Chris Isaacson Presents Announces Slate Of Entertainment For Summer 2018

Chris Isaacson Presents has announced a full slate of summer entertainment at five venues: Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood, Upstairs at Vitello's in Studio City, the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood, Martinis Above Fourth in San Diego, and The Purple Room in Palm Springs. The lineup includes Star Search and Oprah Winfrey Show favorite Jake Simpson, the Grammy Award-winning Conspirare Choir performing Considering Matthew Shepard (presented in association with the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre), New York's indie-rock stars The Skivvies, Broadway sensation David Burnham, and Tony Award-winner John Lloyd Young.

Jake Simpson won top honors twice (2003 and 2004) in the Adult Singer category on Star Search with his powerful high tenor voice and three-octave range. Simpson has written, recorded, and performed with many artists including Grammy Award-winners Earth, Wind & Fire, Jennifer Holliday, Paula Cole, Taylor Dayne, Adam Lambert, and most famously on The Oprah Winfrey Show with Stevie Wonder. In his show The Standard, audiences will hear favorites made famous by Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Donny Hathaway, and more.[The Purple Room on Friday, June 1, at 8pm; Upstairs at Vitello's on Saturday, June 2, at 7:30pm.]

In October of 1998, Matthew Shepard, a young gay student at the University of Wyoming in Laramie was kidnapped, severely beaten, tied to a fence and left to die in a lonely field under a blanket of stars. Five days later, when Matt passed away, the world was watching. Approaching the eve of the 20th anniversary, acclaimed Grammy Award-winning conductor Craig Hella Johnson has created a musical response to Shepard's tragic and untimely death. Considering Matthew Shepard seeks to both celebrate his life and explore how we can use tragedy as a means to discover our common humanity. Led on the piano by Johnson, this choral drama features the full 30-member Conspirare Choir and an instrumental ensemble. This event is part of the City of West Hollywood One City One Pride commemoration of this important anniversary and part of IGNITE @ the FORD!, a series presented by the Ford Theatre Foundation. [Ford Ampthitheatre on Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16, at 8:30pm.]

Award-winning Broadway performers Lauren Molina and Nick Cearley will perform their show Hollywood Stripped in the most outrageous, feel good "undie-rock" concert of the year. This acclaimed duo performs clever genre-hopping musical arrangements that showcase the artists' soaring voices and tight harmonies - all with a minimalist dress code to reflect their stripped-down musical style. Said the New York Times of The Skivvies, "Alt-cabaret, new burlesque - whatever you call it, the jolly musical comedy of The Skivvies, a troupe of entertainers who perform in their underwear, joyfully rocks." [Catalina Bar & Grill on Sunday, June 24, at 7:30pm.]
Broadway star David Burnham (Wicked, The Light in the Piazza, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar) will entertain the audience with tales from the Great White Way and beyond singing favorite tunes from Broadway and the American Songbook. His show, Live By Demand!, features songs from shows in which he has starred along with selections from other legendary Broadway musicals. Burnham performs with symphony orchestras all over the country and has recorded two albums. Musical director for Live By Demand! is Mark Vogel. [Catalina Bar & Grill on Tuesday, July 17, at 8:30pm.]

Tony Award and Grammy Award-winner John Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys) debuts his new concert Introducing: John Lloyd Young. Young delivers a song with an immediacy and originality that makes even long-established hits feel like they're unfolding in front of you for the very first time. In this show, Young celebrates classic Doo-Wop and R&B hits from the '50s and '60s, presented in the authentic acoustic style of original rock 'n' roll. [Martinis Above Fourth on Thursday, July 26, at 8pm and Catalina Bar & Grill on Saturday, July 28, at 8:30pm.]

Chris Isaacson Presents (CIP) has created, produced, and promoted over 700 events since the company's founding in 2004. From small clubs to major theatres, CIP has presented some of the most influential stars of this generation. CIP's 2016 summer event - Broadway Under the Stars: Celebrating the 35th Anniversary of "Dreamgirls" - was a complete sellout at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood. In 2017, CIP coordinated and produced an elaborate kick-off event at the Pacific Design Center celebrating the premiere of Ryan Murphy's FEUD: Bette and Joan (FX Networks). The Drag-Tacular Live Concert Event was hosted by Tony Award-nominee Sam Harris and played to a standing room only crowd. For more information on upcoming CIP events, go to www.ChrislsaacsonPresents.com.

Tickets for all shows on the CIP Summer Slate of Entertainment are on sale now and may be purchased online at www.ChrisIsaacsonPresents.com or www.ticketweb.com. Phone reservations may be made as follows - for Catalina Bar & Grill [6725 W. Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood] call (866) 468-3399; for Martinis Above Fourth [3940 Fourth Avenue in San Diego] call (619) 400-4500; for The Purple Room [1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs] call (760) 322-4422; for Upstairs at Vitello's [4349 Tujunga Avenue in Studio City] call (877) 987-6487; for Ford Theatres [2580 Cahuenga Boulevard East in Hollywood] call (323) 461-3673.

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