Sally’s getting back in the habit to reprise her award-winning role

When Sally Manning played the Mother Superior in our 2015 production of Sister Act, her performance saw her named Best Actress in a Musical at the Daily Echo Curtain Call Awards. Seven years on, she’s thrilled to be reprising the role.

“It was my first lead part and quite scary at the time,” remembers Sally. “But I think I’ve evolved as a person since then, and now understand better who the Mother Superior is. I think my voice has matured as well. But in rehearsals it’s strange how things are coming back to me from before!”

Sally Manning

Much of the fun of Sister Act involves the sparky relationship between the Mother Superior and the sassy nightclub singer Deloris Van Cartier, forced to hide in the convent after witnessing a murder. Deloris is played by Kirsty Kingham. Sally says acting with Kirsty is quite an experience.

“Kirsty and I have been really close friends for many years now but we’ve never performed together! Now we’re performing the leads in my favourite show which is very special to me. Because it’s Kirsty, it’s REALLY hard to stay focused and not to allow myself to burst with laughter - and equally not to get emotional!”

Since 2015 Sally has played several lead roles for BATS as well as directing her first show at the Haymarket, Avenue Q for BATS Next Gen. Later this year, she’ll be directing BATS’ next show, Shrek – The Musical.

Sally as Mother Superior in our 2015 production

“Originally we were due to perform Shrek in 2019 but Covid hit. So I’ve had a lot of preparation time! I love character work, and I’m really looking forward to bringing all those fairytale creatures to the stage. It’s going to be a lot of fun!”

Before that though, Sally’s attention is firmly focused on Sister Act – as well as her day job as a job coach at Farnborough College.

“I help teenagers with additional learning needs to find work,” she explains. “I absolutely love being able to help make a difference in their lives.”

“And for me the most important thing about BATS is, you’ve got to have fun! It’s a hobby and people are taking time out of their busy lives to put on a show.”

“I can’t wait to get back on stage at the Haymarket with a great group of friends and bring you the best show we can!”

Six performances of Sister Act run from 17 - 21 May at the Haymarket, Basingstoke. Buy tickets online.

Sister Act - Dates and information for pre-audition rehearsals and auditions

Sister Act Logo

If you would like to join us to perform in our May 2022 production of Sister Act, here is the information you need about auditions.


Access audition resources online: Members area

You must be a paid-up member to be able to access audition materials, audition form and book slots for pre-audition workshops. Access these resources by logging into your member account on the BATS website. If you are a new member, pay your membership online with a debit or credit card to gain instant access your account. Annual membership is £25 and runs from 1 July - 30 June.

If you want to know a little more before you decide to audition, read the character descriptions/requirements and the schedule of rehearsal dates.


Welcome talk (it not mandatory to attend this in order to audition)
Wed 8 Dec: 19:45 – 22:00 hrs
Venue: Christ Church, Reading Road, Chineham, RG4 8LT
Covid precautions: All attendees to perform a negative lateral flow test 24 hours before attending and we recommend you wear a face mask during this event. If you feel unwell and show any main symptoms of coronavirus, please do not attend unless you have taken a negative PCR test.

Pre-audition workshops
You'll need to attend at least one pre-audition workshop to practise singing with the musical director and be taught your chosen audition dance (there are different routines for 'ensemble' and 'dancers').

Singing slots are an individual 10-minute session with the MD. Dancing is a 45-minute slot in up to groups of 10. You must pre-book slots online via your member account on the BATS website.

Mon 3 Jan: 19:30 – 22:00 hrs
Wed 5 Jan: 19:45 – 22:00 hrs
Mon 10 Jan: 19:30 – 22:00 hrs
Wed 12 Jan: 19:45 – 22:00 hrs
Venue: Christ Church, Reading Road, Chineham, RG4 8LT

Auditions
The online audition form must be submitted by Wed 12 January.
Sat 15 Jan: 09:30 - 17:00
Sun 16 Jan: 10:00 - 16:00 (TBC)
Venue: Market Chambers, Church Street, Basingstoke, RG21 7QE

Performance Fee
If you are successfully cast in the show, a performance fee of £100 is payable before the costume call (Thurs 12 May). You can pay in instalments - just talk to us to request this.

Schedule of director setting and rehearsal dates
In addition to the director setting dates, cast will generally be called for rehearsal every Monday and Wednesday evening. View the outline rehearsal schedule.

Elf - The Musical Review, November 2021, Deputy Mayor, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

The performance was anything but Amateur from the minute the curtain went up before a packed house. From the outset we were treated to a polished, professional standard evenings’ entertainment that would rival anything to be seen on a London stage.

The impact of the ‘Elves’ performing at the start of the show set the standard with an innovative display that really captured the audience and set the jolly mood that continued all the way to the final curtain call. The story line was probably very familiar to many of the audience, but it was the delivery of this performance with all the clever innuendos of today’s world that set the cheerful atmosphere we all needed after long months of restrictions.

The quality of the direction and choreography by Louise Travis was first rate and together with an enthusiastic and talented cast they really delivered an excellent show. It was only afterward we were told that the two principals on the night were, in fact, the understudies to the main cast members, but you never would have realised. The professionalism of the cast as a team was also evident when Buddy the Elf lost his ‘voice’ when his headset mic failed, and the smooth way he slipped off-stage to resolve the problem was unnoticed by the audience.

A most enjoyable and entertaining evening with plenty of laughs. Well done and thank you BATS!

Councillor Paul Miller (Deputy Mayor) and Mrs Sandra Miller (Deputy Mayoress)
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

Elf - The Musical Review, November 2021, Jane Lewis

What a wonderful start to the Christmas season! Every single member of the cast gave a high-energy and excellent performance.

The costumes and choreography were inspired and overall created a wonderful production. Christmas hats off to the cast and crew! A fabulous cameo performance from the hot dog vendor can’t go unmentioned!

The audience thoroughly enjoyed every single minute and f anyone was wavering in their belief of Santa before the show, they were completely SparkleJollyTwinkleJingley when the left!

Jane Lewis

New director Louise will take you on a sparkly sleigh ride!

"I said 'Come on this sleigh ride with me!' - and whatever I've thrown at them, they've totally embraced it and gone along with it!"

Louise Travis is paying tribute to the cast and crew of Elf the Musical, which is she is directing and choreographing for BATS at the Haymarket in November.

"We lost a few weeks at the start because covid restrictions were still in place," she explains. "But when we could get together, we became a tight team very quickly. Everyone was so excited to get out of their homes and into a rehearsal space and be with people again, singing and performing. Every change I make, every time I suddenly announce there's a tap dance in this scene, they don't question it, they just get on with it!"

Elf is the first show Louise has directed for BATS and she brings a wealth of experience to the role.

Louise Travis

"I was very lucky to start assisting a director at the age of 15, at the Crucible Youth Theatre in Sheffield. They could probably see how bossy I was! I had some incredible directors to work alongside and look up to. I then directed my first professional show at the age of 19."

That launched Louise's career in the entertainment industry which has taken her around the world. Among the highlights are performing Off-Broadway, modelling in Hong Kong, and touring the UK in the show Stepping Out. "It was an exciting life! I've juggled lots of different jobs and mixed in a lot of directing and choreographing too."

After taking a break for family reasons, Louise had been looking forward to performing again - she was due to play Velma Kelly in BATS' production of Chicago last year, which sadly had to be cancelled because of the pandemic.

But after that 18 month hiatus, she's loving being at the helm for Elf, which she believes is the perfect musical to show BATS are back with a bang.

It's the story of a young orphan, Buddy, who mistakenly crawls into Santa's bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised unaware he's actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities make it obvious. He then travels to New York to try to find his birth family - and sprinkle some festive magic on the city via some spectacular song and dance numbers.

"It's such a beautiful and happy story," says Louise. "If you love Christmas and sparkle, and you like to put up your Christmas tree as early as Hallowe'en, then you need to come and see it! And if you don't, you still need to come and see it so we can change your mind!"

"We defy you not to be smiling at the end."

Elf - The Musical runs at the Haymarket from 9-13 November. Buy tickets online.

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