Whale. Heifer. Fatty. These are the names Sharon Wheatley heard every day during middle school. By high school she topped the scales at 230 pounds. Sneaking into the garage late at night to scarf down frozen cupcakes from the freezer while her family slept, Sharon kept on eating--and kept on dreaming of Broadway. Discouraged at every turn by friends and family alike, "Little Miss Sunshine" stayed positive and kept her dream alive. Even when her own father told her, "Sexy sells, and fat isn't sexy," Sharon endured. Despite her weight, she got into the prestigious Cincinnati Conservatory of Music-where they told her she'd never land a leading role. They were all wrong.

In this touching memoir, readers follow Sharon as she transforms herself from a tortured-on-the-inside, all-smiles-on-the-outside, obese teenager to the confident young woman who, against all odds, takes Broadway by storm. Rising above her greatest critics and detractors, Sharon achieves her lifelong dream. A story that is sure to touch teens and adults alike, 'Til the Fat Girl Sings is a compelling, honest story that shows readers good girls don't always finish last-and leading roles don't always go to the most popular girl in school.

Sharon Wheatley is a Broadway actress, and has appeared in such shows as Cats, Les Miserables, and The Phantom of the Opera. She also teaches nationwide seminars for high school and college students about body image and self-esteem.