Stephen Schwartz has contributed music and/or lyrics to Godspell, Pippin, The Magic Show, The Baker's Wife, Working (which he also adapted and directed), Personals, Rags, Children of Eden and the current Broadway hit, Wicked. Most recently, he has contributed songs to Mit Eventyr, a musical about Hans Christian Andersen currently playing in Denmark. He collaborated with Leonard Bernstein on the English texts for Bernstein's Mass and wrote the title song for the play and movie Butterflies Are Free. For films, he collaborated with Alan Menken on the scores for the Disney animated features Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame and wrote the songs for the DreamWorks animated feature The Prince of Egypt. He provided music and lyrics for the original television musical, Geppetto, and has released two CDs of new songs entitled Reluctant Pilgrim and Uncharted Territory. Under the auspices of the ASCAP Foundation, he runs musical theatre workshops in New York and Los Angeles, and is also a member of the Council of the Dramatists' Guild. Mr. Schwartz is the recipient of three Academy Awards, four Grammy Awards, and four Drama Desk Awards.
Yvonne Farrow (Staging/Choreography) began her career in dance at the Duke Ellington High School for the Arts and went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University while working with such companies as the Dance Theater of Harlem, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Clive Thompson Dance Company. Ms. Farrow danced in Tulsa Opera's Porgy and Bess and Virginia Opera's Harriet: A Woman Called Moses. During this time Ms. Farrow also performed in such dance related features as Beat Street, A Chorus Line and Disney's Off Beat.
Ms. Farrow, also served as resident 'choralographer' and technical director for the Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers of Los Angeles. She has also choreographed for such groups as the Appleton West Choirs, Northridge Singers, Gwen Wyatt Chorale, Sanctuary Choir at City of Angels Church of Religious Science, San Francisco Girls' Chorus, the European Council of International Schools (Dusseldorf, Germany) as well as The Choral Project.
Michael L. Nielsen (Staging/Choreography). A lover of music and the stage, Michael is excited to help bring the two together in a production worthy of the talents and passion of The Choral Project. In younger days, Michael performed with the Shari Cole Dancers, a professional dance troupe in Utah, directed and staged choral performances (children's, small ensemble, community chorus) as well as Performed-Choreographed-Directed Musical Theatre (Camelot, Cinderella, The Fantastiks, Guys and Dolls, Funny Girl, A Christmas Carol). Michael "retired" after 13 years as a Costumer/Costume Designer for television and movies. TV credits include Full House, Perfect Strangers, Bob Hope Specials, and Pensacola. Movie credits include Hurly Burly and Mouse Hunt, followed by a short stint in "professional" acting, becoming a member of SAG. Michael's most recent creative adventure was Executive Producer/Costume Designer/Production Designer for the Los Angeles premiere of Pageant.
Alex Hsu (Dancer) is a Bay Area native, but his work as a performer and choreographer can be seen all over the country. Most recently he was seen in American Musical Theatre San José's production of the musical Gypsy. Other credits include Irving Berlin's White Christmas at San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre, a national tour of The King and I starring Stefanie Powers, as well as many other productions with companies such as TheatreWorks, 42nd Street Moon, Marin Theatre Company, and Broadway By the Bay. Alex has also toured nationally with San Francisco-based dance company Dance Through Time and has performed for corporate clients such as Harrah's and VeriSign with Fascinating Rhythms Productions. As a choreographer, Alex has set musicals and revues for Ray of Light Theatre Company in San Francisco. He received the bulk of his dance training from local dance legend Berle Davis, and has also studied in New York and Los Angeles.
Shannon Self (Dancer) is currently the Artistic Manager at Children's Musical Theater San José. As a Director, Choreographer, and Instructor, Shannon is constantly working on the other side of the table, so she is thrilled to be performing in this concert. Shannon has performed regionally with other companies including American Musical Theatre San José, Theater Arts Int. (Los Angeles), and Lenape Regional Theater (Philadelphia), and has been seen dancing in many Independent Modern Dance festivals in San Francisco. Performing credits include: A Chorus Line (Cassie, Val, Sheila); Ragtime in Concert (Evelyn Nesbitt); Beauty and the Beast (Silly Girl, Carpet), The King and I (Anna), Chess (The Arbiter), Seven Brides (Martha), and most recently, The Full Monty (Pam). Shannon also continues her collaborative work on Trilogy (Three Women Dancing), a new dance musical. Shannon has a Bachelor's Degree in Theater and Dance from Santa Clara University.
Stephen Schwartz has contributed music and/or lyrics to Godspell, Pippin, The Magic Show, The Baker's Wife, Working (which he also adapted and directed), Personals, Rags, Children of Eden and the current Broadway hit, Wicked. Most recently, he has contributed songs to Mit Eventyr, a musical about Hans Christian Andersen currently playing in Denmark. He collaborated with Leonard Bernstein on the English texts for Bernstein's Mass and wrote the title song for the play and movie Butterflies Are Free. For films, he collaborated with Alan Menken on the scores for the Disney animated features Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame and wrote the songs for the DreamWorks animated feature The Prince of Egypt. He provided music and lyrics for the original television musical, Geppetto, and has released two CDs of new songs entitled Reluctant Pilgrim and Uncharted Territory. Under the auspices of the ASCAP Foundation, he runs musical theatre workshops in New York and Los Angeles, and is also a member of the Council of the Dramatists' Guild. Mr. Schwartz is the recipient of three Academy Awards, four Grammy Awards, and four Drama Desk Awards.
Yvonne Farrow (Staging/Choreography) began her career in dance at the Duke Ellington High School for the Arts and went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University while working with such companies as the Dance Theater of Harlem, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Clive Thompson Dance Company. Ms. Farrow danced in Tulsa Opera's Porgy and Bess and Virginia Opera's Harriet: A Woman Called Moses. During this time Ms. Farrow also performed in such dance related features as Beat Street, A Chorus Line and Disney's Off Beat. 
Michael L. Nielsen (Staging/Choreography). A lover of music and the stage, Michael is excited to help bring the two together in a production worthy of the talents and passion of The Choral Project. In younger days, Michael performed with the Shari Cole Dancers, a professional dance troupe in Utah, directed and staged choral performances (children's, small ensemble, community chorus) as well as Performed-Choreographed-Directed Musical Theatre (Camelot, Cinderella, The Fantastiks, Guys and Dolls, Funny Girl, A Christmas Carol). Michael "retired" after 13 years as a Costumer/Costume Designer for television and movies. TV credits include Full House, Perfect Strangers, Bob Hope Specials, and Pensacola. Movie credits include Hurly Burly and Mouse Hunt, followed by a short stint in "professional" acting, becoming a member of SAG. Michael's most recent creative adventure was Executive Producer/Costume Designer/Production Designer for the Los Angeles premiere of Pageant.
Alex Hsu (Dancer) is a Bay Area native, but his work as a performer and choreographer can be seen all over the country. Most recently he was seen in American Musical Theatre San José's production of the musical Gypsy. Other credits include Irving Berlin's White Christmas at San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre, a national tour of The King and I starring Stefanie Powers, as well as many other productions with companies such as TheatreWorks, 42nd Street Moon, Marin Theatre Company, and Broadway By the Bay. Alex has also toured nationally with San Francisco-based dance company Dance Through Time and has performed for corporate clients such as Harrah's and VeriSign with Fascinating Rhythms Productions. As a choreographer, Alex has set musicals and revues for Ray of Light Theatre Company in San Francisco. He received the bulk of his dance training from local dance legend Berle Davis, and has also studied in New York and Los Angeles.
Shannon Self (Dancer) is currently the Artistic Manager at Children's Musical Theater San José. As a Director, Choreographer, and Instructor, Shannon is constantly working on the other side of the table, so she is thrilled to be performing in this concert. Shannon has performed regionally with other companies including American Musical Theatre San José, Theater Arts Int. (Los Angeles), and Lenape Regional Theater (Philadelphia), and has been seen dancing in many Independent Modern Dance festivals in San Francisco. Performing credits include: A Chorus Line (Cassie, Val, Sheila); Ragtime in Concert (Evelyn Nesbitt); Beauty and the Beast (Silly Girl, Carpet), The King and I (Anna), Chess (The Arbiter), Seven Brides (Martha), and most recently, The Full Monty (Pam). Shannon also continues her collaborative work on Trilogy (Three Women Dancing), a new dance musical. Shannon has a Bachelor's Degree in Theater and Dance from Santa Clara University.