JEREMY JAMES (Performer/Co-Writer) has played opposite Tiger Woods in a Japanese coffee commercial; played Shelby’s short-lived boyfriend in Nickelodeon’s short-lived TV series, “The Adventures of Shelby Woo”; was the first male model on the cover of the Tupperware catalogue and cleaned up after the elephants at the Big Apple Circus. Jeremy has performed in regional productions of Up the Down Staircase, Forever Plain, Beau Jest, Baby, and Iolanthe, and played Soapy Smith in The Gifts of the Magi. His commercial credits include Nike, Kodak, Pepsi and Tommy Hilfiger. Jeremy met his wife, Shalisa, while singing together as the Hollywood Hi-tones at Universal Studios, Florida. As a cancer survivor, Jeremy strives to be a source of hope and inspiration.

SHALISA JAMES (Performer/Co-Music Director/Arranger) has been singing professionally since the age of one-and-a-half. At 11, she became the voice of Showbiz Pizza’s Mitzi Mozzarella. Later, she was the voice of Tessa on the Emmy Award-winning PBS show, “The Reppies.” Currently her voice can be heard on over 500 national jingles, hawking everything from laundry soap to liposuction. Her regional credits include The Children’s Hour, 110 in the Shade, Annie, Vanities and Is There Life After High School? Television credits include “The Guiding Light,” “Loving,” “Weekly World News” and “Good Morning America.” Shalisa has performed as a singer/dancer at Opryland, Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. For the past three years she has been vocal director for all live shows at Universal Studios. Shalisa is also an accomplished sing-a-long pianist at Pat O’Brien’s and Auggies Jamin’ Pianos and once blew ‘em away at Preservation Hall. When not performing, Shalisa enjoys curling up   with her three kids, a nice cup of coffee and her wonderful husband, Jeremy, whom she’d like to thank for writing this bio.

MICHELLE MAILHOT-VALINES (Performer/Co-Music Director/Arranger) Having received her degree in Jazz Studios from Western Michigan University, Michelle has had the pleasure of performing with such greats as Bobby McFerrin, Max Roach and Mel Tormé. As a voice instructor and educator, she has taught choral and vocal jazz workshops with the Grammy-nominated Phil Mattson and Disney Sings Workshops. She has been an adjudicator for festivals and workshops throughout the country including Keynote Arts’ Showstoppers Show Choir Invitational and Belmont University’s Annual Music City Show Shoppe. As an arranger for the UAAS (Ultimate Acappella Arranging Services), Michelle’s arrangements are performed by high school and college ensembles throughout the world, including her alma mater, WMU’s Gold Company, Dr. Stephen Zegree, director. Michelle was a featured singer at Walt Disney World’s Epcot where she met fellow Toxin, René. Now she’s happy to put up with her Toxic tech director husband John’s love of rum, Muppets and Star Trek.

RENÉ RUIZ (Performer/Co-Writer/Conceiver/Director) Originally from Austin, Texas, René has performed in such regional productions as A Chorus Line, West Side Story, Assassins and the Orlando Opera Company’s production of archy and mehitabel. He played Sparky in Forever Plaid at the Civic Theatre of Central Florida and directed a production In Lakeland, Florida. His production of Six Women with Brain Death took top honors at the Florida Theatre Conference and the Southeastern Theatre Conference and represented the state at the American Association of Community Theatre Conference in 1993. He also produced and directed Weird Romance for the Orlando Fringe Festival and the Civic Theatre Second Stage series. He has directed Is There Life After High School? and The Gifts of the Magi. He was a featured performer and show director at Walt Disney World for over ten years.

PAUL SPERRAZZA (Performer/Co-Writer) was born and raised in the Big Apple where he used to work in a break-dancing troupe who liked to use his as a human jump rope. Paul’s regional credits include Forever Plaid in which he cracked up audiences as the ultra-shy Jinx. He received the Lillie Stotes Award for best actor in a musical. After earning a vocal scholarship to Valencia College, Paul went on to perform in many singing groups at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, Florida, including the Hollywood Hi-Tones where he met fellow Toxins René, Shalisa and Jeremy. As his extensive collection of nametags and hairnets will attest, Paul has had many jobs outside the field of entertainment including karaoke host, swing dance teacher and martial arts instructor. But his favorite work when he’s not on stage is teaching performance workshops for music students of all ages. Paul would like to thank his wife Angie and daughter Ayla for their constant love and support.

JOHN A. VALINES III ’s (Technical Director/Sound) professional theatre career began when he was 16 years old in Houston, Texas as a stagehand for STAGES Repertory Theatre. In Orlando, John was Sak Theatre’s Technical Director, Vice President and improv teacher. His director credits include Todd Kimbro’s DeCaffeinated, Caffeine Episode II, Failure an Epic Adventure, Equus: On Ice (featuring Toxic Audio with Sak Comedy Lab and co-directed by René Ruiz) and the award-winning Farrago, which he co-wrote. In 2000 John joined Toxic Audio as their 6 th member. In 2003 John became a full partner in the Toxic Audio Corporation. John is a big fan of rum and Muppets and is fortunate to share his love of Star Trek with his wife, the Toxic soprano, Michelle.