FULL CIRCLE- A Magical Musical Night 40 Years in the Making at El Portal Theatre

Brian took the long road home and after leaving performing over 40 years ago, he returns to the stage in the scripted one-man show FULL CIRCLE. An Internationally well regarded entertainment executive he is A multi-disciplinary producer, writer and strategist, and has spent his career at the forefront of innovation and storytelling. His work in theater, television, emerging & new media and immersive media has enabled the building and extension of story worlds and brands. Hurst has held leadership positions in the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Board and Second Vice Chair), the Producers Guild of America (Board and Chairman, New Media Council) and the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Digital Ambassador). He is nothing short of grateful and exhilarated to be returning to his first love.

Ariana Molkara is a multi-talented actress, singer-songwriter, and writer who began performing at the age of five in Southern California. She has starred in numerous theatrical productions, including West Side Story as Maria, and launched her professional career at seven with commercials and award-winning short films. Her breakout came when she was cast in Septembers of Shiraz, acting alongside Adrien Brody, Salma Hayek, and Shohreh Aghdashloo. Ariana later landed a series regular role as “Darby” on Nickelodeon’s Warped and appeared in shows such as Andi Mack, Code Black, and Speechless. She also lends her voice to major projects including Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and Cookie Run: Kingdom. A classically trained vocalist, Ariana has won multiple national gold medals from The Royal Conservatory of Music and performed at Carnegie Hall and USC’s Newman Recital Hall. She became a top 10 finalist in BroadwayWorld’s Next On Stage competition and released her award-winning debut single “Birdies Gotta Fly” in 2022. Ariana’s pop music draws from country, R&B, and rock influences. Now attending the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, she is also a published author, with her writing featured in the anthology "We Can Still Connect."

Lee Martino is a four-time Los Angeles Ovation Award-winning choreographer whose work spans stage, screen, and television. Her credits include Shall We Dance on Ice (NBC), commercials for Jenny Craig (with Jason Alexander) and Target (featuring Kristen Bell), and the animated films The King and I (Warner Bros.) and Alpha and Omega 3D (Lionsgate). Stage highlights include Falling for Eve (York Theatre), Life Without Makeup with Rita Moreno (Berkeley Rep), and the Dreamgirls Reunion Concert at the Ford Amphitheatre with Jennifer Holliday, Loretta Devine, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. She has choreographed dozens of acclaimed productions for Musical Theatre West, McCoy Rigby, Pasadena Playhouse, and Reprise Theatre Company, where she was resident choreographer under Jason Alexander. Her work has also been featured in benefit galas for the Writers Guild Awards, The Big Bang Theory cast, and the John Wayne Cancer Institute. Martino has directed large-scale shows for Harley-Davidson, Disney, Universal, and Hilarity for Charity with stars like James Franco and Courtney Love. She also leads The Lyric Project with ASCAP, supporting new musical theatre works. She holds a master’s degree in dance and teaches at UCLA TFT and Mt. San Antonio College.

Michael Orland is best known as the long-time Pianist, Arranger, Vocal Coach, and Associate Musical Director for the hit TV show American Idol, where he served for 16 seasons on both FOX and ABC. His work extended to coaching roles on Little Big Shots and Forever Young with Steve Harvey, and America’s Got Talent (Seasons 1 & 2). Michael has been featured on Oprah, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, The Ellen Show, Live with Kelly, The Today Show, and more. He’s accompanied and coached an impressive list of stars, including Kristen Bell, Ariana Grande, Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Jennifer Holliday, Katharine McPhee, and Barry Manilow. He made his Hollywood Bowl debut with MGM legend Ann Miller and has played for iconic stage productions like Forbidden Broadway, Ruthless!, and When Pigs Fly. Michael was Associate Musical Director on NBC’s Hairspray Live and a rehearsal pianist for Netflix’s The Prom. He’s worked with Broadway greats Patti LuPone and Bernadette Peters, and TV stars including Eric McCormack and Amber Riley. In addition to his television and stage work, Michael continues to perform, music direct, and coach across the country, inspiring the next generation of vocal talent.