Sister Act

Maybe it's because of the economy, which has elicited daily comparisons to—and discussions of—the Great Depression/WWII era. Or maybe it was just the retro red bodice dresses that the Puppini Sisters were wearing. Either way, it was easy for me to be swept into the feeling that I was in a 1940s cabaret hall last night.

I wasn't completely sure what to expect going into the performance by the Puppini Sisters at the South Orange Performing Arts Center—buying the tickets was a last-minute plan to celebrate Valentines Day early, and their website write-up just seemed intriguing.

Once Marcella Puppini, Stephanie O'Brien, and Kate Mullins took the stage, though, I was blown away.

The  glamorous trio—backed up by a stellar guitarist in a flat cap, drummer in suspenders, and bassist in a Sundance Kid-like suit—had perfectly harmonious voices, singing old-time numbers ("In the Mood" and "Mr. Sandman," among others) and turning newer hits into old-fashioned burlesque tunes (Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive," Blondie's "Heart of Glass," and Beyonce's "Crazy In Love," for example). Woven in between were original songs written by the group, such as "I Can't Believe I'm Not a Millionaire" and "Right Key, Wrong Keyhole" (use your imagination on that one) and witty banter. Their encore? "Walk Like an Egyptian." And their talent wasn't limited to their gorgeous voices and coordinated hip swings and arm motions—at times, Puppini played the accordion, O'Brien the violin, and Mullins the melodica.

The singers, who met at London's Trinity College of Music (and call themselves the Puppini Sisters as a nod to the Andrews Sisters), are just making their way into U.S. touring territory. They count Prince Charles, Robert De Niro, and Ozzy Osbourne among their fans. And now they can count me—and, I'm sure, the few hundred toe-tapping, finger-snapping people in the SOPAC audience—too.

Tags: Essex County | South Orange | Puppini Sisters | South Orange Performing Arts Center