Sister Act: A Divine Musical Comedy

Overview

The year was 1992. Aladdin, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Batman Returns, Lethal Weapon 3 and A Few Good Men ruled the international box office. Slipping into a habit and sliding in next on the list, becoming the sixth-biggest hit of the year: Sister Act. The film about singing nuns spawned a sequel, with word of a third movie floating around for years since — and, as everything from Mean Girls and Muriel's Wedding to Groundhog Day and Beetlejuice has also done, it inspired a stage musical as well.

The theatre take on the Whoopi Goldberg (The Color Purple)-led film franchise debuted in California in 2006, then hit West End in 2009 and Broadway in 2011. Now, from November 2024, it's finally Melbourne's turn. Sister Act: A Divine Musical Comedy will hit the Regent Theatre from Sunday, November 3.

Sister Act UK & Ireland Touring Production 2023/24, photography Mark Senior

The first movie was filled with songs like 'Rescue Me', 'My Guy' and 'I Will Follow Him', making its soundtrack a smash as well, so the film was always primed to tread the boards. The Sister Act musical features original tunes, with Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid) doing the honours. Among the show's rewards so far: five Tony Award nominations and six Olivier Award nominations.

Story-wise, the production follows Deloris, who witnesses a murder and has to go into protective custody. Her hideout: a convent. It's there that the nightclub singer finds a struggling choir, which she begins to help.

For the Australian run — which is answering prayers in Sydney, too — Casey Donovan (& Juliet) is leading the cast, while Genevieve Lemon (Billy Elliot) co-stars as Mother Superior.

Top images: Benny Capp.