SISTER ACT Reviews- Page 5

[goldenboy]

Posted: 4/23/11 at 11:38am

Adam.. I truly am glad you liked them.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/23/11 at 11:53am

I have been humming those two songs also since I saw it 2 weeks ago.

As far as missing Whoopie well, it is a stage musical not the movie.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 4/23/11 at 12:49pm

Again. When you take material that is already estabished..such as a movie or a play you should IMPROVE on that material if you are making it a musical or in another medium.
Not make it pale in comparison to the original.

Otherwise what is the point?

for example.. The Women directed by George Cuckor is a brilliant classic. It was remade several times and never achieved the brilliance of the original

The Opposite Sex - a move musical starring June Allyson , Joan Collins and Agnes Moorehead was not nearly as good as the original The Women.

Again a few years ago they tried a movie version of The Women with Meg Ryan and
Deborah Messing. Again not nearly as good as the original.

Just show the classic original! The Women. The Movie Sister Act with Whoopi Goldberg

They keep trying to reinvent the Wizard of Oz. Do you really think we can improve on the Judy Garland original?

[ace33]

Posted: 4/25/11 at 2:55pm

I think the songs are VERY hummable (as most Alan Menken tunes are)... ironically, that was my only small gripe about the score because i couldn't help but feel like i was watching a Disney movie.

[ace33]

Posted: 4/25/11 at 2:59pm

I saw the show on 4/22 and thought patinas voice was weak. She has a great soulful register but could not project any high notes and they would often go nasal/headsy.

I had heard the London recording and loved it so i expected more out of her.

Has anyone else been recently? did i catch her on an off-night or is her voice starting to wear out?

[roadmixer]

Posted: 4/25/11 at 10:30pm

All of these comparisons to THE MOVIE are pointless. A MUSICAL is not a movie nor can it be or should it be. A movie is capable of fitting much more story and character development into the same time frame when you consider that a musical has more music/songs and pesky things like dance breaks, scenic transitions etc. etc. to fit into the same 2 hours. Comparing Patina Miller to Whoopi is as pointless. Are we really expecting a budding Broadway actress to be able to achieve the level of comic abilities of a stand-up comedienne? I completely disagree regarding 9 to 5 as well. Sister Act, as a piece of musical theater, is much better and this is demonstrated in the reviews which are much more positive than they were for 9 to 5.

[roadmixer]

Posted: 4/25/11 at 10:33pm

Also goldenboy, please don't try to re-write your history of slagging Sister Act with a toned-down version. I seem to recall that you had ventured that Sister Act would be the next Wonderland... that didn't happen so it would be nice if you acknowledged that.

[bwaydreamer]

Posted: 4/26/11 at 12:41pm

I have an idea. Lets take a beloved movie musical from the 90s and put it on broadway. But only on stage lets change the story, put it in another city, use generic disco music, and dumb down all the characters and relationships they have with each other. Brilliant!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/26/11 at 1:14pm

This thread seems a little TooDarnHot for me!

[Broadway Doctor]

Posted: 4/26/11 at 4:43pm

Will Patina Miller be the 8th African American actress to win the Best Actress (Musical) Tony?


Sister Acting...

[bwaydreamer]

Posted: 4/26/11 at 4:47pm

No. Sutton will win.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 4/27/11 at 10:15pm

I will admit the reviews were better than I predicted but the worst ones certainly echoed my take that it was not as good as the movie and they missed Whoopi in the Delores Van Cartier role.

When you take a move and make it a musical.. you had best improve on it. Or give it a new and dynamic take. They did not do this.

Cabaret improved on I am A camera.
Zorba improved on Zorba the Greek
Priscilla Queen of the desert improved on the movie.
Applause had a new take on All About Eve

The upcoming Wildhorn Bonnie and Clyde gives a new take on Bonnie and Clyde.

I reiterate as a Theatre Professor.. a Broadway Musical made from a movie MUST
improve on or add something new and dynamic to the original source.

Otherwise you are left with Georgy (Flop musical of Georgy Girl_) Henry Sweet Henry (Flop) Breakfast at Tiffany's (Flop) Carmelina (Flop musical of Buena Sera Mrs. Campbell) Ari (the musical Version of Exodus) Look to the Lillies (musical version of Lillies of the Field. and others.

Sister Act was lucky to avoid scathing reviews. The critics probably were looking for the "Light" after giving Wonderland a drubbing and felt next to Wonderland, Sister Act wasn't half bad. Timing is everything in life.

As bad as Wonderland was, I thought Sister Act was worse.

[brettystar]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 6:28am

No offence goldenboy but that is a really stupid perspective... why does it need to improve on the movie? I can understand if a director re made a non musical film version - then you the old best improve on it argument would be valid as there is already a great film version. This musical is an original so there is certainly no 'best improve on the movie' required. They are simply using another medium (musical numbers) to tell the same story.
All good that you did not enjoy it. I am seeing 7 shows on my next trip and from listening to the recording this is the one I am most looking forward to. I may be disappointed, but I am definitely not expecting to see 'Sister Act starring Whoopi Goldberg' on stage as only a deluded fool would be expecting to see that (or an imitation of her fine performance)... so I think I will be happy with the show overall.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 10:55am

I nearly agree with GoldenBoy's thought. I don't think you need to IMPROVE upon it, but you do (as he points out) bring something NEW to it. What is the point of bringing it to life in a new medium if you can't do that? Where is the creativity? What is the purpose?

One of the reasons I enjoyed the movie Chicago so much is the new take on it. (I know many of you hated it, but that isn't the point.) It took the show to a different level. Not an IMPROVED take, but a different take.

One of the reasons I didn't like Beauty and the Beast on b'way also backs up this idea. I felt it was ONLY the movie thrown on stage. Yes, it was really well done, but I OWN the movie for a fraction of the cost for the same result.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 6:22pm

Well Bretty After you see Sister Act, let me know if you would have been better off watching the film or what is now on the stage? Let me know if you would rather listen to the original Motwon hits in Sister Act or the new score of the Broadway Sister Act.

I think its foolish to judge anyone's opinion. I don't judge yours.
If you find you like the show... I am happy for you. I am happy for anyone who enjoys a show--even Sister Act. I think it's even more foolish to judge someone's opinion when you haven't even seen the show.

Back to the discussion and subject at hand.

There is no point in doing a show in another medium unless it
improves on the film or
has a different take.

How many times have you seen a film and said "the book was better" or seen a show on broadway and said "The Movie was better."?

There are many stage musicals that failed simply because they didn't improve on or reinvent the show:

Singing in the Rain
Georgy
Ari
Carrie
Look to the Lillies
Lovely Ladies Kind Gentelman
Even Victor Victoria paled to the movie with its original star! (but I still enjoyed it)
Hi Fidelity
Wedding Singer

All of the above were mediocre takes on their movie counterparts

Catch Me If you Can does actually reinvent the movie and puts a new take on it--- but unfortunately not in a way that works for most viewers)



All of the above were entertaining in part but not enough to become a really fine cohesive classic musical like Cabaret, Wicked, Book Of Mormon, Producers or put your classic here.

[JamieHT]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 6:53pm

I've seen both, and I much prefer the Musical to the Movie. It annoys me when people go to the Theatre expecting exactly what was in the film. I mean have they done any research before seeing it??! You may have got more laughs if Whoopi was still playing Deloris, but you certainly wouldn't have got the songs which I love so much more than the film.

I think they did have a different take on the film, they changed the year it was set, changed the songs, they expanded on the performances etc. I think they took a lot of risks. You may not think that they paid off, but I certainly do.

I think, personally, that Priscilla took fewer risks when it transferred to the Stage (the plot being identical and some of the songs being the same).

Updated On: 4/28/11 at 06:53 PM

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 6:59pm

I don't agree that Priscilla improved on the movie.

[brettystar]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 9:47pm

'Well Bretty After you see Sister Act, let me know if you would have been better off watching the film or what is now on the stage? Let me know if you would rather listen to the original Motwon hits in Sister Act or the new score of the Broadway Sister Act.'

I will be certain to post my thoughts once I see it Goldenboy. I won't be considering if it was better than watching the film because as I have stated earlier they are two different beasts so why should I compare? I also won't be comparing to original motown hits cause this is not a Motown concert it is musical theatre. I understand what you are saying but don't agree with it. Of course you are entitled to your opinion and I am sorry to have offended you.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 9:59pm

For someone who claims to be a "professor," and therefore of a high level of education and (presumably) intellect, goldenboy's grammar, mechanics, and spelling are pretty awful.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 12:14am

But at least I am not rude, Adam Greer.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 12:21am

I would argue that point, actually.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 12:30am

The second half of this thread has become "goldenboy bashes Sister Act", as well as nearly everything else you have posted on multiple other threads about it. I'd have to back up adamgreer here and say that it is officially bordering on rude.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 12:32am

Have I mentioned lately what an abhorrent piece of crap I thought the Sister Act Musical was?

Every time you insult me for having an opinion, I will reiterate that Sister Act was the worst movie musical rehash transfer, since they ruined Legally Blonde - another decent movie which they made into another abhorrent piece of musical theatre crap.

Or are you going to get bent out of shape because not only did I trash Sister Act but also Legally Blonde another piece of crap you loved.

So keep insulting me for having an opinion.. you useless
brainless Sister Act loving teenager. And I will continue to bash Sister Act. Just because it pisses you off.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 12:33am

^I rest my case.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 12:35am

Rest on this Adam
SISTER ACT WAS A PIECE OF CRAP.

I Rest my case.