LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & UPRIGHT CABARET are thrilled to announce the performers for their very first UPRIGHT CABARET experience at the NEW Cabaret Lounge at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. Michael Arden, Valarie Pettiford and Ty Taylor will be performing the music of Joni Mitchell, Doris Day and BrIan Wilson, under the musical direction of Chris Bratten, in a one night only concert - CITY OF ANGELS on Sunday, November 8, 2009 at 8PM. Mr. Arden and Mr. Taylor were most recently seen together on stage in the recent revival of PIPPIN at the Mark Taper Forum.
ABOUT THE PERFORMERS
Valarie Pettiford was thrilled to start 2009, guest starring on the hit CBS series "CRIMINAL MINDS" as Sandra Harris. She continues her recurring role on the hit comedy series "HOUSE OF PAYNE" as Sandra Lucas. In 2007 Valarie opened Summer Concert Series with The Pasadena Pops conducted by Rachel Worby and she was also thrilled to shoot the pilot "ANATOMY OF HOPE" for HBO as Deanna Rivers directed by JJ Abrams. In February 2006, Valarie completed her fourth season of the hit TV series HALF & HALF (now in Syndication) that earned her three NAACP Image Award nominations for her portrayal as Big Dee Dee Thorne. She guest starred as Dr. Lana Whitford in CSI MIAMI (Spring 2006), Ellen Laskow in BONES (Spring 2007), Susan Latham in CSI (Spring 2007), and as Aunt Jackie in the #1 film for 3 weeks and now the # 1 DVD, STOMP THE YARD. A Sony Screen Gems production (2007). Her widely successful one-woman show was performed to sold out audiences at Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre, The Gardenia Room, the El Portal Theater and at Mark's presented by Upright Cabaret in Los Angeles.
The Metropolitan Room in New York City where she received The 2007 Backstage Bistro Award and most recently at New York's Famous BIRDLAND supper club! Broadway/Tour credits; "FOSSE", for which she was nominated for a Tony Award, Outer Critics Circle, Dora
Mavor Moore award and recognizes by the Drama League, CHICAGO (opposite
Chita Rivera) London West End debut, SOPHISTICATED LADIES, original cast and understudy for
Judith Jamison.GRIND, ‘DANCIN', BIG DEAL, SHOW BOAT(NAACP, LA's Robby, and the Vancouver Sun Reader's Choice Awards. And nominations for Ovation and Jessie Richardson Theater Awards. Des Mc Anuff's production of The Wiz, and THE WILD PARTY(NAACP Theatre and The Garland Awards for Best actress in a play) Ovation nomination. Highlights in TV/FILM; THE DISTRICT, FRASIER, THE WEST WING, ONE LIFE TO LIVE, THE WIZ, THE COTTON CLUB and GLITTER. Valarie continues to lend her support and talents to many charities annually and is thrilled to have fulfilled a life long dream of recording an album titled HEAR MY SOUL, being sold at www.cdbaby.com
Ty Taylor is an artist whose soulful rock style is a compilation of singing at the age of five in St. Paul's Baptist Church, listening to 8 track tapes of
James Brown,
Bill Withers, and
Tina Turner as a child, and his love for The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin. Born and raised in Montclair, NJ, Ty began playing in nightclubs in Manhattan while still underage. His previous band, DAKOTA MOON, recorded two albums, toured the world twice over and had two Top 10 hits in the U.S. and internationally. His intoxicating and electro-magnetic stage performances have also given him the honor of sharing stages with
Tina Turner,
Eric Clapton,
Brian May, Dave Navarro, Jerry Cantrell, Slash,
Scott Weiland, Rob Zombie,
Fiona Apple, and
Macy Gray to name a few. Best known for his rise to fame as a finalist on Mark Burnett's CBS mega-series ROCKSTAR:INXS. He can be heard on the original cast recording of
Jason Robert Brown's Songs For A New World. Ty is also a very accomplished stage performer. Broadway: Joseph, Music of
Andrew Lloyd Webber Concert, Cats, Grease. Taylor recently starred alongside
Ken Page and
Lillias White in the Reprise! Production of DAMN YANKEES directed by
Jason Alexander, CHESS at the Ford Amphitheatre and most recently portrayed the Lead Player in the Def West production of PIPPIN directed by
Jeff Calhoun at the
Mark Taper Forum. His band, Ghost Hounds, just released their debut CD and their songs can be played already on Rockband 2 video games. www.ghosthoundsmusic.com
Michael Arden's Broadway credits include: BIG RIVER and THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN'. Other credits include: BARE, IT'S ONLY LIFE, SWIMMING IN THE SHALLOWS. PIPPIN (LA Drama Critics Nomination), ACE, GOD OF VENGEANCE,
The Common PURSUIT, AS YOU LIKE IT, THE WINTER'S TALE, World AIDS Day concerts of PIPPIN and THE SECRET GARDEN. TELEVISION: KINGS, THE CLOSER, BONES, THE RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES, CASHMERE MAFIA, GREY'S ANATOMY and NUMB3RS. FILM: BRIDE WARS, THE GOOD SHEPHERD. CONCERT:
Barbra Streisand'S EUROPEAN TOUR, FEINSTEIN'S at the REGENCY and JOE'S PUB. Associate Director of Broadway's; A TALE OF TWO CITIES. TRAINING: THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL.
CHRISTOHPER LLOYD BRATTEN (Musical Director) is a graduate of the Musicians Institute of Hollywood . Originally from California (via the Midwest ...), he started playing at the age of 12. His first experiences as a performer were on stage in numerous musicals and plays. After moving (back) to California in 2001, he began working more off stage as an accompanist and music director. He has been the resident MD at the Ventura Court Theatre for six years (productions include Cabaret, Little Shop Of Horrors, and an original adaptation of the movie Sideways with music by Christopher and lyrics by his sister, Melessa). Since joining Upright in 2007, he's had the pleasure of working with countless Broadway/film/TV stars (
Neil Patrick Harris,
Tracie Thoms,
Michael Urie,
Jai Rodriguez,
Alan Thicke,
Shoshana Bean). In addition to music directing, Chris also teaches piano and voice, and he is a singer-songwriter. His music can be heard at www.myspace.com/stealingfire.
ABOUT THE "UPRIGHT CABARET" SERIES
This brand new series will perform the first Sunday night of each of La Mirada Theatre's mainstage productions as UPRIGHT CABARET, the pre-eminent Los Angeles hot spot for the next generation of world-class entertainers, brings its unique brand of cabaret entertainment to La Mirada! With celebrities in attendance, Upright Cabaret has become a hip and contemporary social swirl of young Broadway and Hollywood, performing with a level of excellence, authenticity and intimacy that brings the crowds back time after time. Upright Cabaret boasts one of the most extensive and diverse rosters of talent in the country. Broadway divas, talented troubadours, cabaret legends, Hollywood notables, pop sensations and many future sensations have all found their way to the Upright stage.
Upright Alumni include
Adam Lambert ("American Idol"),
Alan Cumming (Tony Award winner),
Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother"),
Paula Cole (Grammy Award winner), Hunter Parish ("Weeds") and
Lea Salonga (Tony Award winner). Upright is taking their brand of new generation cabaret to La Mirada with the 'American Icons Series'. Four rising stars of stage and screen will pay homage to musical idols like
Stevie Wonder,
Dolly Parton and
Joni Mitchell in a Cabaret Lounge created in the La Mirada Theatre lobby. Their soulful interpretations of American classics will change the way you think about cabaret. *Actual performers will be announced 3 weeks before show date.
THE FIRST SEASON'S SHOWS INCLUDE:
CITY OF ANGELS • November 8, 2009 • 8PM
Music of
Joni Mitchell,
Doris Day and
BrIan WilsonNEW YORK STATE OF MIND February 7, 2010
Music of
Robert Goulet, Billie Holliday and
Bob DylanMOTOR CITY • April 18, 2010 • 8PM
Music of
Aretha Franklin,
Stevie Wonder and
Michael JacksonTHE MIGHTY MISISSIPPI • June 6, 2010 • 8PM
Music of
Louis Armstrong,
Elvis Presley and Prince
COUNTRY ROADS • July 11, 2010 • 8PM
Music of
Dolly Parton,
Willie Nelson and
Johnny CashTicket prices for UPRIGHT CABARET Single Shows $45 / $30; Series Price $190 / $125
Tickets to these extraordinary shows are now available by calling the Box Office at 562-944-9801 or 714-994-6310 or online at
www.lamiradatheatre.com.
Photo credit: Walter McBride
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