Interview: Lisa Donahey of RETRO REWIND: LISA & ELVIS at VITELLO'S UPSTAIRS MARTINI LOUNGE

Broadway World Los Angeles highly requested to revisit the amazing Lisa Donahey, a versatile Los Angeles-based entertainer with an extensive background in music, television, and production.

Lisa is a Berklee College of Music graduate known for her recurring role as Nurse Lisa Myers on General Hospital, as well as her prolific voice-over work for Disney and various commercials. As a vocalist, she has released several albums, including Takes on Holiday and She’s Got It Covered, and is a regular performer in the Southern California jazz and cabaret scene. Additionally, she founded In Tempo Productions in 2015, creating custom entertainment for clients such as Disney and Warner Bros.  Are you looking for one of her specific albums, or perhaps her current performance schedule? Read her year anniversary answers to TEN QUESTIONS IN TEN MINUTES. Lisa's inaugural interview for Broadway World Los Angeles promotional interviews for cabaret and limited engagements has become the gorgeous face which launched a thousand ships and interviews.

What constellation were you engendered in and what is your gen era name?

I am born under the sign of Leo, a fire sign and, boy!, do I fit the bill.  Leos are known for their big hearts, bold spirit and natural flair for the spotlight (Surprise? LOL!). we lead with passion, love fiercely and always bring a little sparkle where ever we go.

I am a proud Gen Xer. So grateful to have been born in the time I was.  I get to be the connector between then and now, old enough to live and remember events in the 70's and 80's, have the honor of learning about the era before that in the 40's-60s from the people who came before me. I especially appreciate the music from all those eras.

How old were you when you saw your first live performance and who was on stage?

At seven years old, my very first show was Annie at the Shubert Theatre in Century City (Who remembers this theatre?) I could not take my eyes off that stage and what those little girls were doing…singing, acting and dancing. I was hooked and told my mom I wanted to do that and have never looked back.

Share your first trip to Disneyland and your reaction to the happiest place on earth? 

As long as I can remember Disneyland has been a part of my life. Growing up in Los Angeles, it was in our backyard and so accessible.  The parks is where the magic came to life for me in live action.  I loved all the live shows and talent.  It made it an even more immersive experience and made me feel I was a part of the story.  It's such a wonderful place so many of us have an emotional connection to be it from watching Disney movies in the theatre or spending Sunday nights watching The Wonderful World of Disney with their families. So, you can imagine what it is thrill it was to have worked with them for the past 30 years on creative projects from singing on tv and film projects and voicing animated characters, workshop new creative content and performing for live events. I will always love the special entertainment with heart Disney continues to create and share with people across the globe and proud to be a small part of it all.

Who is the most famous performer to your DNA chain and what did they do in the industry?

My great uncle is ANDY RUSSELL, a famous American popular singer, actor and entertainer specializing in Traditional Pop and Latin Music. He sold over 8 million records in the 1940’s and was coined as the first person to sing in Spanish and English in the same song. (You’re welcome Bad Bunny and Shakira). His most successful songs included “Besame Mucho”, “Amor”, and “What a Difference a Day Makes.”  He made appearances and performed on radio programs, most notably Your Hit Parade, and was in several movies and on television in the US and Latin America. I’m proud to share a documentary of his life and the impact he had pioneering the Spanish music scene in the 1940s-80s and my music connection to him and our Hispanic heritage is in development

Your devotion to your mom has made Susie Insta-famous and hysterical, but is this payback for her being so devoted to your dreams or screams? 

Susie and our mother-daughter antics are quite popular and entertaining on social media.  She is the star, really. Honest, silly, funny, but not trying to be, and I feel like so many people feel she is a mother figure to them.  As an only child, my mom is my world, and with her recent health scare it has brought us even closer, especially since I have been caregiving for her for the past four months and counting. She is and forever will be my biggest fan. Since a kid, she encouraged me to just try things I as interested in and helped guide me to the things I enjoyed.  I feel so grateful to have her support and proud I have been able to turn what I love ,and what she encouraged in life, into a professional creative career.

Did you attend a University of Fancy Nancy or graduate from the school of hard knocks?  

As a teen, I went to a local Performing Arts Studio called Mickey Rooney’s Talent Town and was in the elite performing troupe, The Talent Towners (and yes! Mickey did show up, share his wisdom and perform with us). It was a mini conservatory, if you will, and it was where I really learned all about performing and honing my talent at a young age.

Then, I attended Citrus Community College in Glendora, CA and was in The Citrus College Singers. It was there we studied music theory, performance, dance lessons, acting classes, sang all styles of music from classical to pop and toured the world performing.  At this point, I knew music and performing was a career I wanted to pursue and upon completely the three-year program got accepted to Berklee College of Music in Boston on scholarship. At that time is was known for being a pop music and jazz focused college, and I could sing those styles. But what I really loved was musical theatre and I found I was the lone musical theatre girl and used that to set myself a part and auditioned for and performed in all the big shows and concerts showing audiences a snippet of Broadway on the Berklee stages.  I knew musical theatre was my super power and so different from what everyone else was doing, so I knew it was my way in.  I was known as the “musical theatre girl,” a title I am still proud of.  Musical Theatre was not as popular when I as there, but I am happy to say, Berklee and The Boston Conservatory have now merged and musical theatre is just as respected and prominent there now as the music like pop/jazz it as rooted in. I like to think I helped set musical theatre’s acceptance and inclusion in motion.

You are little BETTE MIDLER, with some Disney and a whole lot of versatility, making show producers not know where exactly to put you!  Frustrating or character building? (pun intended)

Sometimes as a performer, I need to hone in and help people see how they can leverage my talents for their needs. As much as I want to show them everything I can do, that can overwhelm and confuse people in casting positions.  Parameters are helpful for me so I can craft how I want to pitch myself for a project to get noticed.

In Broadway World LA’s first cabaret promotional interview, you share a great compare/contrast between cabaret in Manhattan vs. Manhattan Beach. You shared the LA carbon print is way bigger than Manhattan, but how does this affect your song/set list in a show? What songs do your fans leave home for to come out and hear you? 

Any show I produce, for myself or others, have a theme tied to a music genre or singer, so there is some overarching connection to the music and stories I am singing about. It also gives the audience context on what to expect in a world where there is so much noise and where they do have choices on where to spend their time. I think we, inherently, categorize things and compare them to other experiences in our lives. Having a theme or clear show title gives audiences, and new fans, the opportunity to come to a show that is of interest to them.

Thankfully, I am comfortable singing many styles of music, so I have a big repertoire to pull from.  Also, I think it’s important to have at least 75% of my set list with songs that are familiar to audiences. To give an audience a show full of unknown tunes can be interesting to some, but for general audiences I find they can lose interest. The remaining 25% of my set list I can explore some other tunes that I love that may not be as well known.  When I do that, I find my audiences tend to remember those other few “surprise and delight” songs versus a whole show of songs not as well known.

Huge congratulations on winning Grand Champion with Princess Cruises THE VOICE OF THE OCEAN vocal competition!  How do you pick a vocal competition selection? 

I am huge fan of cruising and yes, have won Princess Cruise Lines VOICE OF THE OCEAN contest three times. It’s so fun to perform with their live house band for all the passengers. Anything I am a part of I want to be the best for success, including picking something as simple as a song for a contest like this. I am always wearing the hat of the audience member. What is their age demo of the audience?  What would be a crowd-pleaser?  What song do I know I can really deliver?  These variables are where a performer sometimes has to take the ego out and think about what would best “sell it” to an audience. If I were a big name like Barbra, I could sing anything I want, but since I am not a household name…yet (a girl can dream, right? LOL!), I like to give audiences familiarity and nostalgia. Then, my hope is that they will remember me as someone who sang a song or performed a show they enjoyed and remembered.

My next chapter is marrying my love of cruising and performing, as well as an opportunity to build on my fan base, as I have written two all-new custom Guest Entertainer Headliner shows to pitch the to the cruise lines this year. I am so excited to have audiences on the high seas enjoy my music and stories with these one-of-a-kind show experience.

Does  a live performer dropping  a 100 pounds change your image, aspirations or song list?  

Losing close to 100 lbs. has been a life-changing experience and certainly impacted who I am now. I am different. I stopped singing the funny, self-deprecating fat girl songs. Since, visually, I was a bigger girl I needed to call it out before the audience could make the judgment about me. I needed them to know that I knew I was fat before they could call me fat. Clear as mud, right? That was how I coped with trying to be accepted and winning over an audience and a defense mechanism, I know now. Sadly, I didn’t feel my talent was enough. I feel like this weight loss not only got me to a healthier place as my diabetes is gone, but I also have a different type of confidence now. I really like the new me.  She’s explores new parts of herself from power to sexiness which she never felt she was worthy of, but she is still the silly and quirky girl, too.

You have a bionic ear for nuance of any musical genre from Broadway to Boston Pops, but who are your major influences today?  

The reason I can sing many genres of music is because I am genuinely curious about a variety of music styles and singers. I love to listen and study different types of music and singers.  I am a piece of all these singers I revere like BARBRA STREISAND, PAULA COLE, LINDA RONSTADT, TRISHA YEARWOOD, AUDRA MACDONALD to KELLY CLARKSON. In the end, I think I have a sound and style unique unto me and my experiences in life. No one else can replicate that, but these singers and performers certainly continue to inspire me.

Production wise, what are your favorite LA venues for sound quality and are you a "rehearsal rat" or a "wing it and sing it" live performer? 

You can have the best singer, band, set list and show, but if the sound is bad, it’s all for nothing and can be just a terrible guest experience. People will remember that bad experience.  I have a residency at The Velvet Martini Lounge at Vitello’s Restaurant in Studio City and they are such a great space and really want to showcase quality talent and shows.  Whether I am singing there with live musicians or to tracks, or in a larger venue or space, I make sure I budget for a great sound person based on those variables. To me, a sound person is one of the most critical pieces of a show next to the talent. They not only have to know how to mix the sound in a room, but also be able to recommend any other technical needs to make my show the best like my monitor mixes and the house mix, reverb and levels, and just overall balance.

Other small venues I enjoy singing at that respect the quality of the sound are Vibrato Grill Jazz and Catalina Jazz Club. But again, the success is in the capability of the sound person and knowing how to run the board and their mixing chops.

I definitely like to be as prepared as I can be for my shows. It’s important for me to go over my music prior to a show, write and rehearse the talk spots, just anything I need to prep as the main talent, but pre-production communication and sound checks are vital also.  So much I can trouble shoot to avoid less surprises sharing my show expectations, communication about tech needs and a rehearse, rehearse, rehearse so it’s in my bones. I know doing a live show there are always unexpected elements and those moments can keep me on my toes and present. I find audiences in a live setting are with me and on my side and like being a part of that shared experience. Being in that moment together, no matter how it unfolds, is a special experience that only those there can share and remember.

Lisa Donahey’s RETRO REWIND Divas of the 60s with the UK's leading ELVIS Tribute Artist, Andy James is May 3, 2026.  Get ready to twist, shout, and swoon as powerhouse vocalist Lisa Donahey takes you on a groovy journey back to the swingin’ '60s! With her signature charm and velvet vocals, Lisa celebrates the unforgettable Divas of the decade—from DUSTY, DIONNE, ARETHA, to PETULA—with a fresh twist and a whole lotta' heart.

And it wouldn’t be a proper retro party without the King of Rock 'n' Roll royalty! Joining Lisa on stage is the UK's leading Elvis Tribute Artist, Award-Winning: ANDY JAMES.  It’s a jukebox jam of soulful serenades, rockabilly rhythms, and nostalgic hits that’ll have you dancing in your seat and singing along all night.

And it wouldn’t be a proper retro party without the King of Rock 'n' Roll royalty! Joining Lisa on stage is the UK's leading Elvis Tribute Artist, Award-Winning: ANDY JAMES.  It’s a jukebox jam of soulful serenades, rockabilly rhythms, and nostalgic hits that’ll have you dancing in your seat and singing along all night.

Show Tickets $35, plus $35 for Italian cuisine & beverage on Eventbrite, www.Lisadonahey.com or Vitello'srestaurant.com.  Vitello's Valet parking ($8) or free street parking in LA's best kept secret Tujunga Village within Studio City. Go Go Grandparents for senior discount Lyft rides. Sunday Brunch Doors open at 12:30pm Showtime 2:00pm-3:30pm.

Walk-Up Local Shopping:

Gramercy clothier

Scentabiities Gift Shop

Serendipity Gift Shop

Gelato Bar & Espresso