Broadway's Jennifer Leigh Warren Opens Upright Cabaret's New Venue With 'Songs for Grown Folk!' 8/29

On Sat, Aug 29, 2009 at 9pm - Upright Cabaret presents Broadway star Jennifer Leigh Warren and 2-time Star Search Grand Champion Jake Simpson collide in cosmic cocktail with "JEN AND JAKE: SONGS FOR GROWN FOLK".

"Songs for Grown Folk" celebrates the great songs of R&B icons Bonnie Rait, Etta James, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Luther Vandross and others.

This musical celebration is the first show in the all new Upright Cabaret on Vermont and a certain Broadway diva's birthday. New show, new venue, new year. Don't miss the magic of these two world-class performers.

JEN AND JAKE - SONGS FOR GROWN FOLKS!
Mon, August 29, 2009 at 9pm
Upright Cabaret on Vermont,
1714 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027, (310) 652-5252

Tickets: $20 Main, Available online at www.uprightcabaret.com/events or $25 at the door (if available). Table minimums apply.

For more info about Upright Cabaret including show times, tickets and scheduled performers, please visit us at www.uprightcabaret.com

Jennifer Leigh Warren is a favorite of songwriters from Roger Miller, who wrote her a show stopping gospel song for the Broadway musical BIG RIVER, to Bolshoi Ballet composer Rodion Schredrin who, after seeing her perform her gospel song in Japanese in Japan, wrote her a song for the first Russian, Japanese and American collaboration of a new musical. Jennifer was the original Crystal in the Alan Menken/Howard Ashman hit LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS and was featured on the Grammy-nominated Cast albums of LITTLE SHOP, BIG RIVER, & Lincoln Center's MARIE CHRISTINE. She also sang "Stranger to the Rain" on the Stephen Schwartz ALBUM. She is an Ovation Award Winner and Garland Award winner as Best Featured Actress in a Musical and has a NAACP Theater Award nomination. She garnered raves for her performance as Shelia in the REPRISE! production of HAIR, (with a special arrangement for her by Peter Matz) KISMET and MOST HAPPY FELLA. Most recently, she played the title role of VENUS written by Chan Poling, the Minneapolis music legend from the seminal punk/rock group The Suburbs. She performed in THE MAGIC OF MOTOWN, a tribute to Motown founder Berry Gordy, with Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson. In Denmark, Jennifer sang with Al Jarreau on a LIVE TV Special of "Princess & the Black-eyed Pea" broadcast throughout Europe. She performed in Sir Peter Hall's Shakespeare repertory at the Ahmanson Theater. She is currently creating a one-woman show celebrating the amazing talent of Sammy Davis, Jr. Feature Films include GRACE OF MY HEART produced by Martin Scorsese and directed by Allison Anders, Sean Penn's THE CROSSING GUARD, Garry Marshall's THE OTHER SISTER, and SOUR GRAPES written and directed by Larry David (CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, SEINFELD). Television appearances include: LIPSTICK JUNGLE, DIRT, ER, THE GAME, ALL MY CHILDREN. She is Graduate of Dartmouth College. For more information go to www.jenniferleighwarren.com

Jake Simpson - twice (2003 and 2004) won the top honors in the Adult Singer category on CBS-TV's "Star Search" with his powerful high tenor voice and three-octave range. Growing up in Crocker, Missouri, making music has been one of the most important driving forces in Jake's life. His sound has been influenced by Stevie Wonder, Steve Perry, Donny Hathaway, and the classic style of Sam Cooke. One of the highlights of Jake's life was when he was invited to perform on"The Oprah Winfrey Show." The show, which first aired on June 8, 2004, was one of Oprah's favorites, as she surprised Jake by bringing out his idol, the legendary Stevie Wonder, to duet with Jake on Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely." The surprise thrilled Oprah so much that she included it on her 20th anniversary DVD box-set. In 2006, Jake produced and recorded an all new CD, the holiday themed "Star of Wonder." To bring his holiday music to the masses, Jake then went on to a holiday tour with pianist, Jim Brickman. The concert tour received rave reviews, and Jake specifically being singled out for his "blue-eyed soul" and his "Amen"-inducing rendition of "O Come All Ye Faithful." Since then, Jake has gone on to write, produce, and record a brand new album of his very own! The CD prophetically entitled "My Song" has garnered positive reviews and is gaining radio airplay throughout the U.S. and Europe. In 2008, Jake recorded vocals with American Idol Finalist, David Archuletta on Archuletta's new album due to released in November 2008. Recently in 2009, Jake has recorded various tracks with Desmond Child for Adam Lambert, another American Idol. Check out all of Jake's new music at www.cdbaby.com and www.itunes.com.

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!