When the curtain rises at southwest Atlanta’s Westlake High School this week, audiences will witness a musical transformation that’s been months in the making. The Westlake High School Fine Arts Department will present this year’s musical, Sister Act, on Feb. 28 and March 1 at the Westlake High School auditorium. Infusing this beloved story with youthful energy and remarkable vocal prowess, Director Quandrell Claybrooks has orchestrated a production that reimagines the film through the passionate performances of these dedicated young artists who have discovered their own voices along the way.
From screen to stage
Sister Act: The Musical transforms the beloved 1992 film into a vibrant stage production with expanded musical numbers and theatrical elements designed specifically for live performance. The story follows lounge singer Deloris Van Cartier, who witnesses a murder and is placed in protective custody in a convent. Disguised as a nun, she revitalizes the convent’s choir, bringing new energy to the church and community while hiding from the criminals who pursue her.
“Adapting this beloved film for the stage gives our students exciting new opportunities for creative expression,” Claybrooks said. “The musical format allows us to showcase both their acting and vocal talents while honoring the heart and spirit of the original story.”
Student leadership shines
The production has become a community-wide effort, with significant leadership coming from within the student body itself. Lauren Merton, a senior serving as student director, has been instrumental in bringing the production to life.
“It’s been fun. It’s my fourth year doing it, and it’s just really exciting to do my last show,” says Merton, who discovered her passion for theater after joining her first production as a freshman. “I didn’t know I wanted to do theater until I signed up for the class my freshman year, and I really fell in love with it.”
For Merton, the opportunity to participate in Westlake’s theater program has been transformative. “It’s majorly important,” she said. “I feel like that opportunity should be granted to all students who want to pursue performing arts.” Following graduation, Merton plans to attend university and earn her BFA in musical theater.
When asked about the impact of working with Claybrooks, Merton’s admiration is evident. “He’s just helped me grow as a person,” she said. “He’s allowed me to explore my interest in theater and has given me many leadership opportunities to help me become the person I am today.”
Star power: Meet Deloris Van Cartier
Junior Trinity Goolsby steps into the spotlight as Deloris Van Cartier, the lounge singer-turned-undercover nun at the heart of the story. For Goolsby, this role represents a significant milestone.
“It’s so much fun. It’s a lot of work, but I do this already, so this was like a fun, extra work,” Goolsby shares with enthusiasm. “It’s my first time being a lead ever. I’ve always been a leading supporting character, but being the lead that I’ve done research on — it’s very refreshing and exciting.”
The role of Deloris, with her bold personality and powerful vocals, has pushed Goolsby to grow as a performer. “I’ve always been a singer, just not a loud or confident singer. So playing Deloris is like a total 180 from what I’ve been doing my whole life. I’ve always been like the vocals in the background, but now I’m being the main voice. It’s hot. It’s exciting. It’s so scary, but it’s so exciting.”
The Westlake theater program has helped Goolsby develop not just as a performer, but as a person. “It’s toughened me up. In the sense of if someone gives me criticism, like, unwanted criticism, I don’t take it immediately to heart anymore. I’m like, ‘Well, that’s your opinion. I think I did great.'”
Looking toward the future, Goolsby sees theater remaining part of her life. “I definitely want to be on Broadway at least once or twice. It wouldn’t be something I would do for the rest of my life, but definitely something I would do maybe for five, 10 years.”
Like many students in the production, Goolsby credits Claybrooks with helping her discover her potential: “Mr. Claybrooks sees the best in everybody. And because he saw whatever he saw in me, it helped me open up more doors, open up more paths to go, and just for me to be more comfortable in myself in the sense of like, ‘Oh, I know I can do this. Oh, I know I got this.'”
Finding her voice: Sister Mary Roberts
Senior Jayla Marie Davis portrays Sister Mary Roberts, one of the convent’s shy nuns who finds her voice through Deloris’s influence. For Davis, performing in productions like Sister Act fulfills a childhood dream.
“It’s very important because it first helps us have some creativity that we actually want to do outside of, you know, the state-mandated education,” Davis explains. “Also, it’s just very uplifting. It makes you very happy. Well, if you like it, I like it, so I’m very happy.”
Davis’s passion for theater began at an early age. “When I was three, my mom at her college, she works like in higher education, she took me to see ‘Wicked,’ and I was mesmerized. When I was eight, she took me to see ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ And so far, I’ve played the same role that I was mesmerized with in ‘Beauty and the Beast,‘ so now I have to be in ‘Wicked,'” she shares, revealing her aspirations for future roles.
Like her castmates, Davis speaks highly of Claybrooks’s influence. “He’s having a great impact on me. He’s taught me confidence and technique and to always have a positive can-do attitude.”
Cross-School Collaboration: The Dedicated Detective
Malachi Johnson, a junior from Global Impact Academy, crosses school boundaries to play Lt. Eddie Souther, the police officer who places Deloris in protective custody. Johnson’s participation highlights the production’s ability to attract talent from across the district.
“The choral program has benefited me in multiple ways,” Johnson explains. “No. 1, socially, I’ve met new friends. I’ve understood music in a different, deeper way. I’ve understood music in a newer way. I’ve also understood theater in a newer way.”
For Johnson, the experience has been particularly valuable in expanding his theatrical knowledge. “Previously, I really didn’t know much, but now I’m getting exposed to more professional terminology, professional directors such as Mr. Claybrooks.”
Even though Johnson attends a different school, Claybrooks has taken a personal interest in his development. “He seems to have my best interest at heart. Even though I don’t even go to the school, he signed me up for great programs outside of school—extracurricular programs like GHP Literary. And he encourages me to do better, to push myself. He’s a great help and a great inspiration.”
The villain with a dream: Meet Curtis
Junior Zion Wilcher takes on the role of Curtis, the menacing gangster pursuing Deloris. Despite playing the villain, Wilcher has found the experience to be overwhelmingly positive.
“Being a part of this program is like a family to me,” Wilcher shares, emphasizing the strong bonds formed during the production. “Everybody’s so uplifting; everybody’s like a family. We’re all supporting each other, and it’s just the memories that we’re making. I love the arts so much.”
Wilcher credits the program and Claybrooks with significant personal and artistic growth: “He’s lifted me up so much, and he’s instilled a lot of confidence in me,” he said. “Even in a technical sense, he’s given me a lot of experience in acting and singing, because when I first came here, I literally couldn’t sing. Now I’m more comfortable with singing everything like that.”
The experience has even shaped Wilcher’s career aspirations: “I do have a plan to pursue musical theater. Actually, when I first got here, I only wanted to do acting, but now, being in productions like this has made me want to do more than just acting. I actually want to do musical theater. When I go to college, hopefully NYU, I want to pursue musical theater as one of my majors.”
Beyond entertainment
While audiences can expect to be thoroughly entertained, Claybrooks emphasizes that the production aims to deliver something deeper.
“Yes, there’s humor and incredible music, but at its core, this is a story about finding your voice and the transformative power of community,” says Claybrooks. “As educators, that’s our mission every day. This production is an extension of that work.”
Performance details
Westlake High School‘s production of Sister Act will run for two performances from Friday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, March 1, at 2 p.m., in the school’s auditorium. “We invite everyone in the community to come to support these amazing young performers,” says Claybrooks. “They’ve put their hearts and souls into this production, and I couldn’t be prouder of what they’ve accomplished.”
For these students, the show represents more than just an extracurricular activity — it’s a chance to shine and perhaps discover something new about themselves in the process. Just like Deloris and the nuns in Sister Act, they’re learning that with dedication, hard work, and the right guidance, they, too, can find their voice. Purchase your tickets today.
