Theater News

Dawnn Lewis, Elizabeth Ward Land, Henry Polic II to Headline Sister Act

Dawnn Lewis, Elizabeth Ward Land, and Henry Polic II will headline the world premiere production of Sister Act: The Musical at the Pasadena Playhouse, October 24-November 26. The show, to be directed by Peter Schneider, will then move to Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre, where it will play January 17-February 25. No additional casting information is currently available.

The musical is based on the popular 1992 film written by Joseph Howard and starring Whoopi Goldberg. It features music by Oscar winner Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater, and a book by Emmy Award winners Cheri and Bill Steinkellner. Schneider directed the Los Angeles production of Grand Hotel: The Musical and is a producer of such Disney shows as The Lion King.

The plot concerns nightclub singer Deloris Van Cartier (Lewis), who is placed in protective custody in a convent as she prepares to testify against her gangster ex-boyfriend. While there, she takes on the guise of Sister Mary Clarence and shakes up the convent’s staid ways.

The Sister Act production team includes Michael Reno (creative supervisor), Marguerite Derricks (choreography), David Potts (set design), Garry Lennon (costume design), Donald Holder (lighting design), and Carl Casella and Dominick Sack (sound design). The orchestrations will be by Doug Besterman, and Michael Kosarin will be the music supervisor.

Lewis, best known for her role of Jaleesa on the NBC sitcom A Different World, will be seen as Melba in the upcoming film version of Dreamgirls. Land, who will play Mother Superior, appeared on Broadway in The Scarlet Pimpernel, City of Angels, and Brighton Beach Memoirs. Polic, who will play the Monsignor, has numerous film and television credits including When Things Were Rotten and Murder, She Wrote.