Los Angeles News: March/April 2015

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Barbara Cook has been added to the lineup at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills 3/10. John Pizzarelli and Ramsey Lewis pay tribute to Nat King Cole at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts 3/20. Jane Monheit celebrates the jazz of Judy Garland at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa 3/13 & 14. Wrapping up news from the performing arts centers, Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich were joined by guests Scott Coulter, Jessica Snow Wilson, Gwen Hollander and Adam Hunter at their terrific show at the Pepperdine Center for the Arts in Malibu.

Richard Herd, who made a delightful solo debut at Tom Rolla’s Gardenia last year, returns with a new show, Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive 3/6 & 7. David Lucky returns there 3/13 & 14 and Janet S. Blake makes her solo debut at the Gardenia 3/20. John Bucchino will conduct a master class at the Gardenia and then head to Rockwell Table & Stage 3/17 to present an evening of his songs. Also coming to Rockwell are Emily Skinner 3/2 and Nicole Parker 3/9.

The Friends of Greystone cabaret series at Greystone Mansion, which I produce, continues 3/28 with a performance by Ray Jessel. Sheila E has taken over the Upstairs at Vitello’s space and has renamed it E Spot Lounge. Laure Zaehringer paid tribute to June Christy there recently and a tribute to Women in Jazz is set for 3/1 with Corky Hale among the performers and Catalina Popescu of Catalina Jazz Club among the honorees. The new Dave Koz Lounge at Spagehettini Beverly Hills has Gabriel Johnson and the New Rat Pack with guest Spencer Day set for 3/4 & 11. Seth MacFarlane returns to Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Jazz Grill 3/1.

Donny Most has done shows at several clubs around town recently and he will be back at Catalina Jazz Club 3/1 with special guest Sarah Spiegel on stage instead of at her usual place waiting tables there. Molly Ringwald has been all over the country in support of her new CD. She returns to Southern California with appearances at Martini’s Above Fourth in San Diego 3/5 and Catalina Jazz Club 3/8. Lynda Carter is back at Catalina’s 3/27 & 28 and Pia Zadora returns 4/8. Steven Brinberg brings Simply Barbra to Martini’s 3/26 and my Cabaret Scenes colleague, Harold Sanditen, is there 4/9 and at Rockwell Table & Stage 4/14.

Les Traub

Les Traub has been covering the cabaret scene for over twenty years. He is a co-founder and President of Cabaret West and has produced cabaret shows at the Jazz Bakery, Cinegrill, Gardenia, El Portal Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse and at UCLA. He co-produced and wrote a Sammy Cahn tribute show at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. He is Chairman of the Board of Musical Theatre Guild, where he co- produced Sail Away, High Spirits, Little Mary Sunshine and Street Scene at the Alex Theatre. He has lectured on cabaret in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Connecticut. .