Casey Donovan has just landed her biggest role yet.

Musical theatre nerds, alert the choir. The Broadway and West End smash hit musical Sister Act is preparing to get back in the habit. 

The musical extravaganza, based on the iconic 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg, is coming to the Capitol Theatre in Sydney in August before heading to the Regent Theatre in Melbourne in November. 

For the uninitiated, the musical version of Sister Act features original music by Tony and Oscar award-winner Alan Menken (aka the man behind the music in The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, just to name a few), with the songs inspired by the soul and disco sounds of Motown. 

And the good news keeps coming because the role of Deloris Van Cartier, the character made famous by Hollywood legend Whoopi Goldberg, will be played by none other than Australian treasure, Casey Donovan. Okay, obsessed.

The musical's storyline reflects the first Sister Act film, as it follows aspiring singer Deloris, who takes refuge in a convent after fleeing from witnessing her gangster boyfriend committing murder. And of course, she soon transforms the convent's choir into a singing sensation. And the rest is history.

Ahead of the musical's debut, Mamamia caught up with its leading lady, Casey Donovan, who is super excited to recreate the movie that shaped her early years.

"I absolutely loved the movies. They were my childhood," Donovan told us. "There is this nostalgia around the movies, especially the first one because for me — it was the first kind of movie with that sort of music." 

When Casey heard the musical was coming to Australian shores, she was immediately intrigued. "I heard it was coming out to Australia and of course, I wanted to audition. It really is a dream role to be playing Deloris Van Cartier." 

Casey auditioned back in November last year and after getting some notes to be a little 'sassier', she happily obliged and soon landed the biggest role of her career.

The I'm A Celebrity winner is in fine company with this part, as she performs with TV ad stage vet, Genevieve Lemon, who takes on the role of Mother Superior. "I get to play alongside Genevieve Lemon! She is so skilled and crafted in this industry — from stage to TV and back to stage. I'm in great hands with this show," Casey beamed. 

Casey will also be performing alongside one of Australia’s most loved theatre stars, Rhonda Burchmore, who is donning the habit as Sister Mary Lazarus.

Casey Donovan and Genevieve Lemon. Image: Benny Capp.

The Australian Idol alum is currently starring in the musical & Juliet until June 16, and she will have two weeks off before she jumps into Sister Act. Once her season with the Shakespeare-inspired musical ends, Casey said she will "switch hats, or switch wigs, so to speak," to prepare for her first leading role. 

"It's my first big step into a leading lady role, which is daunting, but also exciting. I'm feeling all of the feelings. I'm almost 36 and I've been doing this for the last 15 years," she said. 

"I feel like all the musicals I've been in have led up to this moment — to this shot." 

Casey understands there's a lot of weight on this role, as Deloris is a beloved character in film and musical history.

"To be playing Whoopi Goldberg herself, I mean, it's big shoes, but I'm ready to put my foot in there [laughs]," she said.

"Everyone knows Whoopi: she's funny, she's witty, she's quick on her feet. And the way she crafted Doloris was beautiful. Then you move it to musical theatre and you know, the likes of Beverley Knight, Cynthia Erivo, and many others [have played her]. These are strong women in the musical theatre world.

"I'm not going to get caught up in what everyone else has done, but kind of put my little spin on it while being respectful to the story and the character." 

Landi Oshinowo in the role of Deloris on in the UK tour of Sister Act. Image: Mark Senior.

Donovan added that she's excited to begin rehearsals and start to build chemistry with her co-stars. 

"It's about finding that chalk and cheese vibe between Dolores and Mother Superior that will be peppered throughout the show. It's about finding that chemistry and also the opening number is going be fun to play around with." 

The 36-year-old has become one of Australia's biggest musical theatre talents in the last decade. From playing Mama Cass in the musical, Flowerchildren – The Mamas & the Papas Story, to roles headlining Chicago, 9 to 5, and most recently, received rave reviews for her role in & Juliet. 

Despite getting her start in pop music on Australian Idol, Donovan admits she always had a passion for musical theatre. 

"It's always been bubbling under the surface. I always wanted to act as a teenager, but I was going to school in the western suburbs of Sydney and drama wasn't really too cool out there," she said.

Casey ended up being accepted into the Australian Institute of Music, but fate would have other ideas: at the age of 16, she auditioned for Australian Idol and won the whole show in 2004. But Casey's passion for musical theatre stayed the same. 

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"I never got the chance to give it a red hot go until my manager asked if I wanted to audition for The Sapphires musical production back in 2011... that was my big introduction to musical theatre and it's grown from there. I've definitely gone through times of stage fright and imposter syndrome. I've never been to an acting school," she said.

"I just kept persisting, learning and asking questions. I was able to learn from some of the best in Australian musical theatre and that's pretty bloody special." 

Casey Donovan IS pretty bloody special, and she promises audience members will leave the Sister Act musical with a big smile on their faces.

"They're going to take away joy and happiness," she said. 

"It's a night that people don't have to think; they can come, sing along, tap their feet, enjoy a great storyline, and watch a bunch of women on stage in habits just having the absolute time of their lives." 

Get tickets now to Sister Act, opening at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney this August and the Regent Theatre, Melbourne this November.

Feature Image: Benny Capp.