"Sister Act" has started its Majestic Theatre run, and one of its actors has a special San Antonio connection.
Surely you have seen the movie, but if you haven’t, Charles Barksdale details the plot.
“The story is exactly the same. It follows Doloris Van Cartier, who witnesses a murder and hides out in a convent, and she freaks them out and they freak her out and, you know, they all love each other in the end," Barksdale said
This is the road version of the Broadway play and as Barksdale notes, its characters have remained largely intact.
“Sister Mary Patrick, originally by Kathy Najimy, the happy nun. And Mary Robert, the shy one, who belts really high,” he said.
But they’ve added a couple of new ones, including Barksdale’s.
“I’m the nephew of the villain and I say the most stupid things throughout the show,” he laughed.
As to Barksdale’s San Antonio connection, it's a deep one.
“Being from San Antonio I grew up in the choral world, so I did choral music all through high school," said Barksdale. "And then I went to UTSA and I did opera. But this is a completely different thing than anything I’ve ever done.”
I asked Barksdale if he couldn't help but to get into the arts.
“Absolutely! I started playing viola in elementary school, [in] middle school I started acting," he said. "And so yeah, I feel like I didn’t choose it; I just kind of automatically went to it.”
Barksdale’s role is a comic relief in the midst of a comedy, but that comedy is full of music, music that revolves around Doloris. Barksdale heaps praise on the entire cast, but her in particular.
"I can’t say enough great things about Ta’rea Campbell, who is our lead Doloris. She is amazing,” Barksdale said.
I've seen the play and she can definitely belt it out. "Sister Act" runs through June 29 at the Majestic.
“It’s two hours of pure, unadulterated fun," said Barksdale.
- For a taste of "Sister Act" visit: sanantonio.broadway.com
- Majestic Theatre: www.majesticempire.com
