Sister Act Tickets

The London Palladium will be the home of Sister Act, when the musical based on the hit Hollywood movie gets its West End premiere. It followed the announcement made by the film star Whoopi Goldberg that she planned to produce a musical comedy stage show and open it in London in June next year. The original movie was set in Reno and San Francisco, but this has been changed to Philadelphia in the 1970s – a stylistic decision that will bring it a unique edge; so even if you are familiar with the movie, there will be something new for Sister Act to offer onstage.  After originally premiering in Pasadena, California back in 2006 the show has yet to appear on Broadway or (until next year) the West End, making this theatrical event a must see.

Sister Act tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier (played by Goldberg in the movie). The plot unfolds as she is placed on the witness protection programme after her boyfriend commits a murder at the club in Philadelphia where she performs. She is disguised as a num called Sister Mary Clarence and sent to the Holy Order of the Little Sisters of Out Mother of Perpetual Faith, finding herself at odds with the strict Mother Superior. With Deloris’s singing background she is able to help the nuns’ choir to become more hip and up to date – with great success. The only problem is the success brings with it notoriety, which leads her mob boyfriend back to get her.

The show will feature music by Alan Menken who is an Academy Award winner whose previous credits include work for several Disney movies. These include The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and Enchanted. Peter Schnieder will the direct the musical with choreography by Anthony Van Laast. The producers are Whoopi Goldberg and Stage Entertainment.

In the 1992 film version of Sister Act, Whoopi Goldberg played Deloris, the perfomer in a Reno club, alongside Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena, Mary Wickes, and Harvey Keitel. The film was a great success and is often regarded as one of the best comedies of all time. It went on the spawn the sequel Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit in 1993, which again starred Whoopi Goldberg.

Sister Act is at the London Palladium from 2nd June 2009 (previews from 7th May 2009) and will continue to February 2010.