BWW Q&A: Jeff Calhoun Talks SISTER ACT at Ford's Theatre

Sister Act is a riotous musical comedy based on the hit 1992 film that has audiences jumping to their feet! The production plays Ford's Theatre from March 14th through May 17th, 2025.

To escape the mob, a nightclub singer hides in a convent. While there, she helps her new sisters to discover their powerful voices while she finds her own. This uplifting, Tony-nominated musical features original music by Alan Menken (Newsies, Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors). It is directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun (Broadway: Newsies; Ford’s: Violet, The Civil War, Freedom’s Song, Shenandoah).

The historic Ford's Theatre is an active theatre, museum, and robust education center. The site of Lincoln's assassination in 1865, they are committed to exploring Lincoln's legacy through all work, including their art.

Jeff Calhoun is a Ford’s Associate Artist with credits that include Big River, Shenandoah, The Civil War, Violet, and Freedom’s Song. His regional work includes The Boy Who Loved Batman and A Complicated Woman at Goodspeed, as well as Bonnie & Clyde at Asolo Rep and La Jolla. On Broadway, his directing and choreographing credits span Newsies, Bonnie & Clyde, Grey Gardens, Deaf West’s Big, Brooklyn, Bells Are Ringing, Annie Get Your Gun, Jekyll and Hyde, Grease, Tommy Tune Tonite!, and The Will Rogers Follies. Off-Broadway, he directed Between the Lines at the Tony Kiser Theater. His international work includes the West End production of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5: The Musical, as well as Jane Austen’s Emma: A Musical Romantic Comedy at The Old Globe. He has also worked on Deaf West’s productions of Pippin and Oliver!, along with UK tours of High School Musical 2 (On Stage) and Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5: The Musical.

What drew you to Sister Act and why did you decide to direct it?

Twenty years ago, my Deaf West production of Big River played Ford's Theatre and I instantly fell in love with the entire Ford’s team. Quickly becoming an Associate Artist there gave me the honor of directing each of their annual Galas as well as returning every few years to direct another show. Paul Tetreault, the Artistic Director, and I always throw titles around to dream about what would be an appropriate show for the mood of the country. When he suggested Sister Act, the discussion was over. The joyous Menken score along with the hysterical book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner, with additional material by Douglas Carter Beane, was, to our minds, the perfect elixir for the times.

Can you discuss the unique challenges and rewards of directing a popular film like Sister Act for the stage?

I always feel a bit guilty doing revivals; the heavy lifting has already been done by the original writing team and all I try to do is add my own DNA without damaging what made the show a hit in the first place. So, the most important contributions come in casting and the actual physical production. The talent pool is so deep and accomplished here in DC, both with performers and designers, that any fears one might have about not delivering a first-rate production were immediately assuaged. Also, I think I do my best work when the material is new to me and I haven't been influenced by earlier productions. Not having seen the movie since it first came out and not remembering seeing any prior stage productions allows me to start with a blank canvas without any preconceived images or inadvertently stealing another director's work. As intimidating as that may be at the beginning, it's also incredibly liberating and inspiring in the long run.

How did you work with the cast to develop their characters?

In doing a show that's already been successfully branded, the characters are already beautifully developed. The key is hiring the right actor who can add their own unique sensibility to these iconic roles. That's what makes live theatre so exciting: you can see the same show many times and depending on the actor's choices for that particular incarnation it can feel completely new and fresh.

Can you discuss the themes of friendship, self-discovery, and redemption in Sister Act and how you brought them out in your direction?

What makes Sister Act so relevant at this time in our country's history is its message of how music can bring people together. It's about resilience and finding strength in unexpected places. In our show, two diametrically opposed factions eventually come together through the strength of sisterhood, loyalty, and ultimately love. What better use of theatre than to emphasize the importance of unity and celebrating our differences rather than ridiculing them.

How does the historic setting of Ford's Theatre add to the experience of Sister Act?

Every show at Ford's carries the weight and reminder that President Lincoln was sitting in that box watching theatre when that terrible shot rang out. Regardless if you're doing plays that directly reference Ford's history or performing a musical comedy like Sister Act, the experience is always heightened by the theatre's legacy.

What do you hope the audience will take away from Sister Act?

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