Sister Act First Preview- Page 8

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 3:02pm

Does Patina still have a chance at the Tony after Sutton Foster's rave from Ben Brantley in the Times?

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 3:04pm

I don't know. It depends on whether or not Ben Brantley is the entire Tony Awards voting body.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 3:08pm

Brantley does not personally dictate the outcome of the Tonys.

Miller's performance is superior to Foster's in every single way.

[ReggieonBway]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 3:58pm

Patina stands a chance, (as in, she's the only other real competitor) but I'm betting on Sutton winning her second Tony.

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 6:29pm

Does anyone know why the Mezz is only 1/2 open? The house last night was very full. In the past I have sat in the last row of the Broadway and i can attest that they are TERRIBLE seats, but i am VERY surprised the producers are not taking full advantage of making as much money as they can.

Anyone know?

R ;o)

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 6:41pm

I think the reviews for Anything Goes have certainly helped Sutton's chances this year, but I don't think it's a done deal yet. We'll see how Patina is reviewed (which I hope is very well), and then it'll probably be a tight race.

[Blockhead24]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 6:47pm

"Miller's performance is superior to Foster's in every single way"

Agreed! I really hope Patina wins--she's fabulous.

Updated On: 4/10/11 at 06:47 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 7:02pm

I also agree. Patina's reviews next week will give us a much better idea of how close the race is.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 7:09pm

I look forward to seeing Patina's reviews. If they are mixed, the Tony will be Sutton's to lose. After all, Sutton is singing much loved standards in a classic show and not fair songs in a second rate show based on a second rate movie.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 7:11pm

I know that Brantley won't decide it all, but when he saw the show in London, he referred to her as simply "earnest", and the show "woefully secondhand". In that same review, he trashes Priscilla as well. I hope that, somehow, Isherwood gets Sister Act like he did Priscilla. If Patina gets a review from Brantley similar to what she did in London, and if the rest of the reviews mirror that, it could tip it in favor of Sutton. But, again, too early to call it.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

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

Saw the show last night and have mixed feelings about it, some of it was very enjoyable and some of it was not that great. I still think the men are poorly developed and portrayed, and I thought Curtis' cousin and the Latin gangster were incredibly weird and ridiculously stereotypical characters that were used to get cheap laughs.
I know this is sacrilege but I didn't particularly cared for Victoria Clark's Mother Superior, as a big fan of her work I was surprised by this, but I found her quite unlikable (and not in a "she's a great antagonist" kind of way) and thought her jokes were forced. I also didn't get the need to create the whole backstory with Eddie, it's clearly there to satisfy some requirement that there needs to be a romantic story in a musical comedy; perhaps I'm joining some of those who commented on Chester Gregory's poorly executed portrayal of the role. And frankly, I'm surprised people found the bit about the two bachelors who collect antiques funny, I thought it was once again, another cheap joke made at the expense of "the other."
Having said that, when the show is on fire it really is on. Patina Miller is electric, she's simply a star and it can't be denied. She carries the show and sells every number. The sequence that starts with "Raise Your Voice" and ends with "Take Me to Heaven (Reprise)" is pure musical comedy perfection, you can't help but love it, but at the same time I feel like nothing in Act II comes anywhere near that wonderful moment, unlike in the film which has a fantastic finale.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 4/11/11 at 5:35pm

As I said a few pages back, I did not care for this show.

It took a great movie and made it into a mediocre musical across the board. Why did they do that? Why did they bother?

Patina Miller is talented; but in no way shape or form what I call a true Broadway Star in the Angela Lansbury sense or Patti Lupone sense or even in the Jennifer Holiday or Melba Moore sense. She does a good job. She is engaging enough. But is this enough?

Her role has been rewritten from the movie to make her totally self involved. I miss Whoopi in the role!

I also agree that the wonderful Victoria Clark is lost in a thankless role.

The nuns do look like their movie counterparts but are totally underdeveloped in the book.

My biggest problems are with the score that sounds like derivitive disco numbers and the unfolding of the plot.

The best thing about the movies was the teaching of the nuns to sing as we explored their insecuties and got to know each one of them. That is totally lost here. They learn to sing in about.. 2 minutes???

I never thought I'd say this but bring back the soundtrack from the movie. My Guy, Salve Regina... Not this drivel

I would have expected more from the wonderful Alan Menken.

I predict mixed to negative reviews.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 1:53am

Here are my thoughts....First and foremost, I LOVED the sound design. You could hear 95% of the lyrics to the songs. I love that! And a lot of the lyrics need to be heard. The sets are quite beautiful. The show runs quite smoothly.

So the performances....Patina Miller is a lock for a Tony nomination. She carries this show. Will she win it? I don't know. She has pipes of steel but my problem is that she starts the show on such a high/frantic level that she has nowhere to go. When she has her "revelation" in the second act, it seems like just a chance for her to catch her breath. But God knows the woman is talented. She needs to be nominated and then go on to prove that she can be more versatile and win a Tony. The score is WONDERFUL (Menken was sitting just 3 rows in front of me). The cast is good and it was a blast watching Victoria Clark as Mother Superior. See it. You will come out smiling. It should be a hit. It deserves to be. I am in catch-up mode so I haven't seen all of the competition. The only other new musical I have seen is "Priscilla" and this show is lightyears better. I see "The People in the Picture" tomorrow. I must also say that the movie did not make me laugh out loud but I really liked it. The musical was the same for me. Oh, and know your Bible when you go in. I missed a few of the religious jokes!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 11:20am

Are they still thinking about reinstating How I Got The Calling?
Updated On: 4/12/11 at 11:20 AM

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 3:10pm

Just an aside...Does anyone remember the sitcom "Living Single" with Queen Latifah, Kim Coles and Kim Fields? Patina Miller reminds me of Erika Alexander who played Max, the attorney. It is actually pretty uncanny. She looks, acts and sounds exactly like her.

[shrekster224]

Posted: 4/13/11 at 3:48pm

I'm all for this show, and I'm seeing it soon, but does anyone else feel like their performance on Good Morning America sucked? The nuns looked legitimately confused and like they were marking choreography, Patina looked tired and didn't give all that we know she has. On national television. It might have just been me, but it was very boring to see.

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/13/11 at 3:51pm

The number was extremely truncated for television. They cut all of the dialogue and solos.

Posted: 4/14/11 at 3:09am

It's interesting that so many people have a problem with the men--character and music. I can understand why they'd wanna build up their roles from the movie--but thinking about the movie, which I loved when it came out but haven't really seen all of since, I don't even *remember* the guys. I mean I remember them fromt he setup and the finale, but they didn't make much of an impression there, and it seems an ill guided mistake to try to get them to do so in the musical.

[SingingChef]

Posted: 4/16/11 at 10:56pm

Saw the show a few nights ago. Was really looking forward to it as a big fan of both films.

Overall, I found it disappointing. Much of that due to the book. I found the writing extremely dull and flat. The score was not nearly as exciting as I hoped it would be. 'Raise Your Voice' was really fantastic though. And I enjoyed both Mindelle & Miller's 11 O'Clock numbers.

I found the sound design to be terrible. I had trouble hearing the leads sing over the 'orchestra'. Balance issues all evening.

I found Victoria Clark floundering in a role so poorly written. She loooked embarassed and bored.
The male roles in this show really are quite boring.
Any time the nuns are onstage, I found myself smiling. Such a strong female ensemble.
The show is really carried by Patina Miller and the nuns.
Marla Mindelle as Sister Mary Robert was fantastic. The girl's pipes are in fine shape and she really shines.
I found Patina to be engaging and charming. Her voice, though unconventional, was magnificent. She is giving this role 110%.

A Tony-winning performance? Probably not. She's not quite in the same league as Sutton and Donna. But she certainly deserves the praise she is garnering and a nomination for sure.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 4/17/11 at 1:46am

(On my iPhone so keeping this brief...) Saw it Friday, had a great time. Yes, some of it dragged, but the majority of the music was not just great but exciting. Having now seen Parina and Sutton, I agree with adamgreer and others that the award should be Patina's. Her performance was outstanding. I also very much enjoyed Clark and Neenan/Bolt/Mindelle. Hope Clark and Mindelle also have Tony chances. LOVED the set. Maybe I'll post more later, but I think this has the best chance at beating Mormon, but really, Mormon has officially dominated every other show that I've seen. Willost likely be taking my whole family back to see Sister Act.

[kyle4]

Posted: 4/17/11 at 1:52am

i saw the first preview a hundred years ago... these were my thoughts...

i thought this would have opened by now !!!

http://thetheaterbuff.typepad.com/the-theater-buff/2011/03/sister-act-first-preview-thoughts.html

[shrekster224]

Posted: 4/19/11 at 11:49pm

Got back from the last preview, and I thought it was great! For the most part, very entertaining. There was one transition that didn't really work, from Lady in the Long Black Dress and Haven't Got a Prayer. The set wasn't ugly, as some people said, and I think it really worked. Costumes were great, and only one sound glitch. The audience was engaged the whole time, and by the time Raise Your Voice came up, they were going crazy. Patina is such a star, and Victoria Clark was a great counterpart. Some ensemble standouts were Demond Green, Marla Mindelle was GREAT!, I loved Audrie Neenan as Mary Lazarus, and John Tracy Eagan was very funny as well. They were all excited for opening night tomorrow, so that might have been part of it, but the energy was great. Really enjoyed the show.