A native of SC, Shannon grew up surrounded by the Arts in an amazing, very musical family. Always performing in some fashion, whether in her childhood home front yard, in school talent shows, or on stage at the Lexington Village Square Theatre, Shannon has always been attracted to the stage – producing, directing, dancing, singing, and acting to bring joy and inspiration to others. She is a graduate of Lexington High School and upon graduating from Winthrop University with a performance degree in theatre and dance, she worked at the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce doing Public Relations. While working for the Chamber, Shannon continued performing onstage and began her acting career in television and film, jumpstarting a successful career in commercials and voice-over work on the East Coast. Shannon moved to Los Angeles, California in 1999 and trained with top casting directors, famous actors, commercial, television & film directors, and producers. She performed live theatre throughout Southern CA with award-winning directors, performed seasonally with the “Telly Award-winning" improv/sketch comedy troupe, “The Porkchop Playhouse” and has even headlined at the famous “Magic Castle” in Hollywood, California. Shannon worked at the family-owned production company, Gosch Productions, in North Hollywood/Burbank, CA for over 4 years, learning the ins and outs of television and film production, gaining knowledge and experience producing, directing, and editing for film and television. Learning and experiencing firsthand the crucial importance of all that goes on behind the scenes and behind the camera was a huge asset to Shannon’s career.
While in L.A., Shannon also kicked off a career as a freelance host and entertainment reporter and studied broadcast journalism at UCLA. She was named “The Girl with Something XTRA” working for Los Angeles PR Companies and representing Clear Channel’s KIISFM and XTRA Sports, interviewing celebrities, sports stars, and industry people at movie premieres, parties, awards shows, benefits, and sporting events. Needless to say, she’s got a lot of great celebrity stories!
Shannon’s mother, Robin Vaughan Parler, is a professional pianist/organist and has taught for over 40 years. Shannon grew up watching her mother inspire and educate her students, and even as a child, she always took note of the joy that teaching brought to her mother. That priceless gift seems to run in the genes because Shannon recognized the utter fulfillment that comes with teaching at an early age. Along with the attraction to performing, Shannon has always had a passion for teaching the Arts. She has taught privately for years, and upon moving back to SC in 2009, she was drawn to the amazing world of Arts Integration, training with the Metropolitan Arts Council and SmartArts program in Greenville, SC, and seminars at the Peace Center with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts teachers. Residencies within the local school districts integrating drama and dance brought such joy to Shannon that she decided to apply to SC’s PACE program to get her teacher certification. Upon teaching, producing, directing, and leading in the public school arena and community for over 13 years, she achieved a dream of getting her master's degree. The leadership skills she grew and the knowledge she gained from getting her master's degree in 2023 in education administration, along with a principal's certificate from the University of SC was an achievement she is very proud of. She's been able to expand her skills and artistry and looks forward to any opportunity to advocate for the arts, inspire, and connect communities!
"Carpe Diem!"
- Mrs. Shannon Elizabeth Boatwright