Sister Act Tour far better than Broadway

[goldenboy]

Posted: 12/26/12 at 6:00pm

I did not like the Broadway Show Sister Act ------so when a friend of mine offered me a free ticket to the tour in Fort Lauderdale, I went with trepidation. Boy was i surprised. T'area Campbell can sing and she is quite funny. Patina Miller could sing but she was not funny ruining the evening for me. The chemistry between T'area and Hollis Resnick was exceptional and made Hollis Resnick much more believable, enjoyable and amusing n the role than Victoria Clark. (And I am a Victoria Clark Fan!) The entire cast looked as if they were having a blast and so did the audience. The nuns worked together better than Broadway. First time I've liked a touring company better than Broadway. Kudos to this production!

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 12/26/12 at 10:56pm

How did the show work without the turntable?

[Tag]

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

^ Horribly. There was a blackout for every scene change. Very amateur feeling.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 12/26/12 at 11:16pm

Oof. How did they stage the running during the chase, the nuns in their rooms during raise your voice, etc.?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/26/12 at 11:17pm

How is the set? Interested to hear how the touring set looks since I imagine a lot had to be worked from the Broadway set.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/26/12 at 11:35pm

The set is basically non-existent. Mostly a series of drops and set pieces that slide in.

Without the turntable, lots of stuff is really awkward. During Raise Your Voice, when they're rehearsing they just walk across the stage (instead of sitting in their rooms). The chase scene is staged similarly to how it was in New York (but done on only one level, since this set is not multi-level), minus the turntable.

I actually found Hollis Resnick to be a colossal bore. Nowhere near as good as Carolee Carmello was, and not quite as good as Victoria Clark. Ta'Rea was great, Rashidra Scott was better, but neither was as good as Patina was.

[Tag]

Posted: 12/26/12 at 11:39pm

There is still the wall (that came out of the revolve) on tour, but I don't think it is used as often and it doesn't turn or lower.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 12/27/12 at 12:02am

That’s a shame, it really was a gorgeous set on Broadway. My favorite effect was when the church was being formed by the moving walls, flying in and out down center, up right, etc.

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 12/27/12 at 12:43am

I thought the tour paled big time in comparison to the Broadway production in seemingly all aspects.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 12/27/12 at 1:31am

That sucks. The broadway set is still the best set for a musical that season. Shame it didn't win, but it was gorgeous and really interesting. Sucks they couldn't make it work on tour, but I guess the budget wouldn't allow it.

[Younger Brother]

Posted: 12/27/12 at 5:37am

Is the bar set still the brick wall with a little flap which opens down with beer and the like on it as it was on the UK tour?

[Nickhutson]

Posted: 12/27/12 at 7:32am

Yes. I was gobsmacked when I saw the set at the palladium for the first time. Some people hated it though - claiming it distracted from the action.

Rumour is that the software for it cost £80,000 to DEVELOP!

To the OP - however, your post merely comments on the cast. Had the writing changed at all? New songs, jokes, etc?

The tour's done very well in the UK!

[goldenboy]

Posted: 12/27/12 at 8:02am

I was referring to the cast and the flow.
Not the sets which I thought were fine for a touring production.
I do not know how it changed but the cast and the flow seemed better.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/27/12 at 10:03am

There were no major changes to the book or score, no.

[RENT_is_Wicked2]

Posted: 12/27/12 at 10:50am

I noticed very few slight tiny changes with lines. I thought the comedy factor on the tour was better than the Broadway production. Lael Van Keuren (Mary Robert) wasamazing, I was really happy that the end note of "The Life I Never Led" was the same as the Broadway version's. Hollis Florrie Bagel (Mary Patrick) and Karen Elliot (Mary Theresa) were hysterical, and I thought Ta'rea Campbell delivered more of that comedic factor more than Patina.

Performance wise I enjoyed both the tour and Broadway companies very much. I thought the tour came out great and it's still as hilarious as before. It's a touring production so I wasn't surprised that the sets weren't as extravagant as it was on Broadway. It was overall an excellent production!

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/27/12 at 10:54am

Lael Van Keuren was a disaster, just as she was both times I was unfortunate enough to watch her go on for Marla Mindelle.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 12/27/12 at 11:21am

I'm here in Atlanta, GA spending the Holidays with my family. I head back up to NYC on the 15th, and noticed that this show is in Greenville, SC on the 15th, which happens to be on my way back home. I bought tickets for the 7:30 PM performance, and will let you know my thoughts after I see it.

[homeimp]

Posted: 12/28/12 at 12:53pm

I saw the show on Bdwy and on tour in Toronto. It was equally as good. Hollis Resnick was superb and made the show for me. I like Victoria. Hollis was better.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 12/30/12 at 8:19pm

To me Sister Act is about the humor. I did not find it funny on Broadway at all. To have a Delores who doesn't have a sense of funny was a big detriment on Broadway. Its still not a great musical-- just an okay one--but at least now the funny is there with this cast. T'area Campbell was not afraid to play Delores Van Cartier low rent routes. Patina Miller was.

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 12/30/12 at 10:15pm

"T'area Campbell was not afraid to play Delores Van Cartier low rent routes. Patina Miller was."

I will agree with you on that. I love Patina, but she could have really given her lines some extra umph and soul. That would have taken the show to an even higher level.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/30/12 at 11:51pm

So is the Church set just all painted backdrops now? And how does the wall work without the turntable?

[RENT_is_Wicked2]

Posted: 12/31/12 at 12:28am

The hallways of the church is basically a painted backdrop, the sanctuary is still the same. Sets either drop from above, or move down stage for the most part.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 6/29/13 at 3:10am

Just caught the tour tonight. I have never left a show so happy since I saw Priscilla a couple years ago. This was my first time seeing the show live, and it sent me straight to cloud nine. My face still hurts from smiling and laughing for two and a half hours straight.
The cast is top notch. Ta'Rea Campbell was perfect was Deloris. Her comedic timing was impeccable, and she had the audience in the palm of her hand. Hollis Renk was fantastic as Mother Superior. After listening and to and watching videos of Clark and Carmello, I was worried that no one else could come close to delivering a performance of the level. She proved me wrong. Her "Here Within These Walls" was a standout.
I was worried about the set design going in. I know that the tour is very scaled back from what was originally onstage at the Broadway Theatre, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked. I did not think it looked cheap or tacky at all. Yes, it's a lot less intricate, but it was still very effective and moved very gracefully.
I was surprised at how funny this show was. I know it's considered a musical comedy, but I don't remember the last time I saw show that actually had so many laugh out loud honest to god funny moments. The scene in the confessional at the beginning of act 2 was hilarious.
This is definitely the best touring production I have seen in a long time, and if it's in your city, DEFINITELY check it out.

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 6/29/13 at 3:18am

I'm glad you enjoyed the show. It is absolutely hilarious. I remember when I saw it for the first time on Broadway I had no idea that it was going to be that funny. The entire audience was laughing out loud.

[DEClarke]

Posted: 6/29/13 at 12:23pm

I liked it in Houston, and I expected to hate it...

Click Here to Read BWW Reviews: SISTER ACT is Truly Fabulous, Baby!