It's Official: Raven-Symone Joins SISTER ACT Mar. 27; Patina Miller Departs Mar. 18- Page 3

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/28/12 at 7:07am

Because selling a few extra tix at 40 bucks does nothing for their bottom line. They have policies about discounted tix and adhere to them.

To repeat another poster: if they just sold all the tix at a last minute discount, they'd never get anyone to buy in advance, at full price.

[Marlothom]

Posted: 3/28/12 at 9:40am

Thinking more about this today - I think the biggest difference with Raven is that she plays younger than Patina did. I don't know if they mention Dolores' age in the show, but certainly Whoopi gave it an older vibe and I always thought Patina played it like someone who has been through the ringer and had life experience that colors what she does, what she says, how she approaches things.

Raven reads like young woman just starting out and getting her first big life lesson. I think the one that benefits the most by this is Chester Gregory. Their characters went to high school together, so this immediately makes his character younger. This makes the whole, "sweaty eddie" nervous cop routine much easier to digest. The relationship between Dolores and Mary Patrick is also a bit different now, it is two young women, discovering their own way. The only negative of this is the relationship with Curtis, a little creepy.

[sbflyfan]

Posted: 3/28/12 at 10:36am

Does she have a foot injury right now, or is she just Raven being Raven, wearing two different colors of shoes?

[phantom39]

Posted: 3/28/12 at 10:54am

Caught her first performance. Raven is the best SISTER ACT could have hoped for. Great timing, and she's in very good voice.. not to mention she's the name they needed. Here's hoping the show will see better weeks following this surprisingly great stunt casting.

[Joviedamian]

Posted: 3/28/12 at 9:32pm

I can see some of the quotes now:

Sister Act is so "Raven"!

Sister Act is "Raven" with Joy!

Let the "Raven begin--Sister Act!

[AlfieByrne]

Posted: 3/29/12 at 11:22am

Did they lower the keys for Raven?

[Marlothom]

Posted: 3/29/12 at 11:36am

I don't believe so - I remember waiting for the first, "you are simply too divine" in Take Me to Heaven (opening) and it sounded like the original key. She struggles with some of the lower notes and towards the end, she is a bit shouty. The title number, was probably the one letdown.

Updated On: 3/29/12 at 11:36 AM

[wicked4l]

Posted: 3/29/12 at 2:17pm

None of the keys were lowered. But yeah, Raven struggled on the lower notes, the opposite of what I thought she would have had problems with. I really enjoyed her performance, she, as well as the rest of the cast, seemed to have a blast up there. I really recommend going back to see her.

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 3/29/12 at 11:48pm

Saw the show tonight. Wicked4l and Marlothom hit the nail on the head. She takes a very different take on the role, and makes her more cute and girly as opposed to sexy. She makes it work for her though. She looked fantastic and her wig is fuller and longer than what Patina's was, which I enjoyed. She sings the last note in Fabulous Baby better than any of the other women I've heard do it --live:Patina and Rashidra Promotion Recording: Kimberly-- it's incredibly crisp and clear which is different, in the best way possible, from how I've previously heard it. All of the higher stuff I was incredibly impressed with, but the title song was awful. She really nails all the high notes though. She also stumbled on a few lines, but nothing major.

She was really funny, and I loved her performance. I didn't really care for Patina, but I missed the way she delivered 2 or 3 lines. I'm only hoping that she will get better because if she does, she'll be absolutely fantastic.

Random: Raven's name is above the title, and she does stage door. Her body guard says she won't take pictures, but if you ask her she will. Also, Marla hit a HUGE crack in "Raise Your Voice" and I was shocked, she always nails that number. I thought there would be an announcement announcing an understudy because everyone in the audience noticed and talked about it at intermission. She continued the show and did fine. I've never heard someone crack that noticeably in a broadway show before. No diss to her, she's human and very talented, but the fact still remains. Also, the playbills are black and white now. They were in color not too long ago.

Updated On: 3/30/12 at 11:48 PM

[Marlothom]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 12:26am

Glad you liked it. I love the youthful energy Raven brings to the show - the cast seems to acknowledge that too in the After Party video from Tuesday.

Marla seemed off when I saw the show Tuesday - she was hitting her high notes as though she was eating a very big apple which was very different than the other times I saw her.

That middle of the second act is a bit of a wreck, and it got by before with a truly gifted singer (Patina) but I wish they would do something to jazz it up or something for Raven. That entire Bless this show - Fabulous Baby Reprise - Sister Act section really weighs the show down.

[THDavis]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 10:04am

I feel like act two starts off strong, but it never really gets picked back up after "Lady In The Long Black Dress." I was disappointed that the title song was such a bore.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 3/30/12 at 5:05pm

Raven mentions the near-wardrobe malfunction in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXCEURLYIs4

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 4/4/12 at 7:26pm

I had the pleasure of seeing Raven over the weekend, and she was absolutely fantastic.

As others have said, her upper range is surprisingly strong. They've raised some of the keys in order to accommodate her (I noticed it on the title song, "Spread The Love Around," and her solo lines in "Raise Your Voice,") and she sounded terrific throughout. For someone who's never done theater before, I was most impressed with how much originality she brought to the role. While she could have easily copied the choices of her predecessor, she's chosen to go in a radically different direction and completely make it her own. The night I saw it, the house was very enthusiastic, and they ate up every single thing she did. She definitely goes for the comedy in a big way.

It's funny that so many people (including the cast) are commenting that she comes off so much younger than Patina Miller, because Patina's actually only a year older than Raven. I don't think it's so much how she looks as it is her energy, which never stops. I felt like Patina's Deloris came into the convent very skeptical and almost pessimistic, but Raven's Deloris is beaming with confidence and attitude from the get-go. It makes the whole tone of the character feel very, very different, and the company is clearly being reinvigorated by the changes.

She can still settle in a bit more, but I think she'll only improve with time. The biggest thing they need to work with her on is to play the straighter scenes with more sincerity. I'm sure it's because of her history with doing so much broad comedy, but she overplays almost all of the moments that require genuine emotion, like the title song and the final scene with Mother Superior (which happens to be my favorite scene in the show.) When she needs to be funny, she's hilarious, but that same investment and dedication needs to translate to the moments where you're actually supposed to feel something for Deloris, and that's not happening quite yet. The character really goes on a journey, and I think that could be much more profound. Given how good she is otherwise, I don't doubt that it's something well within her reach.

She seems like she's having an absolute blast up there, and I'm really happy for the show that her casting has worked out so well. She's got star quality to spare, and I look forward to going back in a few months to catch her again.

Updated On: 4/4/12 at 07:26 PM

[jamiekennywicked]

Posted: 4/7/12 at 9:28am

Has anyone heard anything more about the rumored cast album featuring Raven?

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/7/12 at 9:39am

Pretty sure the cast recording thing is just a rumor. Sarah Bolt tweeted last week that the chances for a cast recording are "slim to none."

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/7/12 at 10:46am

As of right now, there are no plans for a cast recording, per a member of the company.

[Kevn520]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 12:21pm

I think the fact that threads are being deleted, as well as posts, is a little suspicious.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 12:24pm

Where'd my post go?! It was positive! I said how this thread was Raven! It was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO RAVEN.

Edited for O's 'cause I'm a good sport.

Updated On: 4/10/12 at 12:24 PM

[Kevn520]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 12:28pm

Where else will talk about her triumphant return to Sister Act tonight.