Masterclasses - Performing Arts - Passing it on!
Childhood in the Performing Arts...
Born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina, Chryssie grew up dancing with the Columbia City Ballet and Southern Strutt dance studio competing nationally. Her love for musical theatre began at the age of 10 years old when she got cast as an orphan in ANNIE. (*Rehearsal picture of Chryssie in black leggings, 1990). Her training would continue in the summers' in Los Angeles and in New York at the Edge dance studio and Broadway Dance Center. During adolescence she also performed in A Chorus Line at Workshop Theatre. She pursued more theatre in her high school drama program at Richland Northeast, as well as modeled with Millie Lewis Modeling & Talent agency.
CAREER
Her career of 20 years started as a Rockette and got her first start in film as a dance double in Save the Last Dance with Julia Stiles. Chryssie then went on to schooling in New York at The American Musical Dramatic Academy (AMDA) where she majored in musical theatre. After school, Chryssie went on to work in Los Angeles in theatre, television, film and in New York on Broadway as an actress, dancer and singer sharing the stage with stars such as Neal Patrick Harris, Patti Lupone, Stephen Colbert and Mel B. Teaching masterclasses in performing arts is her biggest passion. Chryssie now works as a director, choreographer and masterclass teacher.
BROADWAY/LINCOLN CENTER
After the Rockettes, Chryssie began her first touring job in the 1st National tour of Fosse. Chryssie can be seen in the hit documentary, Every Little Step, where she was featured landing her Broadway Debut in the 2006 revival of A Chorus Line as Kristine, heard also on the cast album in "Sing" with Tony nominated actor, Tony Yazbeck (On the Town). Her last role on Broadway was Kitty in CHICAGO where she went on to perform the lead role of Velma as an understudy. One of her favorite New York theatre role's included Kathy in Company opposite Neal Patrick Harris, as Bobby, at Lincoln Center with the NY Philharmonic Orchestra (Now on DVD in PBS's Great Performances).
ACTRESS
A career for over 20 years...
Television:
Greys Anatomy,
Revenge of the Bridesmaids
(ABC Family TV Movie with Raven Simone), Private Practice, CASTLE, The Mentalist, Warehouse 13, Man up, Switched at Birth ...
Film:
Every Little Step, The Producers, Save the Last Dance, Lucky Stiff ...
Stage Roles Theatre:
Bombalurina in CATS,
Lola in Damn Yankees,
Liane in Gigi
Z's Favorite in The Will Rogers Follies
Commercials:
Subway, Kraft, Sears, Schweppe's, Apple, Country Inn & Suites...
MASTERCLASS TEACHER
Chryssie has worked as a proud faculty member and adjudicator for AMDA College and Conservatory for the Performing Arts since 2005, where she is also a graduate.
She crossed over divisions teaching in musical theatre performance, acting on camera, audition technique and all styles of dance, including directing/choreographing for final showcases and dance workshops.
She is a former adjunct lecturer at UCLA teaching theatre dance for two years, as well as a faculty member at the California Dance Institute and National Dance Institute teaching in public elementary schools.
Chryssie also taught a movement for actor and musical theatre dance class at the acclaimed Edge Dance Studio in Los Angeles for many years. She travels all over the globe teaching masterclasses in acting, dancing and musical theatre.
DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER
*Coming up... 2019
ALLADIN, Jr. - Cherokee Performing Arts (MS) - Valentine's week, 2019
BEAUTY & THE BEAST (Choreographer) - Western Carolina University
April, 2019
Directed by: Hunter Foster
INTO THE WOODS - Cherokee
Performing Arts (HS) - May, 2019
Previously...
GREASE - 5th Avenue Theatre
JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS - ACT Theatre
CAMELOT - Biola University
SHREK, The Musical -
Cherokee Performing Arts (HS) 2018
Currently
BROADWAY ARTS CAMP
She loves being Co-Founder/Director of Broadway Arts Camp with long time best friend after meeting on the national tour of FOSSE in 2001, Alexis Carra, http://www.triplethreatteacher.com. This training based intensive occurs for 10 days in Los Angeles every summer, as well as now venturing out to more cities in 2019 for 3 day "in-studio" weekend intensives. Register on our site below... June 23 - 26th, ages 12 to Adults (2 Groups: Teens/Adults)
MARRIED LIFE
Chryssie married her best friend and favorite person to laugh and hang out with, Mr. Craig Disbrow at the end of 2017. They recently moved from New York City to live in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains where they first met in North Carolina. They joined their admiration for visual arts and started a new business together, C&C ARTHOUSE, as the sole art dealer for the artist, Sven at http://www.artbysven.com and other talented artists. You can experience their fun company and collection of original art in their home by appointment only. Check for showings, silent auction wine dinners and more below at our site.
PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL TEACHER
"Mrs. D" is what she currently goes by to her new students, as she has worked as a full time teacher in the public school system teaching grades 6th - 12th in Cherokee, NC. She is proud to be apart of the Cherokee Braves family, helping build the performing arts program along side "The Music Man", himself, Mr. Michael Yannette. www.ccs-nc.org
This school year she will be directing and choreographing ALADDIN, JR. for the Middle school and INTO THE WOODS for the highschool, as well as choreographing BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Western Carolina University, spring 2019, directed by Hunter Foster.