LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & UPRIGHT CABARET are thrilled to announce a second season of shows at the theatre and the performers for its first show of the season! The performers for the second season of "the" UPRIGHT CABARET experience at the NEW Cabaret Lounge at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts will include Matt Cusson, Lesli Margherita and Laura Dickinson performing the music of Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and George Michael, under the musical direction of Gerald Sternbach, in a one night only concert - LIKE A VIRGIN on Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 7:30PM.
ABOUT THE PERFORMERS
Matt Cusson's intense but soothing style contains a breadth of influences - from R & B, soul, and gospel to jazz, pop, and rock. A self-taught piano and guitar player, Matt can bring passion to most any song leaving listeners yearning for more. He can sing with enough soul to wow
Brian McKnight or even slip into a jazzy number with the coolness of
Harry Connick Jr. As for his humble beginnings, he sang and performed for his family from age two, and from then on devoured the music of
Stevie Wonder,
James Taylor, Nat King Cole,
MiLes Davis, John Coltrane, The Beatles, Djavan, Take 6 and so many others. He taught himself how to play piano in part by listening and copying the jazzy chords he loved so much in the music of
Brian McKnight - an auspicious sign of things to come. His passion for music led him to study at Berklee School of Music in Boston, where he played with
John Mayer, Ryan Leslie, and was chosen to participate in the Singer Showcase, a forum for highlighting Berklee's best vocalists. It was at Berklee that Matt met his childhood hero
Brian McKnight, who felt his astonishing musical potential as soon as he heard Matt play and sing.
Now Matt tours the world with McKnight playing keyboards, singing background vocals, and often opening the show. As McKnight raves, "I knew he could be a great singer/songwriter... He has the power to create his own destiny." Matt has also shared stages and studios with
James Taylor,
Christina Aguilera,
BeBe Winans,
Wayne Brady, Donavon Frankenreiter,
Jessica Simpson,
Stanley Clarke, Babyface, Joe, Jon B.,
Boyz II Men, and The Roots. He's won Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater on three separate occasions, and has performed on "Live with Regis and Kelly" and ABC's "The View", where
Meredith Vieira gushed that "Matt is a star in the making!". In December 2008, Matt's self-produced début album was released to rave reviews. The album features nine original masterpieces that uncover his amazing writing, arranging, and performing talents, along with three covers that he interprets with intense artistry and feeling. And in July 2009, Matt won (by unanimous vote) the renowned
John Lennon Songwriting Contest's top annual prize - the Maxell Song of the Year - for his exquisite and heartfelt "One of Those Nights", which had previously been selected as a Grand Prize winner in the Jazz category and went on to receive the Lennon Award. What's more, Matt was also one of the finalists in the R&B category for his soulful song "Every Step". His self-titled album is available on iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby.
Olivier Award-winner
Lesli Margherita - Born and raised in California, Lesli trained at UCLA, and was soon after chosen to star in MGM's television series "Fame LA", directed by
Kenny Ortega. She has gone on to star and recur on numerous us television shows and pilots including "The Suite Life On Deck", "Charmed", "NYPD Blue", "The District", "The King of Queens", "Thieves", "JAG", "Fighting Fitzgeralds", "Nikki," "Kristin", and "On The Lot", produced by
Steven Spielberg. Film credits include:
Joel Schumacher's "The Number 23: and the
Sam Raimi produced horror film "Boogeyman 2." Lesli can also be heard on several animated films and TV shows, most recently Disney's "Cinderella 3" and "Sponge Bob Squarepants." Lesli recently starred opposite
Gary Beach as the Lady of the Lake in Spamalot at Sacramento Music Circus. Early this year she headlined the West Coast Premiere of
Michael John LaChiusa's See What I Wanna See at The Blank Theater in Hollywood and Rated RSO at the Boston Court Performing Arts Center, and appeared as Gloria in
Jason Alexander's production of Damn Yankees at Reprise. In 2009, Leslie was honored with a Olivier award for her work in the musical Zorro on the West End. Performing since childhood, Lesli has an extensive resume of national tour, Los Angeles company and regional theater credits. Favorite leading roles include: Aida, Kiss Me Kate , Man Of La Mancha, Beehive , Anything Goes ,West Side Story , Zorba , Reefer Madness, Grease , A Chorus Line , Gypsy , and Dames At Sea. Her nightclub act, "All Hail the Queen" continues to play to sellout crowds throughout LA. www.leslimargherita.com
Laura Dickinson is a series regular on the Emmy award-winning hit Disney Channel show "Phineas and Ferb." She's also featured all over the show's four chart-topping soundtrack albums. Laura just joined the all-star casts of "Fish Hooks" and "Jake and The Neverland Pirates," the newest Disney Channel shows, premiering in September of 2010 and early 2011. Television and Film credits include the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards with Florence + The Machine, American Idol (background vocals), Emperor's New School and Sonny With A Chance (Disney Channel), Cinderella III, Vox Lumiere, and national commercials for Priceline, Target, Macy's, and NBC's Last Comic Standing. She has also recorded and performed live for Disney Entertainment Productions in the US, Canada, and Japan. Laura spent some quality time on the road with UK rockstars Spiritualized, touring and promoting their album Songs in A & E. She was honored to share the stage with them headlining Coachella 2008. Laura also sang on Flea's (Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist) upcoming solo album.
Laura is currently the Principal Vocalist and Vocal Contractor of The Pageant of the Masters, performing with a 30-piece orchestra for over 100,000 people every summer in beautiful Laguna Beach, California. She also arranges for and performs with the a capp
Ella Rock band formerly known as Groove 66, Vybration. Vybration is currently touring promoting music education in schools with The Orange County Performing Arts Center's ArtsTeach program. Growing up on the border of Los Angeles and Orange Counties, Laura began studying piano, tap, ballet, and acrobatics at age three. Musical Theatre credits include Amneris in Aida at the Tuacahn Amphitheatre, and the title role in Evita - eight shows a week with five matinees per week, 95 performances straight at the Welk Resort Theatre in Escondido. Other highlights: three productions of 42nd Street, narrating Joseph... twice, Cassie in A Chorus Line, Pitti-Sing in The Hot Mikado, Sally Bowles in Cabaret, and Mer
Edith Parker in Bat Boy. Laura just returned from a critically acclaimed three month run of My Way - A Musical Tribute to
Frank Sinatra, directed by
Glenn Casale in Sacramento for
California Musical Theatre. In October, Laura will be playing the role originated by Pattie D'arcy Jones in Smokey Joe's Cafe at the Lyceum Theatre with the award-winning San Diego Musical Theatre.
ABOUT
Chris Isaacson AND THE "UPRIGHT CABARET" SERIES
This second year of this series will perform the first Sunday night of each of La Mirada Theatre's mainstage productions as UPRIGHT CABARET, the pre-eminent Los Angeles hot spot for the next generation of world-class entertainers, brings its unique brand of cabaret entertainment to La Mirada!
Chris Isaacson has created, produced and promoted over 450 events since forming his company in 2004. From small clubs to major theatres, Isaacson has produced some of the most influential stars of his generation including
Adam Lambert (American Idol),
Lea Michele (Glee, Spring Awakening),
Neil Patrick Harris (CBS's How I Met Your Mother & ABC's Doogie Howser, M.D.) and more. Isaacson is also creator/founder of LA's renowned Upright Cabaret which has been redefining the cabaret milieu for a new generation of audiences in Los Angeles since 2005.
Upright Cabaret seeks to celebrate old style cabaret while simultaneously turning it on its ear, bringing young Broadway and young Hollywood together in a live setting. Isaacson produces concerts and events under the "Upright Cabaret" banner including the summer concert series at the Ford Amphitheatre, the successful "American Icon Series" which plays at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza and the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs, as well as, his critically acclaimed concerts "Shoshana Sings Streisand" starring
Shoshana Bean, "
Stephen Schwartz: Making Good" featuring Wicked creator/lyricist
Stephen Schwartz and "
Eden Espinosa: Me" starring
Eden Espinosa.
In Aug 2010,
Chris Isaacson and Upright Cabaret began a relationship with The Grove in Los Angeles and The Americana at Brand in Glendale.
Chris Isaacson produced Summer Concert Series with headlining acts Grammy winners
Steve Tyrell, Grammy winner
Paula Cole, 3x Grammy Nominee
Taylor Dayne and Grammy Nominee
Natasha Bedingfield. Broadway veteran
Jennifer Leigh Warren, Grammy winning songwriter
Matt Morris, Broadway star & Grammy nominee
Frenchie Davis and WB's "One Tree Hill" star
Tyler Hilton. These concerts were featured on Access Hollywood, Extra, ABC's On The Red Carpet, and KTLA 5 Morning News.
Chris Isaacson is currently developing Broadway Veteran
Jennifer Leigh Warren's new project entitled "Little Woman/Big Voice: the songs of Dame
Shirley Bassey" with Dir.
Richard Jay-Alexander (
Barbra Streisand,
Bette Midler,
Bernadette Peters) set to direct, "Star Search" Grand Champion
Jake Simpson and Broadway star and American Idol Semi-finalist
Frenchie Davis. Upright Cabaret is also currently working with the City of West Hollywood to find a permanent home for Upright Cabaret in West Hollywood. Isaacson is committed to his humanitarian and social causes including The Trevor Project and AIDS Project Los Angeles. Visit
Chris Isaacson at www.ChrisIsaacsonPresents.com.
THE SECOND SEASON'S SHOWS INCLUDE:
LIKE A VIRGIN • November 7, 2010 • 7:30PM
Music of
George Michael,
Cyndi Lauper and Madonna
SWEET SOUL MUSIC · January 30, 2011
Music of
Ray Charles,
Marvin Gaye and
Gladys KnightI WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND • April 17, 2011 • 7:30PM
Music of The Beatles
COWBOYS AND ANGELS • June 5, 2011 • 7:30PM
Music of Patsy Cline,
Garth Brooks and
Loretta LynnCALIFORNIA DREAMIN' • July 10, 2011 • 7:30PM
Music of The Mamas & The Papas,
Linda Ronstadt and Eagles
Ticket prices for UPRIGHT CABARET Single Shows $45 / $35 / $25 / $15;
Series Price $190 / $150 / $110 / $65
Tickets to these extraordinary shows are now available by calling the Box Office at 562-944-9801 or 714-994-6310 or online at www.lamiradatheatre.com.
LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, Parking is free.
