Review: Censtacom’s Sister Act is Godly, Groovy, and Glorious
The divine musical comedy took place on March 14 and 15 at Graha Bhakti Budaya.
By: Rakaputra Paputungan Apr. 10, 2025
On March 14 and 15, Center Stage Community (Censtacom) staged their latest production, Sister Act, at Graha Bhakti Budaya in Jakarta. Adapted from the 1992 film, this musical features music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater, and a book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner. It also marks Censtacom’s first licensed musical since Ordinary Days in 2023. This review reflects impressions from the third and final performance.
Censtacom founder Josephine Angelica returns as show director, this time collaborating with Amabel Odelia and Gina Dewi as vocal directors, Andini Mayang and Ivanna Cornelia as choreographers, Carlos Suwono as art director, Sandrina Aurelia as set designer, and Tesa Tsaniya as head of wardrobe and makeup. The Wishnu Dewanta Orchestra, under music director Wishnu Dewanta, provides vibrant live accompaniment.
Sister Act follows Deloris Van Cartier (Moneva), an aspiring singer with big hair and bigger dreams. She’s entangled with Curtis Jackson (Rayhan Amadeus Maskun), a nightclub-owning gangster. When Deloris decides to end their relationship, she unwittingly witnesses Curtis and his crew murder another gangster. Fleeing to the police, she reconnects with Eddie Souther (Dante Kidd), an old school friend now serving as desk chief. Eddie arranges for her to hide in a convent, a place Curtis’s men are unlikely to search.
Eddie negotiates with the struggling Queen of Angels parish to shelter Deloris. The convent’s stern Mother Superior (Amarylis Maria Mandik) reluctantly agrees, renaming Deloris as Sister Mary-Clarence. Free-spirited and unaccustomed to the nuns’ modest, pious lifestyle, Deloris struggles to adapt. To help her blend in, Mother Superior assigns her to lead the church’s woefully off-key choir. With her musical expertise, Deloris transforms the group into a harmonious ensemble, winning the sisters’ admiration in the process.
Along the way, Deloris bonds with nuns like the former choirmaster Mary Lazarus (Wenny Kumalasari), the bubbly Mary Patrick (Princessa Eclessia Aurilatia), and the timid Mary Robert (Jane Callista). As the choir’s fresh, groovy sound attracts newcomers, the congregation swells, and the Queen of Angels choir gains fame—eventually earning an invitation to perform for the pope, to the nuns’ delight.
However, their television appearance exposes Deloris to Curtis, who spots her among the nuns. He dispatches his henchmen—Joey (Raymundus Leonardo), TJ (Patrick Abraham), and Pablo (Ignatius Genta Banyu Adjie)—to retrieve her. As the trio infiltrates the church, Mother Superior urges Deloris to leave, fearing for the nuns’ safety. Sister Mary Robert defends Deloris, crediting her for inspiring confidence and courage. The confrontation escalates when Curtis and his crew arrive, sparking chaos. The nuns outwit the intruders through teamwork and cunning.
In the mayhem, Curtis corners Mary Robert at gunpoint. Deloris intervenes, offering herself instead. The other nuns rally, stepping into the line of fire to shield both women. Just as Curtis prepares to shoot, Eddie bursts in, subduing him and saving the day. Deloris and Eddie share a kiss—much to the nuns’ facination—before the sisters, joined by Deloris, triumphantly perform for the pope.
Historically, Censtacom has excelled in intimate, small-scale stories. Sister Act represents a leap forward, staged in the 900-seat Graha Bhakti Budaya—over four times the capacity of their previous venue, Teater Salihara. Yet, the production retains the community spirit Censtacom is known for.
The story, a beloved classic in its film form, shines in this musical adaptation despite an entirely new score. At its core, it’s about forging connections across different worlds. The 2.5-hour runtime smartly highlights key relationships—Deloris with Mother Superior and Mary Robert—mirroring her growing bond with the nuns. By the finale, their earned camaraderie delivers a powerful emotional payoff.
The performances anchor the show, starting with Moneva as Deloris. Stepping into a role immortalized by Whoopi Goldberg, this indie R&B singer makes a stunning musical theater debut. Her crisp delivery, sharp moves, and commanding vocals blend ferocity and vulnerability, grounding the production.
It should be noted that the actress uses a noticeable accent that might comes across as a black accent. Although the licensing material doesn’t require the role to be played by a black performer there are references in the script that indicate her blackness (although it doesn’t come into the forefront of the narrative). Race conscious casting is not yet a big conversation in Indonesia, but this directorial/acting choice might stick out to some audience members.
Ria Mandik’s Mother Superior offers a compelling contrast. With wisdom and poise, she embodies the convent’s matriarch, though her English pronunciation occasionally falters. Although a lot of Mother Superior’s vocal parts are relatively simple, she still gets to showcase her beautiful tone and masterful control when it counts.
Mother Superior is a character who cares deeply about the nuns under her care; she looks to her traditional ways to protect them from the dangers of the world, both real and imagined. Notably, this outlook is quite common in Indonesia, where a lot of the older generations are strict but well-meaning. I believe her character would feel familiar to most of the audience.
Mother Superior’s role in the story asserts that this protectionist tendency could come from a place of love. Therefore, it’s a truly satisfying pay off to see her and Delores finally connecting to each other at the end, through mutual understanding that they both care for the nuns even if they have wildly different ways of showing it. Additionally, casting a performer who’s older than the other nuns lends the role an authenticity that is still rarely found in Jakarta musicals.
The piece’s villain is Curtis Jackson as played by Rayhan Amadeus Maskun. He is at his best when playing up the gangster’s deranged madness, making for an intimidating presence throughout the play. His smooth singing shines in the chilling yet catchy number “When I Find My Baby”. His line delivery, however, still has room for improvement. His pronunciation and intonation are shaky at times, softening some comedic and dramatic moments.
His three goons Joey (Raymundus Leonardo), TJ (Patrick Abraham), and Pablo (Ignatius Genta Banyu Adjie), are great comedic side characters, each having a simple but well-defined personality. Joey is flirty, TJ is overexcited, and Pablo is loyal (and Hispanic). They work well with Curtis, complementing and never upstaging him, making for a coherent antagonistic group.
Dante Kidd’s Eddie oozes charm but struggles to sell the character’s initial awkwardness as “Sweaty Eddie.” Rather, he thrives in confident moments, like his fantasy sequence or the climactic rescue. A quirkier costuming or hairdo might have helped setting up the character’s initial awkwardness.
Another scene stealer is Wenny Kumalasari’s spunky Mary Lazarus. The role gets a lot of laughs due to Wenny’s impressive comedic delivery of the witty lines, with punchy timing and crisp enunciation. Her chant-slash-rap parts in the group numbers are great crowd pleasers and add a spicy jolt of energy to the show.
The rest of the supporting cast and ensemble (Victor Havel, Baladika Badra Anggakara, Andini Mayang, Charin Christa, Allysha Tifara F. Badib-Zaelani, Serafesya, Florentina Shanti Wulandari, Christina Tika, Ivanna Cornelia, Marcia Damayanti, Natih Devayanti, Una Ardyanto, Carissa Putridianty, and Rainer Rafael) brings vitality to the show, even if there are some uneven performances.
To me, the show’s the most enjoyable when it lets the characters’ personalities shine in a group setting – such as the scenes with the nuns and Curtis and his posse. It is great fun seeing them interact and banter with each other, owing to the lovely script and palpable chemistry. The nuns’ show-choir-like group numbers are entertaining and well-executed, but don’t allow for much characterization.
Vocally, the leads impress, with Moneva’s polish leading the pack. But the most memorable vocal moments come from the complicated harmonies, intricately layered and beautifully sung. In particular, the iconic number “Raise Your Voice” is a delight, bringing comedy, solid character writing, and a truly heavenly harmony at the end.
Wishnu Dewanta Orchestra is well established as having one of the most lush sounds in Jakartan musical theater, and Sister Act was no different. Alan Menken’s music – a fusion of musical theater, gospel, and R&B – was brought to life with a rich, luscious soundscape.
Andini Mayang and Ivanna Cornelia’s choreography is inventive and playful. Although the nuns have a slightly restrained range of movement due to their modest habits, the choreographers compensate with playing with hand gestures and dynamic blocking. But my favorite choreography comes in “When I Find My Baby”, where Curtis, Joey, TJ, and Paolo mimic the many physical acts Curtis threatens to do to Deloris, like a particularly sinister boy band. The audacity makes it both threatening and entertaining, a considerable achievement.
As for the production design, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The main set of the church is grand and beautiful, consisting of a three-level set evoking stained glass windows and masonry work. It makes the majestic setting come to life. But background panels that come rolling in are noticeably of a lesser quality, with flimsy material and paintwork. The DIY feel might be more fitting on a small venue, and this is still a community production, but it feels out of place juxtaposed with the large stage and gorgeous main set.
The lighting is solid and purposeful. There’s a sense of playfulness in the lighting design, including moments where the lights are synchronized to specific beats in the music, or used to create a sense of speed and intrigue during chase scenes. On the dramatic side, the light coming from stained glass windows imbues select scenes with an introspective and ethereal quality.
The costumes are likewise good and fitting. Delores is often clothed in satisfyingly sparkly dresses whenever she’s not undercover in a nun’s habit. When the nuns are performing for a bigger crowd, they wear a similarly dazzled up version of their habits, clearly picking a thing or two from their newest sister. The only note I have is Delores sometimes gets lost visually among the dozen of nuns – a unique detail in her costuming (e.g. letting her forego the headpiece like in several productions) would have helped guide the audience’s eyes.
Sister Act is a big step forward for Censtacom. The production has a big team of cast, crew, and creatives, as well as booking the biggest venue in the community’s history.
Censtacom has recently announced their next production: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. The title conjures up gowns, a castle, a sizable ensemble cast, and magical transformations. It remains to be seen if Censtacom will keep ramping up their production value (and subsequently, the production budget) or if they’ll hold on to their humble beginnings.
But that’s a story for another day. Despite some rough edges (particularly in set quality), Sister Act is altogether an enjoyable romp with strong performances while still retaining the heart the community is known for. It’s a good representation of Center Stage Community itself: communal yet fabulous.
Broadwayworld Indonesia is a media partner of Sister Act by Censtacom
Reader Reviews
Videos