Reba Buhr to Perform Sterling's Final Show at Vitello's, 3/18; Moves to The Federal, 4/1

After reigning since 2006 as the most critically acclaimed, award-winning supper club of its kind in the greater Los Angeles area, Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's will close its doors in Studio City, CA on Sunday, March 18 following its final show headlined by Reba Buhr, co-star of Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA. Miss Buhr is also a host for the Disney Channel's popular 365 television series. The announcement became official by producer Michael Sterling.

"After nearly six years of pouring sweat equity into Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's, and welcoming thousands and thousands of guests who supported over 350 shows which featured some 400 performers singing the music of Broadway and the Great American Songbook... not to mention our stake in reinvigorating the art of cabaret and bringing back the total "supper club experience" to the cultural landscape of Los Angeles... we simply outgrew the space on a technical and artistic level. It was time to move on," said Sterling. "As a result, we are thrilled to open Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal on April 1st with our new, barely year old partner The Federal Bar and Restaurant, part of Knitting Factory Entertainment which showcases all genres of music, the performing arts, dancing, and stand-up comedy in various venues throughout the country."

"Located in the heart of North Hollywood's trendy NoHo Arts District," added Sterling, "The Federal has not only recognized first-hand our award-winning achievements and place within LA's performing arts community... but our need to grow and to maintain our artistic integrity and technical production standards, as well as our equally high expectations in dining and superior service for our patrons. By all accounts, The Federal is a natural fit for us."

Featuring a cutting edge interior design of "present meets past" (circa. 1930's), The Federal's creativity in California cuisine delights lunch and dinner patrons in its two downstairs dining areas which... highlighted by ingratiating, well stocked retro/contemporary bars... add even more buzz to what has already become a go-to gastro pubs in Los Angeles. Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal will be no different.

As guests arrive "upstairs" by staircase or elevator, they will be greeted by club hosts and escorted to reserved seats for table and bar dining accommodating 100 guests. The club has state-of-the-art lighting and sound, video technology, a thrust proscenium stage, a star dressing room and VIP green room (replete with its own bar), and an adjacent outdoor patio overlooking the NoHo surroundings.

Headlining engagements at Sterling's Upstairs will be presented on Sundays beginning April 1st with its Grand Opening Performance of Kritzerland's Take Me Along: The Songs and Stories of Bob Merrill (Funny Girl, Carnival, Sugar/Some Like it Hot). Hosted and directed by Kritzerland Records' Founder Bruce Kimmel, Take Me Along is produced in association with Adryan Russ and stars Broadway's Julie Garnyé and Melody Hollis, Kristofer McNeeley, Jane Noseworthy and Jeffrey Todd... with a special guest artist to be announced.

Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal is located at 5303 Lankershim Blvd. (at Weddington Street), North Hollywood, CA 91601. Attendance is by reservation only. Reservations may be made for the April 1st Grand Opening by calling (818) 754-8700 beginning Monday, March 19th. Table and Bar seating for this event only is $28 per person which includes a $10 food and/or beverage minimum.

Musical Theatre Star Stephanie Wall (Gypsy/West Coast Ensemble Theatre Co.) headlines Beyond the Blonde on Sunday, April 15th; followed by celebrated film, TV, and musical theater composer Michele Brourman (Dangerous Beauty/Pasadena Playhouse) with special guest and cabaret sensation Pat Whiteman on Sunday, April 22nd in an evening to benefit Hope Net, an interfaith and community effort to eliminate hunger and homelessness in metro Los Angeles. Young Broadway star Melody Hollis (White Christmas) takes center stage in Melodyland on Sunday, April 29th. Ticket prices may vary for each event. For further information and pricing and details of attendance, please visit www.msapr.net.

Valet parking is offered in The Federal's own lot directly behind the venue (off Weddington Street); as is ample street parking in the immediate area. Additional parking can be found in an enclosed parking structure a half block east of The Federal adjacent to the Art Institute of California. The NoHo Arts District's is also home the historic El Portal Theatre, the NoHo Arts Center, the nationally acclaimed Deaf West Theatre, numerous Equity waiver theatres, the world renowned Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, newly constructed high rise condo living; and Metro Rail, a rapid transit rail system serving 70 stations in Los Angeles County.

Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal is produced by Michael Sterling and Tony Monsour of Michael Sterling & Associates, the Studio City-based entertainment public relations and Production Company. Since 1980, Sterling has represented such clients as Elizabeth Taylor, Lance Armstrong, Scott Hamilton, David Copperfield, Joan Collins, Alan Thicke, Carol Lawrence, David Brenner, Andy Gibb, and Robert Goulet, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager to name but a few. Aside from his celebrity clientele, Sterling has represented Broadway musical theatre, various National Theatre and arena tours, Los Angeles theatre productions, Emmy Award-winning television specials, celebrity books, albums and CD's. Mr. Sterling is also a critically-acclaimed director of musical theatre in Los Angeles, and has produced various theatrical events and productions throughout southern California. 

Since 2009, Sterling has served as the Los Angeles co-producer and correspondent for Broadway World TV by providing video coverage of select theatre and theatrical events. Currently partnered with Producer Jerry Evans of the JLE Media Group, Sterling's and Evans have produced packages for the Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre and Mark Taper Forum, Broadway LA at Hollywood's Pantages Theatre, Cabrillo Music Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Musical Theatre West at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach, CA, and the Pasadena Playhouse, among others.

On May 31, 2010, Mr. Sterling, along with LA Stage Ovation-nominated actor/writer Paul Stroili, joined forces as co-producers and co-hosts of the popular radio series State of the Arts presented by Breakdown Services and Performing Arts Live.com. The 50 minute global series is broadcast live each Monday at 4:00 pm PST by the LATalkRadio.com Network (LATR); and (with the proper "app") can be heard on all iPhones, Android Phones, and any other technical devices that can access the worldwide web. Following its live broadcast, each episode moves into Network's public- accessible archives and is also uploaded to iTunes. To date, State of the Arts has hosted such stars as Carol Lawrence, Carol Channing, Florence Henderson, Richard Chamberlain, Lorenzo Lamas, Mike Farrell, Jim Parrack, Tab Hunter, Donna McKechnie, Craig Bierko, Scott Hamilton, Andrea McArdle, Skylar Astin, Sally Struthers, George Chakiris, Russ Tamblyn, Marcia Wallace, John Tartaglia, Rex Smith, Anne Archer, Roslyn Kind, Gillian Zinser, Michael Rupert, Megan McGinnis, David Burnham, cast members from the U.S. National Tours In the Heights, West Side Story, and many more. For more information visit www.latalkradio.com/sota.php.

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