Songs of Life & Love

British Columbia based, Nigerian performer Buwa is an artist you want to keep on your radar. Drawing influences from the late Whitney Houston, as well as Jill Scott, India Arie, Billy Porter, and Brenda Fassie – Buwa is an exciting contemporary soul artist, with pop and R&B sensibilities and a penchant for storytelling, for whom, music has always played an important place. Buwa channels his creativity into poetry and performance art appearing in various stage productions on Vancouver Island where he resides. Recognized for his infectious melodies, his versatile voice and captivating song writing, Buwa has released two EPs: Olu [2019] and Road Signs [2016], along with handful of captivating singles. Recently he starred in the Principal Role of “Lola” in the hit musical “Kinky Boots” He uses his music and talents to change the way the world sees Africa.

About the accompanist 

Nico Rhodes is a genre jumping, multilingual musician who collaborates with other artists and artforms to experience and explore music in as many styles as possible. Growing up touring around the globe surrounded by artists and the world of theatre – he is equally comfortable playing jazz, classical, funk or roots music, orchestrating a symphony, writing musicals, and conducting choirs. He begins his day with an expresso and practicing his Japanese, the language he is currently embracing.

Equally at home on keyboards and woodwinds, Nico Rhodes is a much sought-after composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, and teacher who inhabits all styles, eras, and genres of music. Son of internationally renowned chanteuse Joelle Rabu and theatre technician Dusty Rhodes, from an early age he grew up on the road and in theatres, assimilating skills and preparing for life as a touring musician.

Nico has not stopped working since his first professional theatre gig as a multi-instrumentalist at the age of 17. As an accomplished musician, composer, and arranger, he has conducted more than 40 professional musical theatre productions across Canada; arranged for symphony orchestra, chamber ensembles, choirs, jazz groups and big band. With a portfolio of 100’s of original arrangements that span funk, to gospel, to rock, to choral and synth-pop, his composition skills have garnered him an exciting collaboration with international performers and writers in a new multi-platform musical theatre experience entitled Off the Beaten Path. Nico has received Ovation, Jessie, and SAT award nominations for his music direction of four Canadian musicals: ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ (2014), ‘Out of my Dreams’ (2015), ‘Best Laid Plans’ (2016) and ‘Talking Sex On Sunday (2020). In 2018 he was the recipient of Nanaimo’s Emerging Cultural Leader Award.

Accessibility

Sensory warnings: There are no sensory warnings for this show.

Content warnings: There are no content warnings for this show.

Free Youth OUTreach Tickets

This Youth OUTreach initiative provides a limited number of free tickets to HOMO: A Queer Cabaret, as well as shows at our 2025 OUTstages Festival, for self-identified LGBTQ youth and allies under 25. Intrepid Theatre believes strongly in creating an accessible environment for queer youth to experience the festival, to engage with the work and artists presented at OUTstages, and to cultivate a new generation of theatre-goers and theatre-makers.

To book your Youth OUTreach ticket, select the show, scroll through tickets types and select “Youth OUTreach Ticket”. There is no promo code necessary. You can then click “add to basket” and proceed to checkout fully, as if you were purchasing a full-price ticket.

Pay-What-You-Ten Tickets: 10% of tickets are available for $10, in an effort to make theatre more accessible to equity-seeking groups, newcomers, artists & arts workers, and anyone for whom cost is a barrier. We believe the arts have something to offer everyone and we want to reduce financial barriers to our programming. No registration, forms to fill out, or questions asked. Just select the PWY10 ticket when booking online.

Arrival at the venue: The doors will open  30 minutes ahead of showtime. Masks are welcomed inside the theatre and available at the box office. Refunds: If you are not feeling well or have any symptoms, please stay home to help keep everyone safe. We are able to discuss refunds on a case by case basis due to health reasons before the performance. Please contact tickets@intrepidtheatre.com. We are unable to arrange refunds after a performance has occurred.