
Sister Act


Actors Brianna Smith, Emily Beseau, and Sable Stewart (“Deloris Van Cartier”) laugh onstage during the opening club scene. Photo by Samper Images

Actors Sable Stewart and Raul Torres play “Deloris” (an aspiring club singer) and “Curtis Shank” (her mob-connected boyfriend.) actors Emily Beseau and Drew Smith look on as “Tina” and “Ernie”. Photo by Samper Images

A look at Curtis’s crew, all in their 70’s best. From left to right Raul Torres, Kyle Critelli, Drew Smith, and Tim Hucks play “Curtis Shank”, “TJ”, “Ernie”, and “Joey”. Photo by Samper images

A wide shot of some of our nuns in their run down church as Deloris arrives. Actor Phil Constable plays “Mother Superior” leading all in a prayer. Photo by Samper Images

A side view of all 18 of our nuns during “Raise Your Voice” encouraging “Sister Mary Roberts” played by Paige Kiefner. Photo by Samper Images

We see “Sweaty Eddie” before his big number “I Could Be That Guy” in which the jacket he is wearing rips away to reveal a sparkle vest and tie, and then rips away again to reveal his normal cop attire. The blue button down and tie in this picture is fake; it is rigged to rip away with the jacket in one piece. Actor is Alvis Green Jr. Photo by Samper Images

Here we see the rip away in action! It rips front to back, in 2 pieces to reveal the sparkle vest and tie (which are also rigged to rip later in the song). Actor Alvis Green Jr. Photos by Samper Images

The final break away down to his original cop uniform. The vest broke horizontally, left to right, and the tie was simply flat fabric Velcro-ed over the blue cop tie. It was securely attached to the left side of the vest, so when it came away so did the tie cover. Photo by Samper Images

“Sweaty Eddie” talking to an unveiled “Deloris” outside the church. Actors Alvis Green Jr. and Sable Stewart. Photo by Samper Images

The nuns in their nightgowns singing “Bless our Show”. While all the ensemble nuns matched, one has unique fuzzy bunny slippers! Photo by Samper Images

Our nuns during “Take Me To Heaven (reprise)” featuring their trick-appearing scapulars. The pieces are black on one side and sparkly silver on the other, at the top of the number they are folded once and snapped underneath their yokes , leaving the black backing to blend in with their black habits. They simply pull down on them to reveal the silver. Photo by Samper Images

The nuns wear their colorful habits and trick scapulars during the Act 1 Finale “Sunday Morning Fever”, joined by Billy DeMetsenaere as Monsignor O”Hara in genuine vestments. Photo by Samper Images

Here we see Deloris in “Fabulous Baby (reprise)”, she has left the convent and is conflicted in her decision. “Fantasy Dancers” jazz up the scene is silver and gold sparkle jumpsuits. Actor Sable Stewart, Photo by Samper Images

We see Monsignor O’Hara in his flashiest vestments yet, complete with a sneak peek through the scrim at what’s to come. Actor is Billy DeMetsenaere, Photo by Samper Images

Thirteen of our Ensemble nuns take a bow in their finale costumes- solid gold scapulars and veils along with silver yokes. All 18 nuns make this quick change in under 2 minutes. Photo by Samper Images

Alvis Green Jr. shows off his quick rigged vest one more time, as Deloris dances in a custom made silver flare dress with trumpet sleeves- also rigged to quick change in and out of. Notice Sister Mary Roberts’ wearing a shorter skirt and the tall boots that Deloris wears at the top of the show. Photo by Samper Images

Sable makes one more quick change from Finale to Bows, wearing a bejeweled white jumpsuit and a white fur, this is Deloris’s Donna Summer look that she talks about wanting earlier in the show.

Finale picture, Deloris in her “Donna Summer” look, and Curtis Shank in his sequin trimmed “Prison” look. Actors left to right are Sable Stewart, Alvis Green Jr, and Raul Torres.
Sister Act, presented by Rochester Association of Performing Arts, Directed by Eric Johnson
Due to some unforeseen issues, the original costumer R.A.P.A had hired to do this show needed to leave the picture 19 days before tech. I was hired immediately after, starting completely from scratch along with a team consisting of Lisa Lipski, Andrea Degregori, and Carol DeBellis. We worked around the clock making 18 complete and accurate nun habits, each consisting of 7 individual pieces (the robe, scapular, yoke, wimple, crown, veil, and rosary) including 5 add-on sparkled pieces for the big numbers. This plus other special builds averaged out to around 225 individual handmade pieces in 19 days, not to mention the entire rest of the show that takes place in the 1970’s. Every cast member and friend with a minute to spare gifted us their time and skills, and against all odds we finished by opening! We didn’t cut out any onstage rip away gags or specialty bow outfits, and the show was a resounding success.