to Act or Not to Act ... like a SISTER?

I had the pleasure of being invited to a performance of the Tony nominated musical Sister Act. I have a few friends that work on Broadway, mostly actors, some designers, composers and writers. My friend Douglass Carter Beane helped write this show, and to be honest I didn't hear many good things about the show. I was afraid to go see it. I didn't want to have my friend ask me about his work and have to tell him that I didn't like it. Story short, it was pretty good. I could see Doug's humor instantly ... And boy did I laugh. Quick one-liners kept the story flowing. The scenic design was fantastic. I don't want to give too much away, but let's just say there is a Virgin Mary statue that I would love to have in front of my house.

I am a huge fan of the technical aspects of Live theater. The lighting in this show was pretty descent as well. I enjoyed the costuming, which was bright and dazzled the amateur audience. Speaking of the audience, I had the pleasure of sitting next to an older gentleman and his wife. The gentleman greatly enjoyed the show. He bounced in his seat, clapping and singing along (even though he had never seen or heard the show). The audience clapped, danced and cheered for
the very energetic cast.

After the show I had the chance to sit down with a few cast members to get an insight into the show and how it was created. A few of the cast members I chatted with played nuns, interesting ... since I am directing The Sound of Music at Paramus High School this year. It was interesting to hear them talk about how they created their character. One cast member mentioned how, although she had seen the movie, she tried her hardest not to watch it before her audition and before they went into rehearsals.

As we prepare for a show that is famous, especially for it's movie version, it's important to remember to create your own character and not to attempt to repeat someone's work or worse ... do an impression. Be your own character. Sarah Bolt, who plays Sister Mary Patrick told me she was a huge fan of Kathy Najimy who played the movie role. Her goal was to make this character her own, which in my opinion she did. She told me how difficult it was not to copy what Najimy had created into a wonderfully lovable character.

Consider not watching the movie version of a show before you read the script. In most cases the musical version of the show is much different, as it is in Sister Act. Sister Act has a different story line and is even set in a different time period. Once you have read the script then watch the movie once to get the main idea of the story line, but do not take notes on your character, instead look at the other characters and how they interact with your character
... You could learn more than you expected.

Break a leg,

Mr. F.