The Curtain Comes Down at The Gardenia, Open Mic

By Elliot Zwiebach

Photos by Craig Allyn Cochran

The songs at The Gardenia open mic have ended, but the memories definitely linger on. After a run of nearly 25 years, the open mic ended December 16, 2025 with a bang, as more than 50 singers—nearly double the usual weekly turnout—kept the joint jumping until 2 am. Five days later the hallowed West Hollywood venue shut its doors for good after 44 years, pending its sale.

It was unknown at press time who the new owner is or if they will want to house the open mic or cabaret itself in the facility, nor was it clear where the open-mic family might find an alternative space. The Gardenia, or more properly Tom Rolla’s Gardenia—an L-shaped restaurant/lounge with peach-covered walls—was opened in 1981 by former Broadway dancer Rolla. It was said to be the oldest continually running cabaret venue in the U.S., and the open mic has been a Tuesday-night fixture there since mid-2000. The open mic was started by MaryJo Mundy and the late Clifford Bell, with Mundy hosting for the first nine years and Keri Kelsey running the show since 2009. After Rolla died in late 2017, The Gardenia was run by his partner, Bruce Lohman, who opted to sell the club.

Over the years the open mic evolved from just piano accompaniment to a rotating combination of piano, bass, and occasional drums, plus a permanent guitarist, Dori Amarilio. For most regulars, the open mic was a place to practice their craft in a nurturing, supportive environment in a room where audiences actually listened. Despite profound sadness, most attendees said they feel extremely grateful for the music, the friendships, and the life-changing experiences they’ve shared with each other.

Keri Kelsey At the time I discovered cabaret, I was going through some personal issues and felt I was spiraling into a depression. That’s when I realized getting out and talking to people and singing were very healing. I tend to talk to myself anyway, so when I started hosting, it was the most incredible feeling to realize that I had somebody to talk to, and I knew this was what I was meant to be doing. It’s been so moving over the years to see someone who’s struggling come in to the open mic and push themselves and make it through a song knowing it might make a difference in other areas of their lives, and also to watch someone who may have always felt like an outcast because of the kind of music they like meet people that share their love of the Great American Songbook. And then finding this place, these people and such high-caliber musicians gave me joy down to the depths of my soul that’s greater than I ever could have imagined.

MaryJo Mundy Tom Rolla agreed to give us the time to build a following and didn’t pressure us about filling the house immediately. Over the years The Gardenia open mic became a night where musicians, singers, and fans bonded over a shared love of live music. You could hear seasoned veterans break your heart with a song, followed by an avid amateur getting their feet wet and growing their artistic voice. I will cherish forever the memories, music, and friendships we made there.

Teri Bond The Gardenia was an iconic, intimate venue that attracted a respectful listening audience. No matter what you sounded like or how new or seasoned a performer you were, you were always welcomed by the family. I’ll miss that family, who cheered me on as a new vocalist and helped me grow into a better musician.

Claude Hall I used to be very quiet because I didn’t think my voice mattered, but the open mic enabled people like me to find someplace welcoming where we could dare to express ourselves. It was a place where you could share your gift, knowing that it would be appreciated. I found a family of artists there who encouraged me to bloom.

Nora Paradiso For a long time I suffered from devastating stage fright. But at the open mic, with so much support from the family there, I got over my stage fright and felt safe. Now that master class in that grand small venue is over, and I wonder where I will feel that safe again.

Greg Glienna (who sang at the first open mic in 2000 and the last one) I kept coming back because of the music and the family. What I’ll miss most is the great musicians we had every week and the chance to try out new songs and to grow as a performer.

Dolores Scozzesi Most Tuesdays I was flying by the seat of my pants because I had no idea how a new song would go. It was a great opportunity to take risks. Even when I crashed, I learned to let go and laugh at how seriously I took myself.

Janet S. Blake I came to The Gardenia to sing but stayed for 14 years mostly to see and hear Keri Kelsey. Keri carries her own internal light that pulses with each expression and gesture of welcome. Between singers, she threaded the night with humorous, conversational patter about her days, and I could listen to those rambles forever.

Dan Mason I was newly returned to Los Angeles from New York and looking for a place to sing, and The Gardenia was a place to hone my craft. I’ve enjoyed meeting the different pianists that cycled through the room and pairing my sensibilities with theirs.

Jason Truong I was a little hesitant and nervous to go to the open mic at first, but when I finally worked up the courage to stop in, I fell in love with the atmosphere, the musicians, and Keri, and I relished the opportunity to play with high-caliber musicians in hopes some of their talent might rub off on me. Learning how to adjust on the fly and being able to fully relax while having some of the best players I’ve ever heard backing me up was truly a euphoric, rare, and priceless experience.

Ian Douglas I met a makeshift family at the open mic, glued together by stellar musicians and the delightfully funny and warm Keri Kelsey. People actually listened to each other there and stayed for everyone else’s song, and I ended up coming back almost every week and making a bunch of new friends. That club and the wonderful people pulled in by its gravity made me a better singer and performer.

Ana Nusa Kalanj (writing on FB) The Gardenia was a place of magic. Now that I’m [back in my native Slovenia] doing music for a living, I don’t know where I’d be without those open-mic experiences. I got to perform my own songs every Tuesday night in front of an audience with a professional band without rehearsing, and there is simply no better practice a musician could have. (Photo by Jan Hauschen)

Tim Moore (who created his own open mic in San Diego 16 years ago after several visits to The Gardenia.) The family Keri managed to pull together under that roof was nothing short of remarkable. I was dumbfounded at the intimate surroundings, thetalent, and the polish. Egos were checked at the door. Everyone was so welcoming and available to chat with no pretense. It didn’t take long to feel a genuine acceptance from virtually everybody. (Photo courtesy of Tim Moore)

Janna Kefalas What I loved most was the feeling of community and the shared love of music and art. You felt a true sense of camaraderie and support in the room, and with a mix of hardcore regulars and curious newbies, everyone got a warm welcome.

Claudia Koval I had met one of the open-mic pianists who suggested I come sing on a night he would be playing. That night changed my life. Everyone was so friendly and supportive, and I was dazzled by the dazzling Keri Kelsey. One by one I met more and more amazing and talented people, each of whom had their unique way of sharing their hearts through their music. (Photo courtesy of Claudia Koval)

Meghan Kirk One of the things I loved most about the open mic was being introduced to so many wonderful songs—songs you don’t hear very often. It was like going to a living library—discovering new tunes and witnessing endlessly creative interpretations of old ones. (Photo courtesy of Meghan Kirk)

Tom Culver I’ve seen and heard amazingly talented performers there, many just beginning their careers, and it was wonderful to watch these friends grow. Seeing all the wonderful people week after week and working with some of the best musicians in the Los Angeles area was heaven.

Gary Kaplan Those weekly gatherings were not only a wondrous way to sharpen your repertoire but they also became a sort of musical Cheers as our songs, patter, and lives became intermingled.

Judy Barrat (who shared her poetry at the open mic.) The Gardenia’s closing brings a deep sadness but also a deep gratitude for what it has provided—a true family of friends who have enabled each other to be fearless in presenting whatever talents or dreams they have.

Phyllis Causey (on FB) When I think of The Gardenia, I think of home, where there was love overflowing. Suddenly that world is gone, but we are all better because we were at The Gardenia.

Craig Pomranz (the New York-based singer who performed at The Gardenia over 17 years and always participated in the open mic the week of his shows.) The Gardenia was my home away from home. Though its doors have closed, what lived inside those walls will never leave me. The memories linger, carried in song, in laughter, and in the quiet that filled the room when music truly mattered. There was something rare and beautiful there—an intimacy that made every note feel intentional, where every moment shared a profound love of music binding us together.

Sandra Piller I went to the open mic to have a place to sing to an audience and to share my music for the joy it brings me and hopefully others. I’ll miss the surprise of new people coming in and blowing us away and the various musicians I got to work with over the years. We became a family, and I’ll miss the weekly opportunities of being with everyone, of celebrating with them when good things happened, and being there for each other when we lost a friend.

Andrew Appel My life was changed the first night I was introduced to the Los Angeles cabaret community at the open mic. That community gave me friendships and opportunities as a performer and a creative person that I would never have gotten otherwise. The community cultivated at that open mic was so strong, even a pandemic could not stop the regulars from gathering every week on Zoom. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Appel.)

Charlotte Carpenter Lewis I cried the first time I sang at The Gardenia, overwhelmed by the experience and the warm response, and I cried the last time I sang there. It was a safe place to succeed and sometimes fail, but always with the support of people I admired and liked. I believe the friendships will endure and the professional associations will continue. I’m forever grateful I got to be a small part of this extraordinary venue, and I will treasure the memories always.

Laurel Meade The open mic became a game changer for me as I immediately became obsessed. I was developing an early iteration of my show about Sophie Tucker, and I literally could not have honed it without the weekly experiences at the open mic. I kept coming back both for the intensely supportive atmosphere and for the stunning quality of the musicians, who would gently, lovingly say “yes” to any kind of song you wanted to do, all on the fly.

Christel Alexander I’ll miss going to that familiar place where you could reconnect with friends and where we all appreciated and cheered each other on to continue creating and performing the art of contemporary cabaret.

Karen Celeste Kruz The Gardenia open mic gave me a very beautiful feeling, the kind of love that never leaves. Though the venue might change, I hope the family will be together again.

Elliot Zwiebach As a newly minted reviewer for Cabaret Scenes magazine, I walked into the open mic in 2009 to get familiar with the singers in the cabaret community. But when Keri asked me a few weeks later, “Do you sing?”—to which the answer was a resounding “NO!”—she completely changed my life because something clicked and I went on this journey called “singing” with a spirit and passion and excitement I never knew I could have.

Craig Cochrane This has been a great chapter, but all good things come to an end. We’re all on our own musical journeys, and this is the close of our magical Gardenia era.

Alicia de Soto I went to the open mic as often as I could, and Keri’s gracious hosting, the supremely talented musicians, and the high caliber of singers kept me coming back. The Gardenia has literally been part of the landscape of my entire adult life. It gave the neighborhood a sense of place while everything around it changed. I will miss the outside as much as
I already miss the inside.