MARSHALL, Mich.–Cornwell’s Dinner Theatre here knows its audience. This fourth-generation family-run business offers folks the kind of experience that’s hard to find elsewhere: a full-service down-home turkey dinner likely tastier and more pleasant than Grandma used to make followed by high-quality entertainment that speaks to their sensibilities and generously invites them in with open arms.

As is always the case with theater, it’s a collaborative effort to be sure, though it’s Producer and Director Dennis W. McKeen is largely responsible for bringing in church groups and crowds on buses from retirement communities time and time again. Old Time Religion, the spring offering, is his 35th original work in his 19 years running the show, and it not only delighted Friday’s afternoon crowd of Baptists and Lutherans and other senior citizens, it got them hooting and hollering and singing along—even at 3 p.m. after a heavy dose of tryptophan and pie.

The title says it all—it’s a jukebox gospel musical of hymns, spirituals, and Christian pop songs strung together with just enough story to allow the exceptional cast of four to create lovable characters who make you want to hear them sing and just enough choreography to keep things moving.

Not because it’s a great script; like most jukebox musicals, it’s because the music is beloved and performed with great talent and passion.

Set in the 1930s, the story goes that worrywart Debbie is trying to save her family church from foreclosure by putting on a fundraiser. She hired big personality Maggie from out of town to sing, but Maggie’s band’s instruments were destroyed in transit by pickle juice, so she’s flying solo until ditzy and endearingly innocent Darla turns up out of the blue to play the piano. It’s good Christian Charles’ first day on the job as a tax collector, not unlike the Bible’s Zacchaeus, and he’s come to bring good news, but he keeps getting distracted by starry-eyed Darla’s advances and getting roped into performing feel-good songs.

But sing they certainly can. From “Jesus Loves Me” to “This Little Light of Mine” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” among other well-worn child-pleasing ditties to spiritually-themed pop and gospel songs from well-known artists such as Stevie Wonder’s “Have a Talk With God,” Mahalia Jackson’s “His Eye Is On the Sparrow,” Anne Murray’s “Put Your Hand In the Hand,” and Alison Krauss’s “I’ll Fly Away.” This is but a smattering of the nearly 25 numbers in this 90-minute two-act show accompanied by recorded piano and some percussion orchestrated by Linda Misad that offer Bible teachings and life lessons.

Music Director Heather McCall is a sweet-faced, sweet-voiced Debbie who brings humor with her excellent comedic timing and misplaced anger at the undeniably charming Charles, who, played with perfect restraint by Cody Cobb, has a beautifully rich, warm voice and presence. Kaleigh Jackson’s Darla is a lovable goofball, and Natasha Ricketts’ Maggie is so bold and inviting she receives spontaneous amens! from the audience, and rolls beautifully with the punches of audience participation with great improvisational skill. And her take on Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High On That Mountain” is so powerful and goosebump- if not tear-inducing it’s as if she’s channeling Lady Gaga.

The cast is simply a delight to watch as they all make more of the characters than they’re given. Together they create gorgeous harmonies, fun scenes that are often better than they should be, and plenty of moments of surprising soulfulness.

Despite the limitations of the book, the show (and the overall experience at Cornwell’s) generally has the effect its titular song—made most notable by Johnny Cash—proclaims: it’s good enough for me and makes me love everybody.

Clic here for details about seeing this show at Turkeyville.