From participating in musicals to performing for POPS Extension, Senior Braylinne Shaw has been a trailblazer in the Tyrone High School music program throughout her high school career.

Shaw has been an integral part of the music and drama programs since her freshman year, when she moved back to Tyrone from Portage.

Her first Tyrone High School production was Broadway in Song as a freshman in 2023, where she sang Do You Want to Build a Snowman, and For the First Time in Forever from Frozen.

She next appeared in Grease in 2024, where she played Betty Rizzo; The Addams Family in 2025, where she played Morticia Addams; and is currently starring in Once Upon A Mattress, where she plays Princess Winnifred.

Shaw’s hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed by her peers and Drama Club advisor Johnathan Holmes.

Holmes has worked with Shaw since 2024, when he co-directed Grease, and witnessed her hard work in all the shows that she has been in.

“Bray has gone from a shy newcomer to the resident leading lady and powerhouse,” Holmes says. “She’s a true talent, and she has a great deal more to give. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for her. Whatever it is, it’ll be bright.”

Shaw was nominated for an ISAAC Award during the 2024 musical season for her role as Betty Rizzo in Grease.

With this being her senior year in Drama Club, she is leaving behind a legacy for others to look up to.

Her passion and dedication have helped inspire new members, like Ryleigh Dillon, has taken a particular fondness for Shaw’s nurturing teaching style.

“Braylinne is very nice and kind,” Dillon says. “She has helped me when I have been nervous, and she has been very helpful with choreography. She has inspired me to become a better and more confident actress.”

Shaw’s star quality has even inspired her younger sister Brystlee to join the musical cast this year. Brystlee had no prior experience with Tyrone’s music programs, but Braylinne persuaded her to give it a try, and she has no regrets.

“Watching you take your final bow as a senior will be bittersweet, because I’ve spent my whole life looking up to you from the wings,” Brystlee said. “This program gave us more than just songs and scripts; it gave me the chance to share the spotlight with my biggest role model. Thank you for leading the way on stage and in life. I’m so lucky to be your sister.”

Along with Drama Club, Braylinne is also a member of POPS Extension and Concert Choir, roles she has held since her sophomore year.

During her time in POPS, she attended the county chorus for the past three years.

Her talent and hard work also earned her a spot at the District 6 choir festival for the past three years and an invitation to Regionals her senior year.

Shaw has come a long way since her freshman year. Her vocal talent and technique continue to improve, and she continues to take vocal lessons with Spring Cove music teacher Janelle Parker.

Parker has helped Shaw to prepare for multiple auditions over the past year.

“Braylinne has advanced significantly in the short time she has studied voice with me. She sets realistic goals and achieves them through a strong work ethic and self-motivation. She has taken her initial unique sound and refined it through the use of individualised technique,” Parker said.

Recently, Shaw submitted her audition for the Music Education program at Slippery Rock University, which can be found on Tyrone Eagle Eye’s YouTube channel.

Shaw spent countless hours practising and perfecting her music with Choir Director Gabriella Petrarca.

“Braylinne has been working tirelessly on her audition music both inside and outside of school. I’ve heard her practising her classical and contemporary pieces during advisory for a few months,” said Petrarca. “I also know that she has been working on her audition in her private voice lessons after school. Her singing has improved so much, especially this year, and I am certain that she will thrive in a collegiate music program.”

As Shaw prepares to take her final bow for the Drama Club and sing her final notes for POPS, the Tyrone Music Department is rallying behind her to wish her the best of luck at Slippery Rock University.

Don’t miss her final musical performances this Friday and Saturday at 7 pm in the Tyrone Area High School Auditorium.