The 4th Annual New Jersey Cabaret Festival at Chu Family Hall, Morristown Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Dates: 11/30/2025
NiCori Studios & Productions
21 Normandy Heights Road
Morristown,NJ 07960
Phone: 973-540-1177
Tickets: Adults: $30 (+ fees) in advance / Seniors: $25 (+ fees) in advance/ Tickets at the door: $35 (CASH only)
NiCori Studios & Productions present the fourth annual New Jersey Cabaret Festival at Chu Family Hall, Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, Sunday, November 30 at 4pm. The festival is hosted by Corinna Sowers Adler and Stearns Matthews, with musical direction by Tracy Stark. The cabaret festival hosts performers who were born, currently live, or have performed exclusively in New Jersey. This year’s lineup features singer/actor/writer/producer Wendy Lane Bailey, actor/singer/producer Ami Brabson, singer/pianist Eric Yves Garcia, pianist/musical director James Horan, creative director/cabaret curator Matthew Luminello, singer/songwriter Carolyn Montgomery, singer Bob O'Hare, singer/voice teacher Mia Riker-Norrie, actor/singer/director Susan Speidel, vocal group THOSE GIRLS (Eve Eaton, Rachel Hanser, Karen Mack and Wendy Russel), singer Laurie Vega, singer/voice coach Lisa Viggiano, singer Lisa Yaeger, and more! Corinna Sowers Adler is Founding Artistic Director and Nicholas Adler is Executive Director of NiCori Studios & Productions, dedicated to bringing Theatre and Vocal Arts Education programming and performance to the next generation of the American Songbook. NiCori: Educate. Inspire. Entertain. Sunday, November 30, 4pm Produced by NiCori Studios & Productions Hosted by Corinna Sowers Adler & Stearns Matthews Musical Direction by Tracy Stark Chu Family Hall, Morristown Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 21 Normandy Heights Road Morristown, New Jersey 07960 Tickets and Information: NiCoriStudios.com Adults: $30 (+ fees) in advance / Seniors: $25 (+ fees) in advance Tickets at the door: $35 (CASH only) Chu Family Hall is a new addition to the Morristown Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, located at 21 Normandy Heights Rd, Morristown, NJ. The 4,000-square-foot space serves as the primary gathering place for the congregation. It's used for worship, meetings, special events, and to support the Fellowship's social justice and charitable work. The new hall also includes classrooms, a modern kitchen, a welcome gallery, and sustainable features, while complementing the original historic Thorne Mansion building, currently the headquarters for the Morristown Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Thorne Mansion, also known as Thorne Oaks, was built in 1912 for William V.S. Thorne, a wealthy financier in the railroad industry. The red brick house was designed by the architectural firm Delano & Aldrich and features neo-Georgian style. Thorne Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 14, 1978, for significance in architecture, commerce, and social history.
Cast and Creative team for The 4th Annual New Jersey Cabaret Festival at Chu Family Hall, Morristown Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Cast
Corinna Sowers Adler
Host / Vocalist
Corinna Sowers Adler has been nominated for the special Excellence in Theatre Education Tony Award every year since its inception in 2015. She made her solo New York Cabaret Debut in 2010 at the Laurie Beechman Theater in Stories…A Cabaret. Since then, Corinna has been in high demand, performing solo shows in NYC at the Triad, the Duplex, Feinstein’s at Loews Regency, Metropolitan Room, 54 Below, The Green Room 42, and the Appel Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center where she debuted the concert series Music Over Manhattan. Corinna was honored to make her Lincoln Center debut as a featured singer on The 24th Annual Cabaret Convention held at Jazz at Lincoln Center presented by The Mabel Mercer Foundation and has appeared several times on the convention since then. She has performed her concert entitled Corinna Sowers Adler in: Something Beautiful around the US and in The Appel Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center to rave reviews. Corinna will perfom her new show, All that Matters, for a fourth time at Don’t Tell Mama, on Saturday, December 6.
Stearns Matthews
Host / Vocalist
Stearns Matthews is a MAC and Bistro Award winning vocalist based in New York City whose recent appearances include The Town Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Feinstein's/54 Below, and The Metropolitan Room. His critically acclaimed debut album SPARK won the 2015 Bistro Award for Outstanding Recording as well as the LaMott/Friedman Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs Award for Outstanding Recording. He also won the 2015 MAC Award for Best Male Vocalist. Stearns holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Theater from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. In 2017, Matthews released his recording of the song cycle December Songs, words and music by Maury Yeston. This marks the first time the cycle has been recorded with a male singer. His private voice studio has a diverse client list from beginners to experienced Broadway performers. His work as a director has been seen at Emory & Henry College, Narrows Community Theatre, Westminster Choir College, and Smoke Rise Children's Theatre. www.stearnsmatthews.com.
Tracy Stark
Musical Director / Pianist
Tracy Stark, Pianist/Arranger/Conductor/SingerSongwriter, is a 17-Time MAC Award winner (Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs), in the categories of Music Director, Piano Bar Entertainer, and Song of the Year. She is also a Bistro Award winner for Musical Direction, a Broadway World winner for Music Direction, and has won Cabaret Hotline’s Songwriter of the Year Award. Tracy has worked with Sarah Dash (Labelle), Nona Hendryx (Labelle), Randy Jones (Village People), Lesley Gore, Phoebe Snow, Karen Black, Barb Jungr, Brenda Braxton, Eric Millegan (Bones), Tonya Pinkins, Nathan Lee Graham, and hundreds of other rock, jazz, and broadway vocalists. She stays busy creating and music directing 75-100 different shows per year, in addition to her ongoing work as music director for the Eugene O’Neill Cabaret Conference since 2013. She has conducted, played, and sung at all the finest and the sleaziest venues all over the world. She has played/conducted on numerous television shows, including The Today Show. She has 3 CD’s of original music in her catalogue, and her songs are included on at least 20 different compilations, and have been winning accolades in songwriting competitions for the past 2 decades. Her 3rd CD of original music, Shades of Beautiful, was released on the Miranda Music label, exquisitely produced by Richard Barone, with world class vocalists, including Lillias White, Nona Hendryx, Ann Hampton Callaway, Lesley Gore, Jane Monheit, Janis Siegel, Karen Black, Barb Jungr, and other great artists.
Wendy Lane Bailey
Vocalist
Wendy Lane Bailey is a singer and actress who brings a blend of song and storytelling to her performances. She has performed at The Kennedy Center, Blues Alley, and Signature Theatre in her adopted hometown of Washington DC, and Town Hall, Symphony Space, and The Metropolitan Room in New York City, The Gardenia in Los Angeles, The Blue Room in New Orleans, Odette’s in New Hope, PA, and numerous house concerts and private venues. After being a guest vocalist on a number of recordings for other artists, including Susan Egan’s Winter Tracks and Lesley Gore’s track on Carol Hall’s Hallways, she recorded and released her debut EP Breathing with Michele Brourman as arranger, accompanist and co-producer with Stephan Oberhoff. Energized by working with other performers, for six years she was the Associate Director of the Cabaret Conference at Yale University.
Ami Brabson
Vocalist
Ami Brabson is an actor, singer and producer. She played Vanessa on the final season of POWER (Starz Network). Other television credits include Judge Karyn Blake / LAW & ORDER SVU, Mary Pembleton / HOMICIDE: Life on the Streets, Judge Tchaikovsky / BULL, DAMAGES, THE JURY, LAW & ORDER and various Soap Operas. Ms. Brabson recently received the Award of Excellence for Outstanding Actress from Connecticut Critics’ Circle for her work in the highly-acclaimed production of AMERICAN SON at TheaterWorks Hartford. Brabson conceived, wrote and starred in the one-women shows PHENOMENAL WOMEN and A CHANGE IS GONNA COME which she has toured throughout the Northeast. The New York Premiere of TOUGH TITTY by Oni Faida Lampley was Brabson’s first project as a producer in which she also played the starring role. Other stage credits include: Mistress Ford in THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, Linda in CURVE OF DEPARTURE, Faye in Dominique Morisseau's SKELETON CREW, Quilly in John Henry Redwood's THE OLD SETTLER and Rose in August Wilson's FENCES. Ms. Brabson is an accomplished soprano and cabaret singer who has performed at New York City venues as varied as Merkin Concert Hall, The Metropolitan Room and Ashford & Simpson's Sugar Bar.
Eric Yves Garcia
Vocalist/Pianist
Eric Yves Garcia is an award-winning singer/pianist in NYC, as well as London and Paris. He is the proud recipient of the Margaret Whiting Award, a Bistro Award for Singer-Instrumentalist and was honored with the Donald F. Smith Award presented on stage at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Originally hired and mentored by Josephine Baker’s adopted son Jean-Claude, Eric was a longtime favorite and fixture at the keys of Chez Josephine, the beloved Theatre District haunt. He later enjoyed a 2 year residency in the Two E Lounge of the renowned The Pierre Hotel on Fifth Avenue, and appears weekly in venues across Manhattan. Across the US, whether in concert halls, universities, jazz clubs or countless private events, Eric has taken a bow at The Kravis Center, The O’Neill Center, The Historic Asolo Theatre, The Tilles Center, Ten Chimneys, The Brownville Concert Series, Barrington Stage Company and the Silver Seas Line. Within New York City, Eric has made multiple appearances at Carnegie Hall, 54 Below, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, Town Hall, Symphony Space, The Sheen Center and frequently guested in the smash burlesque revue, Polite Society. He has headlined at Bemelmans Bar and, most notably, the Café Carlyle. Overseas, Eric enjoyed several engagements in London at Crazy Coqs and The Pheasantry, as well as a happy series of week-long runs at Club Rayé in Paris’ Marais District.
James Horan
Pianist
James (Jimmy) Horan is all about the music. He has served as musical director, conductor, pianist, and arranger in New York (Meet Me in St. Louis, The Producers) and New Jersey theater venues (Paper Mill Playhouse) for over three decades. Jim recently arranged, musically directed, and accompanied "King (Carole) For A Day" in New York City, a benefit for Lifebeat, Inc. Jim has composed music and lyrics for three original theater pieces, most notably Chopin and Sand about the love affair between the great composer and the notorious writer. Holiday is based on the award winning Philip Barry play, which starred Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn on film. Jim is currently developing the book and score for Esquires, a satirical dark comedy based on his decade of experiences as a practicing attorney. Jim has performed as a singer and accompanist at leading New York City venues such as Danny's Skylight, The Duplex, Don't Tell Mama, Rose's Turn, and The Stonewall. His vocal and instrumental arrangements have been featured on critically acclaimed solo artist recordings, choral gospel and pop concerts on both the East and West coast, and by the Washington DC gay men's chorus.
Matthew Luminello
Vocalist
Matthew Luminello graduated from Mount St. Mary's University with a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts- Theater. Matt has enjoyed a diverse background of experiences in theater ranging from performing, to directing, theater education, and theater administration. Some of his favorite credits include Don Juan (Sganarelle), Urinetown: The Musical (Officer Barrell), Fuddy Meers (Millet) You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Linus) and directing Some Enchanted Evening: The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Since graduating from college, Matt has worked with the Broadway Teaching Group, the long running Off- Broadway hit STOMP, along with various other NYC companies.
Carolyn Montgomery
Vocalist
Carolyn Montgomery is a multi MAC, Bistro and Nightlife award winning singer/songwriter, who has performed in major venues across 36 states, Montreal and London. In 2017, she co-founded the American Songbook Association, a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization that promotes and preserves classic American musical legacies (Jazz, Musical Theatre and the American Songbook, old and new) through education programs, senior enrichment, live events, and Cabaret Scenes magazine. Now serving as Executive Director of the ASA, Carolyn creates programs that reach thousands of public school students annually, across all five boroughs of New York City and recently, Chicago. She employs some of New York’s finest entertainers as instructors and partners with some of New York’s most underserved communities, nurturing their students with music.
Susan Speidel
Vocalist
Susan Speidel is an actor, singer, director, producer, administrator and educator. As a performer, she has appeared off-Broadway in Olio: A Modern Vaudeville, and in Jesus Christ Superstar and The Student Prince at Paper Mill Playhouse where she also appeared in numerous concert events. She has played leading roles in productions at George Street Playhouse, the Forum Theatre, Light Opera of NJ, Surflight Theatre, Foundation Theatre, Chatham Playhouse, and Plays-in-the-Park in Edison, NJ, most recently playing the title role in Hello, Dolly!, for Capital Productions. She has been a guest soloist with the Seattle and Portland Symphonies and the Orchestra of St. Peter’s by the Sea. She also appeared in the inaugural concert of the Key West Pops Orchestra, returning to sing with them each season for more than 10 years. She has performed solo cabaret shows at The Paper Mill Playhouse Brookside Cabaret Concert Series, The Bickford Theatre at the Morris Museum, Key West's Tennessee Williams Performing Arts Center, the Actors Home in Englewood, NJ, Fellowship Village and at The Duplex, Judy's Chelsea, and Broadway Baby Bistro, in New York City. She has also appeared online on Virtual Piano Bar, with frequent collaborator Joseph Regan.
THOSE GIRLS
Vocal Group
THOSE GIRLS are a NYC based close harmony group that promises a great time filled with great music! Eve Eaton, Rachel Hanser, Karen Mack and Wendy Russell joined forces in 2016 to form this contemporary quartet that performs a wide and eclectic mix of styles - from pop to jazz, the Beatles to U2, country to rock, and everything in between. Their fresh takes on all things vocal have quickly made them a favorite coast to coast with audiences and critics alike, creating innovative shows that are fun, high-energy, insightful, and memorable. Watch for unique arrangements, lush harmonies, and their sense of humor in performances of all shapes and sizes. 2024 BEST NYC VOCAL GROUP BROADWAYWORLD.COM; 2023, 2020, 2018 and 2017 BEST VOCAL DUO/GROUP - MANHATTAN ASSOCIATION OF CABARETS (MAC) and 2020 BROADWAY WORLD CABARET AWARD FOR BEST GROUP SHOW!
Laurie Vega
Vocalist
Laurie Vega is a classically trained vocalist who hails from the sizzling streets of Spanish Harlem in New York City. She graduated from the famed High School of Music and Art and studied classical music at SUNY/New Paltz. Laurie performed throughout the village in NYC for ten years with an original blues/rock/rhythm and blues band, where she was the lead vocalist and doubled as a drummer. In 1996, Laurie moved to Florida, where she honed her jazz skills with composer, arranger, pianist, and orchestra conductor James Dale, who produced and recorded her first CD, “Baby, I Feel Like Jazz Tonight.” Laurie then teamed up with Larry Marshall, who was Joe Cocker’s pianist for many years. They performed regularly throughout Central Florida. Laurie also performed with successful convention bands and was a DJ at the local smooth jazz radio station, 103.1 WLOQ. Laurie moved back to NY in 2004 and continued her jazz/rhythm and blues; performances throughout NYC and now in NJ, where she currently resides and performs regularly with The Soul Experience Band.
Lisa Viggiano
Vocalist
Lisa Viggiano is a Bistro, MAC, and BroadwayWorld award winning artist. Recordings include ONE PRIVATE MOMENT: LIVE FROM DON'T TELL MAMA with Christopher Marlowe, INVITED TO STAY with Monroe Quinn & Tim DiPasqua, GANDHI/BUDDHA (single) with Jon Weber & Brian Sanders, RUBY'S HEART SONG with Debbie Nutley & Wells Hanley, and KEEPSAKE LULLABIES with Christopher Marlowe. She has performed as a singer/actor since childhood, sharing the stage and screen with talents such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Tom Hanks, Rita Moreno, and Bonnie Raitt. Viggiano has appeared coast to coast in rooms & theatres including Jazz at Lincoln Center, 54 Below, Don’t Tell Mama, The Duplex, The Triad, Baruch PAC, and The Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC; The Palace of Fine Arts, The Herbst Theatre, Marines' Memorial Theatre, and the legendary Plush Room in San Francisco; & The Gardenia in Los Angeles. Lisa has shared her memorable rendition of the National Anthem at sporting events for the NY Mets, NY Nets, NY Rangers, and NJ Devils. By day, Lisa uses her voice as a mindfulness mentor & coach, vocal coach, and speech/voice/reading therapist, helping her clients to discover their voices. A graduate of NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, Lisa has served as an NYU adjunct professor, specializing in vocal rehabilitation.
Lisa Yaeger
Vocalist
Lisa Yaeger is a 2018 Bistro Award winner for Outstanding Vocalist. She was nominated for a MAC Award for her debut show It Must Have Been Love in 2014. Her critically acclaimed show JERSEY GIRL ran for 5 performances in 2017 and was nominated for a Broadway World Award for Best Show of the Year. Lisa was named 1st runner up in the inaugural season of Mama's Next Big Act at NYC's Don't Tell Mama. She has performed at The Laurie Beechman, 54 Below, Pangea, Don't Tell Mama and The Metropolitan Room. A Crane School of Music graduate, she has toured nationally with Nickelodeon and performed various roles at many regional theaters. Her voice can be heard on PBS Kids and has been featured on the The Broadway Carols for the Cures CD.
Bob O'Hare
Vocalist
Bob O'Hare was born in Brooklyn, grew up in New Jersey, attended high school in New York, college in Jersey City, and law school in Newark. Prior to practicing law, he performed in regional summer stock theater, with leading roles in such shows as, Stop the World - I Want to Get Off, Company, Follies, Godspell, Fiddler on the Roof, and Guys and Dolls, and he has also been seen on television on Another World. He studied voice with the late Phil Campanella and Linda Burton at the Singers Forum. He made his cabaret debut in May 2009 with Home: A Musical Journey, followed by Recovery in 2013. His most recent show is We Take the Town: The Shows of Robert Preston, with his team of director Eric Michael Gillett and musical director Tom Nelson.
Mia Riker-Norrie
Vocalist
Mia Riker-Norrie is founding director of Opera Theatre of Montclair. As an opera singer, she was a Principal Soprano of regional companies in New York City and elsewhere, with more than 20 roles to her credit. As a voice teacher, she has 20 years of experience, including serving as a Music Director of Edgemont Montessori School's Afterschool Musicals Program (Montclair Public Schools). Her students have received scholarships for prestigious programs such as Temple University, Carnegie Mellon, Chicago College of Performing Arts, Manhattan School of Music Pre-college, Newark School of the Arts, American University, Oklahoma City University Summer Conservatory, Papermill Playhouse Summer Theatre Conservatory, Juilliard Summer programs and Peabody Institute.
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