Winner of LA's Next Great Stage Star Contest Announced

Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's in Studio City, CA - which presented its first talent search entitled LA's Next Great Stage Star November 20 through December 12, 2006 - has announced that after over a hundred submissions and auditions to become one of 17 contestants in what will become an annual talent competition, Merissa Haddad was voted LA's Next Great Stage Star. She received a $1000 cash prize and a March 10, 2007 headlining debut at LA's newest supper club dedicated to presenting the best of Broadway Performers and Nightclub Artists.

LA's Next Great Stage Star was produced by Michael Sterling and Tony Monsour of Michael Sterling and Associates with Musical Direction by Jeffrey Urband.

Originally from Shrewsbury, CT, Haddad has resided in Los Angeles for five years. After graduating from the University of Hartford, CT with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Therapy, she has managed to balance her professional life as a Craniosacral Therapist and actively pursue a career in musical theatre. Since her West Coast arrival, the performer - who possesses a soprano/mezzo belt voice - has portrayed such roles as "Sarah Brown" in Guys and Dolls, "Mae" in The Wild Party, and "Bonnie" in Anything Goes. She is also adroit in acting and dance, and has studied with notable teachers Aaron Speiser, Carole D'Andrea, Jon Engstrom, and Karen Morrow, among others.

The nearly four week (seven night) competition played to capacity crowds of almost a (collective) thousand and was judged not only by general public audience members, but an elite group of entertainment industry professionals. Such professionals included celebrity vocal coach Bob Garrett; David Galligan, prominent Los Angeles theatre Director and recipient of the Los Angeles Stage Alliance's Life Time Achievement nod at the 2005 Ovation Awards; former television and film actor, screenwriter, theatre director, Grammy nominee and record producer (Kritzerland Records) Bruce Kimmel; cabaret headliner, cabaret and musical theatre vocal coach, author Peisha McPhee (mother of 2006 American Idol first runner-up Katharine McPhee); Ronn Goswick, Executive Producer of the recently established Valley Musical Theatre at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood; distinguished Equity Department Head Agents Steven Dry of Schiowitz Connor Ankrum Wolf, Inc., Victoria Morris of Kazarian Spencer & Associates, and Craig Holzberg of Avalon Artists; and two of Los Angeles's most prominent theatre casting directors: Michael Donovan of Michael Donovan Casting and Brad Gilmore of Brad Gilmore Casting.

By December 19, Schiowitz Connor Anrkrum Wolf, Inc. and Kazarian Spencer and Associates set appointments with Ms. Haddad to discuss agency representation. Interest from the Valley Musical Theatre producing group has also come forward in casting her for upcoming shows during their 2007 season.

The top four runners up to Haddad were Marissa Ghavami, Rodney Arnett, Colette Peters and Pamela Holt, respectively. As a result of the competition, each of the four have also received offers to discuss agency representation and possible casting opportunities. All seventeen contestants competed in selections from Broadway musicals, the Great American Songbook, and Adult Contemporary, Easy Listening top 100 standards.

Since its June 9, 2006 opening, Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's has hosted such Broadway stars, musical theatre stars, and television and recording stars as Joan Ryan, Robert Townsend, Erika Amato, Julie Dixon Jackson, Kelby Thwaits, Eydie Allyson, 2-time Grammy Award nominee and Broadway star Amick Byram; 2006 Los Angeles Ovation Award nominee Paul Stroili, Russ Lorenson, Toni Morrell, Renee Laramore, Matt DeMars and Sierra Rein, Nelson Kole, Nita Whitaker; Emmy Award nominee Stepfanie Kramer (former co-star of NBC's hit series Hunter), Maripat Davis and Richard Osborn; Broadway star Kevin Earley - a two-time Ovation Award nominee and frequent guest star with the LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl and Disney Concert Hall; musical theatre and nightclub star Amanda Abel; and Ilene Graff, Broadway star, Grammy nominee and the longtime co-star of the hit ABC TV series "Mr. Belvedere."

Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's is produced by Michael Sterling of Michael Sterling and Associates, the Sherman Oaks-based entertainment public relations company. Since 1980, Sterling has represented such stellar clients as Elizabeth Taylor, Lance Armstrong, Scott Hamilton, David Copperfield, Joan Collins, Alan Thicke, David Brenner, Andy Gibb, and Robert Goulet. Aside from his celebrity clientele, Sterling has represented various National Theatre and arena tours, Los Angeles theatre productions, Emmy Award-winning television specials, celebrity books and albums. Sterling is also a critically-acclaimed director of musical comedy theatre in Los Angeles, and has produced various theatrical events and productions throughout southern California.

In addition to Sterling's Upstairs, Vitello's also offers outdoor dining, a luncheon buffet, and a unique variety of carefully selected wines. Widescreen plasma televisions are located throughout the restaurant. Live opera (a long-time feature at Vitello's) is still performed in the restaurant's downstairs Green Room four nights a week. Jazz nights, a Classic Movie and Dinner night and Comedy nights are also offered weekly.

Visit www.vitellosrestaurant.com for more information.

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