Review: THE DIVINE SISTER at Vagabond Players Ignites Heavenly Delight!
This comedic masterpiece runs through June 21st!
In a world of change and confusion, some essential truths will always remain. Chief among these truths is this: Campy, irreverent, John Waters-style comedy will always have a home in Baltimore. Its current place of residence: Vagabond Players’ 110th season closer, The Divine Sister.
The play centers its story around the eclectic sisters of St. Veronica’s - a convent and school in 1960’s Pittsburgh, PA - and the visitors who found their own “pockets full of miracles” there. The Divine Sister pays reverence to the infamous Hollywood films involving nuns that came before it, including Doubt and The Sound of Music. With a hilarious and fast-paced script by Charles Busch (writer of such celebrated plays as Red Scare on Sunset and The Vampire Lesbians of Sodom), The Divine Sister leaves its audiences with side stitches and dry throats from non-stop laughter. Though the play’s book is hilarious in its own right, Vagabond Players is blessed by “urine-stained underwear visions” to have an entire production team who have honed their comedic craft.
Each member of this six-person ensemble cast (playing nine different characters) fits perfectly into their roles, and compliments their fellow actors in a way that can be described as nothing short of a commodious miracle. As postulant Agnes, Morgan Wenerick plays the world’s most kind-hearted nitwit with nothing but incredible comedic timing behind her eyes when she’s onstage. Sister Acacius, played by the indomitable comedic force Holly Pasciullo, takes the mat as wrestling coach and voice of san(ct)ity. Her wunderbar foil and the penultimate domino to fall in this line of sisters, Maeve Koch serves Frau Blücher-esque excellence as German nun, Sister Walburga. All heads are bowed to Mother Superior, a high-heeled bicycling ex-journalist, who is portrayed with equal parts beauty and hilarity by J Purnell Hargrove.
All religion is a mania, and the maniacs of St. Veronica’s need counterweights to balance them out: Mark Kozlowski dons both hooded robe as Brother Venerius and 1940’s noir fedora as Jeremy. Melissa Banister exhibits incredible range with her performances as both Mrs. Levinson, confirmed atheist matriarchal capitalist, and Timothy, a baseball aspirant and St. Veronica’s pupil. Kozlowski, Banister, and Koch all showcase brilliance in each of their multiple roles, some of which appear in the same scene back-to-back! There is clearly no talent shortage in Baltimore, as each of the six featured actors is a star in their own right. Their onstage chemistry is palpable, challenging audience members to choose who will be the subject of their gaze in any given moment.
Off-stage, the production team of The Divine Sister serve as essential pieces to the play’s puzzle. Direction by Steve Goldklang allows the actors to shine and explore their “sense(s) of play” to the highest capacity possible, with lighting (by Brad J Ranno) and costume design (by April Forrer) perfectly capturing each beautiful sentiment and joke told. Each scene, song, monologue, and element of the show is staged and performed impeccably. As Mother Superior states in the show, “It’s important to believe in miracles, even if you have to create them yourself.” This cast and crew have truly created their own miracle at Vagabond Players, and audience members will walk out of The Divine Sister grateful to take that miracle with them.
Catch The Divine Sister at Vagabond Players in Fells Point, Baltimore, through June 21st. For tickets and more information, visit https://vagabondplayers.org/show/157/the-divine-sister
Photo credit - Shealyn Jae Photography
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