Character guide
Sheila
from A Chorus Line
Sheila is the sharp-tongued, world-weary veteran dancer among the hopefuls in A Chorus Line, the 1975 musical built around a single grueling audition.
- Show
- A Chorus Line
- Broadway premiere
- 1975
- Role
- Supporting
- Music by
- Marvin Hamlisch
Looking for a different Sheila? Sheila in Hair
Sheila on stage vs screen
Broadway compared with the 1985 film
Sheila's big number survives the trip to the screen. The 1985 film cut or replaced several stage songs (Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love became the new Surprise, Surprise), but At the Ballet, Sheila's trio with Bebe and Maggie about dance as an escape from difficult homes, stays in, although its extended version is heard only on the soundtrack album. As on stage, Sheila does not make the final line.
Kelly Bishop originated Sheila Bryant on Broadway and won the 1976 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical; Vicki Frederick played her in the film.
Who is Sheila?
Sheila has been dancing professionally longer than most of the others in line, and she carries that experience with a defensive wit, quick to crack a joke or a sarcastic remark before anyone can see her guard drop. Beneath the bravado, the audition process draws out a more guarded, sometimes weary honesty about what it means to keep chasing this career as the years pass.
She often acts as something of a den mother or ringleader among the group, setting the tone with her humor even as she quietly reveals her own uncertainties.
Sheila's role in A Chorus Line
Sheila is a supporting role, but a vivid one, requiring a performer who can land comic timing and cutting one-liners while still finding real feeling underneath. She needs strong dance technique befitting her character's seniority among the auditioners, plus the confidence to command a scene with attitude alone.
Her interactions with Zach and the other dancers give her some of the show's funniest and most pointed exchanges, making her a favorite among directors casting the ensemble.
Why Sheila resonates with performers
Performers are drawn to Sheila because she gets to be funny and guarded and, ultimately, moving, often within the same few lines. She represents the dancer who has seen it all and still shows up to audition anyway, which gives the character an authenticity many working performers recognize in themselves.
Sheila: frequently asked questions
What show is Sheila from?
Sheila is a supporting character in A Chorus Line, the 1975 musical about a Broadway dance audition.
Is Sheila a lead or supporting role?
Sheila is a supporting role known for her sharp wit and seniority among the auditioning dancers.
Who wrote the music for A Chorus Line?
The music for A Chorus Line was written by Marvin Hamlisch.
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