“The Hallelujah Girls” at Your Theatre

By Richard Pacheco

The Your Theatre production of the Jessie Jones, Jamie Wooten and Nicholas Hope play, “The Hallelujah Girls.” is a merry romp that moves joyously along with a solid cast and fine direction. Hilarity abounds when the feisty females of Eden Falls, Georgia, decide to shake up their lives. The action in this rollicking Southern comedy takes place in SPA-DEE-DAH!, the abandoned church-turned day spa where this group of friends gathers every Friday afternoon. After the loss of a dear friend, the women realize time is precious and if they're going to change their lives and achieve their dreams they have to get on it now! But Sugar Lee, their high-spirited, determined leader, has her hands full keeping the women motivated.

Carlene's given up on romance, having buried three husbands. Nita's a nervous wreck from running interference between her problematic son and his probation officer. Mavis' marriage is so stagnant she's wondering how she can fake her own death to get out of it. And sweet, simple Crystal entertains them all, singing Christmas carols with her own, hilarious lyrics. The comic tension mounts when a sexy, ex-boyfriend shows up unexpectedly, a marriage proposal comes from an unlikely suitor and Sugar Lee's arch rival vows she'll stop at nothing to steal the spa away from her.

Sugar Lee is the caretaker of the bunch who constantly eggs her cohorts in believing in themselves. At the same time, she is sparring with her nemesis, Bunny, and thwarting romantic entanglements from a past lover, Bobby Dwayne. Becky Minard is poised and compelling in the role.

Mavis is a wise-cracking broad who tells it like it is. She'd rather stay out partying in her Sept. years than be with her predictable, blasé spouse. Valerie J. Reynolds is wining in the role, with great delivery of snide quips about Mavis’ marriage and cynicism.

Carlene is a 3-time widow who's wary of going out with another man for fear of his dying on her – again. Elizabeth Rapoza is Carlene. She handles the role with flair and conviction, full of passion, able to balance the character’s self doubt with raw energy.

Crystal lives life with flamboyant flair. She dresses in costume and sings every calendar holiday to the tune of Christmas carols.  Marilyn Ducette is wildly funny and full of energy and drama as the wacky Crystal.  Her costumes changes and the zest she brings to those changes and her singing is a sheer enchantment.

Nita is the space shot who loses herself in the romantic novels that she reads. She is blissful bewilderment personified. Susan Massey is a delight as the spacey Nita, whose life is so engrossed in sad ending romantic novels that she hides from real life and a twenty something year old son who is the bane of her existence. She is appropriately  out there and caring for her friends at the same time.

Bunny is a bitch on wheels who enjoys making life miserable for the ladies. Cheryl Day is rambunctious and relentless as Bunny, a harridan on speed. It is very funny and wildly nasty performance as she shows this self-absorbed witch for who she  truly is.

Bobby Dwayne braves the terrain with magnified ego. He is Sugar Lee's boyfriend from the past who's giving his all this time around.  Mark C. Fuller handles the role with determination an honesty. He is nervous and stuck in the past, afraid to face Suger Lee and he handles it with earnestness and skill.

Porter still lives with his mother. He's extremely settled in his ways, but, is willing to give dating a try -- maybe. His sense of humor is demonstrated only by his "strange" laugh. Robert Ducette is a joy in the role with a relentless energy and comic poise that never fails to bring a laugh. He is convincing in evoking the mama’s boy timidity of the character and weird antics with ample energy and conviction. He does have a problem with his accent at various times.

Director Trudi Miller keeps it all running merrily along, deftly balancing the large cast with skill and finesse, The Southern accents for the most part are convincing and on the mark.

The set design by Mark C. Fuller is a delightful recreation of a church, in fact it mimics the church hall the theater is in with accuracy and style.

Your Theatre until May 19 All tickets $15

136 Rivet Street, New Bedford, MA
508-993-0772 http://yourtheatre.org/yti/index.php