truly elevated Sister Act to the next level, adding a certain life to the musical that’s unattainable by using a recording. Creative set design by Jacob Pandereira added the perfect amount of context to the scenes without drawing attention away from the actors’ interactions. Adele Spaan and Barbara Jones drew us into Sister Act’s setting with their groovy 1970s-inspired makeup.

From its sharp humour to its groovy tunes, Saint Paul’s take on Sister Act will have you saying “Hallelujah!”