Our students
​Tyler is an actor, singer/songwriter, and worship leader who graduated with a BFA in theater from Lipscomb University. He has performed in various musicals including West Side Story and Les Miserables, and has toured the country singing his music, as well as leading worship at various conferences and events. He has been taking voice lessons from Zach for over a year and a half, and has grown so much in his skills, stamina, and range. He is very thankful for Zach’s patience, talent, and character as a vocal coach. You can listen to Tyler’s music on any streaming service!
Tyler
russell
Hi! My name is Brynn Gianatassio and I’m currently a senior at Ravenwood High School! I’ve been taking voice lessons with Zach for about a year now and it has been so awesome improving every day on my vocal technique! I’ve been in Act Too Players shows like Into The Woods as The Bakers Wife and Little Women as Marmee March. I can’t wait for you guys to enroll in these awesome classes that Zach and Ginny have in store for you!
brynn
gianatassio
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Walker Risser loves singing. He especially loves singing with his great friend Mr. Zach Shockley. On the weekends, the two like to go golfing. Walker is usually asked to let Mr. Shockley win, but he doesn’t mind. Walker also enjoys musical theatre, board games, and embarrassing himself and his friends in public!
walker
risser
Mason Risser is a rising senior at Ravenwood High School in Brentwood, Tennessee. Mason can be heard in the Music Theatre International recordings of Descendants: The Musical (Chad Charming), and Finding Nemo Jr (Marlin). Mason recently got to take part in a stashed reading of Sticks and Stones, written by Scott Logsdon and Grammy award winner John McDaniel. Some of Mason’s favorite roles include Tony in West Side Story, Davey in Newsies, Gomez in The Addams Family, Paul in A Chorus Line, and Emmett in Legally Blonde.
mason
risser
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Kelly Whitlow is currently a senior at Ravenwood High School, and is trying to pursue Musical Theatre in college! She loves hanging with her friends and family, and playing with her two dogs, Ralphie and Rhonda. She has been doing musical theater for about 9 years with many theaters around the Nashville area. Some of her favorite roles include Katherine (Newsies), Olive (Spelling Bee) and Sandra (Big Fish)! She would like to thank Zach and Ginny for all the opportunities they have given to her so far.
kelly
whitlow
Morgan DeFelice has appeared in several theatrical productions. She has appeared in Legally Blonde (Featured Dancer), Is He Dead? (Cecile Leroux), Into the Woods (The Bakers Wife) and The 39 Steps (Pamela/Anabella/Margaret), to name just a few. Morgan has been studying voice, dance, and acting for 6 years with a multitude of studios. She plans to continue pursuing theatre in college.
morgan
defelice
Hello! My name is Patrick and I’m from Franklin, Tennessee. I love learning about different musical genres and instruments. I’m a huge music nerd and hope to one day make a career out of it.
patrick
jones
I have performed in many musicals and shows ranging from Young Clyde in Bonnie & Clyde, Agwe in Once on This Island, Steve in Almost Maine, and many more. I’m currently a junior at Overton Highschool, and I am looking to start a career in theatre.
xander
benton
Brandon is a junior at Brentwood High School in Brentwood, TN. He has been performing in musicals since he was in 6th grade. He has played Buddy the Elf in Elf the Musical, Shreck in Shreck the Musical, Billy Flynn in Chicago, Bobby Strong in Urinetown, and Prince Charming in Cinderella. He is currently playing the Squib in a production of Be More Chill. He hopes to study musical theatre in college and one day have a career onstage.
Brandon
berg
Elena enjoys singing and acting and has performed in several productions including Romeo and Juliet, Jane of the Jungle, Miss Electricity, 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse, as well as numerous showcases.
elena
ruiz
Owen has been acting and singing locally since soon after he moved to Tennessee five years ago, working with Act Too Players on multiple productions. He appeared as Aladdin in Act Too Players’ production of Aladdin Jr. and has also appeared as Tommy in AT Pro’s production of Matilda and Roger in 101 Dalmatians Jr. Most recently, he was seen as Scrooge in Legacy Middle School's performance of A Christmas Carol Reimagined and will be appearing as Willy Wonka in Legacy's Willy Wonka Jr. and Carlos in Act Too's Descendants: The Musical this spring.
owen
sower
Anjali is a 13 year old seventh grader at Brentwood Middle School in Brentwood, Tennessee who has had a love of acting, singing, and dancing since her first play in elementary school. She has starred as Bert in Mary Poppins Jr, Sir Robin in Spamalot Jr., Philip Johnny Bob/ PTO President in Junie B Jones, and Kathy in High School Musical. More recently, she has been cast as Grace in Annie Jr, Clarissa and Annie Moffat in Little Women, an ensemble member in Tuck Everlasting and Dr. Ehrin in Freaky Friday. Anjali is gaining experience in a wide variety of musical instruments to include electric and acoustic guitar, violin, piano, and the double bass. She continues to work on her already excellent singing abilities with voice lessons. Anjali is also improving her acting skills by joining as many extracurricular acting roles as she can.
anjali
babu
Emma Delane has been a theatre student since 2018 acting with Act Too Pro, Act Too Players, Centre Stage Productions, and Lipscomb Academy. Some of her favorite moments on stage include being cast as Cinderella in Disney’s Cinderella Kids, Amanda Thripp in Matilda the Musical, and Anna in Disney's Frozen Jr. A dancer since age 3, Emma Delane has been in the Nashville Ballet’s Youth Cast four consecutive years performing in the city's beloved Nashville's Nutcracker. When not on stage, Emma Delane loves writing songs and graphic novels, creating iMovies with her friends, playing soccer, and loving on her pup, Rosie.
emma
delane
Reese has been involved in 16 onstage productions including 2 professional shows. She has been taking acting since age 6 and loves to sing! She started working with Casteel Productions in 2019 and was cast as "Tiller" in Finding Nemo the Musical for Disney Theatrical recordings Broadway Jr. Cast. Reese also works as a vocalist for Hal Leonard EEMC Music.
reese
benton
Hank is 12 years old and in 6th grade. He was bitten by the theatre bug a few years ago after performing in his elementary school play. He also enjoys flag football and hanging out with his brothers and friends!
hank
glascock
Reagan most recently starred as the daughter in Disney’s Freaky Friday the Musical at Brentwood Middle School. She first worked with Zach and Ginny Shockley when she was Mary Poppins in the musical directed by Ginny. Reagan was Matilda in Matilda the Musical at ATPro in which she sang a duet with Zach. She began acting and singing in Los Angeles productions. Other favorite roles include Winnie Foster in Tuck Everlasting and Sharpay in High School Musical. She has performed in three Shockley Sessions. Reagan loves playing the piano and creating visual art.
reagan
schmicker
Celete starred as Annie in the musical production directed by Ginny Shockley. Celete’s video version of “Tomorrow” is featured on the Studio Tenn Theatre Facebook page for the 2020 Virtual Video Performance Contest. Other favorite roles include Young Anna in Frozen Jr. and Smee in Peter Pan Jr. Celete loves working with the Shockleys and performed in three Shockley Sessions. She loves playing the piano and harmonizing with her sisters. Most recently Celete performed in Tuck Everlasting and Freaky Friday the Musical.
celete
schmicker
Grace is 12 years old and has been involved with music and theater since the age of four. Her favorite musicals are Hamilton and Matilda. She has performed with Brentwood United Methodist Church, Brentwood Middle School, Centre Stage Productions, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, and Scales Elementary.
grace
hamilton
I have loved being on stage since I was little! One of my very first performances was when I was 5 years old and played “Annie” in my preschool’s production of Annie, JR. Since then, I have enjoyed participating in musical theatre within the Brentwood and Nashville communities as well as school productions and have even been cast 3 more times in different productions of Annie, JR! In my two years enrolled in Musical Theatre at Ann Carroll School of Dance, I served in the ensemble for mini productions of Oliver Twist, Peter Pan, and Aladdin, JR; I’ve also been in two productions with Centre Stage Productions, playing ‘Kate’ in Annie, JR and ‘The Acrobat’ and the Ensemble in Matilda, JR. At Scales Elementary, under the direction of Ginny Shockley, I was part of the Ensemble in Mary Poppins, JR and played ‘Tessie’ in Annie, JR. Currently, I attend Franklin Road Academy and was cast as a main orphan, ‘Tessie’, again for our middle school production of, you guessed it - Annie, JR! When not on stage, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, participating in my church Praise & Worship team and Youth Group, attending acting/singing Shockley Sessions, riding my bike, and playing with my dog, Boomer!