Sister Act

Image Source: ATG

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Comedy
Date: October 10 2016
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre, Liverpool, England

Based on the 1992 film, the musical version of Sister Act tells the same story as the movie, with only some minor changes at certain points. After Deloris Van Cartier (Alexandra Burke), a singer as part of an up-and-coming band, witnesses her former boyfriend and band mate Curtis (Aaron Lee Lambert) shoot a fellow band member to death in anger and frustration, Deloris confesses about the incident to the local police department. In order to protect her safety and identity, she is sent to the local church, with the idea of her simply hiding out there for a period of time. But her loud, boisterous and outspoken, yet largely positive, nature riles up Mother Superior (Karen Mann), whose quiet, conservative and traditional approach to the running of the church and the guidance of the nuns is a great contrast to the lifestyle of Deloris. Partly to protect her and partly in an attempt to try and change her ways, Mother Superior transforms Deloris into Sister Mary Clarence.

After a near-miss when Deloris/Clarence ventures to a local bar, with several nuns following her as back-up and with her arch-nemesis and co in attendance (she only avoids disaster when her identity is confused with that of a local drag queen), Mother Superior is furious, and feels that the only way to keep an eye on Deloris/Clarence is to take advantage of her musical skills and have her join the choir band with her fellow nuns. I should mention that the vocal skills of the nuns are like hearing cats screaming, or something akin to a bad X-Factor audition (sadly for the X-Factor hopefuls, the performers in this show are deliberately singing badly). That all changes when Deloris/Clarence joins them and, soon, they become a genuinely talented and exciting choir band, although Mother Superior is further ruffled by the fact that the band use not-so-religious dance moves and the use of funky instruments, which is far from the gentle, holy nature of regular choir music. Yet it brings in larger attendances for masses than ever before, so much so that they are set to perform in front of the Pope. However, Curtis and friends are edging ever closer to finding Deloris, due to her fame rising, and Mother Superior looks to seize any opportunity she can to remove Deloris/Clarence from the church, which helps to set up a climactic finale. Oh, and there's "Sweaty" Eddie (Jon Robyns), a local police officer who helps to protect Deloris, but who also has a secret to tell her, dating back to their days together in college.

Visit our Theatre sub-page for full article by clicking here

Exciting star casting announced for Sister Act UK tour

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Alexandra Burke will be starring as ‘Deloris Van Cartier’ in the national tour of Curve’s all new production of the hit musical comedy Sister Act, directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood with musical supervision and arrangements by Tony award-winning Sarah Travis. Sister Act will open at Curve on Saturday July 30 2016.

Sister Act is at the Liverpool Empire from October 10-15 2016.

Visit our Theatre sub-page for full article by clicking here

Sister Act coming to the Liverpool Empire in Autumn 2016

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Jamie Wilson is delighted to announce a national tour of an all-new production of the hit musical comedy Sister Act, directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood with musical supervision and arrangements by Tony award-winning Sarah Travis. Sister Act will play the Liverpool Empire Theatre from Monday October 10-Saturday October 15 2016.

Tickets go on sale to ATG Theatre Card members on Monday August 3 2015 and on general sale on Wednesday August 5 2015.

Craig Revel Horwood, director and choreographer, commented: “I am truly thrilled to be directing and choreographing this all new production of Sister Act, a show I fell in love with when I saw it a few years ago. I am currently putting together a dream creative team, and I can’t wait to get started next year on this hilarious and wonderful show”.

Jamie Wilson, producer, added: “I am delighted to be presenting this all new production of Sister Act at both Curve, Leicester and on tour. I couldn’t think of a better theatre to be producing this show with and am thrilled Nikolai Foster and his team will be welcoming those singing nuns next summer!”

Nikolai Foster, artistic director of Curve, said: "It's been a great joy collaborating with Craig on Annie and having been inspired by many of his innovative productions as director, I know, along with Sarah’s inspired musical leadership, they will deliver an exhilarating and hugely original production at Curve".

Based on the smash-hit movie starring Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith, Sister Act tells the hilarious story of Deloris Van Cartier, a disco diva whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a murder. Under protective custody she is hidden in the one place she won’t be found – a Convent! Disguised as a nun and under the suspicious watch of Mother Superior, Deloris helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she unexpectedly rediscovers her own.

Sister Act features original music by the eight-time Oscar and Tony Award winner Alan Menken. Alan’s credits include the films and stage musicals of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid and Newsies as well as Tangled, Enchanted, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pocahontas and Hercules on film. His other credits include the film and stage production of Little Shop of Horrors.

Craig Revel Horwood is probably best known as a judge on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing. As a director and choreographer, his many credits include the recent all-star concert of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies at the Royal Albert Hall, Sunset Boulevard at the Comedy theatre in the West End, the national tours of Fiddler on the Roof, Spend Spend Spend and Chess (also Toronto) and The Witches of Eastwick, Martin Guerre and Copacabana, all at the Watermill Theatre. Craig also wrote and directed a brand new show Strictly Confidential that toured the UK, starring familiar faces from Strictly Come Dancing as well as the annual arena tours of Strictly Come Dancing. As a performer, his West End Theatre credits include Munkustrap in Cats at the New London Theatre; Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane; and Harry in Crazy for You at the Prince Edward Theatre. He is currently playing Miss Hannigan in the tour of Annie.

Sister Act has music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater, with a book by Cheri Steinkellner and Bill Steinkellner and additional book material by Douglas Carter Beane. It is based on the Touchstone Pictures movie Sister Act, written by Jacob Howard.

For more information, visit www.sisteractuktour.co.uk.