Starring in 'Sister Act' gives actress a confidence boost

When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be found – a convent!

Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and uptight Mother Superior.

Using her unique disco moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and the community but, in doing so, blows her cover. Soon the gang is giving chase, only to find themselves up against Deloris and the power of her newly-found sisterhood.

Filled with powerful gospel music, exciting dance numbers and a moving story, “Sister Act” continues on stage at the Media Theatre through June 5. Louisiana native, Dene Hill, takes the role of Deloris, originally played by Whoopi Goldberg in the film version.

Hill began singing in church when she was just a young child. “Growing up in the deep south, going to church on Sunday was a requirement whether or not you wanted to go,” she says. “Church represented community and in the Black church, everyone was family.”

So Hill embraced her family and began singing to and from church, and to and from school. And one day, after her family had moved to Texas, Hill and her older sister were approached by a talent agent and offered jobs.

“I was abut nine years old, and it was about that time that I realized I wanted to be a storyteller, and by the age of 15 I was accepted into the prestigious Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas.”

Later, Hill was off to continue her studies at the University of Texas at Arlington, as well as the Academia dell’Arte in Italy and the William Esper Studios in New York City.

“In the beginning of my career, I studied opera,” Hill explains. “Opera was my original goal and I performed all over the world. And I was no stranger to storytelling. I’ve performed alongside incredible casts in such productions as the international tour of ‘Porgy and Bess,’ as well as regional productions in ‘Civil War,’ ‘Dreamgirls,’ ‘Footloose,’ ‘Hair’ and many others.

“Then one day, at the suggestion of a teacher of mine, I moved to New York. And I think that’s when my life really changed. I discovered Broadway. You see,” she continues, “growing up in the south in Texas, we never got a chance to go to Broadway and see the shows. So when I finally did, I was mesmerized, and couldn’t wait to be a part of it.”

And even though she never got to see “Sister Act” on Broadway, she admits to seeing the film many times and listening to the music as often as she could. “And it came as a big surprise to me when I got the role in the touring company. I never thought I’d get the chance to play it.”

Hill says she’s always been fairly shy, unlike Deloris, who doesn’t back down from anything she believes in. “So I had to learn to become more confident, to speak out. Today, thanks to Deloris, I think I’ve become much more liberated and learned how to speak out. I think Deloris has helped me grow.”