Photo Credit: Michael Steinbach for Bach Photography
“This is my first show with Racine Theatre Guild,” says Milwaukee-born-and-raised singer Jasmine Ridgell, “and it’s been an amazing experience working with one of the most professional community theaters I’ve ever worked with.” Ridgell, who’s formerly performed with Kenosha’s Lakeside Players and Metro Milwaukee Voices—as well as in productions at Alchemist Theatre and Waukesha Civic Theatre and other area companies—takes on the starring role of Deloris Van Cartier in Racine Theatre Guild’s upcoming production of Sister Act.
Sister Act is known to most by its enduring musical comedy feature film of 1992, which starred Whoopi Goldberg in the role Ridgell will be taking on. Directed by Emile Ardolino, written by Joseph Howard and with musical arrangements by Marc Shaiman, the film was one of the most financially successful comedies of the early 1990s, eventually grossing $231 million worldwide. Clearly, there was something here to work with. It spawned a film sequel in ’93, but the most durable form Sister Act has taken in the years since its feature film debut has been as a live staged musical comedy.
The stage musical version—with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater and book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner—debuted in 2006 and has been in production by numerous touring and local theatrical companies around the world ever since. And for good reason; its fish-out-of-water story and engaging music make for a potent, poignant and amusing combination. “Sister Act is a comedy,” Ridgell says, “but can be really emotional at times. It’s a powerful thing, being able to share such relatable perspectives with an audience.”
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For those who might have seen Sister Act only on film—or perhaps in a more traditional theater setting—director Douglas Instenes lets us know that the audience will be fairly well immersed in the onstage proceedings at RTG’s performances. “Our theater has a thrust stage and is only 10 rows deep, so the feeling the audience gets is much different from a proscenium theater,” he says. “Sets are different as well as staging and choreography. You are extremely close to the action.”
As for the music, Instenes says that he “hired a company called MT Pit to produce a digital orchestration. Our theater doesn’t have a pit or any place appropriate for a live band when we produce larger musicals.” For those who might think this a negative in any way, know that this is common practice these days and the results are, when done right, perfectly fine. As Ridgell adds, “We’re using recordings, and the speaker system is so high quality, it sounds just like a live band!”
Sister Act is filled with music, dance, comedy and drama. The plot revolves around Deloris Van Cartier (in the film, this was Goldberg’s character) who, given some shady friends, her witnessing their shady shenanigans and, later, her interaction with suspicious authorities, is forced to go into the witness protection program. She’s a street-smart, sultry lounge singer, so why not hide her in the most unlikely of environments, a convent? That’s what happens, and Deloris Van Cartier becomes “Sister Mary Clarence.” Here, she doesn’t suffer in silence through life in, for her, a surely most alien existence, but finds herself making friends, finding her own, true voice and brightening the lives of the actual nuns as well.
In Racine Theatre Guild’s production, in addition to Ridgell, other actors and singers will be making their company debut in Sister Act. These are Waverly McCollum in one of the principal roles as Sister Mary Robert, as well as six others among the chorus of nuns and nightclub characters. In addition, the cast includes Robbyn Wilks as Mother Superior, Dawn Van Ess as Sister Mary Lazarus and Anne Mollerskov as Sister Mary Patrick. The “bad guys” consist of Curtis (Bob Benson) and his cohorts in crime (Patrick Schneider, Malcolm Jae O’Shea and Paul Marquez). Norgie Montes De Oca-Metzinger plays Eddie, the cop who’s got Deloris’ back. The show is, according to RTG’s Joycelyn Fish, “supported by a massive crew of costumers, set builders, technicians and production members.”
Sister Act will be performed May 11-27 at the Racine Theatre Guild, 2519 Northwestern Ave., Racine. For tickets, call 262-633-4218 or visit racinetheatre.org/production/sister-act.
