And what 'A Grand Night for Singing' it turned out to be! Not opening on the usual note, Bruce Kimmel presented a video of his YouTube web series Outside the Box, Season 2, episode 1 guest starring Hal Linden, who was present in the audience. Hilarity is at the core here as Linden gets a phone call asking him to appear as Father Marren in The Exorcist the Musical, a true horror - no, not horrible - horror musical. The second scene is the actual shooting of his scene with Regan spewing green vomit to the music of one ridiculously funny original tune. Fun stuff which may be viewed on YouTube!
Kritzerland at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal presents Mostly Rodgers & Hammerstein (with a little Hart and a little Sondheim) The Songs of Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Lorenz Hart & Stephen Sondheim. Hosted by Bruce Kimmel, the concert is set for tonight, November 4, 2012 at 7:00 pm.
Kritzerland at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal presents Mostly Rodgers & Hammerstein (with a little Hart and a little Sondheim) The Songs of Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Lorenz Hart & Stephen Sondheim. Hosted by Bruce Kimmel, the concert is set for Sunday, November 4, 2012 at 7:00 pm.
The combination of music (mostly Broadway and Great American Songbook fare) and California gourmet cuisine at this North Hollywood, NoHo Arts District hot spot, registers cool chic as Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal which - by its very mission - engages thoughtful sensibilities and the good taste of its namesake and producer Michael Sterling. In other words, Sterling's offering of a west coast supper club with an east coast mentality translates to New York style cabaret planted smack dab in the middle of movie town, USA. And to seal the deal, talent like Lainie Kazan, Tony Award winners Faith Prince and Daisy Eagan; Tony nominee Euan Morton; Broadway's Kim Huber, Beth Malone, Jason Graae, Melody Hollis, Kay Cole, Ilene Graff, Cortes Alexander, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Bruce Kimmel's Kritzerland Records monthly salutes, and a host of other musical theatre A-listers from one side of the county to the have appeared on the stage at Sterling's. But they're not the only performers who illuminate Sterling's Upstairs (formerly housed at Vitello's Restaurant in Studio City, CA) now in its 6th year of operation, and 6th month at The Federal.
Simply to recite a list of the recently deceased Marvin Hamlisch's awards--three Oscars in 1973 for The Way We Were and The Sting; a Tony and Pulitzer Prize for A Chorus Line; three Emmys, two Golden Globes, four ASCAP awards, and a Grammy is enough the inspire awe. But as host Bruce Kimmel reminds us during the fabulous 26th Kritzerland Show at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal in NoHo on October 7, he had his share of flops too like The Goodbye Girl, or Jean Seberg. But even a flop show can have some beautiful songs in it, and Kimmel includes a number of these among the twenty selections offered.
On Sunday September 30 beautiful theatre star Juliana Hansen debuted her one-woman cabaret at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal. Directed by dynamic Bruce Kimmel and with sleek musical direction from A.J. Robb, Hansen literally had her audience eating out of her palm from the very top of the 70-minute gig. Ultra confident and never missing a beat, Hansen segued from song to story to song seemlessly. Her voice is as pure and fragile as porcelain - it is so beautiful, like that of Julie Andrews or Kristen Chenoweth, that she is a recording artist's dream, a true singer's singer. In her young career, she has been requested by Academy Award winning composer Richard B. Sherman to sing internationally for Disney in Concert and to premiere songs cut from Mary Poppins.
On Saturday September 8, Kritzerland live performance concerts turned two years old and Bruce Kimmel celebrated the event with a potpourri of The Songs That Got Away at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal, Kritzerland's newest monthly home base. Assisting Kimmel were regulars Dennis Kyle, Juliana Hansen, Jane Noseworthy, Lisa Livesay, joined this time by Kevin Symons, 13 year-old Jenna Rosen and sisters Sami and Sarah Staitman. There was not one guest star, not two, not three... but five, yes five and all exceptional talents: Back to the Future's favorite mom and TV's favorite Caroline in the City Lea Thompson, showboy Jason Graae and representing Ruthless, LA's 1993 runaway musical hit: Joan Ryan, Rita McKenzie and Lindsay Ridgeway.
Kritzerland at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal presents 'The Songs That Got Away' as part of Kritzerland's Two-Year Anniversary Celebration tonight, September 8, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. The concert features special guests Jason Graae, Rita McKenzie, Lindsay Ridgeway, Joan Ryan and Lea Thompson.
Kritzerland at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal presents 'The Songs That Got Away' as part of Kritzerland's Two-Year Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, September 8, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. The concert features special guests Jason Graae, Rita McKenzie, Lindsay Ridgeway, Joan Ryan and Lea Thompson.
Who was one of the most prolific singers of romantic pop in the 60s/70s/80s? And who created the little gems she sang? If you answered Dionne Warwick and Burt Bacharach, you win today's prize. Well, ...on Sunday, August 5 Bruce Kimmel's Kritzerland paid tribute to the musical genius that is Burt Bacharach - most songs with lyrics by Hal David - @ Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal. With a splendid group of singers that included Kim Huber, Danny Gurwin, Dennis Kyle, Jane Noseworthy, Daisy Eagan and Lisa Livesay...and Mr. Kimmel as congenial host, the evening was the 24th Kritzerland show, and most definitely one of its finest.
In honor of the newly remixed and remastered 1971 Original Broadway Cast Recording of FOLLIES, we're excited to present notes on the process by Kritzerland's Bruce Kimmel.
Melody Hollis, will make her desert debut in 'Melodyland' today, July 15, 2012 at 2 PM as part of the Sundays In Summer Cabaret Series presented by Les Michaels at the Joslyn Center's Arthur Newman Theatre.
On Sunday July 1 at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal Kritzerland presented its monthly salute to a composer, July's being renowned lyricist/librettist Alan Jay Lerner. If you remember, My Fair Lady with lyrics by Lerner and music by Frederic Loewe, was one of the most popular musicals in the world and its original cast album sold more copies internationally than any other musical show for over a year. Then there were the flops such as Lolita My Love, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Carmelina and Dance a Little Closer. Kritzerland likes to present some of the more beautiful songs that would otherwise be forgotten because their fate was to be part of a turkey. With wonderful Shelley Markham as musical director, Bruce Kimmel assumed his monthly position at the pulpit with great singing guests Kim Huber, Jane Noseworthy, Chelsea Emma Franko - winner of this year's LA's Next Great Stage Star 2012, Gordon Goodman, Dennis Kyle and special guest Andrea Marcovicci.
Melody Hollis, will make her desert debut in 'Melodyland' on Sunday, July 15, 2012 at 2 PM as part of the Sundays In Summer Cabaret Series presented by Les Michaels at the Joslyn Center's Arthur Newman Theatre.
Sandy Bainum: Something to Sing About comes to The Metropolitan Room tonight, June 17 at 9:30 PM. Tickets cost $15 with a 2 drink minimum. The Metropolitan Room is located at 34 West 22nd Street, New York, NY (between 5th and 6th Avenues).
Kritzerland Upstairs at Sterling's presents The Randy Newman Album tonight, June 3, 2012 - 7:00 pm. The show stars (in alphabetical order) Melody Hollis (Broadway: Susan,Irving Berlin's White Christmas; Annie, MusThWest), Dennis Kyle (Reprise's They're Playing Our Song; Rooster in Annie, Theater Aspen), Gia Mora (Three-time Helen Hayes Nominee; Sunset Boulevard, Signature Theatre), Leigh Ann Larkin (Broadway: Gypsy, Dainty June; A Little Night Music, Petra) and Stephen Van Dorn (Gerard, Lovelace: A Rock Opera; Rutledge, 1776, Actors Co-op), with music director Tom Griep and special guest and world-class guitarist and composer Grant Geissman.
Sandy Bainum: Something to Sing About comes to The Metropolitan Room on Sunday, June 17 at 9:30 PM. Tickets cost $15 with a 2 drink minimum. The Metropolitan Room is located at 34 West 22nd Street, New York, NY (between 5th and 6th Avenues).
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