“Betrothed to Drood was Rosa Bud, portrayed by Shelby Young. Young was an operatic songbird with a crown of curls, her quivering vibrato engulfing the room, hitting every note with precision and delicacy. [Young and Gumina] meshed wonderfully in “Perfect Strangers,” a giddy song about the realization that you feel the same way about a situation.”
— Helen Ganley, Maryland Theatre Guide
“As [Henrik’s] counterpart, Anne, Shelby Young has the pure, high soprano needed for her ingénue role, first on display in “Soon.” Young handles well Anne’s second act awakening to the fact that she has real feelings to act upon, beyond the frivolousness she has used to keep them at bay.”
— Bob Ashby, DC Theater Arts
“Shelby Young is not your average ingénue. Not only is she a classically trained soprano with a breathtakingly chilling voice that soars over the ensemble in just the right places, but she also possesses serious acting chops.”
— Matré Grant, DC Theater Arts
“Shelby Young has the perfect soprano voice for Johanna. Her “Green Finch and Linnet Bird” is lovely, and she fortunately plays the character as less ditzy than many actors have done[...] [Young and August] capably manage the difficult timing of “Kiss Me”.”
— Bob Ashby, DC Theater Arts
“In Ludwig’s adaptation, the final suspect also comes to Poirot’s aid by combining the married Countess Andrenyi with the doctor who can examine the murder victim[...] Shelby Young effortlessly portrays the Countess, and her scenes with Padilla’s Poirot add an unrequited romantic twist to the mysterious journey.”
