First musical blossoms from Red Tree

When Hamilton performance academy presents Sister Act Jr. The Musical this weekend, it will truly be a family affair.

When Red Tree Performance Academy presents its Junior Broadway production of Sister Act Jr. The Musical over four performances this weekend, it will be a family affair.

Sister Act Jr. is the academy’s first musical production.

Based on the hit 1992 film with Whoopi Goldberg and its parent musical, Sister Act Jr. is a boisterous, family-friendly musical comedy that will have broad appeal. Its original music is by Alan Menken, who has also created music for other popular shows including Newsies, Beauty and the Beast, and Little Shop of Horrors.

The musical finds aspiring singer Deloris Van Cartier on the verge of what she hopes is her "big break" when instead, she witnesses a murder committed by her gangster boyfriend. The Philadelphia police place her in protective custody – in a convent – until the case is brought to trial. Disguised as a nun and forced to participate in restrictive convent life, Deloris is truly a fish-out-of-water until she discovers friendship with the nuns and a higher calling, reinvigorating the church and its choir with her unique talents. But what happens when she blows her cover?

This weekend’s run, as well as the company from which it springs, is a family affair. Dustin Jodway is the director of Sister Act Jr. in addition to being responsible for its choreography and vocals. His sister Breann Jodway is the production’s stage manager and their mother Mary Lou Camilleri is the musical’s producer.

Red Tree Performance Academy was co-founded in 2021 by Dustin and Breann. Breann is a certified breathwork and meditation instructor. Dustin is a well-known member of Hamilton’s theatre community with over 25 years’ experience as an actor, singer, director, instructor, and coach. He’s the president of Hamilton Theatre Inc. and has been a member of HTI for two decades.

​Red Tree is composed of an even larger group of experienced teachers who hold both one-on-one lessons and group classes. The academy offers vocal training, dance classes, performance coaching, music lessons, breathwork/meditation, and burlesque events. There’s a kids camp in July for budding thespians as well as programming for seniors and special needs individuals. An overarching goal is to support the artistic development of both neurotypical and neurodiverse children and adults.

Red Tree’s website explains that the aim of the academy is to offer “a safe and inclusive space in which performers of all ages can develop their skills, confidence and self-esteem.” 

The original production of Sister Act the Musical premiered at the Pasadena Playhouse in California in 2006, and moved on to stages in Atlanta, Georgia (2007) and London’s West End (2009). It was a revised adaptation that finally opened on Broadway in 2011. The lead role of Deloris Van Cartier was originated by Dawnn Lewis of TV’s A Different World and has since been played by notables like Raven-Symoné (The Cosby Show; That’s So Raven) and Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple; Wicked). Over the years, it has been nominated for several Olivier, Tony, and Drama Desk awards.

As for its own production, Red Tree Performance Academy says that tickets for the weekend’s performances are “going fast.”

NEED TO KNOW

Sister Act Jr. The Musical
Hamilton Theatre Inc.
140 MacNab St. N., Hamilton
Saturday, Aug. 24, 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 25,  2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are here
Run time: 90 minutes
More info is here