Sister Act the Musical

[PatrickDC]

I’ve lately been listening to the SISTER ACT recording. I love the original movie, and love nearly all of the recording: don’t care for the gangster and Eddie numbers, but the ensemble choir numbers are great.

I’m surprised it didn’t run longer. The source material is well-known and liked. The story can be enjoyed by various generations, i.e., it’s a show you could take your grandmother to. Aside from the gangster element and mob murder at the beginning, it’s fairly mild content. The music is engaging and fun (in my opinion). With so many people today questioning religion and wanting the Church to adapt to modern times, the conflict between Deloris and the Mother Superior likely resonates with many people.

If you saw it on Broadway or the West End, did you enjoy it? Any memories?

[CATSNYrevival]

I saw the tour and I thought it was fun. The show is different now from the original London cast recording. There are a few new songs that were written for Broadway and then didn't get recorded because there was no original Broadway cast recording. I can understand not liking "Lady in the Long Black Dress" on the album, but if you saw it in the theatre it was pretty funny.

[SpookyFish13]

I saw the show on broadway in 2012 with Raven Symone in the lead role. It was a fun show, but ultimately a bit forgettable, which I think is why it didn't last too long on broadway in the first place. 

Aren't they remaking the movie? I could see that bringing some momentum back to the musical. If they were still doing those TV live productions I could see Sister Act being a good fit, but I think after the Jlo "Bye Bye Birdie: Live!" never materialized, I can't see them doing another anytime soon.... 

[Jarethan]

Based on the reviews it received, I expected it to run for years.  Then I saw it and enjoyed it, but didn't remember it two days later, except for a couple of costume changes that were really good.  

I think the problem with it was that it wasn't sufficiently better than the movie, which already had music, and whose songs were better than the show (reminder: they were classic songs with new lyrics).  But, I did enjoy it...never saw a need to see it a second time, which is a pretty good barometer for me.

[Jordan Catalano]

Yeah, when you have a movie as well known and loved as this one, you need to find some way to elevate the material which the musical could never do. The score was fine in certain places and a real dud in others.
It just never made its case for why it needed to exist, if that makes sense.

[LizzieCurry]

I saw it in previews (I think toward the end of previews) and thought it was fun, but hollow. The cast was fantastic, especially Patina Miller. But I kept waiting for the show itself to spark, and for me, it never did. I couldn't remember any of the songs when I stepped out of the theatre.

[Jarethan]

The real question:why did it get such terrific reviews?  I really thought it would run for at least five years after I saw those reviews.

[ljay889]

I thought it was a lot of fun, and the Broadway version of the score is leagues better than the London recording. It's a shame they didn't re-record it. 

[CATSNYrevival]

ljay889 said: "I thought it was a lot of fun, and the Broadway version of the score is leagues better than the London recording. It's a shame they didn't re-record it."

I still don't understand why they didn't re-record it. They license it out now and still send the London cast recording with no reference for "Haven't Got a Prayer" or the rest of the new material.

[seaweedjstubbs]

It’s one of my personal favorites. I got to see Patina Miller’s final performance on Broadway and the energy was electric. As someone who didn’t grow up watching the movie, I wasn’t constantly making comparisons to it throughout the show, which probably helped me enjoy it more. I personally think the Broadway production was just too big. The show has real heart, but it got lost in the barn that is the Broadway theatre. I’ve also been a part of a few productions of the show, and I can say from experience that it plays better in smaller houses.

If only the show had opened the prior season, it might have had a shot at winning Best Musical. Lord knows I’d rather see Sister Act 100 more times before sitting through Memphis again. Unfortunately, it opened the same season as Book of Mormon and never had a prayer. At least it’s doing well with regional productions popping up everywhere! Looking forward to what Papermill Playhouse does with it in April!

Also, there’s going to be a new tour going out in the UK, but this time Deloris will be the age she is in the movie. Apparently Whoopi Goldberg is involved in this production as well. Interested to see if any changes are made to the script/score.

[CapnHook]

This is one of those shows where I wouldn't mind a revival 5 years from now. This musical was immensely fun.

[CATSNYrevival]

seaweedjstubbs said: "Also, there’s going to be a new tour going out in the UK, but this time Deloris will be the age she is in the movie. Apparently Whoopi Goldberg is involved in this production as well. Interested to see if any changes are made to the script/score."

Maybe we’ll get a new cast album this time!

[ACL2006]

The show didn't have good word-of-mouth. People were expecting the movie on stage. Whoopi stated several times that in order to get the rights to the Motown & R&B hits that the movie used, it would have cost a fortune. I personally loved it outside of the numbers for the gangsters. I hope to see it at Papermill.

[uncageg]

I ended up seeing it 3 times on Broadway with Patina. Had a blast all 3 times.

[Princeton2]

I really enjoyed it, saw it twice in London (once with OLC and once when Whoopi joined the cast). Its a fun show with some great songs (and some average). Patina Millers performance will remain one of the greatest performances I've seen in a musical, it was a real moment of seeing a star being born on stage. She really owned the stage.

I think the changes hurt it from reaching the films fanbase and I also think it was over produced. It didnt need the massive set or the huge Palladium. if they had opted for a slightly smaller scale and a more medium sized theatre it could probably have lasted longer

[SweetLips22]

Saw it in London. Remember hating the gangsters, remember nothing else other than I saw it.

[nealb1]

Saw the show in London 10 years ago and loved it.  Lots of changes when it came to New York.  Saw it in NY over a dozen times.  Patina Miller was just so damn good.  Great score, and just a whole lot of fun.  You walk out of the theatre feeling good, and that's what it's all about - enjoying yourself. 

[Valentina3]

Patina Miller should really be on Broadway right now. So many great roles right now she'd be perfect for. If nothing else, maybe she can be Miranda in the Prada musical.

[BwayLB]

CATSNYrevival said: "I saw the tour and I thought it wasfun. The show is different now from the original London cast recording. There are a few new songs that were written for Broadway and then didn't get recorded because there was no original Broadway cast recording. I can understand not liking "Lady in the Long Black Dress" on the album, but if you saw it in the theatre it was pretty funny."

I saw the US tour as well. I was npt ready for the songs to sound different from the London cast recording.

[sephyr]

It was the first Broadway show I saw in the theater. I loved the ensemble numbers and Deloris's numbers. I remember having a strong reaction to Chester Gregory's big number. He was amazing! I thought the show was fun and heartwarming. The title number had me in tears and I love when they all came together to protect her. I actually think it's a great show and I was sad they didn't rerecord it. They could've got Raven to do it and use that as a selling point.

[JBroadway]

I saw this on Broadway when I was a teenager. Back then, I used to like basically every show I saw...and yet, this one really didn't do anything for me at all. I remember finding it really bland, and to be honest I nearly fell asleep. 

Before I lived here, I used to take trips to NYC a couple times a year for a Broadway marathon. I had no strong desire to see Sister Act, but I squeezed it in because I wanted to see Carolee Carmello live (I had recently gotten into the Parade cast album). Little did I know that I'd have plenty of chances to see her in plenty of shows in the following years. Meanwhile, the revival of Death of a Salesman was playing at the time, and my naive, teenage self didn't even think to see Death of a Salesman with Philip Seymour Hoffman instead of Sister Act with Carolee Carmello. One of my great theatre-related regrets. 

[bk]

I have no idea what they did after Pasadena, but the show at Pasadena was, in fact, one of the worst things I've ever seen.  Had I not known so many people attending opening night, I would have bailed at intermission.  Everything was terrible - nothing landed.  And Beth Malone, the best thing in the show, had the best number in the show - but her character never earned having that kind of number and as far as I'm concerned, nothing else in the score came close to the power of that number - so, that's a real problem right there.

[ljay889]

I would imagine the Broadway production resembled very little from the Pasadena tryout, aside from a few songs. The Broadway production had a completely new book from start to finish by Douglas Carter Beane, although the original book writers got to the keep their main credit. Beane's new book was fun and witty, and very different from the corny sitcom writing of the original book.