Rachel DeShon

Rachel DeShon is a singer who can easily cross over between opera, jazz and musical theatre. At the Narrows, she was joined by Pat Henman (actor, singer, director) and Kozmo Sammartino (student of musical theatre) to work on her latest musical theatre production Souvenir: a Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins. Jenkins who DeShon plays, is a wealthy socialite who suffered under the delusion that she was a great operatic soprano. However, she was incapable of singing two consecutive notes in tune. DeShon listened to recordings of Jenkins and had to figure out the physical techniques required to sing so badly, and as an actor learn how to portray Jenkins convincingly.

Before DeShon moved to Canada, she had a busy career in the U.S. as a singer. She and has performed in concerts conducted by Marvin Hamlisch, and worked in a circus, Teatro ZinZanni, “singing opera while rollerskating or flying on a trapeze.”

DeShon is the 2020 recipient of the Wood Gundy - Nelson and District Arts Council sponsored residency but was in residence in 2022.