This week’s bouquets go to:

From Mike Olson of Escanaba:

The Fine Arts Department of the Escanaba Senior High School just performed five shows of its 58th annual musical, this year’s Sister Act, a comedic stage play and takeoff of Whoopi Goldberg’s movie. It was not the Flying Nun nor the Singing Nun (Dominique, Dominique), nor Maria in Sound of Music, but think of Esky senior, Grace Sviland gracing the stage as fake-nun, Deloris Van Cartier, a witness to a murder that has the Philadelphia Police Department hiding her in a convent until she goes to court to put her ex-sweetheart, Curtis (Thomas Kluka) away. Grace is matched up with Philly Police Lt. Eddie (Sweaty Eddie) –T.J. Nault, and those two at the end form a budding romance. But not until the play takes all of the convent of nuns, with a stern, bossy Mother Superior (Delaney McIntyre), through the ups and downs of hiding fake-nun Deloris from the bad guys.

The bad guys led by Curtis (Kluka), include his three hapless sidekicks whose comedy and voices add to the fun. Aden Penegor, Abraham Campbell and Michael Skorupski, playing TJ, Pablo (who speaks Spanish) and Joey, practically steal the show with their funny antics and ad lib dancing. You may see them on Broadway someday…put your money on Michael.  

The whole show is capped by the continual dancing and singing of the whole group of about 30 nuns whose music, facial expressions and eventual dancing, starting as staid — soon evolves into disco and beyond taking the nuns from dullsville to relevant, hip and showy, all to save the convent from closing. In time, the showgirl nun convert, Whoopi-Deloris-Grace, goes from rowdy to sappy–to an exit from the convent to a bar across the street to an eventual friendship with her new nun-sisters who had pretty much embraced her from day one.for her feistiness. All this time, Mother Superior is trying to keep Grace under wraps, seeking God’s guidance to tame her.

The staging, props and backdrops were fine and the costumes great, plenty of black cloth and crosses. TJ Nault’s voice was outstanding as were those of the lead Grace and Sister Mary Roberts (Megan Fritz). A large number of the supporting cast of nuns eventually got their moments to shine too, either by voice or comedy. The acting and music of Caroline Furmanski and Olivia Beauchamp was beautifully done.

I thought as I watched that opening night jitters were minor and I was observing a college production. As the students mature, NMU, Tech, Bay and Lawrence had better start extending scholarships. The choreography by Marissa Quinzel and Madalyn Mayers was superb, even getting the boys tiptoeing in line. Directors Mark Ammel and John Beck — two stars on a Hollywood sidewalk await.

——

Each Saturday the Daily Press salutes individuals and groups from our area who have had a very positive impact on the way we live.

We identify our bouquet recipients in one of two ways: from Daily Press news pages and from nominations sent in by our readers.

Mail us a postcard or letter identifying your nomination and putting into detail what they’ve done. Include your name, address, and phone number. Send nominations to Saturday Bouquets, The Daily Press, 600 Ludington Street, Escanaba, MI 49829.

They may also be sent to us by going to our Web site, www.dailypress.net, and clicking on the submit news button. Once there, click on “Bouquets” and follow the simple instructions.