Concerned in Austin
Austin,#2General Comment
Fri, February 12, 2010
The kindest thing one can say of Ms. Williams supporters is that they're very devoted. Her daughter's loyalty makes you wonder whether she is her mother's victim or her accomplice. Her involvement in the "productions" eased doubts of some parents and gave the enterprise some semblance of legitimacy.
Unfortunately, this is also a hallmark of talented grifters. How better to seduce your mark than using your own child.
I also liked the comment about community theater. Community theaters have theaters and they involve community. They announce tryouts that are held at their theaters. They don't troll for unsuspecting children in darkened theaters. They know their production costs up front and can let the people who raise the money do it. They don't keep hitting up parents of the actors for $50 here and $100 there.
The kindest thing one can say of Ms. Williams is that she's grossly incompetent and unwilling to address her many shortcomings. If she were to incorporate her theater company as a nonprofit through the Secretary of State's office, families might feel more confident because she'd be held somewhat accountable for her actions and behaviors.
Solomon
Cedar Creek,#3Consumer Comment
Wed, January 06, 2010
My family was also taken in by this person. I also happen to know the true events that supposedly happened with the "crazy lady" who bounced a check & tried to run this Shelley over in a parking lot. It is amazing to me that she has the gaul to claim this as fact.
The bounced check was the only truth on that "crazy lady" and the check in question was presented to Shelley with the instructions that the money for the check would not be available til her husband was paid the following Monday & Shelley had sworn up & down she'd wait to cash the check until then (she then went immediately to the bank & tried to cash it, thus, the check bounced).
The parking lot incident was totally mis-represented and the store clerk can vouch for it. Shelley ran into the "crazy lady" inside the store & the lady just asked her when she would be receiving her refund that Shelley had promised her. Shelley cussed her out in front of everyone & left the store. As the "crazy lady" made her way to her car, Shelley, in her white Mustang, screeched towards her & swerved at the last minute. The store clerk, having witnessed the incident, came running out to make sure the "crazy lady" was ok.
It's so very interesting how any "loving student" could have witnessed this and backed Shelley up with so blatant a lie seeing as Shelley was the only one there besides the store employees, other customers and the "crazy lady".
She promises actual productions with full sets & costumes & sometimes shows off some of the costumes as teasers.
What interests me most is how her plays offered mirror what a local, legitimate, acting class company offers to kids. When they were offering "Wiilie Wonka", so was she, they offered "Grease", so was she, when they offered "Annie", so did she....
Needless to say, my offspring & the "crazy lady's" kid (and a couple of other of Shelley's ex-students) have had much more satisfaction with KidsActing Studio where we pay a set amount & our kids actually put on a play, with sets & costumes (no extra fee) on a real stage. I enjoyed watching my Willie Wonka perform 2 nights (as well as 2 extra nights as an Oompa Loompa).
Christy In Austin
Buda,#4Consumer Comment
Thu, June 18, 2009
I have wandered through these postings and I am curious... if the woman and her productions are legitimate where are the photos of the productions? A list of names of the kids involved in previous productions is good business... where are those? I realize that some may feel loyalties to this person but I would like proof. If she in fact donated funds to a charity then where is the receipt? Why doesn't the charity have a record? Me thinks I smell a rat. Rats breed quickly. Follow the trail of money and prove legitimacy of the venture or not... it is really that simple right? I have no dog in this fight. I do not know anyone involved in this dispute. I would like to read a simple recitation of the production information, receipts, or even a simple list of references that back up the success and legitimacy of this operation. There are too many little actors and actresses in Austin to let this kind of scam continue if in fact it exists. Response?
A Loving Parent
Austin,#5UPDATE Employee
Sun, January 18, 2009
I have been made aware of these disgusting allegations against Ms. Shelly. I had 3 of my children in 2 of her shows. She changed our lives. One of my kids was so shy and after she performed with Ms. Shelly she was outgoing and outspoken. We donated $100 for our costumes and she gave us to keep about $600 worth of costumes. I do not understand that you fail to see if you drove away her entire cast with gossip how can you complain that the show was canceled. Miss Shelly doesn't make a dime. She goes BROKE directing her theater. I've seen parents not lift a finger to help her. It is not a BUSINESS: its a community theater!!!! Helping the community! You're supposed to help her, not ruin her life! You need to ask your children what they think of what you've done. If she canceled your show it's because of the people who posted these horrible lies on the internet. Those who say they never got to go to a sword fighting class: You've contaminated her cast. Why would she pay for you to go? If the main characters drop out she has to START OVER! If you ask me you people should be PROSECUTED! Now you've involved her daughter who has helped my kids every day. She's a sweet, good kid. You should have stayed and supported her instead of bad mouthing her and you would have been in the show. You didn't just kill it for your kid: you killed it for kids who read this slander and didn't even have the decency to ask her about it. These people who say this "Graham" didn't want to commit a crime by showing other kids he was having a good time is nuts! Her shows are nothing but fun. I hope she never quits. She's awesome with kids. She touches their lives and gives them memories and dreams. YOU people are the nightmares!!!!!
~a Loving Student
Austin,#6Consumer Comment
Wed, September 24, 2008
Hey judge and jurors, The internet is a wonderful thing, but not when it kills people. I have known Miss Shelly for ten years. My child has been part of her life and her shows for that long. This woman runs that Sunday program because she loves it!!!! I know each and every person who has printed this s**t about her. What you all should do is tell the truth. Your children loved her! I've been with her when she's seen your kids later and they run to her. Your children will read this website someday. And how dare you involve and reck her daughter's life?! She's the one who stood by her mom. She's the one who stayed up all night typing YOUR scripts and emailing YOU! I've told her to sue you, but she won't. She says she doesn't have to defend herself true, but WE DO! I've seen everything you've done to hurt her and some of you stayed in her program after you did it. She gives up every single Sunday for your kids!!! I've seen her turn down "paying" jobs to keep it going. Some of these people sho claim to have been ripped off I know for a fact don't even exist!!!!! You people are not only nasty, you're not playing with a full deck! How can you come to rehearsal for months and then get pissed off and tell other people to drop out, leaving her with no cast and then b***h about a show being cancelled?! I saw some of you run up to people's cars with their kids IN THEM asking them, "Have you read this crap on the internet?" I know for a fact you called the studios where she was rehearsing and badmouthed them. YOU'RE the reason she had to go from studio to studio!!!! And not one of you had the class to ask her about this garbage, you just assumed it was true. You took your kids out and spread the crap yourself! I've seen sports teams do this crap! How can you b***h that she tried to get you to help her raise money and then say you never SAW this or that?! Because you expected her to pay for it, but you were not paying her. She lived in her car for two weeks and showed up to rehearsal on Sunday. I was there when she told her Austin class, crying, "Guys, I need your help to keep it going," and you all said, "we don't want to hear about your personal problems." I've told her to quit over and over. I was with her at a nursing home show where she went down the hall and brought the wheel chairs in herself. Instead of bitching, did you ever think about helping her make phone calls, costumes, or anything? I've read emails from kids, devestated about being taken out of the show. You find me ONE kid, ONE that didn't admire her, that didn't learn something from her. I was there when that crazy woman who wrote her a bad check tried to RUN HER OVER WITH HER CAR, because she went to the hospital and cancelled a Christmas show! I've seen rooms and rooms of costumes when the woman had no food. A couple of you slandered her ALL OVER and then asked her to come back to the show! I knew the lady who said Miss Shelly accused her of acting like the FBI. She told Miss Shelly that an autistic child did not belong in the class. Some of you looneys even contacted the police. How do you call the police when you're still taking the classes???? What NONE of you say in your "rip off" reports is that you took MONTHS AND MONTHS of classes for what little or nothing you gave her. You've even stopped her, on occassion, from painting faces, which she does to help sick and disadvantaged kids. Shame on anyone who has NOT hired or, or released her, for SLANDER on the internet. I guess you narrow minded individuals figure if more than one person says it, it must be true. Did you know she painted a mural on the wall of the battered women's shelter. Did you know she did face painting at the children's hospital for years? Did you ever think about how she helped YOUR kid? If you would put these lies in print, you probably don't care about that. And now a teacher at her daughter's high school has spread these nasty rumors she read on this website and now her daughter is suicidal. You liars who say that she moved from town to town and studio to studio no d**n good and well why. I apologize for never reading this crap before, but now we that know her are going to come out in armies. In the end, you have only hurt your own kids. And at the end of the day, she will forgive you and the show WILL go on. And my daughter and others will be right there with her. A Devoted Parent and