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Camelot (Guenevere)

Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena, CA

Shannon Warne hits all her marks as Guenevere. She pouts, flirts, throws tantrums and succumbs to temptation right on cue... She turns in a moving rendition of "I Loved You Once in Silence" and adds luster to all of her duets. -- Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times

As mischievous Queen Guenevere, Shannon Warne shines, boasting a lilting soprano voice. She creates a captivating characterization, making it completely understandable why knights would go to war for her. -- Les Spindle, Back Stage

Warne...knock(s) Frederick Loewe's timeless ballads "I Loved You Once in Silence" and "If Ever I Would Leave You" out of the park. -- Bob Verini, Variety

Warne's Guenevere croons "The Simple Joys of Maidenhood" and "The Lusty Month of May," her songbird vocal dexterity melts all resistance. Warne's voice is gorgeous. -- Steven Leigh Morris, L.A. Weekly

Shannon Warne as Guenevere is a treasure. She has a simply beautiful singing voice and as an actress makes Genny's disloyal actions and pain honest and clear. -- Don Grigware, BroadwayWorld.com

Warne matches him every step of the way as Arthur's spunky, dazzling bride, singing in a glorious soprano and demonstrating fierce acting chops... "Then You May Take Me To The Fair," (is) one of Camelot’s lightest, brightest moments. Among the evening's most memorable sequences are Arthur and Guinevere's last-ditch effort to bring back the gaiety that's been missing from their marriage ("What Do The Simple Folk Do?") -- Steven Stanley, StagesceneLA.com

Here's a lass who is clearly at her ease among the boys, and can flirt freely and without danger in "Then You May Take me to the Fair," and she's got a lovely lilting soprano to bring it home. Luscious and lusty. -- Evan Henderson, Curtain Up

Warne's voice is rich and radiant. -- Colleen Dunn Bates, Hometown Pasadena

Shannon Warne (Guinevere) reminded me of mezzo diva Jennifer Larmore, with a beautiful and powerful voice that glimmered like sunshine, and with a confident charm that commanded the stage. I think she could have got most every guy in the audience to joust against Lancelot for her! -- Tom Chatt, UpWord

The lovely Shannon Warne plays Guenevere and charms everyone with her crystal clear and effortlessly soaring soprano.-- Jack Lyons, Palm Springs Guides

Shannon Warne, the only female in the cast, is a lovely, earthy, womanly Guenevere. Her voice is beautifully suited to the score, and her take on the character of the queen is playful, tortured, and graciously loving. -- Paula T., Gather

(Warne) sang in such a way as to do complete justice to the wonderful music. (She) also reveals a youthful girl's unfulfilled longings and conflicted heart with great feeling.-- Candyce Columbus, LA Theatre Examiner

Violet (Violet)

Musical Theatre Guild. Alex Theatre, Glendale, CA

"For about a thousand Los Angeles musical theater aficionados, June 15, 2009 will be remembered as the evening Shannon Warne played Violet. As a young woman whose emotional scars run as deep as the facial scar she longs for a miracle to erase, Warne gave one of the most dazzling performances by a lead actress in a musical I have seen in the past several years. That this performance was achieved in a 'concert staged reading' allowed a mere twenty-five hours rehearsal time by Actors' Equity, and that the entire undertaking was every bit as memorable as its leading lady is nothing short of amazing. How lucky to have been at the Alex on June 15!

"...Ultimately though, the evening of June 15 belonged to Warne's Violet, a character who never once leaves the stage, and a performance made even more remarkable by the fact that the entire production was put together in a couple dozen hours of rehearsal. There hasn't been a female MTG performance of this magnitude and depth this since Tami Tappan Damiano’s Queenie in 2005’s The Wild Party--and that's saying a lot considering how many great performances have been given in the ensuing four years.

"Without prosthetic makeup, Warne allowed the audience to 'see' Violet's face-deforming scar (and the even deeper ones inside). As a singer, it's hard to conceive of anyone else doing Tesori's melodies better justice than Warne, whose exquisite soprano soared in 'Lay Down Your Head,' 'Look At Me,' and 'Promise Me Violet,' the latter sung in tandem with the equally vocally gifted (Brandon Michael) Perkins and (Josh) Tower. As an actress, Warne gave a performance of depth and subtlety, and just how thoroughly she had 'become' Violet was particularly evident as 'the ugliest pilgrim' stood apart from the Tulsa gospel choir as they sang 'Raise Me Up,' simply taking it in, precisely as Violet would have, her journey nearly over, only the miracle left to perform--and all of this sketched in her face and her body language.

"A pair of dramatic scenes gave further proof that Warne is not just a musical theater leading lady with a voice to make angels weep, she is an actress of first magnitude who could just as easily command the stage in a straight play as a musical. The first scene was a confrontation between Violet and the televangelist, one in which Violet stands tall and brave and defiant, even face to face with a man who towers over her physically. The second was even more powerful, the scene in which Violet finally gets answers--and an apology--from the father whose axe stroke let loose the blade which scarred her face and soul. Both actors completely off-book, Warne and an equally fine Goodman dug deep to expose the layers of pain that father and daughter had carried with them for so many years. That this scene occurred only in Violet’s imagination, her father having died two years previously, made it even more poignant." -- Steven Stanley, StageSceneLA.com

The Threepenny Opera (Polly Peachum)

ICT. Long Beach, CA

"Warne is nicely tart as Polly. Her goofy scene... breaks through the production’s rigid presentational style; sometimes a pie in the face can liven things up." --Charlotte Stoudt, Los Angeles Times

"As Polly, Shannon Warne (one of our most enchanting musical theater leading ladies) combines beauty, sex appeal, comedic gifts, and a glorious soprano/pop belt." -- Steven Stanley, StageSceneLA.com

"As Polly Peachum, Shannon Warne has the comely exterior of Julie Andrews but shows what a façade that is, whether mocking a burlesque beauty's sexy musical routine or viciously bossing around husband Mackie's gang." -- Eric Marchese, Backstage

"Warne's Polly artfully shifts on a dime from sweet innocent to brutal fiend, in her rendition of 'Pirate Jenny'." -- Paul Birchall, LA Weekly

"Shannon Warne is a wonderful Polly Peachum. Her voice stands beautifully alone but also blends harmoniously... A well-rounded character, her endless grace mixes ever so delicately with a rich brassiness that truly captivates the performance." -- Nicholas Tober, LA Splash Magazine

Great Expectations (Estella)

Hudson Theatre, Hollywood, CA

"Shannon Warne ... does excellent work as the lovely (albeit conceited) Estella, and her performance of 'I Could Walk Away' is a showstopper." -- Steven Stanley, StagesceneLA.com

"(as) Estella lovely, rich-voiced Shannon Warne" -- K. Kathleen Foley, Los Angeles Times

"Shannon Warne has the requisite beauty and bearing to play Estella." -- Laura Hitchcock, Curtainup.com

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Milly)

Cabrillo Music Theatre, Thousand Oaks, CA

"Shannon Warne as Milly also did her role proud, making the character a strong yet understanding woman. Warne played it just right and with a voice that nicely complemented (Stuart) Ambrose's." -- Michelle Rivert, LAlist

"...the lovely and supremely likeable Shannon Warne is a marvellously spunky Milly. Warne has just the right voice for musical theatre. She can belt with the best of them, yet sing as sweetly as anyone could wish. Plus, she's got that girl next door quality that makes her ideal for Milly." -- Steven Stanley, StagesceneLA.com (as posted in the LA Times)

"Leading lady Shannon Warne ... has both sweetness and spark" -- Evan Henderson, Daily News

"Shannon Warne is a suitably feisty Millie, with a voice that allows her to range from highly indignant to honey sweet." -- Rita Moran, Ventura County Star

"…receiving top quality performances from Shannon Warne ... (Warne) pulled it all off so flawlessly." -- Cheryl Springer, YourHub.com

"Shannon Warne was both feisty and vulnerable, with a rich singing voice resembling the young Maureen O'Hara's." -- Cary Ginell, Thousand Oaks Acorn

Camelot (Guenevere)

McCoy-Rigby Entertainment. National Tour. Philadelphia, PA

"At Philadelphia's Opening Night, the role (of Guenevere) was played by understudy Shannon Warne, who did not disappoint in capturing the audience with a soaring, solid voice and is a delightful confident young maiden. Warne’s "Simple Joys of Maidenhood" sets the tone for a consistent and quality-performance." -- Pati Buehler, Broadway World.com

"(Shannon Warne) handled the role with grace, giving the queen an insouciance nicely balanced by intelligence." -- Wendy Rosenfield, Philadelphia Inquirer

"Rachel York ... was replaced by understudy Shannon Warne, who amazed me with a crystalline voice in the Julie Andrews tradition. She is a beautiful brunette and displays more spunk than we normally get in Guinevere. I hope we can see more of her ... Vocal highlights are (James) Barbour’s “C’est Moi" and "If Ever I Would Leave You," plus every note sung by Shannon Warne." -- Steve Cohen, Broad Street Review

Fiddler On The Roof (Tzeitel)

Sacramento Music Circus. Sacramento, CA

"Shannon Warne ... had stellar moments as the frustratingly independent daughter." -- E. Haig, The Sacramento Gazette

"Shannon Warne gives a strong performance as the oldest daughter, Tzeitel ... Warne and Israel are beautiful together." -- Bev Sykes, Davis Enterprise

Empire (Emily)

Hudson Theatre. Hollywood, CA

"In a more delicate, equally appealing vein, [Rod] Keller and Warne share a beautiful duet, 'Castle In The Air'." -- Joel Hirschhorn, Variety

Hippolytos (Female Chorus)

Getty Villa Amphitheatre. Malibu, CA

"Female chorus members add enormously to the production, providing both expert sound effects and color commentary." -- Terry Morgan, Daily Variety

"One of the more striking elements of the production is the use of the chorus." -- Wenzel Jones, Back Stage

"Work of the female chorus was at times truly electrifying" -- Charles Donelan, Santa Barbara Independent

Side Show (Violet Hilton)

Park Square Theatre. St Paul, MN

"The central relationship between Violet and Daisy is so powerful, and so beautifully articulated by Shannon Warne and Kersten Rodau, that it becomes a vividly moving experience." -- Michael Sander, Back Stage

"Kersten Rodau and Shannon Warne bring strong voices, showmanship, distinct personalities and a fine sense of sisterhood to the difficult lead roles." -- Graydon Royce, Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Rodau and Warne ... create a unison that's almost eerie." -- Dominic P Papatola, St. Paul Pioneer Press

Anything Goes! (Hope Harcourt)

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. St Paul, MN

"Shannon Warne gives Hope a sweet disposition." -- Rohan Preston, Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Tari Kelly, Shannon Warne and Jay Russell add color to the proceedings with great voices and moves." -- St Paul Pioneer Press

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