SISTER ACT- what changes should be made between London and Broadway

This is the thread to note changes that the creative team should make between London and Broadway (assuming Sister Act will make it to Broadway).

My suggestions are:

1) Reinstitute the song Mirror Ball (from the regional LA production) as the final song. It was the strongest songs in the score and was replaced in London.

2) Sets need to be brought up to Broadway mega-musical standards. The London sets are cheap and cheesy looking. (Note to producers- go see Nine to Five to see what sets should look like for a major show!)

3) Choreography needs to be punched up. Van Laast should be replaced with someone like Rob Ashford or Jerry Mitchell that knows what Broadway choreography is about and can also serve as show doctor to punch up some of the staging.

4) Some of the clunky dialogue (lines such as "They had are bulges in their pockets but I doubt they were happy to see me" by the mother superior need to be replaced. If I were the producer, I'd get a book doctor to replace much of the dialogue. Carrie Fisher, for instance, could really work wonders with the book.

5)While Patina Miller deservedly will get the role on Broadway, it will be key to find someone to play Mother Superior who can match Patina's star-in-the-making wattage.

Seeing the Nine to Five grosses should once again remind producers that very few shows are "critic-proof". There should be a lot of work done before the show is ready for Broadway. Alison Janney perhaps ?

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When did Carrie Fisher doctor a book?

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I can assure you that there won't be many dramatic changes to the score, especially now that it's been recorded.

There has already been extensive work done to the music between Pasadena/Atlanta and London, and the fact that this roster of material remained in tact all through previews in the West End is a telling sign.

I'm especially surprised to see you suggest re-instating "Mirror Ball," BroadwayBaby6. While the tune was catchy, I thought the lyrics (and the concept of comparing God to a disco ball) were incredibly trite. "Spread The Love Around" may be a bit more broad, but I think it works much better within the context of the show.

While you shouldn't expect to see many major creative team members replaced, there almost certainly will be either a new director or a major uncredited show doctor as Peter Schneider (while still given billing) was virtually let go at the end of tech. Carline Brouwer was credited as the "Associate Director," but she took the reigns of the full production once previews began.

And ray, since the rest of the cast is completely made up of British performers, Miller will be the only one to make the move to New York.

Someone like Blythe Danner would be a great choice for the Mother Superior.

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Updated On: 7/26/09 at 09:27 PM

Somethingwicked, Equity seems to be allowing everyone and their mother to come from the West End so I was just a bit worried about them wanting to bring in the London cast. By the way, I think I peed in my pants a little picturing the idea of Blythe Danner as the Mother Superior. Her and Patina going head to head... theater orgasm.

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Ditch the entire new score and use the songs from the movie (including "Hail Holy Queen") and possibly add more Motown hits -- a sort of SISTER ACT jukebox musical. That's what was endearing about the original movie, anyway.

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@ SM2: Thanks for sharing the opinion. Motown is what made it work, and Berry Gordy's potential jukebox musical (working title of Ain't No Mountain High Enough) is about as likely to appear on Broadway as a snowball in Hell, so I'm casting my vote for reinstating the Motown score as well. And maybe throw in some of the adaptations of music from Sister Act 2 as well, such as "Ball of Confusion," the opening medley, "Joyful Joyful," "Oh Happy Day," etc.

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I'm actually really glad that an original score was written instead of the obvious idea of a jukebox musical trying to incorporate the crap Marc Shaiman contributed for the film.

Updated On: 7/21/09 at 09:58 PM

BroadwayBaby6 im sorry but have you been drinking?

The set for London is Fantastic and moves beautifuly and does the job well for what the show is. Its funny that you mention 9 to 5, the sets for that show whilst inventive at the begining (when the office 1st appears) the rest are clunky and distracting (hence its snub at the Tony awards)

Mirror Ball was Dire, the lyrics awful the tune was sound a like of so many others.

The staging for the show was very good, and whilst Choreography was nothing ground breaking it again served its purpose

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I entirely agree with somethingwicked. I mean, I do think it would have been nice to get the original numbers, but I'm really over wanting them after listening to the new catchy and fun score. It works so well for the material.

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I always find these threads rather interesting, when people feel the need to let it be known, that they know what's best for a show, just because they've seen it.

Will be in London next month and have a ticket to see the show, and I'm really looking forward to it.

Sheila Hancock isn't a singer either.

I think Danner could pull it off.

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Brantley hated it. When Brantley hates a show, it's almost a given that the majority of other New York critics will at least dislike it. Many of the critics here have similar opinions.

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I think it's hilarious how heavily people are weighting Brantley's miniscule little "review," which was much more dismissive than it was venemous (I believe he called it "red hot family-entertainment," which is a pull quote if ever there was one.)

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Updated On: 7/22/09 at 11:59 PM