To date, Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal in the NoHo Arts District of North Hollywood, CA has enjoyed record-breaking attendance during its 2019 Winter, Spring and Summer seasons, thus the coming of Fall sets high expectations and comparable goals for Executive Producer Michael Sterling.
"This past Winter was stellar given our lineup of performers," said Sterling, "including the multi-talented Tonoccus McClain whose "Living a Why Not Life" launched the year into gear like the musical theatre dynamo he is. Nita Whitaker, the incomparable Hall of Fame Star Search Female Grand Champion followed in "Finding My Voice"; as did D. Scott Eads,,, a popular, critically acclaimed newcomer to the LA cabaret concert scene whose debut show "Legacy: In the Key of Bing (Bing Crosby) with Musical Theatre Guest stars Laura Dickinson (covering Rosemary Clooney) and (Will Collyer taking on Frank Sinatra), earned the crooner a 2018 BroadwayWorld LA Award nominee as Best Male Cabaret Performer. His second offering this past February "Love and Other Games" was a musical journey featuring the work of singers and songwriters who established themselves in night clubs, 60's TV, on Broadway and in motion pictures. Each of the above headlining events registered capacity audiences.
The quarterly dream machine that is known as Mandy Kaplan's "Miscast: Right Singer, Wrong Song" featuring a squad of gloriously hilarious, ever-changing LA performers including Micha Meyers, Justine Huxley, Jamie Pierce, Jonny Lee, Amber Snead, Ewan Chung, Justin Anthony Long, Richard Hellstern, Jeffrey Landman, Tom W. Metz III, and Jake Anthony. The evening christened Spring with a roar from its always sold out crowds. All proceeds benefit Project Angel Food in Los Angeles.
The ingratiating charm of actor/singer Kevin Shewey scored well with an audience who appreciated his vocal styling and the material he chose to showcase as a first-time cabaret artist in What I'm Not... a self-effacing romp through anxiety.
On the heels of Shewey, former Broadway performer, Radio City Music Hall Rockette, Wife and Mother Juliet Fisher-Schulein took the stage to bare her heart and soul in a captivating triple threat act that left her SRO crowd breathless and screaming for more.
Paul Luoma and Co. rallied an eager audience for "Love Is" .... musings on love and romance beautifully performed by Luoma, Amy Coles, Daniel Koh, Alicia Luoma, Keaton Talmadge and Christopher Tiernan in a seamless song cycle.
"Miscast: Right Singer, Wrong Song" returned as the last show of Spring, this time featuring Eric Avanessian, Jeffrey Polk, Chris Carlisle, Shari Rhone, Patrick Gomez, Olivia Zenetzis, Erin Torpey, Mandy Fabian, Justin Michael Wilcox, Kelly Vrooman, Jake Anthony and Mandy Kaplan once again filling the venue.
Summer ushered in the cabaret concert debut of Robert Collins (Winner of LA's Next Great Stage Star 2018 Presented by Princess Cruises) in "Feeling Good" which (meaningfully) set the tone for the uber- talented young singer who was simultaneously celebrating his birthday with wall to-wall guests. The evening was heightened by his recent wedding engagement announcement. Collins' acting skills and vocal capabilities are nothing less than commanding; if not similar to that of his idol Brian Stokes Mitchell.
Boy Wonder Branden Holzer (1st Runner-up to Collins in Stage Star 2018) flew in on a breath of fresh air and brought with him a packed house who witnessed not only a show dedicated to the anniversary of his extraordinary parents, but an ever so rapturous, self-written coming-of-age / coming-out story appropriately titled "Love Me, Love Me Not". Barely into his 20's, Holzer's presence and inherent talent as a diverse singer/storyteller are engaging personally and professionally Both Holzer and Collins can be sure that somewhere on the Great White Way in the not-too-distant future, there's a marquee just waiting to put their names up in lights.
Veteran nightclub singer and musical theatre performer Jeanne Page closed out the summer run at Sterling's with "It's Complicated", an all-new show which also marked her 11th annual appearance at the venue. Her mix of musical theatre pieces, jazz and the Great American Songbook validated her popularity with a room full of grateful fans who recognize the breadth of Pages' talent and her years of sharing the spotlight with such legends as Sammy Davis Jr. Wayne Newton, Nancy Wilson, Boz Scaggs and more.
CURRENTLY ON SALE:
Sunday September 15: Fall will see Mandy Kaplan returning with the 28th edition of Miscast: Right Singer, Wrong Song. The ensemble of performers including Kelly Vrooman, Jonny Lee, Mona Chatterjee, Matt Zarley, Tom W. Metz III, Krista Sutton, Jamie Pierce, Justin Anthony Long, Amber Snead, Simon Petrie, Lauren Pritchard and Lori Alan and Anthony Lucca will sing material from stage and/or movie musicals and perhaps other mediums... from which they would never be cast! Buy earlier than later.
Sunday, September 29: D. Scott Eads returns for his third headlining engagement with "Shake the House"... a salute to rock & roll chart topping hits of the 1950's and 60's from Elvis to the Fab Four. A consistently solid performer with movie star good looks, the likeliness of a sell-out is inevitable given the course of his previous appearances.
ON SALE SOON:
Tickets for all shows at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal are exclusively available online at brownpapertickets.com or buy calling Brown Paper Tickets 24/7 at (800) 838-3006 (Live Courteous Customer Service).
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