Interview: Lisa Donahey of RETRO REWIND: LISA & ELVIS AT THE VELVET MARTINI LOUNGE, VITELLO'S

Broadway World Los Angeles requested to revisit the amazing Lisa Donahey to celebrate the year anniversary of Broadway World Los Angeles' inaugural cabaret interview of the versatile Los Angeles-based entertainer with an extensive background in music, television and film and production.

LISA DONAHEY is a Berklee College of Music–trained vocalist and recording artist whose versatile style spans jazz, pop, and Broadway. She has released multiple albums, including She’s Got It Covered and Takes on Broadway and is a sought-after performer throughout the Southern California jazz and cabaret scene. In addition to her music career, Lisa is known for singing and voice-over work on TV and in movies for Disney, 20th Century Fox Studios, NBC Universal, Warner Bros. Discovery and Nickelodeon. You can also see her in  her recurring role as Nurse Lisa Myers on ABC’s General Hospital, as well as guest starring roles on S.W.A.T., Barry and 9-1-1 Lonestar. She is also the founder of In Tempo Productions, creating custom entertainment experiences and shows for the industry. Read her year anniversary answers to TEN QUESTIONS IN TEN MINUTES.

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

I was born under the sign of Leo—a fire sign—and I have to admit, I see a bit of it in myself. Leos are known for their big hearts, bold spirit, and natural love of the spotlight, and I’ve always been drawn to that kind of expressive energy. We tend to lead with passion, love deeply, and (hopefully) bring a little sparkle wherever we go. And yes…the lion’s mane is real—I might be just a little obsessed with my hair.

As a proud Gen Xer, I have deep reverence for the artists and eras that shaped the soundtrack of our lives. Having grown up in the 70s and 80s—and with a deep appreciation for the decades that came before—I see myself as a musical bridge between generations. I feel like an old soul influenced by the timeless sounds of the 1940s to today. To know where you’re going, you have to know where you came from, and it’s a privilege to honor the legacy of those who paved the way for us today in every area of our lives. 

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. I could not take my eyes off that stage and what those little girls were doing...singing, acting and dancing. I was lost in that world and hooked. I told my mom I wanted to do that and have never looked back.

Do you remember 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. I loved all the attractions, but I especially loved the live shows from the talent to the stories and music to the costumes. They were such fun, inclusive and immersive experiences that I would get lost in and made me feel I was a part of the whole experience. Disneyland is such a wonderful place that so many of us have an emotional connection to across all its experiences. From spending Sunday nights at home watching The Wonderful World of Disney on TV to experiencing the Theme Parks and attractions and live shows to watching their timeless movies on the big screen—it’s a part of our DNA.  So, you can imagine what a 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, workshopping 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 am 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, Andy Russell, was a famous American popular singer, actor and entertainer specializing in Traditional Pop and Latin Music. He sold over 8 million records in the 1940s 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 " Bésame 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. He even had his own TV show in Buenos Aires, Argentina called El Show de Andy Russell from 1956-65. I'm proud of my uncle and what he did for popular music paving the way for Latin American artists. I actually got to meet him as a kid and, at that time, wish I had asked him more questions about his career and the music industry, but I was only 10. I’m excited to share that I am currently in development with a documentary of his life and the impact he had pioneering the Spanish music scene in the 1940s through the 1980s. I'm thrilled to explore our music connection and our Hispanic heritage.

Your devotion to your mom, Susie, has made her 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. My mom is not a performer at all, but she is so honest, silly and funny without trying to be, it’s very entertaining. (and it may be a bit of payback for me for always making my pigtails too tight as a kid—just sayin’!) All kidding aside, 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 and to be able to take care of her is a privilege as I know this time together is precious. Since I was a kid, she encouraged me to just try things I was interested in and helped guide me to the activities 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 my life with my music and performing into a professional career.

Did you attend a "University of Fancy Nancy" or graduate from "The School of Hard Knocks"?  

As a teen, I went to a Performing Arts Studio called Mickey Rooney's Talent Town and was in their elite performing troupe, The Talent Towners (and yes! Mickey did show up, share his wisdom and perform with us—we used to perform a song called “Companionship” and held a cardboard cutout of him to sing to. Hey! You gotta start somewhere!). It was an amazing training ground for me. It was where I 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 I studied music theory, voice, dance, acting and more. It was basically a “conservatory experience” at a superb junior college. We sang all styles of music from classical to pop to Broadway and toured the world performing. This was such a formative time in my life and solidified my choice that music and performing was a career I wanted to pursue. Upon completion the Citrus Singer program, I applied to Berklee College of Music in Boston and got accepted on scholarship.  At that time. Berklee was known for being a jazz and pop music-focused college. Having a diverse music upbringing, I had great respect for and could sing many musical styles, but what I really loved was musical theater. I found I was one of the only people showcasing musical theater there and used that angle to set myself apart. I auditioned for and performed in all the big shows and concerts showing audiences the magic and storytelling of Musical Theater and Broadway. I was known as the "musical theatre girl," a title I’m still proud of which also helped me earn the coveted Outstanding Performer of the Year Award. Musical theater was clearly not as popular when I was at Berklee, but I am happy to say, Berklee College of Music and The Boston Conservatory merged in 2016 and musical theater is just as respected and prominent there now as the music it was founded on and still thriving in.

You’re a little “Bette Midler,” a little “Disney,” and a whole lot of versatility. Turns out, when you don’t fit neatly in one box, people aren’t quite sure where to put you. Is it frustrating… or character? (pun intended.)

Not frustrating at all—it’s actually an opportunity to thoughtfully package what I do in a way that aligns with what’s being asked. Of course, I make sure to demonstrate I have the talent for the role, but I also bring a bit of “me” into it—adding that extra layer of personality and perspective that shows why I’m the right choice. As much as I want to show them everything I can do, that can overwhelm and confuse people in casting positions. Parameters are helpful, 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. The LA carbon print is huge, but how does this affect your repertoire of songs/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, has a theme tied to it be it a certain musical genre or perhaps a famous singer's work. I like having 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 and money. I think we inherently categorize and compare events to other experiences in our lives. Having a theme and clear show title gives audiences, and new fans, the opportunity to come to a show that may be of interest to them. 

The songs and set list are key. Thankfully, I am comfortable singing many styles of music, so I have a big repertoire of styles 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  a risk and maybe interesting to some people, but for general audiences, I find they can lose interest after they hear the first few unknown songs. For theatre it’s different, it's interesting when you don't know what to expect and a welcome surprise as they take an audience on an unknown journey. However for my shows, I find anchoring the majority of the music with the familiar and peppering in some unknown surprises works best. The remaining 25% of my set list is where I can take some freedom to explore and “sneak in” some other tunes that I love that may not be as well known.  When I follow that set list formula, I find my audiences tend to remember those other few "surprise and delight" songs versus a whole show of songs not as well known. That’s just my personal choice.

A huge wave of congratulations on winning Princess Cruises THE VOICE OF THE OCEAN passenger vocal competition!  How do you pick a song for a competition like this? 

I am a 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 to enjoy. Any show or event I am a part of, I want to be the best and it be well received, and since it is a singing competition, the song is key. It was important to wear the hat of the audience member for this competition since I am showing them what I can do as a singer, but also appeal to their musical taste and sensibility. I think about things like, what is the age demo of the audience?  What would be a crowd-pleaser?  What are the other contestants singing? What song do I sing that will really “wow” them?  These variables are where a performer sometimes has to take the ego out of it and think about what would best to "sell it" to an audience. If I were a big name like Barbra Streisand, 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 a great vocal performance, some familiarity and nostalgia. Then, my hope is that they will remember me as someone who sang a song or performed in a show they enjoyed and remember me that way.

My next exciting chapter is marrying my love of cruising and performing, as well as build my fan base. I have written two all-new custom Guest Entertainer Headliner shows to pitch to the cruise lines this year. These shows are a way to showcase my talent in a fun, entertaining, personal and interactive way taking them on a musical journey. I’m so excited to have audiences on the high seas enjoy my music and stories with these one-of-a-kind show experiences. More to come on the launch of those shows as I’m excited to make waves. (Sea what I did there?)

Does dropping 100 pounds change your image of yourself and, in turn, change the songs you sing?

Losing close to 100 lbs. has been a life-changing experience and certainly impacted how I see myself as a person and performer. I am different. I stopped singing the funny, self-deprecating plus-sized girl songs. Since I was a bigger girl my whole life I was always self-conscious about it and sometimes felt unworthy of attention. As a person and performer, I had to let people know I knew I was fat before they could call out me being fat. That was how I coped with trying to be accepted, winning over an audience and, clearly, a defense mechanism. Sadly, I didn't feel my talent was enough.

I thought I was relegated to play the funny, “fluffy side kick” character actress roles and that I could never be the lead and the ingenue. Now, I feel like I can play the ingenue. Here’s the kicker, even as a plus-sized person what I know now is I was always was able to play that ingenue. It was just my own insecurity and stereotypes holding me back. I’m happy the world is changing those perceptions and becoming more accepting of all sizes, colors and types of people and celebrating that uniqueness. I should’ve listened to Glinda, the Good Witch in the Wizard of Oz, she said “You’ve always had the power, my dear. You just had to learn it for yourself.”

I feel like this weight loss not only got me to a healthier place since my diabetes and other looming health issues are gone, but I also have a different type of confidence and self-love and care now I was missing before. I really like the new “me” and I am especially enjoying my new wardrobe since I went from a size 22 to a size 10.  Not gonna lie, my head is still trying to catch up to this new version of myself including rediscovering who I am as an artist. I’m loving this new chapter and hope everyone can find the best version of themselves.

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 and love to listen to and learn from a variety of musical styles and singers. I am a piece of all these diverse singers I revere like BARBRA STREISAND, PAULA COLE, LINDA RONSTADT, TRISHA YEARWOOD, AUDRA MACDONALD and even jazz artists like ELLA FITZGERALD and classical singers like RENEE FLEMING. I love and appreciate them all. In the end, I think I have a sound and style unique to me and my experiences in life. No one else can replicate that, but these singers and other 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 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 continue to showcase quality talent and shows. Whether I am singing there with live musicians or singing to tracks, or in a larger venue or space, I make sure I budget for a great sound person. 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 like my monitor mixes and the house mix, reverb mixes and just overall balance to make my sound in the show the best experience. 

Other small venues I enjoy singing in 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.

Since the sound is a critical piece and tantamount to a show’s success, I work and collaborate closely with my sound person. There’s so much we can troubleshoot to avoid less surprises on show day. It’s important to share my show expectations, communication about tech needs and on my end and 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, can be exciting and an experience that only those there can share in the moment and often times is real, funny and unfiltered.

I definitely like to be as prepared as I can be for my shows, but being a live experience, I always need to be ready to punt in the moment on stage. It's important for me to prepare, write and rehearse the talk spots, sing the songs and memorize lyrics (which still is a challenge for me). Although, in a show it may look effortless, there is so much preparation we do as performers. I also often wear the hat of the producer so I am also responsible for creative, marketing and show promotion and communication with all those involved. It’s important to me to create a healthy, creative space with anyone I work with and still have my “no jerk” policy in place. Beautiful things are meant to be created in harmony—discord may make noise, but it never makes magic.

For more information about Lisa Donahey, her albums and performance schedule, please visit www.lisadonahey.com.

LISA DONAHEY’S RETRO REWIND: Divas of the 60s with the UK's leading ELVIS Tribute Artist, Andy James is Sunday, May 3, 2026 at Vitello’s in Studio City, CA. 

Get ready to twist, shout, and swoon as powerhouse vocalist Lisa Donahey takes you on a groovy journey back to the 60s! With her signature charm and velvet vocals, Lisa celebrates the unforgettable Divas of that decade—from Dusty Springfield and Dionne Warwick to Petula Clark and Nancy Sinatra and more.

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.

More on Vitello's

Recent Articles

Interview: Lisa Donahey of RETRO REWIND: LISA & ELVIS AT THE VELVET MARTINI LOUNGE, VITELLO'S

4/7/2026

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Lead Performer in a Play - Top 3

1. Daniel Radcliffe - Every Brilliant Thing

27.8% of votes

2. Nathan Lane - Death of a Salesman

12.8% of votes

3. Ayo Edebiri - Proof

6.4% of votes

Vote Now! View Live Stats