ANN SHARRER PARIS (B.A., B.S., MA Ed.), has hands-on experience not only as an instructor, but as a performer. After private study in Hollywood and upon receiving degrees at California State University, Long Beach in Musical Theater and Music Education, she worked in Summer Stock Theater companies in the west and mid-west, choreographed various music groups in the Los Angeles area, taught dance in studios throughout Long Beach and Anaheim. In addition to theme park entertainment, she has toured the U.S., Eastern and Western Europe, Australia, Egypt, Israel, and Canada with Continental Singers and Orchestra, California State University Choir, and American Entertainment Productions. Here’s a little trivia, Ann performed at Karen Carpenter’s funeral.
ANN is a master at turning nothing into something. She chartered the choral and dance program at Gateway High School (Osceola County) and has been known to “resurrect” struggling choral programs. Ann has been Music Director at the Helen Stairs Theater and Choreographer at the Sands Theater (now the Athens Theater) as well as choreographer for the Daytona Beach College show choir, and was a dance instructor there.
In addition to her family and professional life, Ann always finds time to give back to her community. She has volunteered numerous hours as performer, consultant, and director of many church, community theater, and civic productions.
About ten years ago, Ann founded Flagler Performing Arts Academy, a younger equivalent to summer stock theater, producing professional level musical productions with children ages 8-18 in only 3 weeks’ rehearsal time. Her most recent activities include directing musical theater productions of “The Lightening Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” and “Alice in Wonderland”. She also appeared previously in “The Producers” and “Anything Goes” as a singer/dancer. One of her most recent projects was organizing and directing a professional level singing group to sing in concert with Broadway star, Mandy Gonzales.
Upon earning her Master’s Degree from University of Phoenix, and teaching several years in Volusia County, Ms. Paris has just retired from directing chorus, dance, drama and musical theater in Flagler County Schools in order to devote more time with her non-profit organization and private voice students. She has been an adjunct instructor at Daytona State College and runs a very successful private voice studio.
As a member of National Association of Teacher of Singing (NATS) and Florida Vocal Association FVA, as well as Florida Music Educators Association, Ms. Paris is busy adjudicating and coaching students throughout the state of Florida. Her students have successfully landed College music scholarships, community theater, and professional roles in venues throughout the United States and Europe, excelled in local and national competitions, and currently perform regularly at Disney, Universal Studios, and New York, to name a few. Ann has choreographed numerous college productions, produced children’s music/dance/art festivals, and has also been serving as an adjudicator for Thespian Festivals throughout the state of Florida as well as presenting at National EdTa convention in Las Vegas. Ms. Paris has been involved in creating lesson plan curriculum for CPALMS, through a program under the leadership of Florida State University, Tallahassee. In addition to serving her private voice studio clients, Ann is also the author of the “Vocal Relaxation System,” a comprehensive singing course available upon request.