Praise be! Bonafide showgirl and one of Australia’s most-loved musical theatre stars, Rhonda Burchmore, has been confirmed to join Casey Donovan and Genevieve Lemon in this heavenly musical hit. Rhonda will star as Sister Mary Lazarus in the Australian premiere of Sister Act.
If you're not already familiar national treasure Rhonda Burchmore, it's time for an education – this flame-haired beauty is essentially Australia's number one glamazon. The 63-year-old has popped up in various movies, television shows, stage productions and national tours over the decades – long before she arrived in the South African jungle for I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, she was seen on the West End stage with Mickey Rooney. Burchmore has appeared wearing a nun's habit in a video shared across social media, and in it she says: "I have been performing for 42 years, and this is the most comfy I have ever been." We're sure this showgirl is gonna be a delight to watch. Get it, Rhonda!
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After collecting five Tony Award nominations on Broadway, Sister Act will open at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from August and Melbourne’s Regent Theatre from November (all after a triumphant return to London’s West End earlier this year).
Leading the cast is Casey Donovan, in the biggest role of her career to date. Casey will be stepping into the sparkly shoes of the quick-witted disco diva Deloris (played by Whoopi Goldberg in the iconic 1992 film that inspired the stage show) whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a murder. Placed under protective custody, she is hidden in the one place she shouldn’t be found – a convent. Encouraged to help the struggling choir, she empowers the sisters to find their true voices as she unexpectedly rediscovers her own. With songs inspired by Motown, soul and disco, this feel-good show features original music by Tony and Oscar Award-winner Alan Menken (Disney’s Aladdin, Enchanted, and The Little Mermaid).
Appearing on our screens from the age of 16, Casey Donovan has come a long way since she was named the youngest winner of Australian Idol (and we’re not just talking about when she was crowned “Queen of the Jungle” in I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here). As one of Australia’s most versatile entertainers, Casey is an epic and sought after musical theatre performer, most recently stealing the show in & Juliet (which is playing in Sydney through June).
The legendary casting doesn’t stop there, though – joining Casey and Rhonda in donning the habit is the much-loved Genevieve Lemon in the role of Mother Superior. If you haven’t seen Genevieve Lemon’s multi-award-winning face somewhere, you must’ve been living under a rock for the better part of her 40-plus year career. She has appeared in a number of Australian television series, international films (including frequent collaborations with legendary filmmaker Jane Campion), and many premiere stage productions both here and abroad. You catch her in the Stan Original series Population 11 and the upcoming feature film Runt.
Sister Act is brought to the Aussie stage by John Frost for Crossroads Live. Further casting announcements will be made in the coming months, and tickets are on sale now at sisteractthemusical.com.au.
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