Women Rock

Shayna Steele’s career started the age of 15, appearing on Ed McMahon’s Star Search. In 2005 Steele found herself in a genre she had no experience with: Electronica. Hearing that Moby “needed a screamer” for a track off his new album Hotel, Steele became the vocalist for the disc’s second single “Raining Again.” Two years later, she provided vocals for “Extreme Ways (2007)” – Moby’s theme song to The Jason Bourne films – and in early 2008, “Disco Lies“, the first single off of Moby’s 2008 release Last Night. She provided vocals on the Hairspray film soundtrack, Sex and the City 2 soundtrack, NBC’s Smash, the 2008 Summer Olympic highlights on BBC and the 2021 release of In the Heights (Motion Picture Soundtrack). Steele has made television guest appearances on HBO’s The Sopranos and reprised her Broadway role with the “Dynamites” in NBC’s Hairspray Live. Steele has been seen as a Broadway ensemble member in shows such as Rent and Hairspray and has supported artists like Bette Midler, Rihanna, and Kelly Clarkson. Steele released her 3rd studio album Watch Me Fly following the success of her album Rise (Ropeadope Records) in 2015 which reached #3 on the U.S. iTunes jazz charts.

Steele has appeared as a soloist and guest artist with over 40 symphony orchestras throughout North America. Her most recent solo concert Nothin’ but the Blues, written and conducted by Maestro Jeff Tyzik, is one of many highlights in her symphonic solo career. She continues to tour all over the world with her band playing her original music, is a regular guest artist with GRAMMY® Award winning trumpeter Chris Botti and is recording her 4th studio album set to release in 2023.

GRAMMY® nominated Emily Drennan is a highly sought after singer and producer with a voice that knows no one genre. As a #1 Billboard charting producer and #2 Artist, the scope and lens with which she can command a project is impressive. The variety of venues in which she has sung has given Emily a style and a grace few her age can match. Originally from Oklahoma, Emily Drennan has been a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Radio City Music Hall. She has shared the stage as a guest soloist with symphonies 100+ times and with 30 different orchestras. As a National Presidential Scholar in the Arts, she was celebrated at the White House culminating with a performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

With her theatre background, she was seen in the New York Spectacular starring the Rockettes at Radio City and was seen touring Europe and the Caribbean playing Tanya in Mamma Mia! She was also seen as “Mezzo” in the Lucille Lortel Award winning a cappella Off-Broadway show, Voca People, and in its Israel, Japan, and Dubai tours as well as on The Jimmy Fallon Show and with Sting. Emily has also been seen in: NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice; The Radio City Christmas Spectacular (soloist: NBC, PBS, Netflix); and Toxic Audio Off-Broadway winning the Drama Desk Award and was also in its Las Vegas companies at The Luxor and Planet Hollywood.

Emily is a published ASCAP and Recording Academy (GRAMMY®) songwriter, producer, lyricist, composer, and recording artist with 2 Degrees (Economics; Spanish) and 4 minors (Finance; Marketing; International Business and Latin American Studies), summa cum laude, from Oklahoma State University. She was named an OSU Outstanding Alumna for the Spears College of Business and an OSU Distinguished Alumna for the College of Arts & Sciences. Her voice-over and studio work can be heard nationally in English and in Spanish.

Emily’s most poignant release, I Know Your Name, is a stunning tribute to her father who was tragically killed by the recklessness of another. For her work writing, performing and producing this song, she won the Hollywood Independent Music Award for Best Singer-Songwriter, a Global Music Silver Award and LIT Gold Award. Serving as chorus master, producer on vocalist on the album, “Requiem of Light”, earned Emily her first GRAMMY® nomination alongside her mother, Patti Drennan, who was also GRAMMY nominated® for her composition of the a cappella work which was brought to life by 4X GRAMMY® nominated conductor Steven Fox and The Clarion Choir. The album also charted #1 on iTunes, #7 on Billboard and won the Gold Global Music Award, LIT Gold Award for Best Choral Album and Clouzine Best Choral Award.

Previously, Emily enjoyed collaborating with her mother and the rest of the 100+ person team for their debut choral album, Echoes of Grace: Choral Music of Patti Drennan. The album won the World Entertainment Award for Best Choral Album, Gold Global Music Awards, and was #1 on the Billboard Traditional Classical Charts. Additionally, Emily sang on Aaron Lazar’s 2024 GRAMMY® nominated album, “Impossible Dream” which was an honor and all proceeds going to aid ALS. Her full discography can be found on iTunes and official website: www.emilydrennan.com. Emily is also a NYC Marathon finisher and Price is Right winner. She and her husband have two young children who are 4 and 7. Forever for Dad.

Brie Cassil is a singer, actor, and composer based out of Chicago, IL. Original from Missouri, Brie moved to NYC straight out of high school, and has since starred in musical productions such as Mimi in Rent, Little Sally in Urinetown, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, and Suzy in the Off-Broadway cast of The Marvelous Wonderettes. 

Cassil has had the opportunity to perform all over the world. From leading workshops in Brazil, to opening for Adler with her original band, Rebel. Most recently, Cassil had the privilege of performing at the prestigious Carnegie Hall, in the new musical SuperYou. She is very grateful to be able to do what she loves, traveling around the world and singing the music of her biggest influences, with many of the world’s best orchestras. 

Douglas Marriner is a third-generation musician, and a jazz drummer, composer and educator currently based in New York City. As a performer, Marriner has worked with artists such as Shai Maestro, Donny McCaslin, Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks, Steve Wilson, Makoto Ozone, David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Project, Doug Wamble, Alexa Tarantino and Cecile McLorin Salvant. Born in London, he was immersed in a musical environment, growing up with the musical guidance of both his grandfather Sir Neville Marriner (founder and conductor of the Academy of St Martin-In-The-Fields / Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra / Amadeus), and his father Andrew Marriner, Principal Clarinet of the London Symphony Orchestra.

After his Master’s graduation, Marriner was awarded the drum chair for Juilliard’s Artist Diploma Ensemble (2015-17), where his sextet was coached by Wynton Marsalis, Kenny Barron and Ben Wolfe – touring Europe, South America and Japan. Marriner is a passionate educator, and was the Director of Juilliard’s MAP Percussion Ensemble, in addition to teaching private percussion lessons and mentoring their orchestral musicians. He has also taught for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s education programs and summer schools, Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect and has recently joined the faculty at Bloomingdale School of Music. www.douglasmarriner.com