Ten minutes longer than the 1962 movie, this version is closer to the 1959 Broadway production.
Barbara Harris was originally supposed to play the role of Tessie Tura, but Bette Midler had her fired.
Director Emile Ardolino was originally supposed to direct Bette Midler on his previous box-office smash Sister Act (1992) where she was supposed to play the lead role. However Midler dropped out and was replaced by Whoopi Goldberg in the lead. Ardolino still wanted to work with Midler on another project after her departure from the earlier film so Midler was offered and accepted the role in this film which was Ardolino's final directing effort before his late 1993 death.