Janet Krupin named LA's Next Great Stage Star

Upon the conclusion of the January 3rd Finale of a weekly six week competition among 18 contestants at Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's in Studio City, CA, the spectacular, collective performances of Janet Krupin earned her the coveted title of LA's Next Great Stage Star 2010.


A Cinematic Arts, Critical Studies major at the University of Southern California with a double minor in Musical Theatre and Philosophy, Ms. Krupin raised the bar at the annual theatre talent competition/showcase which has become the most high profile and rewarding event of its kind in Los Angeles since its inception in 2006.

On Sunday afternoon, Krupin took the top award after giving two astounding performances with a soaring "Out of the Blue" from Lippa's The Wild Party and a tour-de-force with "How Lucky Can You Get" from Funny Lady.

Vocalists Domonique Paton (2nd place), Taylor Tracey (3rd place), and Derek Klena and Raquel Sandler (who tied for 4th place) completed the competition's top five finalists with stunning performances of their own.

Producers Michael Sterling and Tony Monsour report that they were inundated with correspondence by theatre agent/judges throughout the day, with regard to not only Ms. Krupin and the top four finalists, but other competitors as well.

"It's a joyful experience to produce this competition for the Los Angeles-based Broadway musical theatre community," says Sterling. "It's not only a thrill to discover new and exciting young talent and present them to a diverse panel of judges who can further their career by actually hiring them or signing them for representation, but it's a platform for the talent to be seen repetitively, week after week by professionals they may (otherwise) never encounter."

"The event is conducted before a panel of four judges at each competition for the first five weeks," adds Monsour. "Then all of the judges return for the Finale. "Scored not only by the judges, but a loyal audience at each competition, we intentionally have no eliminations until the Finale to allow for maximum growth of the competitors as a result of the judges' immediate, live, post performance feedback."

As LA's Next Great Stage Star 2010, Ms. Krupin was awarded a $1000 cash prize, an equally lucrative, paid headlining engagement at Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's to be scheduled before or by May of this year. As a sponsor of the event, the Sheraton Universal Hotel, located adjacent to Universal Studios, will provide the talented brunette with dinner for two at the hotel's signature "Californias" Restaurant, and an overnight stay in a beautifully appointed Suite to coincide with her debut at Sterling's.

Additionally, Ms. Krupin and ...Stage Star's top four finalists will receive private, general auditions with Julia Flores (casting for McCoy Rigby Entertainment at the La Mirada Performing Arts Center and other producing entities); Steven Glaudini - Associate Artistic Director/Producer for Musical Theatre West in Long Beach; and Lewis Wilkenfeld - Artistic Director for Cabrillo Music Theatre in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Born in the desert of the Evergreen State, Janet Krupin grew up in Tri-Cities, Washington and has been onstage since age 8. At 18, she moved to Los Angeles to attend USC. She has over twelve years training as a classical soprano and is a 5-time gold medalist and Adjudicators' Choice at the Northwest Music Festival for her performances. More recently, she was honored as StageScene LA's Best Featured Actress for her performance as "Anita" in West Side Story presented by Musical Theatre of Los Angeles during 2008 at the Hudson Backstage Theatre.

Special Guest Star entertainment was provided by Broadway vocalist Janene Lovullo, actor/comedian and LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award nominated actor Paul Stroili, and ...Stage Star's Musical Director James Lent who holds a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Piano Performance from Yale University.

LA's Next Great Stage Star 2010 Professional Judges included:

Jodie Bowman - Equity Department Agent - Kazarian/Spencer/Ruskin & Associates.

Stephanie Coltrin - Artistic Director - The Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center.

Steven Dry - West Coast Senior Theatre Agent - Schiowitz, Connor, Ankrum, Wolf, Inc.

Alexis Gershwin - Concert star and niece of George and Ira Gershwin

Bill Hutton - Broadway star and Tony Award nominee - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Peter Matyas, CSA - Michael Donovan Casting - Associate Casting Director.

Dan Mojica - Producer/Director/Choreographer (Performer, Assistant Director and Assistant Choreographer - Disney's Beauty and the Beast on Broadway and worldwide companies)

Todd Nielsen - Director (Resident Director - National Tour - The Lion King)

Rey O'Day - Producing Artistic Director - Performance Riverside at the Landis Performing Arts Center, Riverside, CA

Larry Raben - Performer/Director/Writer ("Leo Bloom" in the Broadway and Las Vegas productions of The Producers)

Mark W. Smith - Equity Theatre Agent; Television and Film Department Agent - The Savage Agency

Daniel Solis - Casting Director - Disney Entertainment Productions

Eric Stevens - Owner, Rainbow High Entertainment Talent Agency

Carol Weiss - Co-Owner, STAGE 9 Talent Agency

STERLING'S UPSTAIRS at Vitello's is produced by Michael Sterling of Michael Sterling & Associates (MSA), the Studio City-based entertainment public relations and Production Company (www.msapr.net). Since its June 9, 2006 opening, Sterling's Upstairs at Vitello's has hosted some of the most prominent Broadway and Nightclub performers in Los Angeles. Among them, Broadway stars Rachel York, Kevin Earley, Amick Byram, Mary Gutzi, David Engel and Tami Tappan Daminao, and Ilene Graff to name but a few.