Sister! Sister! - 1992 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 17

Mercury Theater Chicago returns with SISTER ACT - and it's pure musical theater elation. This 'Joyful, Joyful' (SISTER ACT II reference intended) production, with direction from Reneisha Jenkins and choreography by Mercury's new Artistic Director Christopher Chase Carter, meets the goal of delighting audiences. This is musical theater that's designed to entertain and not make audiences think too deeply, and Mercury's production capitalizes on the show's capacity for fun. While the material is not at all serious, the talent in this company is stacked, and the actors take their responsibility to deliver this fun seriously.

While the large-scale musical tends to receive the most attention from audiences, oftentimes it's the small musicals that speak to us in the most impactful ways. For fans of emotional one act musicals and cult-classic Off-Broadway shows, we're rounding up what we think are some of the best small cast musicals out there!

The Louisville Orchestra Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Graham Parker as Interim Executive Director. Mr. Parker comes to Louisville from his recently concluded tenure as President of Decca Records, US, at Universal Music Group.

From Coming to America to Crazy Rich Asians, see our picks for the films we would most like to see get the movies to Broadway treatment!

In 1992, a movie called Sister Act, delighted audiences with its plot and its soundtrack of classic rock and roll music. In 2006, that same story of a lounge singer on the run from her hitman boyfriend was turned into a musical.

Casting has been announced for the first Mainstage production of the 2021-2022 Mercury Theater Chicago season, Sister Act, based on the 1992 film. Sister Act features music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater, and book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellne, and Douglas Carter Beane. 

In 1983, Sally Ride, or as proclaimed in the play, “She should be called Dr. Ride,” an Astrophysicist became the first and youngest American woman in Space aboard the Orbiter Challenger. Liza Birkenmeier’s play is not about Sally Ride, even though her name is mentioned throughout the 85 minutes. However, under the veil of the ’80s in St. Louis, Missouri we meet four women living out their lives and by a matter of opinion telling stories that boldly go where none of them have gone before so to speak. At its heart, Birkenmeier’s script is compelling, enlightening, and stunning from top to bottom, a true marvel of live theatre. In her script, we get to meet characters that are not as often displayed on-stage, and that is what makes this show so endearing. Being that this show is set in the 80’s smartphones, and other things like social media, don’t exist yet; which renders the compelling humanity shown throughout the script. It’s a breath of fresh air as we learn of these women, and how they may or may not enjoy their current way of life, and yet so different in a matter of opinions and lifestyle they are all one and the same.

In Monarch, reigning King of Country Music Albie Roman (Adkins), along with his insanely talented, but tough as nails wife, Queen of Country Music Dottie Cantrell Roman (Sarandon), have created a country music dynasty. But even though the Roman name is synonymous with authenticity, the very foundation of their success is a lie.

New developments are in the works for the third installment of the Sister Act franchise.

Following last night's reopening, Disney's Aladdin on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre has announced that tonight's performance has been canceled due to breakthrough Covid-19 cases detected within the company.

Disney’s Aladdin will reopen on Broadway tonight at the New Amsterdam Theatre. New production photos are available, featuring the show’s new Aladdin and Jasmine, Michael Maliakel and Shoba Narayan, along with returning cast member Michael James Scott as Genie.

The WYO Performing Arts & Education Center will present the stage production of Disney's Newsies Wednesday October 20 - Saturday October 23 at 7:30pm and Sunday October 24 at 2pm. The community performance will take place over the course of five consecutive days without the opening Gala fundraising event the Saturday prior.

The LAKEWOOD PLAYHOUSE, re-opened to public performances, opens its 83rd Season main stage with the third installment of Neil Simon's semi-autobiographical trilogy, Broadway Bound. Lakewood Playhouse previously produced the first two installments, Brighton Beach Memoirs in its 80th season, and Biloxi Blues in season 81.

RUN RIGHT DOWN TO SEE THIS SHOW RIGHT NOW! To quote my students, “This show is ridiculous, and we laughed so hard.” Like a farce on speed, DISASTER! is like riding a freight train over rough terrain, hanging on for dear life until the engineer finally puts on the brakes. This show is so nutritionally dense, you will want to consume it more than once. No laugh is unmined here. Every beat is crammed with hilarity. If you don’t laugh when you see this show, you need to have your humorous attended to.

Hennepin Theatre Trust announced that Minne-Musicals, a free, ticketed theatrical event, will be arriving at The Hennepin (900 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis) and The Chambers Hotel (901 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis) on Friday, Sep. 10 - Sunday, Sep. 12 at 6:30 p.m.

The Gateway will open NEWSIES to fully vaccinated audiences beginning August 25th at Patchogue Theatre. The entire company including all actors, musicians, technical support personnel, directors, designers, box office and admin staff have all been fully vaccinated for Covid-19. 

Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre is seizing the day with the high-energy Disney hit musical Newsies. New to the Beef & Boards stage, this Tony-winning show is now on stage through Oct. 3.

Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre seizes the day starting Thursday with the high-energy Disney hit musical Newsies. New to the Beef & Boards stage, this Tony-winning show will be on stage through Oct. 3.

Baltimore Center Stage has announced the complete 2021/22 Season, featuring artists such as Noah Diaz, Will Davis, Anna Deavere Smith, Nicole Brewer, R. Eric Thomas, Stevie Walker-Webb, Eliana Pipes, Laurie Woolery, Anne Carson, Mike Donahue and Diana Oh

Disney's Newsies, presented by The Gateway, will be the first full-scale professional production at the Patchogue Theatre since shutting down due to the pandemic. It will run from August 25 through September 11th.

The League of Chicago Theatres announces the long-awaited reopening of the robust Chicago theatre industry.

The 5th Avenue Theatre announced today the five writing teams representing BIPOC writers of all gender identities, women writers, transgender writers, gender non-conforming writers, and non-binary writers that have been selected to receive a First Draft Commission in the second cycle of its new musical development program, First Draft: Raise Your Voice.

Acclaimed Black Filipinx playwright and Kilroys List honoree Roger Q. Mason (they/them) is currently premiering their play The Duat with the renowned Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, presented in association with the Obie Award-winning The Fire This Time Festival and Watts Village Theater Company.

BroadwayWorld is checking in with theaters around the country as they prepare to reopen this summer. Next in our series we check in with Barrington Stage Company Artistic Director Julianne Boyd.

“THE BODYGUARD on stage sounds fun,” I thought, “but is there really anybody in Winter Garden who can handle Whitney Houston songs for two whole hours?” It turns out there are at least two people up to the task, and The Garden’s got them both...