Musical Theatre West to Present SISTER ACT, 4/8-24

Musical Theatre West (MTW) presents Sister Act, Broadway's feel-good musical comedy at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center April 8-24.

Based on the 1992 Whoopi Goldberg hit film, written by Joseph Howard, the five-time Tony nominated Broadway sensation features an award winning creative team with original score and music by composer Alan Menken (Disney's Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Newsies, Little Shop Of Horrors), lyrics by Glenn Slater (The Little Mermaid, Tangled), book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner (Cheers), additional book material by Douglas Carter Beane (Xanadu, The Little Dog Laughed ). The reinvented musical adaptation is filled with heavenly music with a disco beat, outrageous dancing and a truly moving story that will have audiences dancing in the aisles! Tickets are now on sale at www.musical.org or by calling (562) 856-1999, ext. 4. Tickets start at $20.

When wannabe disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a crime, 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 rediscovers her own. The original Broadway production earned five Tony Award nominations, including "Best Musical," "Best Book of a Musical" for, and "Best Original Score" for Menken and Slater. The New York Post called the original Broadway production "One of the season's happiest surprises! Off the charts and packed with goodies, to which we say: Amen!" The New York Daily News hailed, "a feel-good crowd pleaser worth celebrating" and the Associated Press heralded "In a word, divine. This is a musical that hits all the right spots, achieving something close to Broadway grace. It will convert you."

Sister Act boasts a cast of Los Angeles favorites and seasoned Broadway professionals. Constance Jewell Lopez stars as the undercover nun Deloris. Lopez earned critical acclaim as Sofia in The Color Purple with Celebration Theatre and as Effie in Dreamgirls with DOMA. She has also toured with Underground artist Lyrics Born, as well as Huey Lewis and the News. Her additional theatre credits include The Acid Queen in The Who's Tommy, Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray, BJ in Smokey Joe's Cafe, and Maggie in Working. Television audiences will recognize Lopez from her appearances on The Office and Melissa & Joey.

Broadway veterans join the production, including Mary Gordon Murray (Mother Superior), who earned a Tony nomination for "Best Actress" for her role as Belle in Little Me.

Most recently she co-starred in the Broadway production of Hands on a Hardbody opposite Keith Carradine, as the Baker's Wife in Into the Woods and Coastal Disturbances, Grease, Play Me a Country Song, I Love My Wife and The Robber Bridegroom. Off Broadway she was in the original casts of The Spitfire Grill, A...My Name is Alice and The Knife, written and directed by David Hare. She has worked extensively in television, portraying Laura Bush in DC: 9/11 for Showtime and spent many years as Becky on One Life to Live. Closer to home, MTW audiences will recognize Murray from her recent role as Mrs. Higgins in My Fair Lady earlier this season, and as Vera in the Reiner Readers Series production of Pal Joey.

Gerry McIntrye's (Curtis) credits on the Great White Way include the original production of Once On This Island, Once, Uptown It's Hot, and revivals of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Anything Goes, and Chicago. Off Broadway, he earned a Drama Desk nomination for Enter Laughing, the NAACP and Ovation Award for Forbidden Broadway and The Audience. With more than 30 years of film and television credits, McIntrye most recently appeared on TV in Boardwalk Empire and can be seen in the films The Kiss, The Next Step, Joseph....Dreamcoat and After the Storm. Local audiences will remember his turn as Paul in MTW's production of Kiss Me, Kate.

J. Elaine Marcos (Sister Mary Martin of Tours) has appeared on Broadway in some of the most beloved and memorable characters, from Lily St. Regis in Annie opposite Jane Lynch to the scene-stealing Cynthia in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and the endearing Connie Wong in A Chorus Line.

A Broadway and MTW veteran, Chris Holly's (Ernie) Broadway credits include The Producers, the original revival company of Oklahoma!, and Chicago. His national tours include The Producers, the original Los Angeles cast of Chicago, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, A Chorus Line, and Evita.

Rounding out the cast is Ashley Ruth Jones (Mary Robert), Cindy Sciacca (Mary Patrick), Cathy Newman (Mary Lazarus), Sarah Benoit (Mary Theresa), Tom Shelton (Monsignor), Anthony Manough (Eddie), John Wells (JT), Spencer Rowe (Joey), Elijah Reyes (Pablo), LaRece Hawkins (Michelle), and Harper Miles (Tina).

The Musical Theatre West production will be directed by two-time Ovation Award-winner Michael Matthews, with musical direction by David Lamoureux. Daniel Smith serves as choreographer. The production is suitable for ages 10 and older.

Musical Theatre West's production of Sister Act is made possible thanks to the support of Season Sponsors: The Ackerman Family/Evalyn M Bauer Foundation, Ken & Dottie Reiner, and Don & Marlene Temple; Honorary Producer KC Wilson; and Associate Producers Jon & Amanda Hall and George & Gloria Deukmejian. Youth Performance Underwriters are Don & Judy McNulty Black, Stanley Cohen, John N. Johnson, MD, and Ben & Norena Thompson The 2015-1016 Season Youth Performance Underwriters include: Supervisor Don Knanbe's 4th District Arts Education Partnership, Arts Council for Long Beach and LA County Cultural Arts Commission. MTW Executive Director Paul Garman serves as the show's producer. This production is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International.

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