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Photos: Whoopi Goldberg Joins Sister Act, 10 Aug

Editorial Staff
London's West End

As previously tipped, Hollywood star Whoopi Goldberg will make her West End debut in Sister Act, the stage musical which she has co-produced and which is based on her 1992 film. She takes over from Sheila Hancock as the Mother Superior for a strictly limited season of 23 performances only from 10 to 31 August 2010 at the London Palladium.

In the film and its sequel, 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 Patina Miller, who won this year’s Whatsonstage.com Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance.

Best known for her films such as The Color Purple, Ghost, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Soapdish in addition to Sister Act, Goldberg’s stage credits include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Xanadu on Broadway.

Commenting on Goldberg’s onstage role in the production, Bill Taylor, UK CEO of co-producers Stage Entertainment, said: “The Sister Act journey has been an incredible one so far, and Whoopi’s input from the development stage onwards has been invaluable. Now, back in her habit and on stage with our company at the beautiful Palladium, theatregoers get to see a comedy legend at work. To say the Sister Act family is excited might be something of an understatement!”

Also joining Goldberg in the current cast are former Blue pop star Simon Webbe as Curtis Shanks and Ian Lavender as the Monsignor, as well as Ako Mitchell, Katie Rowley Jones, Claire Greenway, Jacqueline Clarke, Nicholas Colicos, Thomas Goodridge and Ivan De Freitas. The screen-to-stage adaptation has a score by Alan Menken and a book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner.

Sister Act opened at the Palladium on 2 June 2009 (previews from 7 May) and must close on 30 October 2010 to make way 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.