Ovation Productions proudly announces its new theater offering to all musical theater fans with “SISTER ACT,” a hilarious, feel-good musical straight from Broadway, New York as it plays beginning June 27 – July 9 at the Theatre at Solaire.
Based on the mega-hit film from the 1990s, SISTER ACT will be performed in Manila for the first time on a limited two-week run and promises the audience to groove to the original score with music by 8-time Oscar Academy, Grammy and Golden Globe Award-winning composer Alan Menken (Disney’s Alladin, Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, The Little Mermaid, Enchanted, Little Shop of Horrors), with its vast inspiration of musical styles from Motown, soul and funk to great big disco anthems.
Produced by Whoopi Goldberg, TROIKA Entertainment and Sister Act On Tour, LLC, SISTER ACT received five 2011 Tony® Award nominations including BEST MUSICAL, BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (Alan Menken (music)/Glenn Slater (lyrics), and BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL (Cheri & Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane).
SISTER ACT tells the story of a wannabe disco diva Deloris Van Cartier whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a murder, and is put into protective custody in the one place the police are sure she won’t be found – a convent! Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and an uptight Mother Superior. Using her fabulous disco vibe and killer voice to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church, but in doing so, blows her cover. Deloris helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she unexpectedly rediscovers her own. A sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship, SISTER ACT is reason to rejoice!
“ To hear people laugh and cheer the way they do at SISTER ACT — a show people think they know but are pleasantly surprised to discover is not what they are expecting — is a magical experience for a producer,” says Producer Whoopi Goldberg, who also played the lead role of Deloris in the 1992 Hollywood blockbuster.
For the Manila production, the cast of SISTER ACT are as follows:
DENÉ HILL (Deloris Van Cartier) is an award winning international opera singer who recently co-starred in the PBS Docu-drama “A Time for Greatness,” where she played the role of Geraldine Whittington, the first African American secretary in the White House, to President LBJ. Her recent musical theater credits include: International Opera Tour of Porgy and Bess (Annie) directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, Civil War (Bessie Tole), The Butterfly’s Day (Guardian Angel) New York Off-Broadway premiere, with additional musical credits in Dreamgirls, Footloose, Hairspray and Hair. Opera credits include: La Boheme (Musetta), and Don Giovanni (Zerlina). Dené earned a Bachelor of Music at University of Texas at Arlington and studied at Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy.
REBECCA MASON-WYGAL (Mother Superior) toured the USA in Mamma Mia!, understudying the lead roles of Donna & Rosie. She is a founding member of Coeurage Theatre Company in Los Angeles.
WILL T. TRAVIS (Eddie Souther) appeared in the Regional Tour: Choir Boy (Pharus), The Little Mermaid (Sebastian), Twelfth Night (Orsino), Hairspray (Seaweed), To Kill A Mockingbird (Tom Robinson).
BRANDON GODFREY (Curtis Jackson) has performed all over the US but always gives respect to his alma mater NC A&T State University where he studied professional acting. Credits include Ghost The Musical, Sister Act The Musical, The Color Purple, Once on This Island, Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope, High School Musical, Smokey Joe’s Café and Ain’t Misbehavin’.
MOSES BERNAL (Pablo) has performed on Tour: Elmo Makes Music (Grover/Baby Bear), 5 Little Monkeys (Swing), Regional: Carmen: An Afro Cuban Jazz Musical (Roberto); It’s A Wonderful Life (George), Sister Act (Pablo), In The Heights (Ensemble, u/s Sonny).
EMMA BROCK (Mary Patrick) has been working Off-Broadway, in regional productions, on the Disney Magic, and touring with Sister Act.
NANCY EVANS (Mary Lazarus) appeared in Sister Act National Tour/Tokyo 2014-2016.
SOPHIE KIM (Mary Robert) has performed in South Korea. After a long career (Rent, Mamma Mia, Dreamgirls, Aida, Mozart, Fame, West Side Story), she moved to New York for a new challenge in her life.
HARRY McENERNY V (Joey Finnochio) is on Sister Act Asia 2017 as his Touring Debut! His theater credits: Avenue Q (Brian), Of Mice and Men (Lennie), Henry V (Exeter).
KEVIN D. O’NEIL (Monsignor O’Hara) is the recipient of two Best Actor Awards (Death of a Salesmen, Glengarry Glen Ross) and one Best Supporting Actor (Of Mice and Men) from the N.H. Theater Awards Committee.
The other cast members are as follows: JARRED BEDGOOD (TJ); D’NAYSA JORDAN – Michelle/Ensemble; CAITLIN MASIANO – Mary Martin of Tours/Ensemble; MEGHAN DEELEY and TYLER SIMAKH(Swing), BERLANDE MILLS – Ensemble, Tina, Deloris (Understudy); GABRIEL RODRIGUES – Ensemble, Joey /Monsignor (Cover); DENZEL EDMONDSON, SCOTT FUSS, OLIVIA GJURICH, HEIDI HAYES, KRISTIN LITZENBERG, TAYLOR MORGAN MARSH, ASHLEY MASULA, PAIGE McNAMARA, DAMON McTOY, MEGAN OPALINSKI (Ensemble); STEPHANIE MILLER – Dance Captain/Swing)
WHAT THE CRITICS HAVE TO SAY:
Elisabeth Vincentelli of The New York Post calls SISTER ACT, “One of the season’s happiest surprises! Off the chart and packed with goodies, to which we say: Amen!
Joe Dziemianowicz of The New York Daily News raves “A blessed event has landed on Broadway. Sister Act is a feel-good crowd pleasure worth celebrating. It keeps on purring from one happy moment to the next.”
Charles Isherwoood of The New York Times says, “When the wimples start quivering and the nuns start rocking to raise the Gothic rafters, all’s right in the kingdom of musical comedy!”
Mark Kennedy of The Associated Press calls SISTER ACT, “In a word, divine. This is a musical that hits all of the right spots, achieving something close to Broadway grace. It will convert you.”
SISTER ACT features scenic design by Klara Zieglerova (Jersey Boys), costume design by Lez Brotherson (Swan Lake), lighting design by Natasha Katz (Once), sound design by Peter McBoyle (Come Fly Away) and hair design by David Brian Brown (Death of a Salesman).
SISTER ACT has been seen by more than 6 million people worldwide and with its powerful gospel music, outrageous dancing and a truly moving story, Sister Act will leave audiences breathless.
The performance schedules of SISTER ACT are as follows:
June 27 – 8 pm – Opening Night (Tuesday)
June 28 – 8 pm – Gala Night (Wednesday)
June 29, June 30 – 8 pm (Thursday – Friday)
July 1 and 2 – 2 pm and 8 pm (Saturday – Sunday)
July 4, 5, 6 and 7 – 8 pm (Tuesday – Friday)
July 8 and 9 – 2 pm and 8 pm (Saturday – Sunday)
Duration: Two hours and 30 minutes. With one 15-minute intermission.
Venue: The Theatre at Solaire, 1 Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Paranaque City.
Tickets: Call TICKETWORLD – 8919999
Connect SISTER ACT through the following:
Website: www.ovationproductionsmanila.com
Social media: Facebook, and Twitter
See you at the theater!
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Acclaimed broadway musical comedy “Sister Act” premieres on June 27 at The Theatre at Solaire
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