2020 Musical Theatre Student Showcase

Anissa Garza is from West Texas. When she was eight, Anissa discovered her love of musical theatre while watching the movie Phantom of the Opera. Credits include Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Maria Elena, Highland Playhouse); Oklahoma! (Ensemble and Violin, Highlands Playhouse); Footloose (Ensemble); and The Wolves (#14); and in April, Heathers (Heather McNamara). In addition to performing, Anissa enjoys vlogging, playing guitar, and social media marketing. After graduation, Anissa plans to follow her career in performance wherever it takes her. Find Anissa on social media: @TheAnissaGarza

 
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Austin Colburn is from Houston and is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association. Regional Credits include: Spring Awakening (Otto/ Dance Captain, Theatre Under the Stars); A Chorus Line (Male Swing/ Performed as Don, TUTS); Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (Ensemble, TUTS); and All Shook Up (Ensemble, TUTS). Other favorite credits include: Footloose (Ren), Heathers (JD), American Idiot (Johnny), West Side Story (Riff). In addition to being onstage, Austin enjoys choreographing and creative writing. Upon graduation (May, 2020), Austin plans to move to New York to pursue his passion for performing.

 
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Brandon Willis is originally from Sugar Land, Texas. He found a love in musical theatre after joining choir in the 4th grade. Some of Brandon’s favorite collegiate credits include: Assassins (Leon Czoglosz); Footloose (Cowboy Bob); and Heathers (Ram). Regional: Panto Hansel and Gretel (Ensemble). Brandon participated in the A1 Conference and was selected to compete in the Musical Theatre Initiative at KCACTF (Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival). In addition to performing, Brandon also enjoys playing the ukulele, photography, graphic design, and watching classic horror movies. Visit brandonmwillis.com or follow him on Instagram @thebmw!

 
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Charles Mitchell is from Fairfield, Texas. Credits include: Oklahoma! (Jud Fry); Assassins (Samuel Byck); A Macbeth (Macduff); Clybourne Park (Russ/Dan); As You Like It (Charles/Martext); and Smokey Joes Café. His film credits include: American Fishtrap (Rick, Rival Studios). Charles plays trumpet and was also a state champion powerlifter. Currently, he is Assistant Directing for Sweat by Lynn Nottage.

 
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Chelsea MacElvaine is a Canada-to-Texas import with a love of all things stage craft. The stage has been a second home to her since she was 6 years old, and over the years, she has fallen in love with each new story she’s been able to tell. Chelsea’s credits include: Grease (Rizzo); Hedwig… (Yitzhak); Toxic Avenger (Sarah); Tonya & Nancy (Nancy Kerrigan); As You Like It (Audrey); Cinderella (Cinderella’s Mother); Eleemosynary (Dorothea); Diary of Anne Frank (Petronella); Godspell (Joanne); and Everybody (Somebody). When she isn’t on the stage, Chelsea enjoys painting, a slam poetry, cosplay artistry, and is an ASL interpreter-in-training.

 
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Christopher Scurlock is a native Houstonian who has been performing since he could remember! Professional credits include: Elf (Chadwick, Theatre Under the Stars); Panto Star Force (Uncle, Stages Repertory Theatre); You’re...Charlie Brown (Schroeder, Main Street Theatre); and Parade in Concert (Jim Conley, Kirkwood Music Services). Chris's collegiate credits include: Noises Off (Selsdon); Assassins (The Balladeer); and in April, Heathers (Kurt). In addition to performing, Christopher loves to go to the gym, cook, and live life to the fullest. After graduation, (May, 2020) Chris plans to pursue a career in performance wherever it takes him. You can find Chris on Instagram: @cisforeal and his website: Christopherscurlock.com

 
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Ciara Anderson was born in Chicago, Illinois. Credits include: Panto: Hansel and Gretel (Ensemble, Stages Repertory Theatre); Everybody (Evil); Godspell (Gilmore); 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Logainne); For Colored Girls (Lady in Orange); Smokey Joes Café (Brenda); Hairspray (Judine); and The Fantasticks (The Mute). Ciara is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority where she can engage in volunteer work and community outreach.

 
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Julianne McBride has been performing since she was just four years old. From the first time she stepped on stage, she knew exactly what she wanted to do. Credits include: Panto Cinderella (Cinderella, Stages Repertory Theatre); Little Women (Jo); Great American Trailer Park Musical (Linoleum); Seussical (Gertrude McFuzz); Xanadu (Kira); Footloose (Wendy Jo); Hairspray (Tracy); and in April Heathers (Veronica Sawyer). Upon graduation, Julianne will follow her dreams and begin her career, where ever that may take her.

 
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Kristy Lozano was born and raised in the Mexico border town of Brownsville Texas. Kristy developed her love for music and theatre from her family of musicians in Mexico. Recently she was nominated for her role in Everybody (Somebody) and will be competing at KCACTF (Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival). Other credits include: Our Lady of 121st Street (Norca); An Evening at Jacques: The Songs of Jacques Brel; Government Inspector (Grusha); Sweeney Todd (Ensemble); Just Pretend (Victoria, world premiere); and in April, Heathers (Ms. Fleming). Kristy speaks English and Spanish and hopes to learn Japanese and French as well.

 
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Kyle Ward is a stage and film actor from Houston, Texas. While completing his Bachelor’s at SHSU, Kyle performed as ‘Seaweed’ in Hairspray on the biggest girl in the ocean, Symphony of the Seas. His other credits include: A Macbeth (Malcolm); Revelator TV’s Rx Drugs (Louis); Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop (Martin Luther King, Jr.); and Sheep In the Outhouse (Johnny), which he wrote and directed. Kyle is passionately keeping God first and cultivating a career in acting, filmmaking, and producing.

 
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Marc Alba grew up traveling the world, and found his passion for the arts watching plays and musicals at a young age. Credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck, performed in Original Pronunciation); The Love of the Nightingale (Echo, Godspell (Peggy); Smokey Joe’s Café, The Diary of Anne Frank (Anne Frank, Mainstreet Theatre). Marc directed Dying City at SHSU and was Assistant Director for Silence. Marc's passion for storytelling inspires him to write his own plays in both English and Brazilian Portuguese. Upon graduation (May, 2020) Marc plans to continue exploring the globe while pursuing his career in theatre.

Mark Waddell was born and raised in Houston, Texas. He enjoys the art of storytelling and has an ear for accents and character voices. Credits include: Panto: Hansel and Gretel (Ensemble, Stages Repertory Theatre); The Diary of Anne Frank (Mr. Dussel); Godspell (Ensemble); Beauty and the Beast (La Fou); and Addams Family Musical (Fester). Mark enjoys long walks to the fridge and watching Star Trek in his free time.

 
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Monica Oliva grew up on a small ranch in Austin, Texas. Her background in gymnastics and competitive cheerleading led her to discover her passion for dance and musical theatre. Monica is currently preparing the role of Heather Duke for an April production of Heathers. She is a proud Alum of ZACH Theatre’s Pre Professional Company in Austin, Texas and the Long Center’s Summer Stock Austin. Credits include: Oklahoma! (Laurey); Hairspray (LouAnn, directed and choreographed by Greg Graham); Footloose (Urleen/Dance Captain); and Tortoise vs. Hare (Monoli, original cast). Monica’s other passions include digital and visual art and helping the environment!

 
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Noah Blessing is from San Antonio, Texas where he grew up singing at church and family karaoke nights. His love for performing grew quickly and after participating in his first musical, a high school production of Guys and Dolls, he fell in love with musical theatre and dance. Credits include: Footloose (Ensemble, Dance Captain); Assassins (Giuseppe Zangara); 9 to 5 (Joe, Cedar Summerstock); You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (Snoopy, Cedar Summerstock); and in April, Heathers (JD). Upon graduation (May, 2020) Noah will continue to pursue a career in musical theatre and his passion for performing.

 
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Sam Menke hails from Austin, Texas and was bit by the stage bug in 2005 with the productions Beauty & the Beast. Whilst pursuing his degree, Sam had the pleasure of performing in Oklahoma!; Heathers; Assassins (Dance Captain); and Damn Yankees (directed and choreographed by Greg Graham). Regional credits include: The Wizard of Oz; All Shook Up; and Disney’s The Little Mermaid (Zilker Theatre Productions). Sam has participated in the A1 Conference for the past two year. You can follow Sam on Instagram at sam_shsumt.

 
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Sophia Clarke (EMC) is originally from Glasgow, Scotland. She is proud to hold dual citizenship from the U.K. and U.S. Growing up in America, Sophia tried soccer, ice-skating, and gymnastics before finally discovering at age nine her love of all things musical theatre! Favorite credits include: Xanadu! (Euterpe, Stages Repertory Theatre); Panto: Hansel and Gretel (Evil Mother, Stages); You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (Sally Brown, MainStreet Theatre); Legally Blonde (Elle Woods, ImagineNation Theatre); and in April, Heathers (Heather Chandler, SHSU). When not performing, Sophia enjoys working on writing new works, cooking, and fundraising for Brain Cancer Research. Go to: SophiaElizabethClarke.com for more!

 
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Tamarah Tucker is from San Antonio, Texas and is extremely proud of her multi-ethnic roots. Credits include: Little Shop of Horrors (Ronnette); Panto Star Force (Ensemble, Stage Repertory Theatre); A Raisin in the Sun (Ruth Younger); Pippin (Ensemble); An Evening at Jacques: The Songs of Jacques Brel; and most recently, the Chinese Tour of Paw Patrol Live! The Great Pirate Adventure. When she’s not on stage, Tamarah is active in animal rights and Civil Rights organizations and enjoys cooking yummy vegan desserts.

 
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Zach Howard most recently appeared Houston’s Theatre 66’s NEOS Showcase at the Alley Theatre where he premiered a variety of roles from new works. Other credits include: Noises Off (Lloyd Dallas); Silent Sky (Peter Shaw); Assassins (Narrator); and in April, Heathers (Ram’s Dad). Last fall, Zach was a featured in a concert of Music from Les Miserables and was selected to compete in the Musical Theatre Initiative at KCACTF (Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival). When he’s not performing, you can find Zach pondering life’s big questions: Why are we here? What should we be doing to eliminate systemic issues that oppress marginalized communities?

 
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