‘Such a godsend’: Casey Donovan embraces the sisterhood in Sister Act
Picking up Whoopi Goldberg’s old habit has given Casey Donovan the biggest role of her career as a musical adaptation of the 90s classic comes to Adelaide.
Casey Donovan has stepped into the sensible shoes of nun Deloris Van Cartier in the stage version of Sister Act, a role made famous by Whoopi Goldberg in the hugely successful movies of the 1990s.
Deloris is a brash, brassy lounge singer who is sent to a convent for her own protection after witnessing a murder. There, she helps the struggling choir find its voices while accidentally rediscovering her own.
The Australian production also stars Australian acting royalty Genevieve Lemon in the role of Mother Superior and Rhonda Burchmore as choir lead Mary Lazarus.
Donovan says working with these icons has been “joyous”.
Donovan, as Deloris, putting the nuns through their paces. Photo: Daniel Boud / Supplied
“It’s been so joyful performing, learning from and watching these beautiful strong women,” she says. “They have really paved the way for actors to come through and just embrace themselves, and being able to stand on stage with Genevieve Lemon and watch her craft and watch how she portrays her character and gets into her character, and just the little intricacies that she makes and her choices are just so beautiful.
“And Rhonda Burchmore is such a joy to work with, she is so fun and just literally the light in our convent. She has always got a cheeky smile and is so professional and gets the job done and it is so beautiful watching her portray a nun.”
Sister Act the musical, from producer John Frost for Crossroads Live in association with Jamie Wilson, has played seasons in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, via London’s West End, before heading to Adelaide this month.
The award-winning musical features original music inspired by Motown and fused with the sounds of soul and disco, penned by Tony and eight-time Oscar award-winner Alan Menken (Disney’s Aladdin, Enchanted, The Little Mermaid).
Donovan says she is loving the challenge of her Sister Act role. Photo: Daniel Boud / Supplied
“The most challenging thing is the energy that it takes to keep Deloris up,” Donovan says. “She needs to make an impact every time she hits that stage, she can’t just fade into the background, she has to be the moment. I feel like that has been one of my biggest challenges — finding the energy every day and every show to come out and make that impact, and finding my acceleration in singing.
“And also Deloris’s voice, it’s quite taxing on me when I’m at that high energy, and trying to find an 80 per cent show is quite impossible for me because I don’t feel like I’m going all the way.”
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Donovan, who first rose to national fame aged just 16 as the winner of Australian Idol in 2004, has performed in numerous theatrical productions including The Sapphires, Flowerchildren: The Mamas and the Papas Story, We Will Rock You, Chicago, 9 to 5 and Rent. She is also in demand on the reality TV circuit, winning the third series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here along with appearances in StreetSmart, How To Stay Married and What Does Australia Really Think?
But Sister Act marks a major new milestone in the career of this versatile performer who has grown up under the public gaze, growing in confidence. Like Deloris, Donovan has stepped into her own strength over time, culminating in this funny, commanding and powerhouse role.
“The many things I love about this role is just Deloris’s forwardness and the way she enters a room,” Donovan says. “She’s so front-footed and abrupt and witty and fun and joyful to play.
Casey Donovan and Genevieve Lemon in Sister Act the Musical. Photo: Benny Capp / Supplied
“But she also has this really soft side. I don’t think she has a lot of friends and if they are friends, they want something from her. I feel like she’s fought all of her life, so being able to play that and being able to grow up with the movie has been such a godsend because I love Sister Act, it’s been such a massive part of my childhood, so being able to take little bits of pieces from Whoopi’s interpretation of Deloris Van Cartier and put them onstage has been really joyful.
“Deloris has many shades but at the end she wants a sisterhood, and she finds that and she also finds acceptance in herself. It’s quite emotive as well. A lot of people have told me that they got quite emotional in a few scenes because of the way the story is told — it’s this beautiful arc.”
Donavon’s favourite song from the production is Sister Act because “it’s this poignant moment of Deloris’s arc where she doesn’t need a spotlight or crowd, she’s got her sisters by her side and I love that”.
“The sisterhood in this production is next level,” she says. “It’s so beautiful to just have a professional cast but also a cast that embraces each other and allows people to just be and I love that.
“It’s very harmonious and it’s a lovely place to come to work and I still can’t believe we get to do this for our job and we get to enjoy playing these characters that we play in this show and it’s so much fun. So, yes, there’s a very big sisterhood presence in this production.
“Audiences can expect a great fun, light-hearted show that is camp as all camp. The crowds have been absolutely amazing responding to Sister Act. It’s been joyful, it’s been uplifting and I feel like at the end of the show everyone is smiling and enjoying themselves.”
Sister Act plays at the Festival Theatre from March 22 – April 19