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Stage West is taking on\u00a0Sister Act<\/em>\u00a0this winter through to Feb. 1. The musical keeps the core storyline from the 1992 film as Deloris Van Cartier hides out in a convent after witnessing a crime. But audiences will notice one major shift right away: this version uses a completely original score rather than the movie\u2019s soundtrack.<\/p>\n Ocean Williams, who plays Deloris, says the updated music brings a different kind of energy to the stage.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou want to hear songs that feel more like things you hear every day\u2026 it\u2019s nice to have things that are a little bit more upbeat,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n It\u2019s a long show, about two and a half hours, and Williams is onstage for almost all of it. She steps into the role after performing in\u00a0The Lion King<\/em>\u00a0in Toronto, where she covered Nala and Sarabi.<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, this is my first time playing the lead, being on stage this often,\u201d she says. \u201cI was really anxious about learning my lines and remembering all the song. But Tracy Fly, our director, made it so, so easy.\u201d<\/p>\n The production leans heavily on ensemble work, especially once the choir becomes part of the story. Williams says\u00a0\u201cRaise Your Voice\u201d\u00a0is the moment where those pieces click together.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so much fun to finally get to see all the nuns really get their energy going,\u201d she says. \u201cGetting to really look at them and feel their energy just gives me so much fuel to keep going.\u201d <\/p>\n And for audiences, the ensemble numbers are where most of the movement and staging variety happens \u2014 with choreography, layered comedy, and multiple characters in motion at once.<\/p>\n Williams, who started musical theatre at 13, says the cast dynamic backstage helps keep the pace manageable.<\/p>\n \u201cMy cast keeps me really energized. They\u2019re always hyping me up backstage,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s very good energy.\u201d <\/p>\n She also notes that some emotional moments hit her genuinely each night.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll probably cry a little bit \u2014 like you see me crying on stage every night. Those are real because I just feel all the love.\u201d <\/p>\n And yes, because this is Stage West, she adds a practical incentive: \u201cHonestly, the buffet is great. \u201c<\/p>\n