Sister Act First Preview- Page 7

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/30/11 at 4:19pm

For me, it's not that Deloris didn't have the big ballad, but that the title song given to her just seemed so contrived. It's so weak and forced and falls flat. I felt absolutely nothing during that song in London other than an occasional annoying itch on my forearm. For me it had no other purpose than as a place holder. [TITLE SONG GOES HERE] Has it been rewritten? Sorry, I haven't been following the trail of show changes.

[jamiekennywicked]

Posted: 3/30/11 at 4:55pm

Any production photos yet?

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/30/11 at 4:59pm

Let's not forget, Whoopi's gonna probably plug this like crazy on The View.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 3/30/11 at 11:28pm

How I Got The Calling was replaced? What a stupid move. I loved that number when I saw it in London. And wow, I Can Be That Guy must be really different because Eddie's song killed in London, but maybe it had to do with the actor?

(On another note, when did watching a bootleg count as having seen a show?)

Updated On: 3/30/11 at 11:28 PM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/30/11 at 11:40pm

Is the set being used for this similar to the set used for the London production?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/30/11 at 11:48pm

I just got back, and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. Is it perfect? No, but it's so energetic, and fun to watch.

I was surprised by how strong the score was. I LOVE "Fabulous, Baby." And I love how they kept scattering in throughout the show. Beautiful.

Patina is insanely talented! I wish "Sister Act" had been a bigger song. It seemed so incidental compared to the song that precedes it. I wish it had had a bigger impact, but, it was a decent melody, and I didn't cringe when the lyrics "Sister Act" were uttered like I did with the "Legally Blonde" title song - uck!

I really liked Victoria Clark's songs. They were pretty melodies, and I thought she sounded and acted them great. I really wish her and Patina had more scenes together, to sort of build some chemistry. It was fun seeing them let loose at the end.

I think the biggest problem with the love story is Chester Gregory. He's so DULL! He comes alive for about two minutes in his big solo number, but other than that, he's so boring. Isn't he suppose to be a sweaty, nervous mess around Deloris? I didn't get an ounce of excitement from him when he sees Deloris in the various scenes, or anything.

Another big problem is the Zaks isn't one for a pretty stage picture. When the 3 characters come out at the end of Act 1 and Victoria Clark and Chester Gregory and the Priest are all singing opposing melodies and the nuns are singing... it just looked messy. There was no use of the space. I wish they had used the bridge piece more. It just seemed to be sitting there for most of the show.
Also, a lot of the comedic timing was off up until "Raise Your Voice." It was like everyone was unsure of that portion, but after that they knew what they were doing. The jokes were funny, but they just weren't delivered with the right timing to make them work.

I really think the Tony is between Sister Act and Book of Mormon (seeing it next week). Catch Me doesn't stand a chance next to these two. I could see Sister Act taking the Best Score. I thought - for the most part - it had pretty good lyrics, and some great melodies!

[AvenueQResident]

Posted: 3/31/11 at 1:57am

So glad to hear some positive early reports. One of my favourite musicals that I saw in London last year.

When it played at the Palladium, the set was HUGE! Really interested to hear if it's been scaled back in any way. Does it still look like a huge convent (massive walls, gates etc) and did they bring the massive statues over?

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/31/11 at 1:57am

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/31/11 at 2:46am

Nice, Ljay!
I'm going to NYC next weekend for the COMPANY concert and I was wondering about whether to see this or not. Part of me thinks it'd be lots of fun, but I'm worried it'd be just okay. Sad to hear they got rid of "How I Got the Calling," what a dumb move if they did it because it offended people, ugh (reason #111111 why I'm no longer a Catholic...or religious for that matter).
I guess it sounds like a Rush kind of show, hopefully the Student Rush for this isn't that bad. I'd love to see Patina Miller and Victoria Clark, just not sure how I feel about this project as a whole, I love the London Recording for the most part (hate all the men's songs). It's just going to be hard to let go of the movie and take this as a whole new animal.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/31/11 at 2:55am

Ray, I say give it a shot. You are at least guaranteed two WONDERFUL performances from Patina and Victoria. Both are giving Tony worthy work, in my opinion.

[roadmixer]

Posted: 3/31/11 at 9:38am

The set in New York is the London set with some improvements.

[roadmixer]

Posted: 3/31/11 at 11:21am

Something that I have been meaning to contribute concerning the comments about How I Got The Calling... The structure of the number had to change in order to improve the narrative line of the show. The complexity of the vocals in How I Got The Calling depicted Nuns who already new how to sing too well which confused the trajectory achieved in Raise Your Voice.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/31/11 at 11:25am

I thought the set was weird for about the first 20mins. It just moved so SLOW. But then when the big church set came in, then I was pretty impressed. It is a weird set design though. It's very dark, but has a lot going on.

I rushed the show around 11ish, and they said that the student rush was sold-out, but they could offer me a seat in the Rear Mezz for $31.50, so I was like sure? Half the Rear Mezz is curtained off anyway, so the whole theater feels smaller. Also, it wasn't very full at all, so I just moved down to the front Mezz after intermission.

But you should see it. Might be a good pairing with Company. A hardcore commercial theatre piece, and an artsy intelligent piece.

[jv92]

Posted: 3/31/11 at 3:10pm

"I think the biggest problem with the love story is Chester Gregory. He's so DULL! He comes alive for about two minutes in his big solo number, but other than that, he's so boring. Isn't he suppose to be a sweaty, nervous mess around Deloris? I didn't get an ounce of excitement from him when he sees Deloris in the various scenes, or anything."

I concur completely. His acting was about as dull as petrified wood, and his song was really unpleasant. It's unfortunate though, because audiences are so stupid these days that they'll accept that number because of the costume change and John Tracy Egan doing the Worm or whatever the hell he was doing in that awful "Seducing a Nun" number because it's "fun."

I would throw another song at Vicki Clark if I were Alan Menken. She just was terrific, as was Patina Miller.

[brettystar]

Posted: 3/31/11 at 5:35pm

I have not seen this yet but can't wait to see it in June. However, being familiar with the movie and the London recording, I do not really get the argument about the nuns singing 'How I got the calling' before they can technically 'sing'. In a musical, characters are not really meant to be singing in most cases. Music is just the tool being used to advance the story. I mean if people have a problem with that do they also think it is strange that the Mother Superior (who is a very strict Mother Superior from what I gather) would 'sing' 'Here within these walls'in the convent? That to me does not make sense based on the argument over why HIGTC should not be sung before they can 'sing'.

[roadmixer]

Posted: 3/31/11 at 7:58pm

Good point but on the other hand the singing of the nuns is not an artifice of them being in the musical, it's pivotal to the storyline.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/31/11 at 11:00pm

I love theater, and can totally understand the argument to suspend disbelief. And, not knowing the song in question, I just think it wouldn't make sense to hear the nuns sing "well" before "Raise Your Voice." It also just makes "Raise Your Voice" even more of a show stopper. And the audience was eating up the nuns sounding horrible.

The bar scene did seem to be lacking something. The show just needs some zip to it at the beginning. I think the set really slows down the pace. It just moves so slowly.

[tkts]

Posted: 4/3/11 at 1:29am

Holy ****...listening to the London cast recording again right now and this is just such a fun show. Patina is incredible.

"Get confessed! Get anointed! Then get down like you were double-jointed! Feel the flow! Dig the scene! Shake it like you're Mary Magdalene!"

Are you kidding me? LOL LOL LOL

Book of Mormon = Avenue Q Sister Act = Wicked And the Tony winner is.....

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/3/11 at 1:37am

I think Sister Act will get mixed reviews, but I think it's def. a strong contender.

But I just watched a clip of "Fabulous Baby" from the London production on the Tube of You, and I noticed Patina sits on something and glides across the stage? Is it a stairwell? Was that whole scene done on the bridge piece?

[jamiekennywicked]

Posted: 4/3/11 at 5:39am

' . .and I noticed Patina sits on something and glides across the stage? Is it a stairwell? Was that whole scene done on the bridge piece? '

In London, it was a staircase that lit up then revolved in the chase scene.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 4/3/11 at 9:50am

I saw the show last night , after waiting nearly 2 years for this, and it lived up to all my expectations. Patina already has the award in the bag, she is absolutely perfect. My only problem was that I thought it took too long to get to Raise your voice. The guys' songs are not the best and they are what mainly fills up the body of the first Act. "Good to Be a Nun" was not nearly as good as "How I Got The Calling" as everyone has said. And I also think they shouldn't have cut "Do The Sacred Mass" because we need more of Deloris/The Nuns in the middle of Act 1.

I was front row so I didn't get the best view of the creative elements but I'm going back for Opening and I'll be in the mezz and will have a good view.

[princessem721]

Posted: 4/7/11 at 5:01pm

i left the show singing and dancing down broadway. the show ends on such a high that you can't help but feel joyous as you leave the theater. i'll admit it's a little slow getting into it, but the score is great (i mean, alan menken DID write the soundtrack to my childhood) and i love vicki clark in any and everything she does. i wish chester gregory got to do more, and i wasn't a big of a fan of the thugs, but overall i had a blast and would definitely recommend it to friends and family, and tourists will eat it up.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 4/7/11 at 5:21pm

I haven't seen this yet, but I am really enjoying the London cast recording. I know Diana DeGarmo is currently out on tour with 9 to 5, but I wonder if she was ever considered for Sister Mary Robert. Seeing that a former Tracy Turnblad (Marissa Perry) is in the ensemble, made me wonder what Shannon Durig is doing since she left Hairspray 3 years ago.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 2:44am

gosh I remember when Fabulous, Baby! was sung to Eddie in the police station! it was an odd number when it originally was staged but i like it in its current context

[Noel&Cole]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 2:06pm

I saw this show in London. I was really looking forward to it and it was one of the worst stage musicals I have ever seen! It was painful to sit through. Especially the henchmen.

However I am giving it a 2nd chance since Douglas Carter Beane and Jerry Zaks have been brought it and retooled.

It's always had potential but NONE of that was realized in London.