Meet the Team

Shannah Rae singing into a microphone at a piano on stage, with colorful stage lights overhead and a background featuring warm-colored walls and musical equipment.


  • Founder

    Shannah Rae embodies a distinctive blend of New York City polish, midwestern heart, and southern charm whether she’s on the stage, behind the table, or teaching her singers to Wail!
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    Shannah, a successful entrepreneur, has traveled down many career paths including college professor, touring artist, stage actor, Broadway Actor/TV Actor vocal coach, director, producer, and more.  Her clients have appeared in Broadway shows and National Tours including West Side Story, Miss Saigon, Moulin Rouge, Rock of Ages, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Chicago.  She also served as a vocal coach on a musical episode of television series Pose FX.  And recently served the vocal coach for the WATS program at the annual Walmart Shareholders Meeting.

    A firm believer in the value of community, Shannah consistently seeks out collaboration and connection with fellow artists and teachers.  She has created opportunities for her students to directly learn from music industry artists such as Al Bell (co-owner of Stax Records and former President of Motown Records), Georgette Jones (country star and daughter of George Jones and Tammy Wynette), Broadway industry artists such as Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice, School of Rock) Stephanie J. Block (The Cher Show, Wicked, 9 to 5), Patti Murin (Frozen), and Christy Altomare (Anastasia) as well as Broadway casting directors from Tara Rubin Casting, Wojick Seay Casting, and more.

    Shannah currently resides in New York City where she has learned the importance of a good pair of shoes, paying attention to what subway stop you’re at, and that if you are willing to work hard, make sacrifices, and take big risks, the sky is the limit.

DJ Salisbury is a smiling man with blonde hair wearing a blue shirt against a dark background.


  • Acting Coach

    DJ Salisburyis a director-choreographer who has staged over 120 theatrical productions nationwide, working with renowned companies such as Paper Mill Playhouse, Dallas Summer Musicals, and California Musical Theatre. His favorite directing credits include Man of La Mancha, Into the Woods, La Cage Aux Folles, Evita, and The Will Rogers Follies (10 productions). DJ has choreographed works ranging from White Christmas to televised events for Dancing with the Stars and The Rachael Ray Show. In NYC, he has directed numerous readings and workshops, including Grumpy Old Men and CHIX 6, and choreographed shows like Femme Fatale starring Sara Ramirez. A frequent collaborator on new musicals, he’s worked alongside luminaries such as Susan Stroman, Jerry Mitchell, and Tommy Tune. DJ is also a writer of multiple original musicals and screenplays, and has contributed to high-profile live events and television specials. A former performer and Broadway dance captain, he holds a BFA in Performing Arts.

  • Executive Producer, Director of Commercial Artist Membership

    Freelance Director and Producer. Founder/Producing Artistic Director of NYC’s IndieWorks Theatre Company. Executive Producer/Creative Director of the 12-time award-winning series, Bite-Sized Broadway.

    Off-Bway/NYC: The Giant Hoax, The Commuters or A Cautionary Tale About the Port Authority, Casper the Not-So-Friendly Ghost, Empty Frames, Songs From a Hat, Vanities, Sophia and the Bee-Man (IndieWorks); Yosef: An Epic New Musical (Born Entertainment), Bonnie & Clyde, Once Upon a Mattress (Stagedoor Manor).

    Regional: A Christmas Carol (The Wick Theatre), The Long Weekend (Pigs Do Fly), Thrill Me (Island City Stage), Into the Woods (Largo Cultural Arts Center), Oklahoma! (Osceola Performing Arts), Closer Than Ever (Pinellas County Center for the Arts), Chicken Soup for the Kid’s Soul (World Premiere; John Hopkins Center for the Arts), Little Things(World Premiere; St. Petersburg Little Theatre), You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown and Little Shop of Horrors (Muchadu Productions).

    Film: Valley High (Calendar Boys Productions).

    Member SDC, AEA.

  • Kids and Teens Vocal Coach

    Casey has been acting and performing since childhood, earning a Theatre degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth. She has starred in productions such as Avenue Q, A Chorus Line, and Hair, and showcased her vocal talents with Disney and at major theme parks. In 2014, she competed and medaled at the World Championships of the Performing Arts in Los Angeles, one of the largest international performing arts competitions in the world.

    Her career spans both coasts and abroad—from performing in Los Angeles to four formative years in Madrid, where she taught English, acting, and singing while also discovering a passion for voiceover and dubbing. A lifelong learner, Casey is continually refining her craft, studying with top vocal and acting coaches in Orlando, Los Angeles, and New York City, including ongoing work with Shannah Rae and vocal training with Tom Burke.

    A dedicated educator with over nine years of experience, she earned her Master’s in Education with a dual immersion focus and spent three and a half years teaching at a Spanish immersion school, combining her love of languages, performance, and creative expression.

    Now based in Minneapolis, Casey is the lead vocalist for a local jazz group and performs with ensembles across the city. Known for her soulful, raspy tone and magnetic stage presence, she brings depth and authenticity to every performance. This past summer, she returned to Madrid for her first solo show and is preparing to move back, stepping into the spotlight as the lead singer for jazz and R&B groups.

Katie Leffen is a woman with shoulder-length brown hair smiling, wearing a blue and white checkered blouse, against a dark background.

  • Studio Manager

    Katie is a performer and has been a student of Shannah and DJ’s for several years. Have any questions about the studio? Contact her at katie@shannahraevocalstudio.com!