Review: SISTER ACT at Broadway Palm

If there is a shortage of sequins in Fort Myers, blame it on Broadway Palm. John P. White, costume designer for Sister Act, has filled the stage with visual sparkle. The energetic cast provides an equal amount of performance sparkle.

Remi Veronica runs the gamut of emotions as Deloris VanCartier aka Sister Mary Clarence. She is sassy and scared and defiant when she enters the convent, and we watch her grow into a loving and compassionate woman who has found a community where she can belong.

Her nemesis, Mother Superior played by Jama Bowen, undergoes her own transformation from judgmental to a deeper understanding of her faith. Each woman is a powerhouse vocally, and when they finally get to duet, the result is worth the wait.

All the nuns project pure joy, but Shannon Connolly as Sister Mary Patrick stands out. She throws herself wholeheartedly into Amy Marie McCleary's always delightful choreography. Grace Atherholt as postulant Sister Mary Robert has a voice considerable bigger than her tiny self.

Not to be outdone by the plethora of the glittery nuns, the men in the cast have their moments too. I particularly got a kick out of Jim Hefferman as Monsignor O'Hara. Although his accent was a bit dubious, he did a creditable job of channeling the late Barry Fitzgerald who once upon a time got an Oscar in Going My Way. The bumbling trio of mobsters, Joshua James Crawford, Frank Hughes, and Johann Santiago Santos are also fun to watch as they swagger.

If you need a pick me up, run don't walk to Sister Act. It runs through May 20. For tickets, call 239.278.4422.

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