Sister Act: Douglas Carter Beane joins creative team

Tony and Olivier award nominee Douglas Carter Beane (Xanadu, The Little Dog Laughed) will provide additional book material to the upcoming musical Sister Act, working alongside the show's original book writers, Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning book-writers Cheri and Bill Steinkellner.

Producer Bill Taylor said, "We're really excited to have Douglas Carter Beane join the Sister Act creative team. Everyone is very much looking forward to building on the wonderful story we already have, and that proved such a success in London, and I know that Broadway audiences are in for a big treat when we reveal what this talented group of writers has up its sleeve."

The musical opens at the Broadway Theatre on 20 Apr 2011, following previews from 24 Mar 2011, where it is currently booking through to 29 Jan 2012.

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 Broadway company of Sister Act will feature Olivier Award-nominee Patina Miller as 'Deloris Van Cartier,' Tony Award-winner Victoria Clark as 'Mother Superior,' Fred Applegate as 'Monsignor,' Sarah Bolt as 'Sister Mary Patrick,' John Treacy Egan as 'Joey,' Demond Green as 'TJ,' Chester Gregory as 'Eddie,' Kingsley Leggs as 'Curtis,' Marla Mindelle as 'Sister Mary Robert,' Audrie Neenan as 'Sister Mary Lazarus' and Caesar Samayoa as 'Pablo.'

The ensemble of The Broadway company of Sister Act includes: 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.

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.