faculty
Tapping into Los Angeles' wealth of industry professionals, we provide kids and teens a unique opportunity to gain quality instruction in the Art of Cabaret, to discover, develop and express their own creative abilities, while working with some of the best names in the business.
directors
guest artists
Our guest artists work with students in groups and individually on their chosen material. Some of our guest artists have included...
Linda Purl
Perhaps best known for her role as Charlene Matlock in 'Matlock', Linda Purl is an accomplished singer and has performed in concerts across the country. She has performed her cabaret act at The Rose Tattoo, The Cinegrill, The Gardenia and The Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, as well as Town Hall and 88’s in New York. Purl currently tours with her cabaret concerts Midnight Caravan – Celebrating the Great Ladies of the Glamorous Nightclub Era and Up Jumped Spring. Solo albums are Alone Together, Out of this World—Live Midnight Caravan and just released Up Jumped Spring. Past concert venue appearances include Lincoln Center Jazz, Feinstein’s in NY, Naples Philharmonic, Catalina Jazz Club in LA, Crazy Coqs in London, Club Raye in Paris and Satin Doll in Tokyo.
Linda has over thirty television and cable movie credits to her name. They include 'Born Free 2' for ABC, 'The Last Days of Pompeii' for ABC (with Sir Lawrence Olivier), 'Accidental Meeting' for USA Cable, Danielle Steele’s 'Secrets' for NBC and 'Absolute Truth.'
Linda has received six Dramalogue BEST ACTRESS Awards and two Dramalogue BEST PRODUCTION Awards as a Producer. She is a three time nominee of the Los Angeles, Drama Critics Circle Award for BEST ACTRESS and was the recipient of the Connecticut Critics Award for OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY for 'The Baby Dance.' Linda founded the Colorado Festival of World Theatre and served as its Founding Executive Director.
Baby Jane Dexter
Baby Jane Dexter was a well-known cabaret artist of the highest calibre, delivering riveting performances at venues like Eights, The Russian Tea Room, The Village Gate, the Seaport Jazz Festival, The Blue Note in Manhattan, Blues Alley in Washington DC, and King of France Tavern in Annapolis' Maryland Inn. She has appeared at the Cinegrill in Los Angeles, the Plush Room in San Francisco, and Toulouse Cognac Bar in Chicago.
She has won the Backstage Bistro Award and she is a multiple winner of the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC) Female Vocalist of the Year award. In 1998, she won the MAC Award for Best Major Pop/Rhythm & Blues Performer. In 1999, she won that award for the second time.
She also developed a motivational workshop program, "Healing Through Entertainment -- A Motivational Performance Art Experience For Women". Baby Jane emphasizes being positive, talking through problems, loving and not hating, using a powerful communication of personal stories, songs, love.
Terrie Richards
Her voice has been labeled, "A refreshing, warm sound in jazz." Starting with her roots in traditional jazz and coming up through swing, blues and contemporary music, Terrie Richards has attained a level of quality and versatility shared by few in the vocal music scene.
Born and raised in Sacramento, California, Terrie began singing professionally at age fifteen, after early encouragement from her father, a traditional jazz pianist. She started with Dixieland and gradually moved to mainstream material.
In 1982, Alden moved to Orlando, FL, where she worked with Harry Allen at Disneyland. One result of that collaboration was a 1982 recording with Allen, Feeling Groovy, for the Disney label. In 1986, she signed a contract with the Village Lounge, the Disneyland jazz nightclub. Over the years, she sang there with Wild Bill Davison, Don Scaletta, Milt Hinton, Ralph Sutton, Bob Haggart and Joe Bushkin.
In the early '90s, Alden moved to New York after marrying jazz guitar great Howard Alden. In the Big Apple, she's worked with such jazz notables as Dick Hyman, Peanuts Hucko, Ken Peplowski, Randy Sandke, and Jake Hanna. In addition to the Disney recording, Terrie has appeared with tenor man Rex Allens in 1994 on his Swing Express album for Nagel-Heyer and on his "I Cried for You" for the Mastermix label. For Nagel-Heyer, she was on drummer Butch Miles' 1995 release, Cookin'. In May of 1998, Nagel-Heyer released Alden's first solo album, "Voice With a Heart", sharing billing with the Warren Vache Quartet, which included her husband.
Joey D'Auria
Joey D'Auria is an Emmy Award-winning comedian and character actor, known to television audiences as Bozo the Clown. Joey performed Bozo for 17 years on WGN-TV, receiving five Mid-west Emmy Awards in addition to countless nominations for both his performance and comedy writing. He has performed in improvisational theater, stand-up comedy and Musical Revues throughout the US.
D'Auria became the Master of Ceremonies and Host of THE TIN PAN ALLEY ROOM where he co-founded and was a featured player with the VARIETY ARTS RADIO THEATER recreating classic radio shows from the 30's, 40's and 50's.
He has also made appearances on television's ALICE, starring Linda Lavin, and performed in stage productions of "THE WATER ENGINE" by David Mamet and Moliere's "THE MISER" with the acclaimed ODYSSEY THEATER.
He is the author of two books chronicling comedy through the spoken word, recurring guest as Dr. Flame-O on Johnny Carson, and grand prize winner of Chuck Barris’ Gong Show. He is an Emmy Award-winning comedian and character actor, known to television audiences as Bozo the Clown. Joey performed Bozo for 17 years on WGN-TV, receiving five Mid-west Emmy Awards in addition to countless nominations for both his performance and comedy writing. He has performed in improvisational theater, stand-up comedy and Musical Revues throughout the US.
D'Auria became the Master of Ceremonies and Host of THE TIN PAN ALLEY ROOM where he co-founded and was a featured player with the VARIETY ARTS RADIO THEATER recreating classic radio shows from the 30's, 40's and 50's.
He has also made appearances on television's ALICE, starring Linda Lavin, and performed in stage productions of "THE WATER ENGINE" by David Mamet and Moliere's "THE MISER" with the acclaimed ODYSSEY THEATER.
He is the author of two books chronicling comedy through the spoken word, recurring guest as Dr. Flame-O on Johnny Carson, and grand prize winner of Chuck Barris’ Gong Show.
professional affiliations
