SPRING VALLEY, Calif. — There's nothing like receiving a little advice from a real professional. In this Zevely Zone, I went to Steele Canyon Charter High School where the theater program was mentored by one of the best in the business.
It's took some explanation for why the London stage actor, Dean Chisnall, was suddenly standing before us in Spring Valley. Chisnall has played Jean Valjean in Les Mis 446 times. I asked him, "You are getting it down?" He chuckled and said, "Yeah, I am getting it. I still have things to tweak but I am but I am trying my best."
The famous actor was in town to help prepare the school's theatre department with their production of Shrek The Musical premiering March 18th. Who better to mentor the students than an actor who portrayed Shrek for five years on the London West End stage and on the UK & Ireland tour? According to Chisnall, that's 1,318 performances as Shrek; 5,742 hours in green make up; 25 cities and a total of 21 months on tour.
Locally, Chisnall teamed up with Steele Canyon Directors, Nicole LaBella (Theatre) and Heather Luck (Music), to instruct and inspire the Steele Canyon Players to portray the beloved Shrek musical theater characters.
Heather Luck is the musical director at Steele Canyon High who took an interesting vacation last year. "I go to London with my cousin and we go see Les Mis," said Heather. She was so moved by Chisnall's performance she told me, "I Tweeted him and said you are such a great Jean Valjean I've seen the show a hundred times and thank you for doing what
you do I am a teacher I am doing Les Mis I am so inspired I can't wait to tell my kids about this."
Chisnall accepted an invitation to come to America and meet the students of the Steele Canyon Players and Instrumental Music Department so that he might offer them advice and tutelage as they readied for their 2019 production of Les Misérables.
"It is a crazy story she send me a message on Twitter to say congratulations on the show. How many messages like those do you get? I tend to get a few and they are really nice but I try to make a reply to everyone but this one was particularly special," said Chisnall.
So special, Chisnall agreed to fly 11 hours across the Atlantic to mentor the class. Last year, Steele Canyon's production of Les Mis went on to win Best Ensemble of the year.
Nicole LaBella is the Steel Canyon's Theatre Director. She can't believe their good fortune, "Oh my gosh, I can't even begin to express all that is happening right now."
With Chisnall's guidance, the Steele Canyon High School production of Shrek The Musical looks to be a hit. "My message is to be yourself work hard, use your passion to perform it's a really really wonderful life to live," said Chisnall.
Show dates are March 18, 19, 20, 21 and March 26, 27, 28 at 7 PM with a matinee on Sunday, March 29 at 2 PM. All performances are in the Steele Canyon High School Theatre, 12440 Campo Road, Spring Valley. Advanced tickets can be reserved and purchased online at www.showtix4u.com.