Rebecca Spencer to Make LA Concert Debut with FAIR WARNING at Upstairs at Vitello's, 8/15

Broadway performer and BackStage Bistro Award-winning recording artist Rebecca Spencer will celebrate her Los Angeles concert debut with a performance of FAIR WARNING at Upstairs at Vitello's on Friday, August 15 at 8:00pm.

Unique arrangements that fuse both classical etudes as well as contemporary expressions of the art song, with the romantic American Songbook, Broadway, film and popular music, have become Rebecca's signature. Working with her long-time collaborator, virtuoso pianist Philip Fortenberry, their musical symmetry has been hailed by critics across the country.

FAIR WARNING will take the audience on a journey that melds Rachmaninoff to Rodgers and Hammerstein, Copland to Marvin Hamlisch, Vangelis to Lloyd Webber, Hoagy Carmichael to Jerry Herman, Bobby Scott to Frank Wildhorn, and Chopin to Rodgers and Hart, among others.

Ms. Spencer's Las Vegas debut at the Flamingo Theatre was named as the top concert event of the month by Las Vegas Magazine, and her New York City solo appearances, including the venerable Birdland Jazz Club, Don't Tell Mama, and the Laurie Beechman Theatre, were hailed by BackStage as "one of the most impressive debuts I've seen in a decade". Cabaret Scenes Magazine noted her "soaring, versatile, glorious and affecting" voice and the Monthly Herald (London/Paris) heralded that she "redefines romanticism, vocal virtuosity and human warmth for the world of contemporary cabaret." Recognized and invited by the late Donald Smith, she sang at two NYC Cabaret Conventions at Town Hall, and Rose Hall at Lincoln Center.

As a crossover Artist Rebecca has been a guest soloist with numerous American opera companies, and American symphony engagements that include Carnegie Hall's "Gershwin Centennial" recorded for PBS. Ms. Spencer also toured as guest soloist with the late, great, Marvin Hamlisch. Rebecca's self-produced debut recording, WIDE AWAKE AND DREAMING, was honored with the BackStage Bistro Award for Most Outstanding Recording. Her second offering, FAIR WARNING, was noted by the Las Vegas Review-Journal as "a sensuous and passionate vocal performance". Both CDs appear on the LML Music label.

She is an original Broadway cast member of JEKYLL AND HYDE, and created the role of Lisa (Emma) Carew in the world premiere of the Frank Wildhorn musical at the Alley Theatre in Houston. She has appeared internationally as Carlotta in the Hamburg, Germany company of Hal Prince's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, and recently toured Asia as Madame Giry in the 25th Anniversary World Tour of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. She premiered the role of Madame Giry in PHANTOM: THE LAS VEGAS SPECTACULAR, under the direction of Mr. Prince, who described her as "a consummate artist". She has co-starred on THIRD WATCH and LAW AND ORDER: SVU and most recently made her LA theatrical debut co-starring in 2014 at Musical Theatre West in both THE MUSIC MAN and S'WONDERFUL.

Philip Fortenberry was most recently the Associate Conductor and pianist for Broadway's ROCKY, and is currently the Associate Conductor for JERSEY BOYS in Las Vegas. In part recognizing his contributions to the development of so many notable Broadway musical he was awarded this year the inaugural Ghostlight Award as Best Musician on Broadway. Philip was the Liberace hand and body double for Michael Douglas in the award-winning HBO film, BEHIND THE CANDELABRA. As a concert pianist, he has produced more than a dozen solo recordings.

Tickets for FAIR WARNING: REBECCA SPENCER IN CONCERT range from $20-$45 and are available through TicketWeb.com or by calling the Upstairs at Vitello's box office at (818) 769-0905. Box office hours are 3:00-6:00pm Monday thru Saturday. Upstairs at Vitello's is located at Vitello's Restaurant, 4349 Tujunga Ave., Studio City, CA. For more information visit www.vitellosjazz.com.

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