Gossip

Nun Other: Whoopi Goldberg Joins Stage Sister Act???

Editorial Staff
London's West End

Talk about going out with a bang! Sister Act finishes at the West End’s London Palladium on 30 October 2010 and, if casting rumours prove true, some of its final weeks could be its busiest ever. We hear that Whoopi Goldberg, who starred in the original 1992 film and has a co-producing credit on the musical, may be following Sheila Hancock into the role of the Mother Superior for a strictly limited season. Hancock is currently due to finish her extended contract at the end of August, though, due to other commitments of late, she’s being frequently covered by Verity Quade.

In the film, of course, Goldberg played the lead of Deloris van Cartier (opposite Maggie Smith as the Mother Superior), the lounge singer put in protective custody in a convent after witnessing a murder. That part is taken on stage by Whatsonstage.com Award winner Patina Miller. Having the two American divas side-by-side on stage would certainly cause a stir at the box office.

Sister Act makes way at the Palladium for next year’s reality TV-cast production of The Wizard of Oz. Producers announced in May that they’re looking for a new West End home for Sister Act – while also preparing for a Broadway opening in spring 2011, a UK tour in autumn 2011 and various international productions – but no new London address has yet been announced.