After a run on Broadway followed by a national bus tour, Sister Act The Musical has made its way to The Gateway Playhouse in Bellport.
Gateway is co-hosting the first regional production of the hit movie-turned Broadway musical, which debuted on July 1, through July 18.
Many of the actors in the show performed in those same roles on Broadway as understudies.
“What we offer to an audience is Broadway in Bellport,” Gateway producer Scot Allan said just minutes before a 2 p.m. rehearsal on July 1 . “So, if people didn’t get to see it there, they’ll get to see it here in the same format.”
Portraying the part of Deloris Van Cartier — played by Whoopi Goldberg in the 1992 film — is Rashidra Scott, who understudied the role during the Broadway production.
The regional show is a co-production between The Gateway Playhouse and Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine, where Sister Act just ran for five weeks.
“We have to fight very hard with other theaters on Long Island and in the New York area to get the rights from the licensing companies,” Allan explained. “But the licensing companies do know the value and the caliber of what we do, so they’ll often wait for us to want something before they’ll give it to a smaller theater.”
Wednesday’s production had sold well, Allan said, but had not sold out.
“Once word of mouth spreads we start to see sellouts toward the end of the runs,” Allan said of the typical experience with Gateway ticket sales.
Click here for more about the storyline, and for tickets.
