Cashelle Butler, who attended Cherry Creek High School and graduated from Cherokee Trail High School in Aurora and the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, is home playing Tanya in the farewell tour of Mamma Mia! at the Buell Theatre through April 16.

Butler spent an afternoon with the Cherry Creek High School choir and theatre students.

She answered their questions, taught them some choreography from the show, and toured backstage at her old stomping grounds, where she performed in many school productions including Thoroughly Modern Millie.

In the video above, Butler talks with Cherry Creek High School Theatre teacher Jimmy Miller about her day, as well as taking classes as a teenager from DCPA Education.

“When I was 14, I took my first class with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts,” she said. “I did their high-school theatre intensive. I took classes in singing; acting; dance; speech and dialects; so I got flavor of what it would look like if I went into this as a career. I was so hooked.”

After graduating from UNC, Butler performed in several musicals at the Town Hall Arts Center, including Young Frankenstein, Anything Goes, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and The Marvelous Wonderettes (pictured right with, from left, Taylor Nicole Young, Butler, Cara Lippitt and Colby Dunn).

Video by David Lenk and John Moore for the DCPA NewsCenter.

Photo gallery: Cashelle Butler at Cherry Creek High School

To see more photos, click the forward arrow on the image above. Photos by John Moore for the DCPA NewsCenter.

Mamma Mia! Farewell Tour: Ticket information
This hit musical that combines ABBA’s greatest hits, including Dancing Queen, S.O.S., Super Trouper, Take A Chance on Me and The Winner Takes It All, with a romantic tale  of love, laughter and friendship.

Through April 16
Buell Theatre
ASL and audio-described performance: 2 p.m. April 15
Tickets: 303-893-4100 or BUY ONLINE

Previous NewsCenter coverage of Mamma Mia in Denver:
Guest column: Judy Craymer on the origins of Mamma Mia!

Cashelle Butler with teacher Jimmy Miller and his Cherry Creek High School students. Photo by John Moore for the DCPA NewsCenter. Below, Chashelle Butler with the male ensemble in the ‘Mamma Mia’ farewell tour. Photo by Kevin Thomas Garcia.