Fun at work

Sister Act is a story that is familiar and beloved to many, with a fast pace, well-known music, and plenty of energy. History has shown that the transition from film to stage can be challenging, but Tom Sterri, who plays Monsignor O’Hara, promises a spectacular show.

“With Sister Act, you get two and a half hours of energy, excitement, music, humor, and pure joy. It takes you far away from electricity bills, food prices, war, and misery,” Tom says enthusiastically.

Big names like Hilde Lyrån, Anna Lisa Kumoji, Ingeborg Walther, and not least Tom Sterri take on their respective roles as nuns and priests in the play. According to Sterri, the cast is having a great time at work.

“Sister Act is just plain old fun! We’re really having a blast, and I think the audience can tell—that’s probably part of the reason Sister Act has become such a smash hit in the capital. I feel like I’m saving 1,000 people every night,” Tom laughs.

A packed schedule

– Our time in Oslo is coming to an end, and we’re already looking forward to heading to Kristiansand, where we’ll be performing an even more packed schedule than we have here in Oslo.

When the show comes to the capital of Southern Norway, it will be performed much more frequently over a shorter period than it is in Oslo; to some, that might sound exhausting, but Tom is looking forward to it.

– A few years ago, I promised myself I’d live more and work less, but performing in *Sister Act* doesn’t feel like work—it’s life.

In the play, Tom plays the priest Monsignor O’Hara, a character who shares several similarities with Tom Sterri.

– He’s quite reserved at first, dressed in a black cassock, but ends up in a sequined outfit worthy of a Grand Prix finale. It perfectly illustrates the journey he goes through during the show, from a gray mouse to a colorful peacock. Being able to dramatize O’Hara’s development in Sister Act is one of the most fun things I’ve ever been a part of, Tom smiles.

Performing in *Sister Act* doesn't feel like work—it feels like life.

Not blasphemous

In the play, O’Hara is responsible for the church’s financial situation. With dwindling attendance, the church faces possible closure. When the play’s heroine arrives at the church and begins performing wonderfully captivating music, attendance numbers rise. Instead of fighting it, O’Hara sees an opportunity, and at the same time notices that the collection is skyrocketing—the church is saved!

“I’ve also worked hard to make the theater’s finances work so that I could make my own dreams—and those of others—come true, so I understand him very well,” says Tom.

When the comedy *Life of Brian* came to Norway in 1980, it was banned under the blasphemy law; according to Tom Sterri, there are no fears of similar trends, even though the play is being performed in the heart of the Bible Belt.

– It’s important to emphasize that everything we do, we do with respect. I understand that some people might think this is blasphemous, but I have deeply religious friends who saw the show and laughed until they cried. We had five nuns in the front row at the premiere; they laughed, smiled, clapped, and stood up when the show was over—it was absolutely wonderful!

I love Kristiansand

Tom Sterri has visited Kristiansand before, but that time his visit was shorter than he would have liked.

– I’ve only been to Kristiansand once, for a short visit many years ago in connection with *The Sound of Music*, and it really left me wanting more. There was a buzz of activity surrounding the production, which involved professionals, semi-professionals, and amateurs alike. I remember being impressed by both the venue and the city, and I’m really looking forward to finally returning to Kilden Kristiansand.

– *Sister Act* will be running for three weeks, which will give me a chance to really get to know the city. I’m looking forward to visiting small niche shops, eating ice cream at ice cream parlors, and drinking coffee at the city’s coffee shops. Basically, living like a local for a month.

It’s unclear whether it’s the weather, the cultural offerings, or the surroundings that draw him here, but Tom Sterri is a true friend of Southern Norway.

– There’s something about that dialect—it just makes me so happy! As soon as I hear it, I think of smiles, sunshine, and summer. If the weatherman forecasts rain in the Kristiansand dialect, it’s as if he’s forecasting sunshine, Tom grins.