Feature: 30 Days Of Cabaret Gratitude - Day Twenty-Nine - The Future

Photos by Stephen Mosher; visit the Stephen Mosher website HERE.

THE FUTURE

Every year there is a slew of new artists and new acts, people trying out the sometimes difficult-to-navigate waters of the cabaret and concert industry. It's not always easy, it's been called the world's most expensive hobby, and there are those who try it one time and then walk away, even those who try it out, succeed, win awards, and then walk away. But there are also long-haulers who stay in the industry because it is their craft, it is their art, it is their work. Sometimes there are debut shows that stand out as something more, something special, something that shines an optimistic light on the future of the industry and art form.

Here are ten artists who had perfect debut shows... well... ten artists who had perfect debut shows, and one artist who stood out so strong in a group show that there was no other choice but to put her on this list. These are the artists who could make for a bright future in the world of cabaret and concert.

Ben Bogen - The Open Book

Debut Show TEENAGE DREAM, December 9, 2021, The Green Room 42

For his debut solo show Ben Bogen came out guns a-blazin' with a full-on rock concert (really a music video from a pop star) with a combo, a story arc, costume changes, choreography, and sleek, sexy, stylish backup dancers. Ben took his sold-out house by storm and left the room some seventy minutes later, his audience spent from the screaming and elated from the experience. And every bit of this extravaganza was centered around the ten-year anniversary of his coming out, it was centered around being himself, it was centered around authenticity. Ben Bogen isn't just here to act, to sing, to dance, to produce, to direct, to choreograph, to create: Ben Bogen is here to do all that and more, while living in the light. He exudes an wish, a want, a need, a mission to tell his truth and to tell it in the style that is most uniquely him... with charm, with flair, with sass, and with quads.

Read the Broadway World Cabaret review of Ben's show HERE.

Ben's online presence is as follows:

Website: Click HERE.

Instagram: Click HERE.

Facebook: Click HERE.

Twitter: Click HERE.

Ben's pronouns are He/Him

Ben's future projects include:

Continuing his work on the National Tour of Wicked.

Jaime Cepero - The Whirling Dervish

Debut Show SONGS ABOUT ANXIETY 2.0, August 17, 2022, 54 Below

Jaime Cepero had done some group shows, he had done some producing, he had done some emcee'ing... Jaime was well-known around town and in the industry. But when Jaime Cepero took a collection of songs he wrote during the worst year in his (in everyone's) life and turned it into his debut solo club act, Jaime took a step into a broader existence for himself and his artwork. Gathering friends around him to sing his compositions, Jaime spoke extemporaneously and excitedly about all of it, showing off many of the sides of his fabulous self, discussing world politics, unjustice, personal growth, outlining his compositions, and sharing the love he has for his friends... and the dedication he has for the causes in which he places his belief. Then, when he, himself, sang, it was as if time stopped for a perfect moment in which one could live, for always. Jaime is honest, he is flamboyant, he is mischievous, he is opinionated, he is in-your-face, he is flirtatious, he is bigger than life. Jaime is smart and Jaime is talented. You could listen to him talk all night and never quite be sure if you understood everything he said, that's how fast his mind and mouth do their work, but when he sings his lyrics, the messages are clear, in all their poetry, passion and pathos. Jaime is everything, and he is moving. Don't try to catch him - it can't be done. Just watch and enjoy and learn.

Read the Broadway World Cabaret review of Jaime's show HERE.

Jaime's online presence is as follows:

Instagram: Click HERE.

Twitter: Click HERE.

Jaime 's pronouns are He/They

Jaime was styled by Noel Martinez.

Jaime's future projects include:

Currently working on recording an album of my original music and my musical Francois & The Rebels will be having a staged reading this fall.

Ava Nicole Frances - The Diva In Training

Debut Show MUTUAL ADMIRATION, May 1, 2022, 54 Below

Ava Nicole Frances just started college at a prestigious Uni in New York City and, already, she is ready for her career in show business. A child actress, a teenage talent, and, now, an adult actor seeing to it she has the right and proper training to make a performer's life a fait accompli, Ava has everything she needs to succeed - including two dads that have supported and nurtured her show biz dreams at every turn. Proud papas Frank Silletti and Sonny Vukic got their little 'un into class the moment she expressed an interest. They made sure she got to perform, to fine-hone her skills, and to explore that which would become her artistic voice, a voice she got to showcase in her Manhattan debut, a duo show with show biz veteran Charlo Crossley. The program gave each diva a solo segment, and plenty of onstage time together, and with some pretty impressive strong women guest artists. Ava went toe-to-toe with the more experienced Ladies, showing that the number of years one has been on the planet doesn't matter when one has placed the proper focus on learning their craft and nurturing their voice. One suspects that, upon her graduation from college, Ava Nicole Frances will hit the ground running and not stop until she has caught the Gold Ring.

And then, there are the photo shoots... Just click HERE for the magic.

Read the Broadway World Cabaret review of Ava Nicole's show HERE.

Ava's online presence is as follows:

Website: Click HERE.

Instagram: Click HERE.

Facebook: Click HERE.

Twitter: Click HERE.

Ava's pronouns are She/They

Ava's future projects include:

First solo show at The Orinda theatre in the San Francisco Bay Area, May 21, 2023

Ben Jones - The Voice

Debut Show LOVE SONGS, February 12, 2022, 54 Below

Ben Jones is a musical theater actor who came to NYC to land on Broadway. He had been singing on the big concert stages of the world and performing in the regional theaters of the States, when he began playing the nightclubs of the city in group shows in which he was a consistent stand-out. Then he did his show LOVE SONGS (which evolved into I THINK I'M IN LOVE) and people began to really notice that Ben Jones is the real deal. Just singing one song in those group shows didn't give Ben a chance to talk, something he does as well as he sings. His shows (he already has a follow-up show titled I THINK WE SHOULD SEE OTHER PEOPLE) are immaculately scripted as equal parts stand-up comedy and storytelling shows, with shockingly magnificent musical bridges in between the monologues and jokes. Reviewers all began writing about Ben's charisma and voice, audiences spoke of their growing devotion to the singing actor, and The Mabel Mercer Foundation invited Ben to perform in the 2022 Cabaret Convention, the exact same year in which he debuted as a solo artist. He may not have made it to Broadway yet but he will. In the meantime, the national tours of his club acts are keeping the man with the dreamiest boy voice in the business super busy. Of course, Broadway World Cabaret reporter Bobby Patrick says that Ben Jones should be in ALL the Broadway shows, and Bobby isn't wrong. That would be a great thing for Broadway... as long as Ben comes back to the clubs on his nights off.

Read the Broadway World Cabaret review of Ben's show HERE.

Ben's online presence is as follows:

Website: Click HERE.

Instagram: Click HERE.

Facebook: Click HERE.

Twitter: Click HERE.

Ben's pronouns are He/Him/His

Ben's future projects include:

Just this month Ben made these appearances:
Nov 3 - Feinstein's at Vitello's (LA)
Nov 4 - Feinstein's at the Nikko (SF)
Nov 5 - Feinstein's at the Nikko (SF)
Nov 18 - Feinstein's at Hotel Carmichael (Carmel, IN)
Nov 19 - Blue Strawberry (St. Louis, MO)

In the new year Ben can be found at:
Feb 24 - Hey Nonny (Chicago)
Feb 25 - Hey Nonny (Chicago)

Jess LeProtto - The Diamond

Debut Show GOTTA BE ME, January 9, 2022, The Green Room 42

Jess LeProtto didn't have to transition into the nightclub industry. The multi-faceted artist has had abundance bestowed upon him in his career on Broadway, on television, and on film, and chances are that isn't going to change for the song and dance man. However, on the stages of the clubs of the world, Jess can use his gorgeous singing voice, his out-of-this-world dance abilities, his off-the-charts charm, and his SONGWRITING skills to entertain as one of the best characters he will ever play: Jess LeProtto. His debut solo act showcased the suave exuberance and stylist savvy the Broadway veteran has for his work as an entertainer, and all the sides of his artistry, including some self-penned compositions performed while sitting at the eighty-eights, making him a natural for a residency in Vegas or Atlantic City... or a musical about one of the great male entertainers of Old Hollywood, someone along the lines of, oh, maybe Gene Kelly? One number after another, Jess had his audience gasping, sighing, whooting, and even blurting out sentences like, "Wow" and "Oh my gosh!" in full voice, while clapping their hands raw. He has released three impressive singles in 2022, proving that there is a pop performer waiting to get out, so the day is coming when a Jess LeProtto show is made up of more original material than covers, and that's a day to which one can look forward. There is training, there is talent, there is instinct, and there is the magical combination of all three contained in one entertainer: that's Jess LeProtto.

Read the Broadway World Cabaret review of Jess's show HERE.

Jess's online presence is as follows:

YouTube: Click HERE.

Instagram: Click HERE.

Facebook: Click HERE.

Twitter: Click HERE.

Jess's pronouns are He/Him/His

Jess's future projects include:

Continuing his run with A BEAUTIFUL NOISE on Broadway.

Jonathan Savage - The Storyteller

Debut Show FAREWELL TO THE WEST, January 18, 2022, 54 Below

Actor Jonathan Savage left New York City when the quarantine started, and headed out west, where there was nature, where there was clean air, where were wide-open spaces, and where there were communities that remained active and vibrant during the pandemic. There, he taught young 'uns, he climbed mountains, he made a place for himself, and he wrote, he wrote a lot. Jonathan returned to New York with a collection of songs created in the wilds of America, under an open sky, and a guitar-strummin', truth-tellin' heartbeat of a club act that told more than the story of his wanderin' adventure, it told the story of who he was, who he became, and who he is. And who he is is a storyteller, one with no pretense, no coy disguise, no performative qualities about him. Jonathan Savage is open for business: open-hearted, open-minded, and open-armed. He is as tall as a Sequoia, his smile is as big as the Grand Canyon, and his talent (and his heart) is as big as the sky. He may be on a path toward Broadway but it will be a beautiful thing if Jonathan continues to nurture his songwriting and small venue adventures - beautiful for him and for the audiences.

Read the Broadway World Cabaret review of Jonathan's show HERE.

Jonathan's online presence is as follows:

Website: Click HERE.

Instagram: Click HERE.

Facebook: Click HERE.

Twitter: Click HERE.

Jonathan's pronouns are He/Him

Jonathan's future projects include:

I'm doing an artist in residency in Gardiner Montana, the gateway to Northern Yellowstone, right outside Yellowstone National Park,where my first show takes place. The residency is through the Electric Peak Performing Arts Council. I've written 11 new songs and am doing a concert here on the 30th of all new music. The concert exists as the "sequel" of the first, but more of a reflection. An examination of what happens after the big adventure. What do you try to hold on to vs what you get to actually keep.

And there is some news on the New York City career front but I'm not allowed to say anything yet...

Kuhoo Verma - The Spirit Guide

Debut Show SOUNDS OF HEALING, July 2, 2021, 54 Below

More like a Force Of Nature than a person just strolling down the street, Kuhoo Verma walks in the room with a healing energy full of positivity, humanity, and love... and it is that quality of optimism and generosity that informed her debut solo show at 54 Below, an unforgettable night titled SOUNDS OF HEALING. Kuhoo had a perfectly constructed program that featured original music, guided meditations, famous compositions, and as little spoken word as any club act has ever had. Kuhoo Verma had a wish to heal through a mutually shared experience of music and meditation, of personal connection and trust, and that is exactly what she did with her amazing voice and indescribable individuality. Although she had stood out in many group shows in the past, there was no denying that, with this show, Kuhoo Verma was showing her fans and friends that which was most uniquely her, as a person, as an artist, and even as a leader, which is what Kuhoo Verma is in life. Kuhoo leads by example, always authentic to who she is and who she wants to be, and always looking for ways to rise to the next vibrational level. It's a journey, life, and Kuhoo Verma is living it to the fullest while living her truth, while living IN her truth, and that is a great foundation upon which to build a solo show, upon which to build a life. Kuhoo may be busy in the film and television industry but we will wait for her to come back to the clubs: the anticipation will be worth the results.

Read the Broadway World Cabaret review of Kuhoo's show HERE.

Kuhoo's online presence is as follows:

Instagram: Click HERE.

Facebook: Click HERE.

Kuhoo's pronouns are She/They

Kuhoo's future projects include:

Murder Mystery 2 on Netflix.

The film Space Cadet

Plan B is currently streaming on Hulu.

Leslee Warren - The Lady

Debut Show ME MYSELF & EYE: SONGS OF A NEARSIGHTED GIRL, September 22, 2018/April 22, 2022, Pangea

A musical theater actress with a fascinating personal story, Leslee Warren created a solo show debut that put the story right into the title: she grew up nearsighted. Even though memoir cabaret shows can be tricky (because not everyone's memoir makes for good cabaret) Leslee Warren scored high marks with ME MYSELF & EYE through a scrupulously scripted book, the careful curation of musical numbers to marry to the text, and an uncanny ability to bring Musical Director Gregory Toroian's jazz treatments to life with ease. Add to that Leslee's natural likeability, some noteworthy acting talent, some mad singing skills, and what you have is a star in the making. During a 2022 encore performance of her 2018 debut show, Leslee was calm, confident, elegant, audacious, engaging, amusing, entertaining, and completely and totally worthy of every iota of attention that her audience was more than happy to bestow upon her. And although this extremely personal production places Leslee's acting attributes in all the right light, there is ample evidence that her next outing (possibly more memoir, maybe a theme project) will be just as rich and rewarding because this Lady knows who she is and where her artistic aesthetic lies. There doesn't appear to be any doubt in Leslee Warren's mind regarding her brand or her voice - neither is there any doubt in this writer's mind that she has found her artistic home on the nightclub stage.

Read the Broadway World Cabaret review of Leslee's show HERE.

Leslee's online presence is as follows:

Website: Click HERE.

Facebook: Click HERE.

Leslee's pronouns are She/Her

Leslee's future projects include:

Urban Stages Winter Rhythms
Saturday, Dec 17th at 7 pm "MAY I INTRODUCE . . ."

Join host and co-producer of "Winter Rhythms" Sue Matsuki as she presents four incredibly talented singers each performing a four-song set. Sue and Gregory Toroian, tonight's Musical Director, co-host a monthly Jazz Brunch Open Mic where they meet all these wonderful performers who they then love to feature. Today's show introduces Cabaret Singers: Ira Lee Collings("The Gay Geezer"), Caitlin McBride, Eva Steinberg ("Not Your Mama's Peggy Lee"), and Leslee Warren ("Me, Myself & Eye Songs of a Nearsighted Girl" and this year's Tomato's Got Talent Contest!). Musical Director: Gregory Toroian.

tickets: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/11182597

Urban Stages Winter Rhythms
Friday, Dec 9th at 9 PM Gregory Toroian'S GUYS N' GALS - PART II
Click Here to buy tickets

Musical director, arranger, and educator Gregory Toroian presents a two-part evening with some of the most extraordinary singers he works with. Part II will feature the voices of Fred Aiese ("Live from New York!"), Jacqueline Draper ("Spreadin' Rhythm Around"), David Milberg, Deanna Monaco, Kati Neiheisel ("Yesterday...Once More"), Deborah Stone ("Chiaroscuro"), and Geoffrey Stoner. Special Guest: Leslee Warren ("Me, Myself & Eye: Songs of a Nearsighted Girl"). This is an evening of jazz, musical theater, blues, holiday tunes, the American Songbook, and Cabaret music. Produced by: Matsuki Productions.

Soon to be released CD of "Me Myself & Eye: Songs of a Nearsighted Girl" in Early 2023

Khalifa White - The Ball of Fire

Songwriting Debut THE FUNCTION, June 19, 2022, 54 Below

Khalifa White hasn't even had a solo show in New York City yet, but she has made her way onto this list because this writer, this editor, this photographer, this reporter who spends all his nights in the cabarets and clubs of New York City was lucky enough to be there when Khalifa burst onto the stage of 54 Below during THE FUNCTION: A JUNETEENTH CONCERT CELEBRATION. Like the cyclone from The Wizard Of Oz (only in color and not sepia), Khalifa White took control of the room with two numbers that gave her an opportunity to use every inch of the stage, to take advantage of the great band backing her up, and to show the audience that there's something here: a star. It turns out that one of those numbers, "You Ok? (Black Girl)" was a song of Khalifa's own composition. Not only a performer, but a songwriter, too: it was important and it was hopeful for the music industry at large, not just that of the small venues of New York City. There is always room for a new singing actress possessing of personality and ferocity, but when that singing actress comes with a pen, with words, with staffs, with a point of view, their presence has purpose. Khalifa White can give a great voice to women, to black women, to black citizens, and those people and the world need that voice. Of course, Khalifa's club and concert career is on hold right now while the actress Khalifa White tours the country with a significant role in one of Broadway's most enduring musicals. But when Khalifa is ready to pick up where THE FUNCTION left off, the cabaret and concert industry will be ready, willing, and waiting to welcome her home.

Read the Broadway World Cabaret review of Khalifa's appearance in THE FUNCTION: A JUNETEENTH CONCERT CELEBRATION HERE.

Khalifa's online presence is as follows:

Website: Click HERE.

Instagram: Click HERE.

Facebook: Click HERE.

Twitter: Click HERE.

YouTube: Click HERE.

TikTok: Click HERE.

Khalifa's pronouns are She/Her

Khalifa's future projects include:

My original single & official music Video "You Ok? (Black Girl)" is out now on All streaming Platforms & I'm currently traveling the country as "Nala" in The Lion King North American Tour.

Maria Wirries and Matt SanGiovanni - The Artists

Debut Show Maria Wirries July 20, 2021, 54 Below

Maria Wirries is having a moment. One supsects that there will be many moments for Maria Wirries, so this is just A moment, not THE moment. The Broadway alum has been writing, playing out, performing in the recent Kinky Boots revival, and sharing all of her magical, mystical journeys on her social media. She is a beacon of artistry and benevolence in a sometimes bleak world, spotlighting the value in finding your voice and place and owning them. Matt SanGiovanni has been having a moment for a while longer than Maria, indeed, a series of moments that make up a pretty great journey. With a resume made up of more credits on and off-Broadway (and around the country) than you could shake a guitar pick at, Matt's artistry is built on a sturdy foundation. Then, in the summer of 2021, the happy couple premiered Maria's eponymous solo show debut with Matt Musical Directing from his guitar, and it became clear that the music scene had a potential force with which to be reckoned, with the duo. Whether playing radio hits everyone knows or Maria's original compositions, Matt and Maria fill the air with electricity and excitement, at all their 54 Below events (subsequent shows have been punk-themed and Halloween-oriented). The twosome have found an artistic home at 54 Below and the fans have found their way to the door, filling every seat at every show. Maria is a Tower of Individuality and Matt is the perfect ballast for her fireball energy, giving her bedrock and safety to take all the artistic risks that are her nature. They are a prime example of what a couple can achieve in the name of art, with understanding of and faith in one another, and what can be achieved is perfection.

Read the Broadway World Cabaret review of Maria's debut show HERE.

Maria's online presence is as follows:

Website: Click HERE.

Instagram: Click HERE.

Maria's pronouns are She/They

Maria's future projects include:

I am one half of the writing team on the Penn State New Musicals Commission project this year. My writing partner Christian Thompson and I will be presenting a world premiere of the music from our musical In-Gauged Jan 5th at 54 below featuring the students of the senior class of the Penn State Musical Theater program.

Read the Broadway World Cabaret review of Maria and Matt's Punk show HERE.

Matt's online presence is as follows:

Website: Click HERE.

Instagram: Click HERE.

Facebook: Click HERE.

YouTube: Click HERE.

Matt's pronouns are He/Him/His

Matt's future projects include:

Don't have anything upcoming per se but I'll be currently playing for the Broadway revival of 1776.

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