Murrieta Valley High School
Welcome to Nighthawk Theater Company
- where the magic of theater and the talent of student actors come together to create unforgettable performances. We focus on bringing classic plays to life, all while offering our young actors an exceptional opportunity to develop their craft and grow as performers.
Meet The Nighthawk Theater Company
Artistic Leaders
Jennifer Sheldrake
Teacher/Artistic Director
Jennifer Sheldrake is a theater teacher and Artistic Director at Murrieta Valley High School who has a 20-year teaching tenure in Temecula and Elsinore, California. A dancer since age six, she earned scholarships to Tremaine's and Dupree's dance centers in Los Angeles, later working as a professional background dancer in commercials and videos. Sheldrake ultimately chose to finish college, joining a modern dance company post-graduation. Armed with degrees in both choreography and psychology, she took a break to start a family, now sharing three sons with her husband Sean. After raising their sons sheldrake returned to school and earned a teaching credential. Currently, while Mr. Sheldrake runs the Murrieta Mesa Theater and plays in a band with their boys, Mrs. Sheldrake equipped with a theater teaching credential, teaches at Murrieta Valley High.
Talia Crume
Associate Director/Choreographer
Talia Crume is a distinguished dance instructor, choreographer, and assistant director who has worked with Mrs. Sheldrake on and off for 8 years! Talia is always Mrs. Sheldrake first call when doing a production!
Talia has a passion for movement and performance that has been woven into the fabric of her life from an early age.
Talia feels honored to have been taught by exceptional teachers over the years and has honed her skills under the guidance of exceptional mentors, shaping her into the artist she is today.
A graduate of UC San Diego, Talia's academic pursuits in theater and dance further enriched her understanding of the craft. Now, she channels her expertise into teaching and choreographing for various programs across Temecula and San Diego including her time here at Murrieta Valley High School.
Specializing in tap, ballet, and musical theater, Talia's repertoire extends to encompass contemporary, jazz, lyrical, and beyond, reflecting her versatile and dynamic approach to dance education.
Driven by a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of dance, Talia is dedicated to making her art form accessible to individuals of all backgrounds and skill levels. Through her commitment to excellence and her unwavering enthusiasm for her craft, Talia continues to inspire and uplift those around her, enriching lives through the universal language of dance.
