Sister Act

Sister Act is a 1992 American comedy film released by Touchstone Pictures. Directed by Emile Ardolino, it features musical arrangements by Marc Shaiman and stars Whoopi Goldberg as a Reno lounge singer who has been put under protective custody in a San Francisco convent of Poor Clares and has to pretend to be a nun when a mob boss puts her on his hit list. Also in the cast are Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena, Mary Wickes, and Harvey Keitel.

The film was followed by a 1993 sequel, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. It also inspired the musical Sister Act that premiered at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, California in 2006, and opened at the West End's London Palladium with previews from May 7, 2009. The musical then opened on Broadway at the Broadway Theatre in April 2011, with previews beginning March 24, 2011.

Sister Act was one of the most financially successful comedies of the early 1990s, and was rated #83 on Bravo's The 100 Funniest Movies list.

Plot

The film opens in 1968 at St. Anne's Academy, a California Roman Catholic school, where a young girl named Deloris Wilson is scolded by Sister Immaculata (Lois de Banzie) for wisecracking and disobedience. The setting then changes to the present day, where Deloris Van Cartier is a lounge singer in a 1960s-themed act called The Ronelles (a parody of The Ronettes), who sing at The Moonlite Lounge of the Nevada Club in Reno, Nevada, run by her boyfriend, the mobster Vince LaRocca. After Deloris walks in on Vince having his chauffeur Ernie executed for betrayal, Vince orders his two henchmen Joey and Willy to kill her as well. Deloris flees Vince's casino to the local police station where Lieutenant Eddie Souther suggests she testify against Vince if he can be arrested and tried, but for now, she should go into witness protection until the time comes.

Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, producer and actress. She is best known for being a member of the Fugees and for her solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

Raised in East Orange, New Jersey, Hill began singing with her music-oriented family during her childhood. She enjoyed success as an actress at an early age, appearing in a recurring role on the television soap opera As the World Turns and starring in the film Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. In high school, Hill was approached by Pras Michel to start a band, which his cousin, Wyclef Jean, soon joined. They renamed themselves the Fugees and released two studio albums, Blunted on Reality (1994) and the Grammy Award-winning The Score (1996), which sold six million copies in the United States. In the latter record, Hill rose to prominence with her African-American and Caribbean music influences, her rapping and singing, and a rendition of the hit "Killing Me Softly". Hill's tumultuous romantic relationship with Jean led to the split of the band in 1997, after which she began to focus on solo projects.

Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit

Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit is a 1993 American comedy film loosely based on the life of Crenshaw High School choir instructor Iris Stevenson, and starring Whoopi Goldberg. Directed by Bill Duke, and released by Touchstone Pictures, it is the sequel to the successful 1992 film Sister Act. Most of the original cast reprise their roles in the sequel, including Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena, and Mary Wickes.

Plot

Sisters Mary Patrick, (Kathy Najimy), Mary Robert (Wendy Makkena), and Mary Lazarus (Mary Wickes) attend the final performance of Deloris van Cartier (Whoopi Goldberg) at a Las Vegas theater, depicting her escapades at the nuns' convent in the previous film. Afterwards, the Sisters ask Deloris for her assistance once again. Reuniting with Reverend Mother, (Maggie Smith) Deloris learns the nuns now work as teachers at St. Francis Academy in San Francisco, a school Deloris herself had attended, which is facing closure if the administrator Mr. Crisp (James Coburn) convinces the local diocese to agree. Deloris agrees to help teach the music class, once again taking on her persona as Sister Mary Clarence. She meets the monks who also work at the school, including principal Father Maurice (Barnard Hughes), math teacher Father Ignatius (Michael Jeter), grouchy Latin teacher Father Thomas (Brad Sullivan), and the cook Father Wolfgang (Thomas Gottschalk).

Ryan Toby

Ryan Toby (born November 26, 1976) is an American soul singer, songwriter, producer, and actor known as the baritenor in the group City High. He is also best known for playing Wesley Glen Ahmal James in the 1993 film Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.

Toby grew up in Willingboro Township, New Jersey and attended Willingboro High School.

Manager Marvin Thompson introduced Toby to then RCA Records A&R Director Kenny Ortiz, which eventually lead to a meeting with Disney & Buena Vista/Touchstone Pictures Executives. The company was looking for young actors/singers for their upcoming project titled Sister Act II: Back In The Habit (starring Whoopi Goldberg). Landing a principal role at 16 years old, the talented singer/actor was featured on the accompanying soundtrack. He wrote the rap part to the much loved single “Joyful, Joyful” which also featured newcomer Lauryn Hill and was a featured soloist on the single “Oh Happy Day”. After filming, Toby was put in touch with Jazzy Jeff (of The Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff fame) and was invited to Philadelphia. Jeff and Ryan bonded and he was asked to sign to his Touch of Jazz Production Company. It was during that time that Will Smith visited with Jeff. Smith was working on his upcoming album titled Big Willie Style. Smith heard Ryan and wanted him to work on his album. The music/rap turned into Smith’s hit single “Miami”. Ryan received writing credits for “Miami”, “Don’t Say Nothing”, “I Loved Her” and “Candy”. The album sold over 20 million copies.

Joyful, Joyful

{{Infobox song | Name =Joyful, Joyful | Type =Song | Artist =Casting Crowns | Album =Until the Whole World Hears | Recorded =Zoo Studio (Franklin, TN)
Ocean Way (Nashville, TN) | Genre =[[Contemporary Christian music] | Length =4:28 | Writer =Mark Hall, Bernie Herms | Label =Beach Street | Producer =Mark A. Miller | Misc = |- ! Until the Whole World Hears track listing |- | colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" |

}}

"Joyful, Joyful" is a song by contemporary Christian music band Casting Crowns from their fourth studio album Until the Whole World Hears (2009). Written by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms and produced by Mark A. Miller, the song is a re-interpretation of the hymn "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" and Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. "Joyful, Joyful", a CCM and alternative CCM song, is driven by a string section that has been compared to Coldplay's song "Viva la Vida". It received positive reviews from music critics and received airplay over the 2010 Christmas season, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart.