Barbara Van Orden News

Executive Producers Michael Sterling of Michael Sterling Publicity and Production (www.msapr.net). and Barbara Van Orden (www.barbaravanorden.com) have announced that vocal auditions for the 10 year Anniversary of LA's Next Great Stage Star® will be held Sunday, December 13, 2015.  'Our annual auditions in search of 10 men and 10 women between 18 and 32 years of age, is highly anticipated by the hierarchy of those associated with the business of presenting Broadway musical theatre in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California said Sterling.  'We couldn't be more grateful to our professional colleagues and select corporate entities for their consistent support of Stage Star since its inception,' added Van Orden 

Founded by BroadwayWorld TV's own Michael Sterling (On-air Producer and Host for live entertainment news events in Los Angeles), Sterling's Upstairs first opened its doors at the renowned Vitello's Restaurant in Studio City, CA. where it single handedly brought back to Los Angeles the art of intimate upscale cabaret concerts which had all but vanished from the cultural scene in movie town, USA.  However, in due time, the venue was whole heartedly embraced by enthusiasts of LA's performing arts community and continued to thrive for 6 successful years in a former storage room that was transformed by Sterling into a true supper club environment.  

On Sunday July 12 the Pink Lady Jackie Goldberg and her producer partners Barbara Van Orden and Amanda Blake Secola presented their unique Senior Star Search competition for the very first year 2015 to a sold out crowd at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Barnsdall Park, Hollywood. It was such a resounding success, a real love affair with the public, that hopefully the event will be an annual occurrence. Seniors perform exceedingly well, as well as anyone at any age. Age has nothing to do with talent and drive, a fact which was assuredly proved during the course of this show. All contestants ranged in age from 55 and up with the oldest contestant Nick Pietroforte, age 86. Accompanist for the program was maestro par excellence Ron Snyder.

The Hollywood Museum is proud to offer an exclusive new exhibition - Reel to Real: Portrayals and Perceptions of Gays in Hollywood - an entertaining and informative retrospective of LGBT images in film and television throughout the decades. Check out photos from the event below!

Actress/producer/motivational speaker/champion of senior causes Jackie Goldberg, known more popularly as the Pink Lady and 'Pink' o her friends, has come up with yet another fantastic idea to help promote permanent senior entertainment in greater Los Angeles. The event is appropriately entitled Senior Star Search, a senior competition that will be held on Sunday July 12 at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre at Barnsdall Park, Hollywood. Co-producing the event will be actress/singer/humanitarian Barbara Van Orden, known for her outrageous Las Vegas night club act as well as her close involvement in producing LA's Next Great Stage Star held annually at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal in North Hollywood. Goldberg and Van Orden as co-producers of Senior Star Search wish to bring active, motivated seniors into local live entertainment. They are hopeful that more than 200 interested entertainers 55 or older will come forth to audition for the event on May 23rd and 24th.

Michael Sterling (Creator/Executive Producer) and Barbara Van Orden (Sponsor/Co-Executive Producer) proudly presented the critically acclaimed and highly anticipated LA's Next Great Stage Star competitions. The 2015 season began in January, in North Hollywood, CA. at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal.

On Sunday, February 8 LA's Next Great Stage Star 2015 came to an exciting conclusion at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal. After an amazing 90-minute program in which the 20 contestants gave 150% to their uptempo songs from Broadway shows, fourteen contestants were eliminated and the top six* finalists selected. After a brief intermission, the announcement was made and each of the six then proceeded to perform a second number after which the distinguished panel of 15 judges made the final decision. Musical director par excellence James Lent accompanied at the piano throughout the three hour show.

Loosely patterned after 'an audition process', this 9th annual fully produced event is geared to discovering new talent between the ages of 18 and 32 for the musical theatre stage.

Michael Sterling (Creator/Executive Producer) and Barbara Van Orden (Sponsor/Co-Executive Producer) proudly presented the critically acclaimed and highly anticipated LA's Next Great Stage Star competitions. The 2015 season began this weekend with its launch last Sunday, January 5th, in North Hollywood, CA. at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal. Scroll down for photos!

Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal, the most critically acclaimed, award-winning supper club of its kind in the greater Los Angeles area, has set Sunday, December 14, 2014 as auditions for its 9th consecutive year of LA's Next Great Stage Star, it was announced today by Executive Producer Michael Sterling of Michael Sterling Publicity and Production in Los Angeles, CA.

Jennifer Kranz, winner of LA's Next Great Stage Star 2014; and Stage Star top finalist Adrienne Visnic make their respective headlining debuts at Sterling's Upstairs November 16th and 23rd.

BWW TV's LA Correspondent/Co-Producer Michael Sterling and Videographer/Co-Producer Jordan Santacana were front and center with the stars attending the Actors Fund 18th Annual Tony® Awards Live Viewing Fundraising Party made possible by Tony® Awards Productions, Inc., the American Theatre Wing, the Broadway League, Direct TV and CBS. Wells Fargo presented the evening Sunday, June 8, 2014 at the Skirball Cultural Center's new Guerin Pavilion/Herscher Hall in Los Angeles which was reported by event producer Luke Yankee to have raised $300,000. Check out the video below!

There may not have been 76 trombones, but Florence Henderson and Constantine Maroulis did excellent impersonations of librarian Marian Paroo and Harold Hill of 'The Music Man' fame, as they lead a 28 piece marching Broadway band into the Skirball Cultural Center in the new Guerin Pavilion/Herscher Hall to begin an evening of co-hosting for the Actors Fund's 18th Annual Tony Awards® Party. Check out the photos below!

Jennifer Kranz, a senior at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles majoring in Theatre and minoring in Musical Theatre, emerged victorious Sunday, February 16th as LA's Next Great Stage Star® 2014 produced and presented by Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal, the most critically acclaimed concert supper club in the greater Los Angeles area.

Jennifer Kranz, a senior at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles majoring in Theatre and minoring in Musical Theatre, emerged victorious Sunday, February 16th as LA's Next Great Stage Star® 2014 produced and presented by Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal, the most critically acclaimed concert supper club in the greater Los Angeles area.

And the winner of the 8th annual LA'S NEXT GREAT STAGE STAR talent competition is Jennifer Kranz, a senior at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles majoring in Theatre and minoring in Musical Theatre. On Sunday, Feb 16th, Ms. Kranz and 19 other talented young professionals sang their hearts out for the coveted prize. As winner, Ms. Kranz awarded a cash prize of $1000; an upcoming paid headlining concert engagement at Sterling's Upstairs; a vocal demo recording session from Tom Griep's Audition Trax; a photo session with Isaac James Creative; and is already in the process of scheduling meetings to be signed and represented by one of the lucrative competition's Equity Agent/Judges as the first step toward a professional career in musical theatre, television and film. Scroll down for photos from the competition!

On Sunday, February 16 LA's Next Great Stage Star 2014 came to an exciting conclusion at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal. After an amazing two-hour program in which the 20 contestants gave 150% to their uptempo songs from Broadway shows, fourteen contestants were eliminated and the top six* finalists selected. After a brief intermission, each of the six then proceeded to perform a second number after which the distinguished panel of 18 judges made the final decision. Musical director par excellence James Lent accompanied at the piano throughout the three hour show.

The 2014 season continues this weekend after its launch last Sunday, January 5th, in North Hollywood, CA. at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal.