SISTER ACT Comes to Wright State Theatre Next Month

Wright State Theatre presents the contemporary musical comedy, SISTER ACT, from November 4-20 in the Festival Playhouse at Wright State University's Creative Arts Center. With music by Oscar and Tony award winning composer Alan Menken (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, ALADDIN), SISTER ACT is the story of Deloris Van Cartier, a 1970s disco diva who finds herself on the run after witnessing a mob killing. Placed into protective custody in a convent, she discovers a sense of her own value and how she can change others' lives and be changed by them. In this clash of cultures, the excesses of show biz life meets the humility of cloistered life, and the results are both comic and touching. Based on the 1992 hit film comedy starring Whoopi Goldberg, SISTER ACT ran for almost two years on Broadway, followed by an extended national tour and numerous international productions.

Wright State Director Greg Hellems says, "The sisters in the convent learn something and so does Deloris. They discover what Sisterhood is. Deloris realizes that she's allowed other people to tell her what makes her special. She's been used by them, but not valued by them. When she goes to the convent, she finds a community of women that actually value her for what she can do - her sense of value as a woman with an innate understanding of music. That's not something that was valued by any of the men in her life. She has something to offer the sisters and they have something to offer her. It isn't until she's in the convent working with these women that her dreams start to become realized. Doloris starts to see value in who she is as a human and what she has to share. She loses her sense of being valued by show business and recognizes she's part of a fabulous "sister act"."

This affirmative and uplifting story is music directed by F. Wade Russo, with scenery by Pam Knauert Lavarnway, costumes by Zoe Still, lighting by Matthew Benjamin, sound design by James Dunlap, and properties by John Lavarnway. The production is co-choreographed by Hellems and student Victoria Henwood.

The production marks an important landmark for the Theatre program, as this will be retiring scenic designer Pam Lavarnway's final show at Wright State as a full-time Professor. Artistic Director and former department chair, Joe Deer says, "Pam has been a wonderful colleague and an exciting designer of more than 70 productions at Wright State University over the last 31 years. She's been both a terrific teacher and designer, and someone who has given a great deal to our students and the university. She was the last chair of the Department of Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures before we merged with the School of Fine and Performing Arts, and helped see us through a reopening from the COVID isolation back into full production. We will miss her enormously. But we hope she'll be back as a guest designer soon."

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