The Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) season is under way with a pair of outstanding musicals for fun-filled summer nights until August 22.
First Up, the heaven sent musical Sister Act! Based on the 1992 Whoopi Goldberg film of the same name, with new music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater, book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner, and additional material by Douglas Carter Beane, this production is directed and choreographed by Peter Jorgensen, who directed last season’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at TUTS.
Christmas Eve, 1978, aspiring disco diva Deloris Van Cartier – played by divine Kat Reynolds – is putting together a fabulous stage show for her boyfriend Curtis’ night club. Married and mobbed up, Curtis (David Johnston) is anything but a reliable partner for Deloris, even more so when she accidentally stumbles upon the scene as he shoots one of his deputies who has snitched on the gang. Fleeing to the police station, where the desk office, Eddie, happens to be an old school friend. Eddie puts Deloris into witness protection, finding the perfect place that no one would suspect her to be – the convent of ‘The Holy Order of the Little Sisters of Our Mother of Perpetual Faith’. Much to Mother Superior’s chagrin, the newly incognito ‘Sister Mary Clarence’ is a fish out of water as she tries to fit the rules of the cloistered life. Initially oil and water, once Mother Superior makes her work with their caterwauling choir, Sister Mary Clarence may have found her calling BUT can she stay out of the grip of Curtis and his henchmen (Matthew Valinho, Jacob Sirois & Rodrigo PoMe) long enough to testify at his trial.
As Deloris, Reynolds is a powerhouse, like consolidating all three Dreamgirls into one dream diva. A soft and gentle ingenue, a big, bold, bombastic diva or a scene-stealing superstar are all parts of the role that Reynolds handle with aplomb. The polar opposite of Deloris, Angela Donahue as Mother Superior is a reserved, devout but aggravated, unwilling partner in this caper. Sam Hall’s Monsignor O’Hara finds Sister Mary Clarence a refreshing and monetarily successful change of pace and encourages her musical direction to save the church.
Other outstanding performers are Andrew J. Hampton as Eddie, who surprises with his soothing Soul Train inspired solo. Proving It’s Good To Be A Nun, three of them stand out as the psyche and comic relief of the convent; Alyson Vance as postulant Sister Mary Robert, Suzanne Jabour as the cantankerous but secretly cool Sister Mary Lazarus and Amanda Lourenço as the effervescent Sister Mary Patrick. Despite all the nuns being hidden in their habits the leading sisters and ensemble offer expressive work that develops and lets their characters’ character shine through their wimples. Costume Designer, Christine Reimer manages to make the most of their habits and wimples to turn the good sisters into swinging sparkling showgirls. Curtis and gang with their slick 70s style echo Saturday Night Fever – despite it being Tuesday – with
Shifting the setting from a contemporary film to a 1970’s period piece allows for fun-filled familiarity with the era including tongue-in-cheek pop culture references as well as nods to The Little Mermaid – this year’s other TUTS show. Creating a celestial church in our imaginations, set designer, Ryan Cormack’s simple moving ‘windows’ aided by lighting designer Ben Paul, invoke the stained glass spirit of a windows in the church flying buttresses.
Backed by the 12-piece orchestra, lead for the 4th year by Sean Bayntun, playing Menken’s music and the cast adding in Slater’s lyrics, the seventies inspired sound threads its way into the sequins and sparkle for a spirited soul-Sister Act that delights with divine laughter, and heart that leaves the audience ready to Spread The Love Around as they hum and clap their way up the aisles into the starlit night.
Sister Act, the musical starring Kat Reynolds, is a can’t miss show, catch it and its ‘sister’ show, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, running alternating nights until August 22, 2026 at Theatre Under The Stars, at Malkin Bowl, 610 Pipeline Road in Stanley Park. Visit tuts.ca for tickets, showtimes and special performances, like Family Nights, Pride Night, relaxed and Vocal Eye performances.