BWW Interviews: SISTER ACT, Melvin Abston Come 'Home' to Atlanta

By: Apr. 22, 2013
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Despite what you might see on certain television shows, the creation of a new Broadway musical generally takes years, and there are almost always countless substantive changes across numerous productions before the show even has a chance to grace the Great White Way. Such is the case for feel-good "Sister Act: The Musical," which opens at Atlanta's Fabulous Fox Theatre Tuesday, April 23rd. Despite this first national tour having started just last August, this will not be the first trip to Atlanta for "Sister Act."

In early 2007, after a record-breaking two-month run at California's Pasadena Playhouse, the musical played five weeks at Atlanta's ALLIANCE THEATRE. Both runs, jointly considered original productions, served as out-of-town tryouts for the show's cast and creators, who used them to polish the show. This week at the Fox also serves as a return for "Sister Act" cast member Melvin Abston, who has been seen in each of the show's American incarnations; Pasadena, Atlanta, Broadway, and now on tour.

Based on the beloved 1992 family comedy of the same name, the musical has a book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner; music by Tony, Oscar, and Grammy-winner Alan Menken; and lyrics by Grammy-winner Glenn Slater; Douglas Carter Beane provided additional book material. After the initial Atlanta run, "Sister Act" made its debut in London's West End in 2009 before bowing on Broadway in 2011. The show, which Abston noted was called "stubbornly successful," played for almost a year and a half in New York, earning five Tony nominations, due in large part to the show's surprise sentimentality. "There's something about how infectious this show is," Abston said. "It hits you in the heart."

That heart has earned the praise of critics and, more importantly, fans across the country. With audience members often dressing like nuns and dancing in the aisles, Abston, perhaps better than anybody, knows that this show connects with people across the country. "I don't think there's been a city yet that hasn't jumped up on its feet once the end of the show comes," Abston said. "We've seen octogenarians out in the house just grooving and jamming."

However, the show audiences will see at the Fox this week is not exactly the same one Alliance audiences saw six years ago. As is always the case during tryouts, storylines and songs were cut and added between Pasadena and Atlanta engagements, and likewise before the show opened in London. Finally, before the Broadway run, director Jerry Zaks brought in Beane to add his signature sass to the script. "The final product (Broadway) had even more tweaks, and I think all were for the better," Abston said. "They streamlined somethings, they took somethings out that might have been really, really cool, but didn't really serve the story as a whole."

Despite joining the tour from the Broadway cast, Abston is no stranger to touring the country, having spent three years on "The Lion King" national tour. Unlike on Broadway, where actors can go home after leaving the theater, when on tour, the cast and crew live, work, travel, and eat together, which, according to Abston, can create an interesting dynamic between castmates. "Imagine going on a family reunion that just doesn't end," Abston joked. "There's an Uncle Lou and Aunt Sally who butt heads at some point, but then you see them on the dance floor doing the Funky Chicken two hours later."

The occasional "family argument" not withstanding, Abston says that touring the country performing is a remarkable experience. "There's absolutely nothing like seeing this great country;" he said, "experiencing local customs, hearing the different dialects," and undoubtedly, sampling the local cuisine.

Even though his run at the Alliance was over six years ago, Abston has already picked out a handful of Atlanta restaurants to introduce to his castmates. "Oh, the Varsity! I'm going to be taking people there," Abston said nearly salivating. "This is going to be an eating trip; actually they all are eating trips."

In addition to the Varsity, Abston is planning on breakfast at The Flying Saucer and a cast trip to Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffles. "I'm really looking forward to this trip," he said.

Fortunately for the cast, they will have eight opportunities to burn off some calories in this high-energy family show. "I really enjoy doing this show, so I can only imagine what it must be like to watch," Abston said.

Finally, he warned Atlanta audiences, that despite the Fox's large size, not to wait too late to get tickets, as the show has played to nearly all sold-out houses in the tour's first eight months. So hurry and get your tickets to "Sister Act: The Musical" at the Fox Theatre by calling 1-855-ATL-TIXX or visiting FoxATLTix.com



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