#101
Posted: 3/27/11 at 10:35am
In seeing SISTER ACT this week, I couldn't help but think of the parallels between the creative process that brought it here with WONDERLAND. Both are shows based on familiar source material that have had multiple productions with key creative team changes for New York. The difference is that it appears (from what I'm told) that WONDERLAND has gotten progressively worse with each incarnation, where as SISTER ACT has gotten progressively better. I am happy to say that the New York production is absolutely fantastic.
Having seen multiple incarnations of the show (from the first reading in Los Angeles to now,) I can't say enough about how pleased I was with Doug Carter Beane's book. It's tight, funny, smart, and completely re-informs the tone of the piece in a brilliant way. For the first time in the show's history, the book is finally on the level of the score. Every single joke landed big, and the emotionally resonant moments were beautifully executed. I particularly like how Beane reinforced Deloris's lack of faith in Christianity, even at the end. The final scene with her and Mother Superior about how faith in a higher power and faith in the power of people can be equally important was genius. It removes the ambiguity of this being a possible "conversion story" that some of the critics in London raised questions about.
In terms of the cast, they were all fantastic. Patina Miller has benefited most from the new book. Now that she really has meaty material to dig into, she's completely running with it, and the full potential of her performance has finally been realized. If this role doesn't bring her "a star is born" acclaim and a slew of awards, there's no justice in the world. I also loved Vicki Clark, and the two of them had terrific chemistry. The supporting players, from Demond Green to Marla Mindelle, all also made huge use of their individual moments.
My one suggestion would be taking out "It's Good To Be A Nun" and replacing it back with "How I Got The Calling," which I know is something they're thinking about doing already. The problem they're having with that moment in the show is that they don't want the nuns to be singing before Deloris teaches them to, which I know is something people here have questioned too, but I think the latter song is much funnier and establishes the same point. They could certainly work with the arrangements of it to make it even more "speak-sing"-y, which wouldn't be too hard given how much of a conversational song it already is anyway.
Other than that, I see this being a huge hit. Let it serve as a lesson to the development of future material that anything is possible with the right amount of revisionary work, because the transformation in the show from six years ago to now is truly astounding.
Having seen multiple incarnations of the show (from the first reading in Los Angeles to now,) I can't say enough about how pleased I was with Doug Carter Beane's book. It's tight, funny, smart, and completely re-informs the tone of the piece in a brilliant way. For the first time in the show's history, the book is finally on the level of the score. Every single joke landed big, and the emotionally resonant moments were beautifully executed. I particularly like how Beane reinforced Deloris's lack of faith in Christianity, even at the end. The final scene with her and Mother Superior about how faith in a higher power and faith in the power of people can be equally important was genius. It removes the ambiguity of this being a possible "conversion story" that some of the critics in London raised questions about.
In terms of the cast, they were all fantastic. Patina Miller has benefited most from the new book. Now that she really has meaty material to dig into, she's completely running with it, and the full potential of her performance has finally been realized. If this role doesn't bring her "a star is born" acclaim and a slew of awards, there's no justice in the world. I also loved Vicki Clark, and the two of them had terrific chemistry. The supporting players, from Demond Green to Marla Mindelle, all also made huge use of their individual moments.
My one suggestion would be taking out "It's Good To Be A Nun" and replacing it back with "How I Got The Calling," which I know is something they're thinking about doing already. The problem they're having with that moment in the show is that they don't want the nuns to be singing before Deloris teaches them to, which I know is something people here have questioned too, but I think the latter song is much funnier and establishes the same point. They could certainly work with the arrangements of it to make it even more "speak-sing"-y, which wouldn't be too hard given how much of a conversational song it already is anyway.
Other than that, I see this being a huge hit. Let it serve as a lesson to the development of future material that anything is possible with the right amount of revisionary work, because the transformation in the show from six years ago to now is truly astounding.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Updated On: 3/27/11 at 10:35 AM
