Melissa recently played the role of "Blanche Barrow" in the world premiere musical,  "Bonnie and Clyde" at the La Jolla Playhouse. She received a 2009 Craig Noel Award (San Diego Theatre Critics Circle) for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical.

"Bonnie and Clyde is lavished with talent....a piquant performance by van der Schyff, whose  Blanche is perhaps even more helplessly in love with her man than Bonnie is with Clyde."
— Charles McNulty, LA TIMES

"...You wonder who'd ever want to shoot the irresistible Melissa van der Schyff's blithely pious Blanche... She leads the highly entertaining hair-salon rave-up "You're Goin' Back To Jail." 
— SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

"As Blanche, Melissa van der Schyff looks, sounds and sings like a woman straight out of 1930s West Dallas and she's got pluck, humor and sass on top."
— NORTH COUNTY TIMES

"van der Schyff provides wonderful comic relief as Blanche, but she is never a caricature..."
—THEATERMANIA

" Personifying stand-by-your-man...Her musical exhortation "You're Goin' Back to Jail" is a comic highlight."
—CURTAIN UP

"Melissa van der Schyff is funny and rock solid, with plenty of growl in her voice, too."
—SAN DIEGO NEWS NETWORK

"....In a Dolly Parton-like voice, van der Schyff tells her woes quite convincingly through many songs and great acting conveying both the horror and bliss in loving Buck."
—DEL MAR TIMES

"One of the musical's most striking features: vocal authenticity...especially Melissa van der Schyff's wonderful Blanche, turn West Texas twang into a kind of music."
—SAN DIEGO READER

"Clyde's brother ...and iron fisted sister-in-law, Blanche (a superb Melissa van der Schyff), eventually join the gang...the story of their ill fated marriage is almost a play in itself."
—SAN DIEGO CITY BEAT

The world premiere musical "Bonnie & Clyde" comes from the the creative team of Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde, Civil War, Dracula), Don Black (Sunset Boulevard, Aspects of Love, Dracula) and Ivan Menchell (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang)— with a thrilling new score that combines rockabilly, blues and gospel music and is directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun (Big River, Pippin, Brooklyn).

Melissa starred as Catherine in the critically acclaimed Center Theatre Group/Deaf West Production of PIPPIN at The Mark Taper Forum.

"... an exceptionally eloquent, moving performance by Melissa van der Schyff." — HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

"... an endearing Melissa van der Schyff" — LA TIMES

"... likable and sincere"
— VARIETY

"... sings with a pretty countrified twang" 
— THE NEW YORK TIMES

"Melissa van der Schyff finds the tentative yearning in Pippin's last love Catherine"  — CURTAIN UP

Melissa starred on Broadway in the 2003 Tony Award Nominated Musical Revival of BIG RIVER in the role of Mary Jane Wilkes for which she received the prestigious Tony Honor for Special Achievement in Theatre along with her castmates. Her vocals were compared to Dolly Parton for her country number "You Oughta Be Here With Me" by the L.A.Times, New York Times, Washington Post, Daily Variety and a host of other reviews, confirming Melissa's ability to be a vocal chameleon.

"Melissa van der Schyff has a Dolly Parton-ish honeyed nasality that is ideally suited to the funeral lament 'You Oughta Be Here With Me,' a charming bluegrass pastiche..." — NEW YORK TIMES

"... singers such as Melissa Van Der Schyff (from the Broadway cast), ... have just the right country and gospel sounds to put it across..." — L.A. TIMES regarding the music of BIG RIVER

Other THEATRE credits include originating the role of Kayla in the World Premiere play BALLAD, for which she received a Dramalogue Award and an Ovation Nomination. Most recently Melissa appeared onstage at The South Coast Repertory, originating the role of Virginia and Clara in The World Premiere Musical AN ITALIAN STRAW HAT, at Center Theatre Group as Ginny in the new musical workshop of POST OFFICE by Michael Friedman and Melissa James Gibson and at The La Jolla Playhouse in the World Premiere musical ZHIVAGO by Tony Award Nominee Lucy Simon.

Recent FILM credits include: Carol Martin in A LOT LIKE LOVE starring Ashton Kutcher and Amanda Peet, the leading role of Mary in Showtime's original movie THE GREAT COMMISSION, Marnie in the Independent Short, SPEED DATING (Winner of the KODAK AFI Award), Salome in the Indie JOHNNY 316 starring Vincent Gallo (Sundance).

Recent TV: Series Regular on the comedy pilot THE WHITEY SHOW, produced by Seinfeld's Jason Alexander, Guest Star on CHICAGO HOPE and LOVE AND MARRIAGE, series regular on the sketch comedy show NATIONAL LAMPOON's LEMMINGS.

COMEDY: Question—What do John Belushi, Christopher Guest, Chevy Chase and Melissa van der Schyff all have in common?
Answer—They all started out as National Lampoon "Lemmings". Melissa was recently cast as one of the new generation of Lemmings in the sketch comedy show "National Lampoon's Lemmings". Melissa starred in and wrote numerous sketches for the show as well as doing impressions such as Nicole Kidman, Hilary Swank, Hilary Clinton, Katie Holmes, Amy Winehouse, Suze Orman and more! Melissa also filmed an all improv. comedy pilot for MTV called "The Whitey Show" which was produced by Seinfeld's Jason Alexander in which she played Celine Dion. Melissa was also a founding member of the improv. comedy troupe "THE IMPROMANIACS" which is based in Victoria B.C., Canada.

Melissa was born in South Africa, grew up in Victoria, B.C., Canada and has lived in Los Angeles for the past 10 years. (She is legally able to work in both Canada and the U.S.A.) Melissa holds a B.F.A. in Acting and Music from The College of Santa Fe in New Mexico.

VOICE OVER

 Melissa has worked as a voice over artist for "Rubber Chicken Cards" (Online Greetings) for the past 3 years creating a loyal following around the world for her lovable and quirky characters including "The Psychick" (Hip Gen X medium who delivers messages from the spirit world), "The Flight Attendant" (cheery southern belle Jenny Sue offers her passengers anything from Botox to Freeze Dried Roadkill), "Way Up North's" Diane (a hermit environmentalist in The Frozen North who delivers messages from her igloo via her Moose Cam). Melissa has also written original scripts for the company. Her Flight Attendant character "Jenny Sue" was featured on the the front page of the L.A. Times Business Section along with an article about the growing success of Rubber Chicken Cards.

Melissa also voiced several characters for the "Bedtime With Barney" radio series (Cry Wolf Productions) including Gladys The Duck, Mama Turtle and Clarissa the Fairy Godmother.


SINGER/SONGWRITER

As a studio singer Melissa can be heard on dozens of promo spots, most notably the jingle for PAY PER VIEW television. Melissa is also an accomplished songwriter and is available to write in any genre from jingles, to pop.

Her critically acclaimed debut pop album URBAN PEASANT is available at:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/mvds 

Melissa was voted "Artist of The Year" by fans across the world on Femmusic.com (Women in Music) and her single DIVINE was featured in the Showtime Original Movie THE GREAT COMMISSION for which she received an Independent Music Award Nomination for "Best Song featured in Film or Television". Her singles DIVINE and I'M ALREADY GONE have received Triple A radio play and are both currently featured in the upcoming Independent Feature TILLAMOOK TREASURE which won "Best Family Film" at The Newport Film Festival.

http://www.tillamooktreasure.com/music.shtm