You should have seen it, the sisters were doing choreographed dances, openly craving Philly cheesesteaks, and enthusiastically singing 70s love ballads. No, this wasn’t an IHM golden jubilee celebration but rather a crowd-pleasing performance of Sister Act this past weekend, performed by our very own OLLA theater program.

And what a show it was; by the closing song, there was not a single person glued to their seat, even “Sister Mary Lazarus” with her upright walker was dancing breathlessly with the chorus line. By now, most of us have seen the 1992 classic comedy “Sister Act” starring Whoopi Goldberg. This musical version follows Deloris Van Cartier, played by senior Makayla Gomez, an aspiring singer in Philadelphia who was at the wrong place at the wrong time and saw her significant other commit a crime. In need of protection, Philadelphia Police Detective Sweaty Eddie, played by Miami Arts Studio student Alex Montero, is able to find shelter for Deloris at The Holy Order of the Little Sisters of Perpetual Faith convent. It only takes a few minutes for Deloris’ carefree spirit to clash with the hardline discipline of Mother Superior, played by senior Natalia Delgado. 

This was no one woman play, the entire cast was outstanding, displaying incredible comedic timing, well-choreographed dance routines, and American Idol finalist level singing. The quartet of goons were menacing, and the police detective was sympathetic, but the show belonged to the sisters. 

I may be biased because our experience at OLLA with the sisters from Immaculate Heart of Mary has been anything but stereotypical. It is hard for us to imagine a stern-faced nun walking around campus with a ruler in her hand, searching high and low for infractions that defy conformity. The opposite is closer to reality; even though IHM sisters wear a standard “uniform,” each sister on campus has a unique personality with an easy smile and a kind heart.

And therein lies the tension of the play; Deloris with her rebellious nature wants to cut the strings, shine under the spotlight, and follow her every impulse. Mother Superior on the other hand is concerned with developing a daily regimen of discipline and chores (“on a good day, we are allowed to sleep in until 4:15 a.m.”). From the moment they meet, Deloris and Mother Superior find themselves at odds, and the audience is entertained as the balance of discipline, fun, and survival ebb and flow throughout the performance. 

Through the singing, dancing, and shenanigans, Deloris and Mother Superior develop a respect for each other’s gifts. By the closing scene, Deloris is willing to sacrifice her personal well-being to save Mother Superior’s life. In doing so, she inspires the sisters from the convent to sacrifice themselves to save both. In the end, the good guys win, the bad guys lose, and Deloris and Mother Superior realize that they are more alike than different. This kick-starts the closing performance, for the Pope no-less, which was the highlight of the show. It felt like there were 100 nuns on stage singing and laughing; the atmosphere was contagious throughout the theater which made Sister Act at OLLA a spectacular success.