Ballesteros Shine in Sibling Rivalry at Sterling's

On Sunday September 11 Cristina and Matthew Ballestero, real-life siblings, presented their first cabaret Sibling Rivalry @ Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's to a packed house of screaming fans. Both Cristina and Matthew were in LA's Next Great Stage Star 2011 and came exceedingly close to being runners-up. Each has a distinct personality and an enormous talent...and those talents are every bit as different as their personas. Combined there was enough energy to blow the roof off Vitello's. Cristina's voice has a tremendous range, but she is concentrating her efforts in the pop field; Matthew has a big bold baritone/tenor instrument that is perfectly suited to Broadway standards.

September 11 also happens to be Matthew's birthday - his 22nd this year, in fact, so his entire family including six other siblings were all on hand to lend support. Highlights of the evening included (for both): their rousing opener "It's Today" from Mame, "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better" from Annie Get Your Gun, the beautiful Kreiger/Russell tune "I Will Never Leave You", a lilting Disney medley, in which they were joined by their younger brother JoJo: Alan Menken's "I Can Go the Distance" and Menken's and Stephen Schwartz's "Out There", a gorgeous rendition of "The Prayer" and as finale Scott Alan's "I'm a Star". (for Cristina): her own pop composition "Let Go" with accompaniment from friend Jake Stone, Christina Aguilera's "The Voice Within" and Scott Alan's "If I Own Today", dedicated to the memory of all those who died on 9/11/2001. (for Matthew): Marc Shaiman's and Scott Wittman's "Big, Strong and Beautiful" a funny number emphasizing the positive acceptance of his girth, John Bucchino's lovely "Unexpressed", "I Am Changing" from Dreamgirls, rarely, if ever, sung by a man - and performed with such fervor, and the dynamically and eclectically engaging "Man Up" by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone from this year's Tony winning The Book of Mormon. The remarkable James Lent served as musical director for the evening and accompanied on piano throughout the gig.

It is heartwarming to see such talented youngsters pay loving tribute to their parents, and to witness that love and adoration come back to them across the footlights. Both Cristina and Matthew Ballestero have tremendous potential for the future. I wish them everything!