A quintet of L.A.’s top musical theater stars take center stage on the 3rd Monday of every month to perform Broadway hits Past, Present, and Future at Sterling’s Upstairs At The Federal as the Foundation For New American Musicals treats audiences to the appropriately titled 3rd Mondays.

The concept is a simple one but quite possibly a first in the genre known as cabaret.

 Eric B. Anthony

Each performer sings three songs: one from a past Broadway hit, one from a show currently running on The Great White Way, and one from a musical in progress.

 Kevin Bailey

There’s more than a bit of definition-stretching where the first two categories are concerned, since I’m guessing most musical theater aficionados wouldn’t consider Newsies (2012-2014) or Legally Blonde (2007-2008) part of “Broadway’s Past,” or Hello, Dolly! (1964-1970) or Once On This Island (1990-1991) “Broadway’s Present,” no matter their current revivals.

 Benai Boyd

Still, it’s hard to complain when (at the 3rd Monday reviewed) you’ve got Payson Lewis bringing tears to the eyes with “Santa Fe” or Charlotte Mary Wen lighting up the stage with “So Much Better” or host Kevin Bailey bringing back memories with “It Only Takes A Moment” or Eric B. Anthony touching romantics’ hearts with “Some Girls,” not to mention Benai Boyd singing the living daylights out of the “The Oldest Profession” from the legitimately past-tense The Life (1997-1998).

 Payson Lewis

As for Broadway’s future, only time will tell whether selections from the as-yet unproduced Bitter Street (music and lyrics by Gary Cearlock), Molly House (music by Divya Maus, lyrics by Richard Hanson), an untitled Bettie Page musical (music by Gregory Nabours, lyrics by Tegan Summer), Marilyn! The New Musical (music by Nabours, lyrics by Summer), or a show about the lobotomized-at-23 Rosemary Kennedy (music and lyrics by Margaret Owens) will make it to 42nd Street and its environs, but with Foundation For New American Musicals giving composers and lyricists creative support, these works-in-progress are in the right hands to make it happen.

 Charlotte Mary Wen

With every single one of the February 19th cast a lead or featured performance Scenie winner (Anthony for Recorded In Hollywood: The Musical, Bailey for Insanity, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Miss Saigon, Boyd for Psyche: A Modern Rock Opera, Lewis for Dogfight and bare a rock musical, and Wen for Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), and with musical director Jennifer Lin (herself a Scenie winner for Promises, Promises and Do I Hear A Waltz?) providing pitch-perfect piano accompaniment every note of the way, this most recent 3rd Mondays cast could hardly be more crème-de-la-crème.

More importantly for the once-a-month series, given the quality and quantity of talent in and around L.A., future 3rd Mondays are likely to keep on delivering the entertainment goods in spades.

3rd Mondays is produced by Michael Donovan and Christopher Sepulveda.

Sterlings Upstairs At The Federal, 5303 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood.
http://nh.thefederalbar.com/

–Steven Stanley
February 19, 2018

Tags: Foundation For New American Musicals, Los Angeles Theater Review, Sterlings Upstairs At The Federal