Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf and Maria Callas may get the headlines, but it’s the unknowns that get the spotlight in the award-winning play Songs for Nobodies.
The music of these legendary women will fill the theatre in Courtenay on January 30. Presented by the Sid Williams Theatre Society as part of the Centre Stage Series, the production celebrates the work of these singers. But as show star Sheila Sharma explains, the tour-de-force musical offers so much more.
“It’s such a fabulous show! A lot of people think it’s about these five diva women that everybody knows. It’s actually about five ordinary women. The title says it all.”
Songs for Nobodies tells the stories of some everyday women and their remarkable brushes with fame. Through their experiences, audiences connect with these “nobodies” while gaining insight into the icons they encounter.
Navigating those narratives is no small feat. Sharma plays all 10 characters, constantly changing personas.
“I call it a two-hour monologue where I’m basically talking to myself,” she laughs. “I’m switching back and forth between the regular women and the famous women. And while it’s weighted more on the side of the regular women, the glimpses into the lives of the famous women are just lovely. Performing their music has been a real privilege.”
The show came to life thanks to a collaboration between director Claude Giroux, Sheila Sharma and others at North Vancouver’s First Impressions Theatre, a company known for productions of quality and accessibility for smaller theatres in B.C. and Alberta.
“Before COVID was a thing, Sheila Sharma, myself, Adam Carabine (musical director) and Michael and Eileen Smith (producers) got together to discuss finding a show for Sheila, who got her beginnings at First Impressions back in the 80s,” says Giroux.
“We eventually came upon a little-known script from Australia called Songs for Nobodies and suggested it to Sheila ... we felt it was an excellent vehicle for her particular skills. It is insanely unique because Sheila has to play over a dozen people, five of whom are legendary singers! The show is chock-full of surprises and at times will simply leave you breathless or slack-jawed, or both.”
Offered the role, Sharma felt uncertain. “I was terrified. When they asked me to do it, I thought, ‘Wow, that is an enormous undertaking.’” But after reading the script, she knew she couldn’t say no.
Originally slated for 2023, she had two years to prepare.
“Of course, as all creative people do, I left it to the last minute,” she jokes. “Then it was go time.”
And go she did. The result? A 2024 Ovation Award win for Outstanding Lead Performance, along with recognition as Outstanding Ensemble/Small/Chamber Musical. The production also earned nominations for Outstanding Direction, Musical Direction and Projections – a testament to the team’s collective artistry and dedication.
Sharma credits much of her success to Giroux’s guidance. “He’s a fantastic director who whipped me right into shape.” Together, they focused on embodying the spirit of each iconic woman. “It was less about physical traits and more about capturing who they were. Once you figure out their essence, everything else falls into place.”
Some roles presented unique challenges, like singing in French as Piaf – a language Sharma doesn’t speak – and tackling opera as Callas. “I’d never sung opera before, but we worked really hard and managed to pull it off.” Among the nobody characters, her favourites are a young New York reporter interviewing Billie Holiday and Orla McDonagh, an Irish teenager working for Aristotle Onassis on a cruise with Callas. Still, she enjoys them all. “They’re so colourful and so well written.”
She admits performing a one-woman show also has its challenges. “You’re not bouncing off anybody. If somebody drops a line, there’s nobody to save you. It’s all me.” Her strategy was simple: take it piece by piece. “At first, I thought, ‘How on earth am I going to memorize this entire thing?’ But once I stopped worrying and started learning it line by line, it all came together.”
After successful runs in North Van, Coquitlam and Chilliwack, Songs for Nobodies has made its way to the Island. While there are no confirmed plans for additional performances, Sharma hints that the show’s future is still open.
“I really, really hope the audiences connect with the nobodies,” she says. “That’s my favourite part of the entire show. People come in thinking they’re going to see a revue about Judy Garland and Patsy Cline, and they’re always so pleasantly surprised. The connection they feel with the regular women is something really special.”
More than a showcase of legendary music, Songs for Nobodies highlights everyday lives – a reminder that we all have stories worth telling.
To spend some time with tunes and people you’ll love, get tickets now online, by phone or in person at the box office. For additional information about Songs for Nobodies, please visit sidwilliamstheatre.com.
