Sister Act

Sister Act

Sister Act

Emile Ardolino directed the comedy film Sister Act in 1992, which starred Whoppi Goldberg. 14 years later, Sister Act the musical opened in California but the run was short lived. However, after a significant re-working and Goldberg stepping on board the project as producer, Sister Act will open at the London Palladium in 2009. Based around a convent, Sister Act appears to be following a trend at the Palladium as the musical will replace The Sound of Music which also focuses upon the lives of nuns.

The musical Sister Act changes the original film’s locations from San Francisco to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with the action set in the 1970’s. Deloris Van Cartier, portrayed in the film by Whoppi Goldberg, is a disco diva wannabe but her life is turned upside down when she witnesses the love of her life, gangster Curtis Shank, commit a murder at a club where she is performing. Deloris reports the crime to the police and as a result, is placed on the witness protection programme which sends her to a convent under a new identity; Sister Mary Clarence. Using her powerful voice and the rhythm that fuelled her love for singing, Deloris/Sister Mary leads the convent in creating a new contemporary choir which becomes a huge success. However, Curtis and his gang hear about the choir and recognise Deloris as Sister Mary. When good meets evil, when Curtis meets Deloris and when gangsters meet nuns, who will come out on top?

Sister Act opened at the Pasadena Playhouse in California on the 24th October 2006 but after negative reviews including Jonas Schwartz from theatremania.com declaring the show ‘suffers from a bit of an identity crisis’, the show closed on the 23rd December of the same year. The production appeared in Georgia at the start of 2007 but the run lasted for just one month. However, the creative team has been re-drafted for the London debut and the future looks bright, with bookings being taken up until 2010. Goldberg is joined by Stage Entertainment, the company behind the West End smash hit Hairspray, in the production of the musical. The show will be directed by Peter Schneider, former President of Feature Animations for Disney, who is behind such films as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. The creative team is completed by Anthony Van Laast who choreographed the West End and Broadway production of Mamma Mia.

Sister Act opens at the London Palladium on the 2nd June 2009 and is currently taking bookings for tickets up until the 12th February 2010.