Sister Act: The Musical in Manila

Anyone who can remember singing “I Will Follow Him”—the gospel-inspired version sung to the Pope at the finale of Sister Act will surely get a kick out of its acclaimed Broadway cousin when it raises its curtains in the Philippines in June.

Sister Act, the comedy musical, premieres on June 27 at The Theatre at Solaire in Paranaque City, and we can hardly wait.

Touted as America’s new musical comedy classic, Sister Act brings to the musical theater scene a stage re-creation of the music and general story of the hit 1992 film, but with an all-original score and script and spectacular production design.

The show is part of the Asian leg of the American production’s Asian tour for 2017. The musical will run for only two weeks with no extension.

The play will leave the audience breathless as it follows the funny adventures of Deloris Van Cartier, originally played by Whoopi Goldberg, a wannabe diva whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a crime and the cops hide her in the last place anyone would think to look – a convent.

Under the suspicious watch of Mother Superior, Deloris helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she unexpectedly re-discovers her own.

The musical features original music and score with a big Broadway sound written by acclaimed composer and eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken (“Beauty and the Beast,” “”The Little Mermaid,” “Little Shop of Horrors”), with lyrics by Glenn Slater.  The story was written by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner with additional book material by Douglas. Carter Beane. 

Sister Act had its world premiere at  the Pasadena Playhouse in the Fall of 2006,  followed by a production at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta on the Winter of 2007.  The West End production began previews at the Palladium Theatre in London on May 7, 2009, while the Broadway production began preview performances on March 24, 2011 and officially opened on April 20, 2011 at the Broadway Theatre.

Seen by over 6 million theater-goers across the globe, “Sister Act” has been performed worldwide in Milan, Vienna, Paris, Germany, The Netherlands, Japan and on tour throughout the United States and the United Kingdom.  It has also been played in Canada, Ireland, South Africa and Spain.

The musical received five Tony Awards nominations in 2011: Best Musical, Best Original Score (Alan Menken-music/Glenn Slater-lyrics), Best Book of a Musical (Cheri and Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane), Best Actress in a Musical (Patricia Miller) and Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Victoria Clark) 

It was also nominated for four Olivier Awards in 2010, including Best Musical.

The musical has drawn widespread critical acclaim for being a “fun, funny and feel good” act, with The New York Post describing it as “ridiculously fun” and The Huffington Post lauding it for providing  fans “an unbridled joy.”

Sister Act is the second Broadway musical presented by Ovation Productions, after  Disney’s Beauty and the Beast two years ago at the Cultural Center of the Philippines as it’s first.

The musical is produced in cooperation with Broadway Entertainment Group, and Troika. Tickets are at P6500, 5500, 4500, 3500, 1500 and are available online at www.ticketworld.com.ph or call (02) 981-9999.