Red, White & Blue Music

presents

The American Belles

Melissa Driscol - Originally from Lorain, Ohio, Melissa graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance.  Immediately after graduation, Melissa traveled to Germany to sing in the International Elspe Festival.  She fell in love with travel and has entertained all over the USA and abroad.  Melissa has also sailed the high seas performing in her own one-woman show "Red Hot Mama!" While residing in Los Angeles, Melissa was cast at the Hollywood Bowl as Young Vanessa in Follies w/Patty Duke & Donna Mckecknie, The Music Man w/Eric McCormack & Kristen Chenoweth, My Fair Lady w/John Lithgow & Roger Daltry. She spent two years entertaining our active duty military and veterans as a member of the USO Liberty Belles and is honored to continue the tradition with the critically acclaimed American Belles. Melissa is very proud to be the daughter of a Marine veteran! 

Sophia Hinshelwood - From the Sunshine State of Florida, Sophia graduated from the New World High School of the Arts in Miami and holds a degree in Theater from Northwestern University.  Off-Broadway credits: I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.  Regional credits: The All Night Strut, Over the Rainbow, Sunday in the Park with George, and Ain’t Misbehavin.  She has had the honor of singing the National Anthem for the Chicago White Sox twice during their World Series winning season. In addition, her experiences performing with her collegiate all-female a cappella group Significant Others, fostered her love for alto harmony and girl power! She has appeared in numerous commercials, and you won't want to miss seeing Sophia on the silver screen where she portrays the part of the reporter in the current box office hit Batman: The Dark Knight. Sophia is thrilled to be an American Belle!

Jennifer Johns - Originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Stetson University. She has toured the world with the USO Liberty Belles and with the critically acclaimed American Belles. Favorite roles include: Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Sandy in Grease, Peggy in 42nd Street, Olivia in Twelfth Night, and Woman 2 in My Way: A Tribute to Frank Sinatra (Original Cast). In NYC, The Broadway Exchange w/the Rockettes, Rainbow Room w/The Cab Calloway Orchestra, Birdland w/ the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and The Supper Club w/ Liza Minelli. Television roles include All My Children, One Life to Live, SNL, Strangers with Candy. Film - Moulin Rouge, Hairspray, Garden State, Kate and Leopold.  Jennifer is co-founder of Broadway Artists Alliance in NYC.

Gabrielle Lee - a native of Nashville, TN, is a successful performer, actress, print and hat model -at home in TV/Film, popular music and musical theater in which she has taken leading roles in Broadway, National and European tours, Off-Broadway and in Regional Theaters across the U.S. –some of her favorite performances include Dreamgirls, Blackbirds of Broadway, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, One Mo Time, Showboat, Man of La Mancha, Ain’t Misbehavin, My Fair Lady, Once On This Island and “Her Song” (2007 Mac Award winner as best cabaret musical). Gabrielle has performed as a vocalist both in the U.S. and abroad with Harry Belafonte, Michael Bolton, Marvin Hamlish & Natalie Cole -with The New York Pops Orchestra, The Platters, Cab Calloway Orchestras and numbers of Big Bands performing at New York’s famous Rainbow Room, Birdland, Swing 46, The Copacabana, and Carnegie Hall.  Honored to be in swing with the American Belles!

Heather Lindell - is thrilled to be back with the Belle’s!  A Los Angeles native, she trained and received her B.A. from the Ray Bolger Musical Theater program at UCLA, incorporating the Stanislavski and Meisner techniques. While in college she was cast in the Broadway production of the Tony Award winning musical “Hairspray!”   You may also recognize Heather as Jan Spears on NBC's  “Days of Our Lives”.  Her portrayal of this character won her a Soap Digest Award for Best Young Actress.  She then went on to star in Gary Marshall’s adaptation of his hit TV series Happy Days at The Falcon Theater; and a recurring role on “As the World Turns.” Other credits include the films “Getting There” opposite the Olsen twins and “Scrambled Eggs”, a comedy also featuring Michael Rappaport and Dennis Farina.

Heather Parcells - hails from Newport News, Virginia.  She is a graduate of Florida State University (Magna Cum Laude), and has performed on Broadway as Judy Tuner in the recent revival of A Chorus Line, and in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Heather has toured nationally as Velma Kelly in Chicago; in Thoroughly Modern Millie; and in Some Like it Hot, starring film legend, Tony Curtis. Television appearances include the 100th Episode of Dancing With The Stars, Good Morning America, ABC Primetime, The View, The Today Show, and Guiding Light as the Chief of Police's daughter, Missy.  Heather is also a red-carpet on-camera host for Yahoo.com's "Shine Network," and she loves teaching musical theater dance repetoire to aspiring performers in and out of the city. Heather is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association and Screen Actors Guild.

Victoria Reed - Born and raised in Wellesley, Massachusetts, Victoria is the founder, producer and director of the American Belles. She has toured nationally and internationally in Showboat, Mame,  Annie and Phantom, and can be heard on the original cast recording of Phantom  (Kopit/Yeston).  Victoria produced, directed and performed in USO shows for 10 years.  She was the entertainment director for the USO in New York from 1996 - 2002 and then joined USO World Headquarters from 2003 - 2006, creating the USO Liberty Belles and American Spirit. She and her troupes have performed for U.S. military and veterans around the globe to include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Bosnia, Norway, Italy, Germany, Spain, England, Luxembourg, Japan, Korea, Guam and throughout the U.S.  She is a member of Actors' Equity, Screen Actors Guild and currently serves as a regional vice president for the American Guild of Variety Artists. Victoria is a former Miss Maine.

Sasha Sloan - This sunny Southern California native is now proud to call New York City home! Sasha is a graduate of Howard University in Washington, DC with a BFA degree in musical theater. Among her many talents, Sasha does a mean Ms. Swan impression. She recently made her Off-Broadway debut in What's That Smell: The Music of Jacob Sterling. New York musical workshops include: The Making of Madeline Moore, Lay Your Hands on Me, History of the Word, and Rosa Parks. Some of Sasha's favorite roles include Diana Morales in A Chorus Line, Yvonne in The Story, Cinderella in Into the Woods, and Sarah (US) in Ragtime at Lincoln Center in Washington, DC.  Film: No Love In The City (2009), SubterraNYa (2009) as well as numerous television commercials. Sasha is delighted to be among these amazing women called the American Belles and especially enjoyed entertaining in Japan for the USO in Tokyo!

Kathleen Watson - is a proud southern belle originally from North Carolina.  Kathleen graduated from Catawba College in Salisbury, NC with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Musical Theatre. She has traveled the country in the national tour of Jekyll and Hyde and has toured the world on the high seas performing her own show, in Cameron Mackintosh's "Encore Mr. Producer," and in Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Music of The Night." Favorite Regional roles include: Emma in Jekyll and Hyde, Claudia in Nine, and Irene in Crazy for You.  Kathleen is very proud to be a part of the American Belles and to have the opportunity to serve her country through music.