Patina Miller Wins Starring Role in West End Musical Version of Sister Act

Patina Miller will make her West End debut playing the lead role of Deloris Van Cartier in the new musical Sister Act, based on the hit movie starring Whoopi Goldberg, who's co-producing the stage version. Miller will joined by the Olivier Award-winning Shelia Hancock as Mother Superior and Ian Lavender EastEnders as Monsignor Howard. Sister Act starts previews at the London Palladium on May 7, with opening night set for June 2, directed by Peter Schneider.

Born and raised in South Carolina, Miller played Dionne in last summer's Central Park production of Hair and was part of the ensemble of the new musical Romantic Poetry at Manhattan Theatre Club last fall. She landed the starring role in Sister Act after the show’s producers conducted a year-long global search. Says Goldberg, via press release, “It wasn’t easy, but we did it. And boy, can she sing unlike some people we know – me!.”

Hancock’s career spans theater, television, radio and film, and she won a 2007 Olivier Award for her performance in Cabaret. Lavender’s previous theater credits include Dad’s Army and EastEnders.

Also starring in Sister Act will be Chris Jarman as Shank, Ako Mitchell as Eddie, Katie Rowley Jones as Sister Mary Robert, Claire Greenway as Sister Mary Patrick. Julia Sutton as Sister Mary Lazarus, Thomas Goodridge as TJ, Nicolas Colicos as Bones and Ivan De Freitas as Dinero.

The cast also includes Vanessa Barmby, Amy Booth-Steel, Julian Cannonier, Ben Clare, Helen Colby, Kate Coyston, Jennie Dale, Jaymz Denning, Nia Fisher, Alison Harding, Paul Kemble, Debbie Kurup, George Long, Hugh Maynard, Jo Napthine, Aysa O’Flaherty, Landi Oshinowo, Verity Quade, Helen Walsh and Emma Woods.

Sister Act features a score by Alan Menken, eight-time Oscar winner and composer of many of the world famous songs from Disney’s movies, including The Little Mermaid, Beauty & The Beast, Aladdin and Enchanted, with lyrics from his long- time collaborator Glenn Slater. The book is by the Cheri and Bill Steinkellner, whose writing credits include the classic sitcom Cheers.

Sister Act features musical supervision by Michael Kosarin, choreography by Anthony Van Laast, set design by Klara Zieglerova, costume design by Lez Brotherston, sound design by Mick Potter, lighting design by Natasha Katz and musical direction by Nicholas Skilbeck.