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2024
天使にラブ・ソングを… ～シスター・アクト～
Sister Act (시스터 액트) is an English-language international musical production led by Korea’s EMK Musical Company, representing a producer-driven export model rather than a Korean-created work. While originally a Broadway property, this version is notable for being rebuilt and premiered in Korea before a limited overseas staging in Japan.
English:
Sister Act
Korean:
시스터 액트
Country: Japan | Language: English
🔗 All images are linked to their original sources or articles. No copyright ownership is claimed.
ORIGIN
Sister Act premiered as a stage musical in 2006 at the Pasadena Playhouse in California, with music by Alan Menken and a book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner, based on the 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg. The musical subsequently spread internationally through licensed productions in multiple countries. In 2023, EMK Musical Company acquired performance rights and developed an English-language international production through auditions held in New York and Seoul, involving both Korean and international performers and collaborative production input from U.S. and Korean creative teams. Korean media noted that EMK held auditions in both Seoul and New York and deliberately cast Korean performers alongside international artists.
STORY
Set in the late 1970s, Sister Act follows Deloris Van Cartier, a nightclub singer who is placed in protective custody in a convent after witnessing a crime. Disguised as a nun, she revitalizes the convent choir with contemporary music, transforming both the choir and the community around it. The story balances comedy and warmth while emphasizing themes of friendship, self-discovery, and solidarity. The score blends disco, gospel, soul, and musical theater styles characteristic of Alan Menken’s work.
POSTER COLLECTION
Poster images are shown for documentation only. All rights belong to the original creators and producers.
KOREAN RUNS
2023–2024 – International production led by EMK Musical Company
The international production premiered in Busan at Sohyang Theater Shinhan Card Hall in November 2023 before transferring to D-Cube Link Art Center in Seoul from November 21, 2023 to February 11, 2024. Auditions were conducted in New York and Seoul, resulting in a mixed cast that included international performers and Korean actors, including Kim Sohyang and Park Siin, and the production was performed entirely in English. Korean press described the collaboration between U.S. and Korean creative teams to upgrade staging, lighting, and costumes for this international version. Although EMK announced plans for a nationwide Korean tour and subsequent Asian tour, only the Busan and Seoul engagements were realized.
GLOBAL STAGINGS & ADAPTATIONS
Japan, 2024
English-language touring production with Japanese subtitles
Following the Korean run, the production was staged in Japan in July 2024 at Theatre Orb, presented as a touring company performing in English with Japanese subtitles and live band accompaniment. The Japan engagement retained principal cast members from the Korean run, including Sophie Kim as Sister Mary Robert, indicating continuity with EMK’s international touring version. EMK held Asian performance rights and contributed creative input to this production, though it was marketed locally as a Broadway musical. Japan ultimately remained the only overseas destination where this EMK-led international production was realized.
REFERENCES
Haps Korea – International production announcement and Korean premiere overview
https://www.hapskorea.com/international-production-of-sister-act-to-begin-next-month-in-busan/
Theatre Orb – Official Japanese performance listing
https://theatre-orb.com/lineup/24_sisteract/top.html
Munhwa – Korean media coverage of the Seoul run and production background
https://www.munhwa.com/article/11379924
Nocut News – Korean article on Seoul performances and production notes
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