Rebecca Codas: A World-Class Performer's Journey from Inner Turmoil to Triumphant Stage

Even at the nascent stages of her career, Canadian-born actor-singer Rebecca Codas has already established herself as a world-class entertainer. Her high-voltage vocals effortlessly command attention, drawing listeners in as she delves into the full emotional depth of each lyric. A natural powerhouse, Codas's flawless execution and interpretive phrasing infuse every syllable with rich, empathetic warmth—rare and invaluable qualities for any vocalist. These qualities have propelled Codas to perform for sold-out crowds at her solo cabaret shows in her hometown of Toronto.

This remarkable talent manifested early in Codas's life. Unfortunately, so did a host of emotional challenges that the young child was ill-equipped to handle. "Around age 3, I started developing a lot of anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive tendencies,” she revealed. "As a kid, I didn’t know how to handle it. Years later, I was diagnosed with ADHD, which explains it all.”

Yet, these struggles were consistently offset by her burgeoning passion for music and song. She seized every opportunity to perform, regardless of how awkward the scenario might have seemed. "At my brother’s bris—I was 3 years old, mind you—I stole the microphone from the Rabbi and started singing ‘If You’re Happy and You Know It,’” Codas recounted with a laugh. "All of those [mental issues] melted away when I was on stage. Relative getting married? School concert need a singer? I’m your gal! My poor brother was forced into so many living-room plays, I think he was relieved when I finally started doing them outside of the house. My parents quickly realized this performer-train was leaving the station and they needed to board or watch me go without them.”

From Childhood Stages to Broadway Aspirations

Codas fully immersed herself in the world of theater, performing lead roles in elementary school musicals (like Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) and gaining valuable experience with the Toronto Youth Theatre. She dedicated five full summers to the Performing Arts Project, a theatrical training program where she forged invaluable collaborations with some of Canada’s leading stage and film actors. At just 16, she boldly entered CBC network’s reality TV talent competition Over the Rainbow, vying against over a thousand hopefuls for the role of Dorothy in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz.

Despite immense pressure, Codas joyfully rose to the challenge, making it into the top twenty finalists. Her journey culminated with intensive study at the world-renowned William Esper Studio in NYC, a distinguished school dedicated to the groundbreaking behavioral-based post-Method Meisner technique. There, through rigorous study of nearly every aspect of theater, Codas refined her profound stagecraft.

A Triumphant Homecoming: Cabaret and Self-Discovery

Upon returning to Toronto to prepare for a permanent relocation to New York, Codas discovered a golden opportunity for an onstage farewell: an offer to present an evening of solo cabaret at the beloved Hugh’s Room, an intimate venue celebrated for its excellent acoustics and attentive audiences.

“In Toronto, I’d always been known as a kid obsessed with movie musicals,” Codas explained. “But this was my opportunity to introduce my whole self. I sorted the stories from my experiences as a kid going through those mental health struggles. The whole show was about how I came to be who I am and finally releasing all of that—I almost felt like I should’ve credited my psychologist in the show’s program.”

She assembled a team of her most talented musical friends and began to meticulously craft the evening’s flow through careful song selection and sequencing. “I collaborated with my friend, Broadway conductor Madeline Benson (née Smith) who flew in from New York to be my music director,” Codas shared. “We’d formed a great bond and friendship years ago at the Performing Arts Project, and I knew there was no one else I’d want to do this with.”

Madeline, a New York-based music director, arranger, conductor, and instrumentalist, made history in 2016 as the youngest woman to conduct on Broadway, serving in that capacity for the hit show Waitress. Other talents drafted to participate included performer Paris Martino and the ensemble of Cameron Fox-Revett, Laila Kharouba, and Allister MacDonald, though Codas sang the majority of the program’s 17 songs.

The shrewdly assembled set, designed for both maximum entertainment and profound emotional impact, featured an intimate selection of Broadway and pop tunes from diverse artists like Bonnie Raitt, Pink, and Beyoncé, alongside fine original compositions from her Toronto colleagues. Collectively, these songs formed a unique, symbolic retrospective of Codas’s own artistic and personal journey. As the evening approached, her excitement soared. Every seat in the venue had sold out in advance, and finally, the moment arrived.

“There’s nothing like the relationship between a singer and her musicians performing together,” she reflected. “And there’s nothing like the relationship between a singer and their audience—they share an unbreakable bond that can’t be recreated anywhere else. You’ll never have the same show twice; how exciting and terrifying is that? The amount of work it takes to get to that moment is astounding. But when that moment comes, and you take a deep breath, and you forget all of the work, and just sing.”

The audience was captivated, as were her collaborators. “Performing alongside Rebecca Codas in her cabaret show was a highlight of my career,” Martino stated. “Watching a true talent doing what she was born to do inspires me as I continue my own journey in the entertainment industry.”

Codas cherished every moment of that night, and its resounding success led to a second cabaret presentation the following year—one that sold out even faster than the first. In a sense, Codas came full circle, finally shedding the internal discord of her childhood and embracing her rapidly ascending professional reputation as an exceptional actor-singer in New York. For Codas, the best is undoubtedly yet to come.

“In the past, at times, I’ve been terrified that I would fail,” she admitted. “Terrified that my fear and mental health struggles would win. But I pushed. The show was a phenomenal experience that I’ll never forget, and it did wonders for my confidence in my abilities. I loved every minute of it! And I am incredibly proud of myself for doing so. Now I know I have the strength to try. Here I am!”