SISTER ACT Makes Philly Premiere at Academy of Music in April

SISTER ACT, the family friendly, over the top spectacle with nuns that rock, opens at the Academy of Music on April 2 - 7 for a limited engagement as part of the Broadway Season, presented by The Kimmel Center and The Shubert Organization. The press opening is Tuesday, April 2 at 7:30 pm.

Tickets ranging in price from $25 to $110 are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at kimmelcenter.org/broadway, at the Kimmel Center box office, Broad & Spruce Sts. (open daily 10 am to 6 pm) or at the Academy of Music box office, Broad & Locust Sts. (open during performances only). Groups of 10 or more will receive discounts for select performances by calling 215-790-5883 or 866-276-2947. Performances include: Tuesday - Thursday evening at 7:30 pm; Friday & Saturday evening at 8:00 pm; Sunday evening at 6:30 pm; matinees Saturday at 2:00 pm and Sunday at 1:00 pm.

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).

Also, Philadelphia resident & Temple University graduate Ta'Rea Campbell stars in the lead role as 'Deloris!'

SISTER ACT is produced by Whoopi Goldberg, Stage Entertainment and Troika Entertainment, featuring 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.

When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place cops are sure she won't be found - a convent! Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and an uptight Mother Superior. Using her fabulous disco-ness and killer voice to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church, but in doing so blows her cover. Soon it's nun-on-the-run time but she finds salvation in the heavenly power of her newly found sisterhood. Based on the mega-hit feature film, 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.
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."
For more information, please visit www.sisteractthemusical.com

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