Sterling's Upstairs Announces 9th Year Anniversary Celebration With Broadway, Pop and Great American Songbook Concerts!

Founded by BroadwayWorld TV's own Michael Sterling (On-air Producer and Host for live entertainment news events in Los Angeles), Sterling's Upstairs first opened its doors at the renowned Vitello's Restaurant in Studio City, CA. where it single handedly brought back to Los Angeles the art of intimate upscale cabaret concerts which had all but vanished from the cultural scene in movie town, USA. However, in due time, the venue was whole heartedly embraced by enthusiasts of LA's performing arts community and continued to thrive for 6 successful years in a former storage room that was transformed by Sterling into a true supper club environment.

Eventually outgrowing the space, Sterling partnered with The Federal Bar and Restaurant in North Hollywood by turning the second floor of the bustling landmark into a dazzling, new state-of-the-art showroom, four times the size of its former residence in Studio City. Since that day on April 1, 2012, which opened with Take Me Along: The Songs of Bob Merrill as its premiere offering brought in by Bruce Kimmel as part of his Kritzerland Records composer tribute series, with a 6-member cast composed of musical theatre performers Julie Garnyé, Juliana Hansen, and Jeffrey Christopher Todd, along with Broadway's Melody Hollis, Kristofer McNeely, and Special Guest Lainie Kazan, Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal has continued to reign as LA's cabaret destination. Kimmel's Kritzerland shows have also become a monthly mainstay which - on June 8th of this year - kicked off Sterling's 9-year summer anniversary celebration with Bernstein / Bernstein: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein and Elmer Bernstein - the 58th edition of the highly successful series "I have such respect for Bruce Kimmel," said Sterling. "'Bruce not only conceives and directs the shows, but writes them as well. His inimitable style is interesting, charming, and always chock-full of fun facts, with many of them little known even by the most frequent of theatre-goers. The hit formula also attracts an extraordinary stable of singers hand-picked by Kimmel in a mix and match to-the-music kind of way if you will, but a different cast for each show." Among the performers... such Broadway stars as Susan Eagan, David Engel, Kerry O'Malley, Robert Yacko, Jean Louisa Kelly, Brent Barrett, Terri White, Kevin Earley, Susan Watson, Euan Morton, Jason Graae, and Bruce Vilanch... as well as regional performers such as recording artist Sue Raney, Kimberly Hessler, Travis Leland, Sami Staitman, Adrienne Visnic, Jenna Lea Rosen, and Tory Stolper - 2015 winner of LA's Next Great Stage Star, the only annual musical theatre competition of its kind on the west coast, Executive Produced by Sterling with Barbara Van Orden serving as Co-Executive Producer.

To add to the June celebration, musical theatre and television actress Candi Milo took the stage later in the month with her much anticipated all new show If She Taps... You're F**ked... musically directed by American Idol's Michael Orland and revealing a hilarious and honest look at her personal and professional life - right side up, upside down, and sideways. "Candi's magnificent singing voice, innate sense of humor and impeccable timing comes from many years of perfecting her craft," said Sterling. "She's also a super successful animation voice over artist whose seasoning in that arena has charmed millions of TV viewers. To have her return to a concert setting for the first time in years was a dream come true for her loyal fans and friends, not to mention myself who sat there in awe of this remarkably gifted woman."

Kritzerland returned in July with a new show to bookend the Independence Day holiday. All 75 minutes of We've Only Just Begun: The Songs of Paul Williams, featuring a stellar cast and TV's Gloria Loring (Days of Our Lives), was followed by An Evening with John Gabriel who made his Los Angeles concert debut. "They just don't make John Gabriel's anymore!," said Sterling. That sentiment couldn't have been more clearly understood than by the full house at Sterling's on July 6th when the 84 year young, longtime daytime star of Ryan's Hope, Days of Our Lives, and General Hospital, rapturously treated the full house to a string of classic American music. "Perfection personified," declared Sterling. "A true crooner... a wonderful actor and a great gentleman.... oozing with style that just can't be taught. He's the type of performer that young singers should aspire to be." Gabriel regaled his fans and friends with favorites like 'When Sunny Gets Blue', 'That's Life', a medley of 'Nice Work if You Can Get It' and 'Hooray for Love', and sentimental, ballads like 'Good Morning Heartache', and 'Nature Boy'. "Add the one and only Shelley Markham on piano to that kind of a set list and... well... it just doesn't get any better than that," Sterling concluded.

Located in the NoHo Arts District of North Hollywood, CA., Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal is the leader of greater LA area supper clubs dedicated to presenting the performers and stars of Broadway and nightclub artists who sing the Great American Songbook. The venue's rich history as The Federal Bank dates back to 1926 when it first opened its doors and its vault (now the club's 18' by 18' proscenium stage). It's 100 seat, table setting is surrounded by original brick walls which reach up to an industrial, high tech, open beam ceiling adjacent to the club's foyer which has also maintained The Federal's original copper ceiling. To date, 650 concerts and productions featuring over 750 performers have been presented by Michel Sterling at Sterling's Upstairs. Headliners have included Broadway's Rachel York, Jason Graae with Faith Prince, 2014 Tony Award nominee Ramin Karimloo, and Cortes Alexander with Liza Minnelli and Alison Janney; Former contestants in LA's Next Great Stage Star Carrie St. Louis and Derek Klena have also headlined Sterling's; and since made their Broadway debuts.

Upcoming summer engagements at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal include Mark Arthur Miller (July 19th ), son of late composer Ron Miller ("For Once in My Life", "Touch Me in the Morning"). Miller's critically acclaimed concert Soul Searching not only features tunes written by his famous father but retro pop hits sung with Miller's signature rhythm and blues vocal sensibilities.

Nightclub star Jeanne Page (July 26th) takes center stage in Doing My Swing-Thing which coincides with the release of her first CD "Reboot;" followed by Kritzerland's You're Gonna Hear from Me: The Songs of Andre Previn (August 2nd).

Tony Award winner John Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys) returns in My Turn on August 10th, marking his 5th sold-out, record-setting, headlining appearance at the club since October, 2014.

Mandy Kaplan's ever clever, high energy, and deservedly popular Miscast: Right Singer, Wrong Song steps into the spotlight August 23rd, supported by a full cast of regional musical theatre performers.

Rounding out the month will be a staged reading of The Unauthorized O.C. Musical written by Jordan Ross and Lindsey Rosin based on the former 2003 Fox hit television series "The O.C." The event has been set for August 30th and has reeled in an all-star television cast.

Bruce Kimmel's Kritzerland circles back to Sterling's to close out the summer season on September 6th with two performances of its 60th consecutive (to-be- announced) tribute show.

"To all of the 750+ performers in over 665 shows I've presented at Sterling's Upstairs through the years," said Sterling, "I'm forever grateful. To my colleagues, our performers and our audiences.... thank you for keeping the music playing."

Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal is located at 5303 Lankershim Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91601. For information, call 818 754-8700; or visit www.msapr.net. Tickets for all performances are exclusively available at Brown Paper Tickets: www.brownpapertickets.com or by calling Brown Paper Tickets at (800) 838-3006.

Sterling's Upstairs is dedicated to the memory of Sterling's mentor, the late, great Rosemary Clooney.

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