Sister Act
The Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway)
Previews Begin: March 24, 2011
Opening Night: April 20, 2011
Producers Whoopi Goldberg and Stage Entertainment present the Broadway musical SISTER ACT, which began preview performances on March 24, 2011 and officially opened on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at the Broadway Theater (1681 Broadway).
Elisabeth Vincentelli of The New York Post calls SISTER ACT, "One of the season's happiest surprises! Off the charts and packed with goodies, to which we say: Amen!" Joe Dziemianowicz of The New York Daily News raves "A blessed event has landed on Broadway. Sister Act is a feel-good crowd pleaser worth celebrating. It keeps on purring from one happy moment to the next." Charles Isherwood of The New York Times says, "When the wimples start quivering and the nuns start rocking to raise the Gothic rafters, all's right in the kingdom of musical comedy!" and Mark Kennedy of The Associated Press calls SISTER ACT, "In a word, divine. This is a musical that hits all the right spots, achieving something close to Broadway grace. It will convert you."
SISTER ACT received five 2011 Tony Award nominations: BEST MUSICAL, BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (Alan Menken (music)/ Glenn Slater (lyrics)), BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL (Cheri & Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane), BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (Patina Miller) and BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (Victoria Clark).
The Broadway company of SISTER ACT features Raven-Symoné as Deloris Van Cartier, Carolee Carmello as Mother Superior, Fred Applegate as Monsignor, Sarah Bolt as Sister Mary Patrick, John Treacy Egan as Joey, Demond Green as TJ, Chester Gregory as Eddie, Kingsley Leggs as Curtis, Marla Mindelle as Sister Mary Robert, Audrie Neenan as Sister Mary Lazarus and Caesar Samayoa as Pablo.
SISTER ACT features an original score with music by multi-Academy, Grammy and Golden Globe Award-winning composer Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and Enchanted), lyrics by Tony and Academy Award-nominee Glenn Slater (The Little Mermaid), and a book by multi-Emmy Award winners Cheri and Bill Steinkellner ("Cheers") with additional book material by Tony and Olivier Award nominee Douglas Carter Beane (Xanadu, The Little Dog Laughed).
Directed on Broadway by four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks (Guys and Dolls, A Funny Thing…Forum, Smokey Joe's Café), the production features choreography by Tony and Olivier Award nominee Anthony Van Laast (Mamma Mia, Bombay Dreams) and is based on the Touchstone Pictures motion picture Sister Act written by Joseph Howard.
SISTER ACT tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier, a wannabe disco diva whose life takes an unexpected turn when she witnesses a crime and the cops hide her in the last place anyone would think to look—a convent! Under the suspicious watch of Mother Superior, Deloris helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she unexpectedly rediscovers her own. A sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship, SISTER ACT features an original Alan Menken/Glenn Slater score with a vast inspiration of musical styles from Motown, soul and funk to great big disco anthems and Barry White inspired musical comedy.
SISTER ACT features scenery by Klara Zieglerova, costumes by Lez Brotherston, lighting by Natasha Katz, and sound by John Shivers. The music department includes Musical Supervisor Michael Kosarin, Music Director Brent-Alan Huffman, and orchestrations by Doug Besterman.