Michelle DeJean

Michelle was born in Orange, TX and nine days later took her first transatlantic flight to Birmingham England where she stayed for her first five years. Being an 'oil brat,' she and her family were later transferred to Iran for a short period before ending up in Dubai, UAE. In 1979, her family finally ended up back in the US when they moved to Houston, TX. Although Michelle had taken dance classes while in England and Dubai, she didn't really start taking it seriously until she began the strict R.A.D. syllabus at The Spring Academy of Dance in Spring, TX. She then went on to join the Houston Ballet Academy on full scholarship and continued training there through most of high school. Michelle attended and graduated from Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts as a dance major and at the time was the first freshman ever to start in the highest dance level. At the age of fifteen she also attended T.U.T.S Humphrey School of Musical Theater and at sixteen was cast in her first role of Leisl in The Sound of Music. She went on to perform in over 16 other productions there, including Kismet, 42nd Street, Oliver, Evita, Anything Goes, Merry Widow, Cinderella, Mame, and La Cage Aux Folles, to name a few...

Michelle got her Equity card when she was 17, reprising her role in The Sound of Music in Seattle, WA. In 1991, Michelle made her big move to NYC and started her 'touring career' beginning with Jesus Christ Superstar then moving onto West Side Story (Anita) then to CHICAGO where she played Mona and was a Roxie understudy. In 2000 the tour closed and Michelle joined the Broadway company as a swing and then moved into Mona when it opened up. At this time you may have seen her image on the giant billboard in Times Square. She later took on the Roxie understudy, but never went on. The story of how she finally went on is a classic one of 'chorus girl does good'. Charlotte D'Amboise was playing Roxie at the time and also covering Christina Applegate in Sweet Charity. Christina broke her foot in previews and Charlotte needed to take over. Michelle finally got her chance to go on. She was scheduled for one Monday night performance. She called her folks in Houston and told them that if they wanted to see her do it, they had best make this one as it would most likely be her last planned show. Of course they came out. The show went really well, and the company continued to put her on that week. On Friday, the producer called to offer her the role. Shortly after, she started up as Roxie with the new tour and continued to play her for three years on the road and intermittently on Broadway. In 2008, Michelle's long run as Roxie Hart finally ended and she returned to her role as Mona. She continues to play Roxie occasionally.

Michelle is a huge animal lover and fulfilled her life long dream of owning a horse in 1996 when she met and fell in love with her black Arabian gelding Moonstruck. She bought him at 2 years old and decided she wanted to train him herself. She read many books on horse training and took what she liked from each and now has one of the most well-mannered, even-tempered Arabians out there. She admits that she learned the most from Monte Roberts, the original horse whisperer. She now leaves the hustle and bustle of the city on her days off and drives to Greentown, PA to visit her Moonie and decompress. The farm has become her sanctuary.