Sharon James: From Abba to Whitney Houston

DAY

She picked up Abba's catalog with Mamma Mia!, then Pat Benatar's hits, Poison and Journey for Rock of Ages. But this year, Sharon James tackles the repertoire of two monuments of song: Whitney Houston in Le Bodyguard and Diane Dufresne in Belmont. 

To say that Sharon James is fearless would be an understatement . She confirms it with a laugh, aware of the vocal challenge that these two new projects represent.

“I know it's a bit crazy, all that,” she laughs. 

Be it. But far from her the idea of ​​backing down from a challenge, whatever its size. She is therefore the first for a few days on the boards of the St-Denis Theater with a role in the musical The Bodyguard. 

The show obviously takes up the main lines of the film, but enhances its plot with several numbers, all borrowed from Whitney Houston's repertoire. 

Sharon James plays Nicki Marron, older sister of heroine Rachel Marron (here played by Jennifer-Lee Dupuy).

“Of course, making these songs night after night is all a challenge. And that comes with immense pressure. We worked very hard to do justice to the songs and talent of Whitney Houston,” says the actress and singer. 

In the skin of Dufresne

Expected on stage for the Montreal performances of Bodyguard, Sharon James will give way to Maëva Grelet for the shows scheduled for Quebec this summer. But she will not be idle for all that; we will find her near Repentigny for the musical show Belmont, dedicated to the work – and the exploded universe – of Diane Dufresne. 

Five performers will take the stage to embody so many facets of the famous singer. Sharon James will co-star there with Geneviève Alarie, Catherine Sénart, Laur Fugère and Laetitia Isambert. 

“I've wanted to do a show like this for a long time, surrounded by women. Diane Dufresne's universe is madness, freedom, feminism, sensuality… all of the things that speak to me a lot,” she says.

► The musical The Bodyguard is presented at the Théâtre St-Denis in Montreal until April 15, then at Théâtre Capitole de Québec starting June 28.