Adrian High School Alumnus visits from Broadway

 

From Broadway to the Chicago stage to Adrian High School…No, it was the other way around for Shonn Wiley who graduated from Adrian High School in 1995. In April, Shonn, with his lovely and equally talented wife Meredith Patterson, spoke to a crowd of High School students about how they made their Broadway career dreams come true.

 

Shonn started dancing and performing when he was 5 years old, attending Prairie Elementary and taking tap dance lessons from the local dance teachers, including his dad. He knew dancing made his heart sing and was his first love. With performances that thrilled many audiences at the Adrian schools, Centre Stage Productions, and the Croswell Opera House, he honed his skills and upon graduation went to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburg, PA. After graduating with a fine arts degree from the School of Drama, he headed for NY. He has been there for 10 years making a name for himself as a singer, dancer and choreographer.

 

He made his Broadway debut in 2001 with “42nd Street.” He was a proud member of the original cast and the understudy of the juvenile lead Billy Lawlor. Shonn was then asked to star in a groundbreaking production of “42nd Street” in Moscow. He was the first American actor to perform in an English speaking musical in Russia. In 2009, he was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography for “My Vaudeville Man!” He continues to build his credits and recently played Bob Gaudio in the Chicago production of “Jersey Boys.” He returned with his on-stage Jersey Boys group to entertain the Adrian audiences while raising funds for his favorite hometown theater, the Croswell.

 

Words of wisdom were shared with the student audience during a question and answer session following Shonn and Meredith’s presentation.

  • Find what inspires you to be great. There are many opportunities in the world of theater and film – graphic design, photo journalism, performing, lighting, scenic design, costuming, etc.
  • Learn the process which is always changing.
  • Work on your skills and don’t throw in the towel when you meet defeat because there will be many rejections.
  • Find the opportunities where you are and master your skills.
  • Strive to be the best and ask lots of questions.
  • You have to be in the right place at the right time and be prepared when the door opens. It may only open once but you must be prepared when it happens.
  • The route to success is a marathon, not a sprint.
  • When friends make fun of your choices, it’s not about you, it’s about them. Find what fills you with joy and pursue it!

 

Above: Shonn (second from the right) in “Jersey Boys”