Sister Act: casting, Victoria Clark to co-star

Tony Award-winner Victoria Clark will co-star as 'Mother Superior' in the new Broadway musical, Sister Act, which opens at the Broadway Theatre on 20 Apr 2011, following previews from 24 Mar 2011.

As previously announced, Olivier Award nominee Patina Miller will reprise her critically acclaimed performance as 'Deloris Van Cartier,' which she originated in the West End production of Sister Act.

Victoria Clark (Mother Superior) received a Tony Award for her performance in Craig Lucas-Adam Guettel musical 'The Light in the Piazza' in 2005. Most recently, Clark appeared in the off-Broadway production, 'Love, Loss and What I Wore,' as well as Lincoln Center's production of 'When the Rain Stops Falling.' Her many Broadway credits include 'Titanic,' 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying' with Matthew Broderick and Megan Mullally, Jerry Zaks' Tony Award-winning revival of 'Guys and Dolls' with Faith Prince and Nathan Lane, 'Urinetown,' 'A Grand Night for Singing,' Sam Mendes' revival of 'Cabaret,' and 'Sunday in the Park with George.'

The Broadway company will also feature Fred Applegate (Young Frankenstein) as 'Monsignor,' Sarah Bolt (Wicked) as 'Sister Mary Patrick,' John Treacy Egan (The Producers) as 'Joey,' Demond Green (The Toxic Avenger) as 'TJ,' Chester Gregory (Dreamgirls) as 'Eddie,' Kingsley Leggs (The Color Purple) as 'Curtis,' Marla Mindelle (South Pacific) as 'Sister Mary Robert,' Audrie Neenan (Picnic) as 'Sister Mary Lazarus' and Caesar Samayoa (The Pee-wee Herman Show) as 'Pablo.'

The ensemble of Sister Act will also include: Jennifer Allen, Natalie Bradshaw, Charl Brown, Christina DeCicco, Holly Davis, Madeleine Doherty, Alan H. Green, Blake Hammond, Wendy James, Carrie A. Johnson, Kevin Ligon, Louise Madison, Marissa Perry, Ernie Pruneda, Corbin Reid, Lance Roberts, Rashidra Scott, Jennifer Simard, Lael Van Keuren, Roberta Wall and Alena Watters.

Sister Act is based on the 1992 film of the same name, and features music by Alan Menken ('Little Shop of Horrors,' 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'The Little Mermaid' and 'Enchanted'), lyrics by Glenn Slater (The Little Mermaid), book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner ("Cheers").

Sister Act: When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won't be found - a convent! Disguised as a nun she quickly finds fans amongst her fellow 'sisters' but makes the wrong impression on the convent's strict Mother Superior. When she turns her attention to the convent's off-key choir, helping the nuns to find their true voices and breathing new life into the rundown neighbourhood, her cover could be blown for good. With the gang giving chase, is time running out for Deloris? Or have they underestimated the power of her new found Sisterhood?

The Broadway production of Sister Act will be directed by four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks ('Guys and Dolls,' 'Six Degrees of Separation,' 'Lend Me a Tenor' - 1989 production, and 'The House of Blue Leaves'), with choreography by Anthony Van Laast ('Mamma Mia!' and 'Bombay Dreams'), and set design by Klara Zieglerova, costumes by Lez Brotherston, lighting by Natasha Katz and sound by Mick Potter. With the exception of Jerry Zaks, this is the same team that created the West End production - which was helmed by Peter Schneider.

The world premiere of Sister Act played at the London Palladium from 7 May 2009 - 30 Oct 2010. The show received generally good notices from the popular press: The Evening Standard says, "It's a wimple-wibbling, habit-forming triumph." The Daily Mail says, "I hated its artistic laziness, its predictability, its incuriosity, its idea that disco is divine..." The Daily Telegraph says, "Sister Act proves more enjoyable on stage than it did on film." The Stage says, "Highly recommended."

The London production broke the record for the highest grossing single performance (December 2009) and highest weekly gross (August 2010) for any musical ever at the London Palladium.