Peter Welkin

(mostly)musicals is PANTING to tell you about our NEXT edition - DOG DAYS of Summer (an off-the-leash cabaret) on Monday, 8.12.19!

On Sunday, June 30 LA's Next Great Stage Star 2019 Presented by Princess Cruises came to a conclusion on the Debbie Reynolds Mainstage of the El Portal Theatre in NoHo. After a 90-minute program in which this year's 12 contestants* gave 150% to their monologues and songs from Broadway shows, eight contestants were eliminated and the top four finalists were selected. There was a problem in that in collecting the ballots, there was only a majority for 2 contestants. Audience and judges were alerted, time was alloted and ballots were collected once more to pick the other 2 contestants. This added a good half hour to the proceedings. Then each of the four proceeded to perform a second number after which the distinguished panel of judges made the final decision. Musical director par excellenc

(mostly)musicals returned to Upstairs at Vitello's on Monday April 8, 2019 with an exciting evening featuring songs about change of all kinds. Scroll down for photos of the night!

Creator, Director and Executive Producer Michael Sterling, along with Co-Executive Producer Barbara Van Orden and Associate Producer Peter Welkin have announced that auditions for LA's Next Great Stage Star 2019 Presented by Princess Cruises will take place Saturday, April 20th and Saturday April 27th between 11am and 6 :00 pm in North Hollywood, CA at Madilyn Clark Studios. The critically acclaimed Broadway Musical Theatre competition will be presented as a series of six 1:00 pm Sunday matinees at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood's NoHo Arts District beginning May 26th and continuing through June 2nd, June 9th, June 16th, and June 23rd, ending with the Grand Finale on June 30th, thus marking the event's 13th consecutive anniversary year.

Creator, Director and Executive Producer Michael Sterling, along with Co-Executive Producer Barbara Van Orden and Associate Producer Peter Welkin have announced that auditions for LA's Next Great Stage Star 2019 Presented by Princess Cruises will take place Saturday, April 20th and Saturday April 27th between 11am and 6 :00 pm in North Hollywood, CA at Madilyn Clark Studios. The critically acclaimed Broadway Musical Theatre competition will be presented as a series of six 1:00 pm Sunday matinees at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood's NoHo Arts District beginning May 26th and continuing through June 2nd, June 9th, June 16th, and June 23rd, ending with the Grand Finale on June 30th, thus marking the event's 13th consecutive anniversary year.

'LAs Next Great Stage Star is more than a competition - it is an experience, deeply felt and expressed by these super-talented young people who are the new faces of our business. If this is any indication, the future of theatre is in good hands!!' - Multi-Million selling recording artist and author, Sam Harris

On Monday, August 27 LA's Next Great Stage Star 2018 Presented by Princess Cruises came to a thrilling conclusion on the Debbie Reynolds Mainstage of the El Portal Theatre in NoHo. After a very entertaining 90-minute program in which the 10 contestants gave 150% to their monologues and songs from Broadway shows, eight contestants were eliminated and the top two finalists were selected. It was then decided,  from the consensus of the judges, to add a third runnerup. Then each of the three proceeded to perform a second number after which the distinguished panel of judges made the final decision. Musical director par excellence Jennifer Lin accompanied at the piano throughout the three hour show.

The thespian spirits of the many theatrical greats that have graced the boards of at the historic El Portal Theater, including the main stage's namesake Debbie Reynolds, could be felt as the annual 6 week long production of LA's Next Great Stage Star launched last night (Monday, July 23rd) to standing ovations for the lucky few talented individuals selected from a long a grueling audition process.

Auditions for LA's Next Great Stage Star 2018 Presented by Princess Cruises will take place Saturday, July 7 and Sunday, July 8, 2018 in North Hollywood, CA. The critically acclaimed competition will be presented July 23rd through August 27th at the historic El Portal Theatre located in North Hollywood, thus marking the event's 12th consecutive anniversary year.

A LITTLE NEW MUSIC returned to the historic Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood on Monday, August 21st with its fifteenth concert featuring emerging musical theatre artists. Co-hosts, Tony Award winner Marisa Jaret Winokur (HAIRSPRAY) and Ryan O'Connor ('BIG LITTLE LIES,' 'LADYWATCH' podcast), delighted the audience with context and humor between numbers. Gregory Nabours and the dynamic ALNM band (Eric McCann, Emily Rosenfield, and Greg Sadler) provided excellent backup to the singers performing the next generation of musical theatre songs. 

(mostly)musicals returned to the E Spot Lounge on Monday, May 22nd, for its 23rd edition, titled '*in dreams*.' BroadwayWorld has photos from the dreamy night below!

It takes a village to create a new musical. And it takes a village like A LITTLE NEW MUSIC to give musical theatre writers a place to showcase new material while their Broadway-hopeful shows are in development. Meet Peter Welkin, Christopher Maikish, Luke Klipp, Amy Francis Schott, and Kila Packett from A LITTLE NEW MUSIC.

On Sunday, February 19 LA's Next Great Stage Star 2017 Presented by Princess Cruises came to an uber exciting conclusion at the Colony Theatre. After a very entertaining 90-minute program in which the 18 contestants gave 150% to their uptempo songs from Broadway shows, thirteen contestants were eliminated and the top five finalists selected during the first intermission. It was then decided, like the last two years from the consensus of the judges, to add a sixth contestant. Then each of the six proceeded to perform a second number after which the distinguished panel of 18 judges made the final decision during the second intermission. Musical director par excellence Richard Berent accompanied at the piano throughout the three hour show.

Loosely patterned after 'an audition process', this 11th annual fully produced event is geared to discovering new talent between the ages of 18 and 32 for the musical theatre stage. This year once again the contest is generously sponsored/presented by Princess Cruises. As has become the standard, approximately 20 contestants compete for the title, a $2500 cash prize, a headlining engagement at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal during the New Year, professional representation in the business of  musical theatre, and other valuable prizes. To date, over a dozen former contestants have already made their Broadway and/or Off-Broadway debuts; while nearly another 100 have either starred in Broadway U.S. National Tours; Regional U.S. Musical Theatre productions; Las Vegas Hotel sit-downs of Broadway Musicals; on board in lavish production shows presented by some of the world's most prestigious cruise lines; or have starred on stages at numerous Southern California Theme Parks such as Disneyland's California Adventure and Lego Land. Internationally, Tokyo Disney is also host to Stage Star talent. 

A LITTLE NEW MUSIC returned to the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood on Monday, November 14th at 8:30pm for another stellar showcase of emerging musical theater writers, featuring performers from Broadway and beyond.

Actress/singer Maggie Randolph won the prestigious LA's Next Great Stage Star 2016 last winter. Upon witnessing her amazing vocal range and spunky personality laced with oodles of warmth, it is easy to understand why. On Sunday November 20, Randolph premiered her LA Cabaret show Home Again to an SRO audience at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal. Accompanying her at the piano were musical director Richard Berent, Kerry Fenster on guitar and Ksenia Rozhdestvenskaya on violin. Needless to say, they all made beautiful music together in the hour long set. The entire evening was directed with great fervor by Peter Welkin.

Maggie Randolph, winner of LA's Next Great Stage Star® presented by Princess Cruises, celebrates her 2016 win of the competition with her first ever solo headlining concert "Home Again" at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal Sunday, November 20, 2016. The much anticipated event is directed by Peter Welkin, with Musical Direction by Richard Berent (piano) and musical support by Kerry Fenster (guitar) and Ksenia Rozhdestvenskaya (violin); Special guest stars Sara Gonzales and Charlotte Mary Wen (LA's Next Great Stage Star 2013) will also be featured. Tickets are available at BrownPaperTickets.com.

On Monday, June 27, A LITTLE NEW MUSIC debuted in its new venue, the historic Catalina Jazz Club, showcasing the best of new musical theatre songwriting with an incredible cast of Broadway and LA talent. Comedian, actress, and writer Chris Farah ('Superstore,' 'Modern Family,' 'Chelsea Lately,' solo show/cult character FANCY!) hosted the evening alongside the ALNM band (Will Yanez, Eliana Athayde, and Alex Stickels) and resident musical director Bryan Blaskie.

Reidling Entertainment announced the return of the television series 'BoysTown' to the cable network OUTtv that currently airs in Canada and Europe.

LA's consistently popular concert series A LITTLE NEW MUSIC, featuring the latest new musical theater songs, returned on Tuesday, March 8, to another sold out house at Rockwell: Table & Stage with an exciting program of music from writers across the nation. BroadwayWorld has photos from the concert below!