Sistas: The Musical at Laboratory Theater of Florida

The Laboratory Theater of Florida will present the Southwest Florida premiere of Dorothy Marcic’s Sistas: The Musical. The show plays from Dec. 16 – Jan. 15.
After Grandma’s death, the women in the family clean out her attic and unpack love and memories. They sing hit tunes that trace the history of Black women, from the trials of the 1930s through the girl groups of the ’60s to the empowerment of the ’90s.
Nominated for the 2012 Tony for Best New Musical and just months off its Off-Broadway run, this uplifting hit show highlights the musical journey of a multigenerational African-American family. Featuring songs such as “Oh Happy Day,” “Stormy Weather,” “Strange Fruit,” “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.,” “I Will Survive,” “Single Ladies,” “We Are Family” and more, this musical will lift your spirits and leave you singing all the way home.
This show replaces Ain’t Misbehavin’: The Fats Waller Story and is included in the Season 14 pass. Those holding tickets to Ain’t Misbehavin’ will have those automatically exchanged for identical tickets (in the same seats and on the same night of the week) for Sistas: The Musical.
Artistic director Annette Trossbach says, “Audiences are going to love this show. The music is iconic, the actors are so talented, and the set is beautiful. Songs like these often mark milestones in our own lives: we all remember what was playing in the background of special moments like our first dance, our first kiss, and special gatherings with friends and family. The journey of this show isn’t just the music, but how that music has been the soundtrack to our own lives.”
Director Sonya McCarter says, “The Oxford English Dictionary defines sisterhood as ‘the feeling of kinship with and closeness to a group of women or all women.’ That feeling of kinship can’t be forced or coerced; it has to live and breathe organically and does not require familial ties. Sistas: The Musical explores the bond of sisterhood: the good, the bad, and the ugly. It takes us on a journey through time using music and song as a vehicle to reflect on lessons that should be passed on to the next generation. It reminds us of what’s important: togetherness and love – even when we don’t agree. It celebrates what it means to be a woman in all her cultured, frustrated, enlightened, steady, vulnerable, and (Insert additional adjectives that can never sum up all that it means to be a woman) sophisticated glory. My hope is that you leave reminded of the need to cultivate that very special relationship that exists within a sisterhood. Gather your sisterhood and come celebrate the women who have impacted your life.”
Directed by Sonya McCarter, Sistas: The Musical features Myrtle October (Simone), Makayla Davis (Roberta), Simone Farrell (Gloria), Julissa Jean-Bart (Tamika) and Chelsea Fleeman (Heather). The production choreography is by Isabel Isenhower and music direction by W. Earl Sparrow.
Playwright Marcic says, “Ultimately, Sistas: The Musical is a story of family, of the history that binds us, and of the love we share that transcends our differences. It is a joyous celebration of strong women.”
Performance dates are Dec. 16, 17, 28, 29, 30, Jan. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14 at 8 p.m. and matinees on Dec. 18, Jan. 8 and 15 at 2 p.m. Half-price previews will b Dec. 14 and 15, and a post performance talk back will be held Jan. 8.
For tickets, call the box office at 239-218-0481 or online at www.laboratorytheaterflorida.com. The theater is located at 1634 Woodford Ave. in downtown Fort Myers.