Canadian R&B star Deborah Cox is getting ready to hit the stage in cities across America —but this time it won’t be as herself.
The 42-year-old Toronto native is playing Rachel Marron in the touring production of The Bodyguard, a musical based on the 1992 film starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner.
Cox will be performing some of Houston’s best known songs, including “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” “One Moment in Time” and, of course, “I Will Always Love You.”
In a new video teaser for the musical, Cox explained: “People connect to the songs because they remember those melodies. They remember what they felt when they first heard the songs.”
She said she was drawn to the role because of “the story and the music.
“I loved the film and all of the great, greats songs.”
Cox is a perfect choice to embody Houston, who died in 2012 at 48. Her powerful voice made her a multiple Juno-winning success in Canada, thanks to her 1998 smash hit “Nobody’s Supposed to be Here.”
Now based in Miami, Cox will take The Bodyguard to 20 cities between Nov. 25 and next August. No Canadian dates have been scheduled yet.
“I just love the feeling of being on stage performing with an orchestra,” Cox said of working in the musical. “It’s just amazing.”