Pamela Shirtz

Pamela Shirtz has spent her life following her passion for performance and education, becoming a strong advocate for the arts both in the classroom and the community. Pamela began her passion for the stage while dancing with D & D Dance in Toledo, which led to opportunities to perform at Disney World and eventually becoming a noted choreographer in her own right. She choreographs for professional venues, community theaters and high schools throughout northern Ohio. Her choreography is a unique combination of traditional dance steps with contemporary moves, showcasing the work of renowned entertainers, such as Fred Astaire or Michael Jackson, and develops them into a dance with the same energy and glamour of a Broadway chorus line; receiving overwhelming response from the performers she has worked with and the audiences she has entertained. Pamela is the proud recipient of the 2015 & 2016 Choreographer of the Year award from BroadwayWorld.com for her her choreography in Footloose and Into the Woods. 

 

Her interests in acting and theatre have led her to play character roles from the community theatre stage to professional repertory work; starring in such diverse roles as the repertory premiere of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins, Judy Haynes in White Christmas, Roxie in Chicago, Maria in The Sound of Music, Natalie in Next to Normal, Ulla in The Producers, and many more. Pamela originated the role of Sadie in the musical Sophie's Light in 2018. As a singer, Pamela has enjoyed frequent invitations to sing for various engagements; her most honored performance was singing for the NYPD Port Authority following September 11th.

 

A passionate educator when not on the stage, Pamela is a first grade teacher. In 2005, Pamela served as an education specialist with the Amy Biehl Foundation in Cape Town, South Africa, working in developing educational programs and opportunities for both the students and teachers in several township schools. Pamela holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education & Reading and a Masters of Educational Administration from Bowling Green State University. She has been a guest speaker for both school and thespian conferences throughout the State of Ohio regarding family engagement and dance. Pamela was the recipient of the 2016 ACE Educator of the Year award for Erie County and was recently presented with the Terrific Teacher Award for the Radio Station 102.7 in  2018.  In 2020, Shirtz  achieved National Board Certification, the highest honor in education. Pamela is a proud board member for Lorain Community Music Theater, the Sandusky Public Library Board, and the Lange Trust.

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