Hallelujah! Adelaide, our prayers have been answered! The smash-hit musical Sister Act arrives in Adelaide from 22nd March, 2025.
Sister Act is based on the iconic film starring Whoopi Goldberg and features original music by Tony and 8-time Oscar award-winner Alan Menken (Disney’s Aladdin, Enchanted, The Little Mermaid). With songs inspired by Motown, soul and disco, this heavenly musical is joyous and uplifting in equal measures.
Sister Act features a star-studded cast, including Rhonda Burchmore, Genevieve Lemon, Sally Bourne, Emma Powell and with Casey Donovan in the role of Deloris Van Cartier. The incredibly versatile Raphael Wong will play Eddie Souther. Eddie is the police officer who is tasked with protecting Deloris Van Cartier after she witnesses a horrible crime. He is also harbouring a long-standing crush on Deloris from their high school days.
Raphael, a versatile classical-crossover artist, made his professional debut with Opera Australia in 2012. Since then he has performed across Australia and internationally. Raphael spoke to Glam Adelaide about Sister Act, his character and if performing and music were always things he saw himself doing as a career.
“I sort of fell into opera, actually. I did musical theatre when I was younger, so in a way I kind of knew that I was hoping to get my foot back in the door in that part of the industry at some point. I just didn’t really know when it was going to happen. Early on my experiences were coming from the opera world and that’s where the work was happening for me. I just kept following that path, and then eventually I got my foot in the door with a couple of independent musical theatre works and that paved the way to where I am now.”
Music was a big part of Raphael’s life growing up.
“Mum and Dad both played musical instruments and sang a lot when I was growing up. I went through the church choir experience and then paved my own path singing with the Australian Boys Choir and doing my individual music lessons and things at school. At school, a lot of my stage experience came from school musicals and shows. Music was a huge part of my life growing up.”
Having worked predominantly in opera for his professional career, we asked Raphael how he’s found it crossing over to a pop-driven musical like Sister Act.
“Oh, I’ve loved it. It feels so different to what I’ve done in the past, and challenging. I did musical theatre at school, so it’s been really nice coming back to this now professionally – it’s a full circle moment for me! Growing up I was always listening to rock classics, jazz and all these other genres before I studied and made an early career in opera. Prior to working professionally in opera I worked with a Melbourne gospel choir and have had a lot of experiences with soul, funk and disco – just never on a professional platform. It’s been just wonderful branching out with Sister Act.”
Raphael shared with us what he loves about Sister Act.
“The show and the movie itself are iconic. Personally, my first experience of Sister Act was probably more the second film, but then, of course, going back and watching the first film again just spurs up all these childhood nostalgic memories. So obviously I was going to jump at the chance of auditioning for the show. Then I delved into it a bit further and saw that the music was written by Alan Menken, because this show doesn’t have the original music from the film. Any chance you get to sing music by Alan Menken, you jump at it! On top of that, when they announced Casey and Rhonda and Jen as our leading ladies, I just knew we were in for a really great fun ride and the cast in itself is just fabulous. It’s just been a joy. It’s such a joyous fun show.”
We asked Raphael how much creative license he had in the rehearsal room for the character of Eddie.
“When I look back at who has played Eddie in the past, I definitely feel like Bill, our director, gave me an opportunity to develop the role to suit my strengths. Obviously, we have to work within the confines of the show as it has been produced before in other countries, so we do have a framework but I certainly felt that I was able to add a bit of my own experiences and my own style into how Eddie was going to be portrayed. It’s always a lot of fun to explore a new role and see how I can add a piece of me into it.”
Sister Act arrives at the Adelaide Festival Theatre from March 22, 2025.
“There’s a lot of really heavy news, politics and things going on in the world in general. Sister Act is one of those shows that, for two and a half hours, you get to escape all of that and see a story that we all know really well. There’s a bit of nostalgia in those characters but also everyone just having a great old time. The music is just so joyous and the story is so wonderful. You will leave with a huge smile on your face.”
Tickets on sale now!
For further information and tickets, visit www.sisteractthemusical.com.au .
Photo credit: Daniel Boud
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