Sister Act

Drury Lane Theatre opens the holidays with "Sister Act," the book co-written by Bill Steinkellner, Cheri Steinkellner, and Douglas Carter Beane. While "Sister Act" is not typically considered a traditional holiday production, it features music by Alan Menken, renowned for his scores and songs for Walt Disney films, and lyrics by award-winning Glenn Slater, which shine with a sense of holiday joy. The protagonist of the play, Deloris Van Cartier, a struggling singer, is frustrated that her boyfriend, Curtis Jackson, a nightclub owner and gangster, doesn't believe she's ready to meet a record producer. When she witnesses Curtis shooting one of his goons to send a message to potential informants, she runs to the police for help. There, she encounters Eddie Souther, a police officer, who once had a crush on her. To protect her, he places her in a convent under witness protection. At the convent, she meets Mother Superior, a rigid, traditional nun who is disappointed by Deloris's presence and insists that she adhere to strict rules, forbidding outside influences such as smoking, drinking, and provocative clothing. Mother Superior is concerned about having Deloris in the convent, fearing that her worldly ways might corrupt the nuns, particularly the shy postulant, Sister Mary Robert. Aware that Deloris is a singer, she assigns her to the choir, where the nuns all sing in their own unique keys, but after a bit of practice with Deloris, they sound like a well-tuned vocal ensemble. By the end, she realizes that fame is empty compared to the genuine love she found in the convent.

Sister Act features several witty comedic songs featuring the hilarious singing performances of "Take Me To Heaven, Sunday Morning Fever, and Bless The Show. Directed by one of Chicago's renowned actors, E. Faye Butler, Sister Act still features comedy and disco/gospel music, with themes that explore identity, sisterhood, and faith, and phenomenal magic that will draw audiences to Drury Lane. The nuns are pure magic! Rae Daverport, who played the lead role of Deloris Van Cartier, showed moments of wit and strong vocals, but she still needs time to perfect the role fully. Michelle Duffy provides an incredible performance with great vocals to match. As the stern, fist Mother Superior, who requires the nuns to honor their call, she was terrific. The same can be said for Meg Thalken, who played the old, feisty, turned-hip-hop nun, drop-the-mic Mary Lazarus. Lawrence Flowers, who played Eddie Souther (Sweaty Eddie), had the crowd cheering after his impressive performance while singing about feeling like the man women desire in "I Could Be That Guy."

While some solos may occasionally sound off-key, the vibrant energy and compelling narrative always consistently shine throughout this production. The cast of eighteen, which includes understudies, features exceptional performances by Rachel Carreras, Amanda Walker, Lorenzo Rush Jr., and Kelvin Roston, who played Curtis Jackson. A role he played at Mercury Theatre. The nuns in this play are funny and fabulous, baby, and worth a trip to Oakbrook this holiday season.

⭐⭐⭐

Drury Lane Theatre

Sister Act

Book co-written by Bill Steinkellner and Cheri Steinkellner

Additional Book Material by Douglas Carter Beane

Music by Alan Menken

Lyrics by Glenn Slater

Directed by E. Faye Butler

November 12, 2025 - January 11, 2026

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