Divine ‘Sister Act’ sets the rafters ringing at Drury Lane

“Sister Act” — 4 stars

An aspiring diva hiding from a murderous ex-boyfriend in a convent. An austere Mother Superior troubled by the fake nun’s bad influence. A chase through a cathedral and a miraculous ending.

Just in time for the holidays, “Sister Act” is shimmying into Drury Lane Theatre with an ebullient cast that drew a standing ovation Thursday.

Gritty Philadelphia street-life collides with the serene piety of Queen of Angels Cathedral amid a bouncy score of 1970s disco and psychedelic soul in the musical, which runs through Jan. 11.

Just as in the hit 1992 movie starring Whoopi Goldberg, ambitious nightclub singer Deloris Van Cartier (Rae Davenport) learns her boyfriend Curtis is not only a bum but also a career criminal when she interrupts him shooting an associate.

Van Cartier flees to a police station and runs into Officer “Sweaty” Eddie Souther, who was sweet on her in high school. Souther convinces her to be in the witness protection program and take refuge at Queen of Angels.

Davenport’s rich voice soars in anthems like “Take Me to Heaven.” And she shows her comic chops in a unique take on the Lord’s Prayer.

Michelle Duffy as Mother Superior is an equal foil, dealing out sarcastic quips as she copes with a spiritual crisis.

But the best moments come from the ensemble cast as the nuns evolve from ear-splitting dissonance to get-down divas under Van Cartier’s tutelage.

The game-changing “Raise Your Voice” has a lot going on as the choir comes to life, Van Cartier grows into a gifted teacher, and repressed novice Mary Robert (Amanda Walker) blossoms into a coloratura.

“The first rule of singin’, get the rafters ringing,” Van Cartier exhorts. The pep talk cascades into a show stopper and a joyous display of the vocal talents of a very deep bench.

It leaves you wanting more of the bildungsroman storyline, but Deloris’ lethal ex is on the hunt and Queen of the Angels is going bankrupt.

Kelvin Roston Jr. plays Curtis with a steely menace that gives songs like “When I Find My Baby” punch, and his vintage ’70s costume looks like it’s ready for a musical version of “Starsky & Hutch.”

Lawrence Flowers as the socially awkward Souther knocks out the plaintive “I Could Be That Guy” ballad that’s sharply choreographed.

Meg Thalken’s sardonic Sister Mary Lazarus and Rachel Carreras’ irrepressible Sister Mary Patrick were standouts, adding to the rapid-fire repartee.

Director E. Faye Butler noted that “the sisters and Deloris develop a bond for a lifetime that only sisters can understand.”

Catching that vibe, the enthusiastic audience played extended family for a night.

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Location: Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, (630) 530-0111, drurylanetheatre.com

Showtimes: Various times and dates through Jan. 11

Tickets: Between $75 and $150

Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes, with a 20-minute intermission

Rating: Family-friendly but contains depictions of guns and violence and a simulated gunshot