Review: THE DIVINE SISTER — A Devilishly Funny Play at Vagabond Players

Broadway + NYC

Broadway

Off-Broadway

Off-Off Broadway

Cabaret

Dance

Opera

Classical Music

Eastern

Central

Western

West End

WEST END

UK Regional

International

Canada

Australia / New Zealand

Europe

Asia

Latin America

Africa / Middle East

Entertainment

TV/Movies

Music

Ctrl + K to open · Esc to close

A divinely funny, devilishly humorous production!

POPULAR

Get all the top news & discounts for Baltimore & beyond.

THE DIVINE SISTER is a convent drama that gives nods to other well-known classic works. But audiences can’t attest “if I’ve seen one, I’ve seen them all” while watching the play.

Get all the top news & discounts for Baltimore & beyond.

That’s because THE DIVINE SISTER boasts a unique plot that isn’t exactly like any of the works that inspired it. With its references to classics like THE SOUND OF MUSIC , AGNES OF GOD , and THE BELLS OF ST. MARY’S , among others, the play will seem vaguely familiar at times. But that’s where familiarity ends and creativity enters center stage.

With seeming ease, playwright Charles Busch mixes those references into THE DIVINE SISTER while maintaining a cohesive, unique plot with mysterious subplots. The play takes place in 1966 Pittsburgh at the fictional St. Veronica’s Convent.

The result? THE DIVINE SISTER , directed by Steve Goldklang , is fun, comedic, irreverent, and mysterious. It also hints at some serious questions about faith and love and the power of belief—even if illusion is added to the mix to keep faith intact.

The play takes place at St. Veronica’s convent and snakes into the past and present lives of a couple nuns with somewhat checkered pasts. Secrets are exposed and theatergoers are drawn into intertwined mysteries that lead to a faith-saving resolution at play’s end.

Of course, because it’s a convent-centered play, there’s a financial crisis that needs to be averted, a potential rich benefactor to be wooed, a charismatic leading man, a hint of romance, and a nun struggling with questions about faith and destiny.

But THE DIVINE SISTER does more than rehash these familiar tropes.

Its irreverence alone takes the production down another path—not quite divine but also not altogether evil. For example, clothing is used to convey stereotypical ideology about how characters dress and their shift between spiritual and carnal mindsets. The shifts are effective, and uber funny at times. Again, the nod to classic films aside, these are not the nuns viewers have seen before!

THE DIVINE SISTER ’s six-member cast plays nine roles.

J Purnell Hargrove plays Mother Superior, and they are masterful in portraying the unconventional spiritual figure of St. Veronica’s with a past that sneaks up on her out of the blue.

Mother Superior is both hard-core and soft, making for a complicated character that Hargrove easily and humorously carries off. It’s hard not to love Mother Superior, and that’s due to Hargrove’s believable characterization and embodiment. When Mother Superior reconnects with Jeremy, a man from her past, it seems like romance might pull her away from her calling. That’s too be seen, but meanwhile she also reconnects with two individuals in her circle who round out Mother Superior’s need for love and affirmation.

Every Mother Superior needs a right-hand Sister. That role falls to Sister Acacius played by Holly Pasciullo . Sister Acacius, who has a decades long friendship with Mother Superior that pre-dates their spiritual conversions and calls, will have some theatergoers clutching their pearls because she is saved—but not delivered. Pasciullo hams it up to play a feisty, lusty, and loyal nun who has her priorities in the right place but could possibly use some help taming her flesh. When a decades- old deception unravels, she must admit her astonishing role in it and why it matters now. When a misunderstanding fractures her friendship with Mother Superior, it may take heaven’s help to reconnect the women.

Then there’s Agnes, played by Morgan Wenerick . Agnes is a postulant desiring to be used for divine purposes.

She sees herself as both a divine healer and as someone with a unique link to Jesus through religious visions and perhaps an ancient familial connection. Is it God or is it delusion? Whatever the answer, and audiences get it by play’s end, Agnes is on the brink of losing her faith due to unbelievable circumstances. Wenerick brings audiences into Agnes’ tortured faith journey making them hope for a divinely (or humanly) orchestrated intervention to help Agnes regain her spiritual footing.

Mark Kozlowski plays roles as Brother Venerius and Jeremy. Brother Venerius belongs to a religious order in Berlin with mysterious roots and theology. On the other hand, Jeremy, is a blast from Mother Superior’s pre-conversion romantic past.

A handsom scout for Hollywood, he comes to the convent in search of Sister Agnes in hopes of taking her intriguing story to the big screen. Unexpectedly, his visit unearths a present-day connection to Mother Superior that was previously hidden from them years ago. As that mystery unfolds, Jeremy is eager to reconnect with Mother Superior romantically, but will it work? Can he steal her away from God? Inquiring minds want to know, and theatergoers must be patient to learn the outcome.

Rounding out the cast are Melissa Baniste r and Maeve Koch .

Banister plays rich benefactor Mrs. Levinson, an self-proclaimed atheist who initially has little interest in investing in St. Veronica’s until a previously unknown connection to someone at the convent is unveiled. She also plays young Timothy, who has an essential role in the play’s final scene.

Koch plays Sister Walburga and Mrs. Mcduffie. Sister Walburga is German—and dangerously interested in St. Veronica and its people. She’s a touch cookie to crack and has nefarious plans up her habit’s sleeve. She, too, has a secret that unfolds and it’s nearly deadly for other characters! Mrs. Mcduffie, meanwhile, drops a truth bomb about Mother Superior’s path that leads to unexpected twists and turns.

Understudies are Michael Kranic (dual roles for Brother Venerius and Jeremy) and Gracie Sciannella (for Agnes).

THE DIVINE SISTER wraps up Vagabond Players’ 110th Season. With its dose of satire, mix of comedic references to famous classics, dash of irreverent humor, and sprinkles of mystery, it’s a winning recipe for a divine theater trip.

THE DIVINE SISTER runs through this weekend at Vagabond Players, 806 S. Broadway. 5426 See it on Friday or Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Sunday’s closing matinee is at 2:00 p.m. Regular tickets are $25; Students/Seniors/Military (with ID) are $22. Purchase tickets at VagabondPlayers.org or call (410) 563-9135.

Get an Alert Each Time Lisa A. Crayton Writes

Videos

Baltimore SHOWS

Recommended For You

Sign up for announcements, and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows!

© 2026 - Copyright Wisdom Digital Media , all rights reserved. Privacy Policy

_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/baltimore/article/Review-THE-DIVINE-SISTER-at-Vagabond-Players-20260619)._