Movie-inspired musical that's almighty fun

After the Beijing stop, Sister Act will visit other Chinese cities, including Shanghai and Hangzhou, throughout October. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The award-winning musical, Sister Act, which is based on the 1992 comedy film of the same title starring Whoopi Goldberg, opened in Beijing on Aug 18 and will run till Sept 3.

Written by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner with additional book material by Douglas Carter Beane, Sister Act has original lyrics by Tony Awards nominee Glenn Slater and music by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken.

Originally co-produced by Goldberg herself, the musical version of Sister Act premiered in 2006 at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, California and opened in 2009 at London's West End before being revised for Broadway in 2011.

According to the musical's China touring manager, Yang Jie, who introduced the cast to Beijing's audiences on Aug 18, the musical is on its second tour of Asia, which began in Singapore this May. In 2015, the production kicked off an Asian tour, including a three-week run in Japan, but it didn't come to China.

"The success of our Asian tour in 2015 gave us lots of confidence about this China tour," says Yang, adding that the shows in Guangzhou and Shenzhen between July 26 to Aug 13 were very popular. After the Beijing stop, the musical will visit other Chinese cities, including Shanghai and Hangzhou, throughout October.

"Essentially the musical production retains the film's plot. What makes it different is the music," Yang adds.

Sister Act tells the story of a disco diva in late 1970s Philadelphia, Deloris Van Cartier, who hides out in a convent after witnessing her gangster boyfriend being killed.