The award-winning Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's in Studio City, CA, adds sizzle to its May headlining roster when regional musical theatre star Shaun Samaro, Television and Broadway star Dean Butler, and Theresa Anne Swain, winner of LA's Next Great Stage Star 2009, make their cabaret debuts at the trendy and immensely popular supper club.
Sunday, May 3 - SHAUN SAMARO began singing at age 3 and grew up performing on stages throughout Southern California's Inland Empire. His most recent credits include co-starring roles as "Reno" in The Wild Party, "Yurtle the Turtle" in Seussical: The Musical at Performance Riverside, and "Clifford Bradshaw" in Cabaret. Shaun has also opened for the Beach Boys at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium and was a top five finalist in LA's Next Great Stage Star 2009 produced by and presented at Sterling's Upstairs for six sold out nights in January. Mr. Samaro's cabaret debut, titled NewBeginnings, promises to deliver not only his acclaimed powerhouse vocals, but those of guest performers and southland musical theatre stars Bailey Quist and Kara Stephens. Noted television and film composer Steve Lang serves as Musical Director.
Saturday, May 9 - Dean Butler is best known for playing "Almanzo Wilder" on the long running, worldwide hit television family drama, Little House On The Prairie. Following Little House, Dean starred in The New Gidget, a situation comedy in which he played Jeff "Moondoggie" Griffin, the husband of America's favorite surfer girl portrayed by Broadway star Karen Richmond. He also played Buffy's often-absent father, "Hank" for seven seasons on Buffy The Vampire Slayer. On the legitimate stage, Mr. Butler starred internationally as "Tony" in the Jerome Robbins classic Westside Story. He also starred on Broadway as "Rapunzal's Prince" in Stephen Sondheim's Into The Woods with Phylicia Rash?d; and with Carol Burnett in a Los Angeles revival of another Sondheim classic, Company. In this headlining engagement, It's All About
Me, Mr. Butler makes his cabaret concert debut. Musical Direction is by 2008 Los Angeles Theatre Ovation Award nominee Steven Applegate (Cabrillo Music Theatre's Jekyll and Hyde). The
act has been written by television producer/writer Robin Bernheim (Star Trek: Voyager, Quantum Leap,Diagnosis Murder).
Saturday, May 16 - Theresa Anne Swain is a graduate of The Boston Conservatory. Credits include the Los Angeles premiere ofWhite Christmas at the Pantages Theatre; the national tour of Crazy for You; Guys and Dolls at Musical Theatre West and The Rubicon; the world premiere of Ginger and Me, and the Los Angeles revival of Dames at Sea at Glendale Center Theatre. Favorite roles include both "Millie" and "Miss Dorothy" in Thoroughly Modern Millie, "Carrie" in Carousel (Forestburgh Playhouse), "Anytime Annie" in 42nd Street, "Portia" in Cinderella (Tuacahn Ampithetheatre) "Grizabella" in Cats, "Irene" in Hello, Dolly! (Sierra Repertory Theatre) and lead roles in productions of Footloose, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Annie Get Your Gun starring Tom Wopat. Earlier this year, her dynamic vocals and unique sense of musical comedy earned her the coveted title of LA's Next Great Stage Star 2009 sponsored (in part) by the Sheraton Universal Hotel at Universal Studios.
An elite panel of 13 Broadway and Los Angeles Theatre Industry professionals and 600 audience members judged 18 competitors chosen from over 300 auditions. As a result, Ms. Swain received a six-month contract from Disney Theatrical Productions to star as "Diamond Lil" in The Diamond Horseshoe Revue at Tokyo Disneyland beginning later this year. Ron Snyder serves as Musical Director for Ms. Swain's cabaret debut at Sterling's in Confessions of a Stalk-a-holilc with special guest, musical theatre star Blake Pullen.
Current pricing at Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's is a $50 VIP Premium, Preferred Seating Package which includes a four-course, prix-fixe dinner with a choice from three entrees, plus a one hour performance; and a $25 General Admission package.
