Jon Secada Jody Watley

BIOGRAPHY OF CAST
Jon Secada
2-time Grammy winner
Born in Havana, Cuba, and raised in Miami, USA, Jon Secada is an international star who has sold
over 20 million albums worldwide. He has written and produced many hits for his own albums and
for artists such as Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez. The platinum singer-songwriter
won two Grammys for Number One Latin Album (“Just Another Day”) and his 1995 album Amor. He
was a celebrity judge on the international hit show, Latin American Idol, for four years. The diversely
talented artist holds a Master´s Degree in Jazz Vocal Performance. A theatre lover, he has starred
on Broadway as part of the cast in Cabaret and in Grease as the first-ever Latin Danny Zuko. He
also impressed in the role of Joseph in Andrew Lloyd Webber´s Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Jody Watley
Grammy winner
Widely regarded as one of pop/R&B´s pioneering icons and a trendsetter in music, video, dance and
fashion, Jody Watley has amassed an incredible 32 Top Ten singles and 13 #1 singles in the pop,
dance and R&B music genres over the past three decades. Beginning on the TV dance show Soul
Train and as an original member of the group Shalamar, she won the Grammy for Best New Artist in
1987, and is one of MTV´s most nominated artists for her video “Real Love” with 7 nominations. In
1995, Jody was on Broadway playing the role of Rizzo in the hit musical Grease. Named one of
“America´s Most Beautiful” by People Magazine and featured in Harper´s Bazaar, she has been
featured in fashion magazines around the world.
Black Uhuru
Grammy winners
Over an impressive 40-year history, reggae legend Black Uhuru was the first ever band to win the
Grammy Award in the Reggae Music category. Founded by Duckie Simpson in Kingston, Jamaica,
Black Uhuru has headlined many music festivals across the globe and toured with groups such as
the Rolling Stones and the Police. Their celebrated album Red, calling for cultural change and
religious faith, ranked #28 in the UK album chart and #23 in The Rolling Stones magazine´s 100
Best Albums of the Eighties. Today, Duckie Simpson, Andrew Bees, and Kaye Starh continue to
give memorable live performances, often joined by other acclaimed artists. Uhuru means “freedom”
in Swahili.
Debbie Gravitte
Tony winner
Debbie Gravitte has had a varied career which took her from the Broadway stage to Boston´s
Symphony Hall and many places in between. She won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in
a Musical for Jerome Robbin´s Broadway, along with a Drama Desk Award nomination as well as
the New York Showstopper Award. While releasing her own albums, she has appeared in Encores!
series productions, performed her nightclub act worldwide, has sung with numerous leading
symphony orchestras, and starred on television shows, including Ira Gershwin´s 100th Birthday
Celebration from London´s Royal Albert Hall and Carnegie Hall.
Kiril Kulish
Tony winner
Tony winner Kiril Kulish is a dancer, actor, singer, musician and all-around sensation. He is best
known for playing the starring role of Billy in Sir Elton John and Lee Hall´s Billy Elliot the Musical for
its Broadway opening in 2008. For his fantastic performance, he won the Tony Award for Best Actor
in a Musical, and more recently a Fred Astaire Award, Theatre World Award and Outer Critics Circle
Special Achievement Award. At age 12, he garnered the Hope Award for Best Overall Performance
at the Youth America Grand Prix, the world´s largest student ballet competition. Kiril is also a
ballroom dance champion and concert pianist.
Liz Callaway
Emmy winner & Tony nominee
“The most fascinating performer to come down the pike since the infant Bernadette Peters,” is how
critic Clive Barnes described Liz Callaway when she burst on the Broadway scene over 25 years
ago. Since then the Tony-nominated and Emmy Award-winning actress has gone on to star in
numerous Broadway shows including Baby, Miss Saigon and Cats. She has also established a
critically acclaimed career as a singer and recording artist. She has appeared in many of the world´s
greatest concert halls with several of the most acclaimed symphony orchestras. Liz is a singing
voice in many acclaimed animated movies including Beauty and the Beast and Lion King II, and
most notably was the title voice in the Oscar-nominated Anastasia.
Patti Cohenour
TONY NOMINEE
Patti Cohenour has originated and performed numerous roles on Broadway including Signora
Naccarelli and the Margaret Johnson Alternate in The Light in the Piazza at the Lincoln Center, the
Mother Abbess in the 1997 revival of The Sound of Music, Christine Daae’ in the original Broadway
cast of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera opposite Michael Crawford, Rosabud
in Rupert Holmes’ The Mystery of Edwin Drood; winning the prestigious Clarence Derwent Award
and Tony and Drama Desk nominations, and Mary Jane Wilkes in Big River; winning a Theater
World Award and a Drama Desk nomination. Her Broadway debut was made in 1982 in Hal Prince’s
production of A Doll’s Life understudying the role of Nora.
Flo Ankah
French singer
Born in Châbons, France, Flo Ankah is a versatile performer based in New York City and the
founder of Simple Production. She graduated from the Merce Cunningham Dance Studio and the
Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. As film, stage and television actress, she has acted with Helen
Hunt, Tuc Watkins, and for esteemed directors Alice Jankell and Jonathan Demme. Flo is an
authentic French chanteuse known as Floanne. Singing original songs and vintage tunes with a
modern twist, she wrote and produced the acclaimed solo shows, Edith Piaf Alive, Floin’ to America,
and Love Is French. Sold-out venues include the New York Botanical Garden, Triad Theater and the
Metropolitan Room, where she holds a monthly residency. Floanne has been featured on NPR, the
radio news show “For Your Ears Only,” and French national television on France 5, M6 and TV5
Monde.
CAMELLIA ABOU-ODAH
ARAB SINGER-SONGWRITER
Referred to by Stevie Wonder as “brilliant and genuine,” Camellia is a gifted singer-songwriter who
embraces her Lebanese and Palestinian roots. She has co-written and recorded a song with rapper
AMG that appeared on the 2010 season of Entourage (HBO) and performed at the World Expo 2010
in Shanghai, China. She has collaborated with multi-platinum Grammy winning producer Danny
Sembello, who said of Camellia, “Rarely do I come across a young artist who can transcend the
boundaries of musical genres. Her songs are raw, organic, and from the heart.” Currently working to
combine Arab and Western music elements in her unique sound, she will be releasing her debut
album in 2013.
Junior Case
ACTOR
Junior Case worked with Cirque du Soleil in one of their newest shows, Viva ELVIS, in Las Vegas,
Nevada. He played the prominent role of the narrator and Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who
weaved together the show’s musical, acrobatic and visual elements. Junior’s feature film credits
include roles in MGM’s Legally Blonde 2, Missy and Take a Chance. Stage credits include: Jake
Blues in the Blues Brothers Show at Universal Studios Japan, Fiddler on the Roof at Sundance with
Tony Award-winning Michael Rupert, and Lenny in Of Mice and Men based on the novel by John
Steinbeck. From 1999 to 2008, he performed as a guest artist with Odyssey Dance Theatre, touring
the world while playing multiple roles: a ballroom dancing hunchback in their hit Halloween
show Thriller, club owner Harold Zidler in Moulin Rouge, and Uncle Billy in It’s a Wonderful Life.
LUKE EBERL
AWARD-WINNING ACTOR
Luke Eberl’s film acting credits include Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-winning Letters from Iwo Jima, a lead
role in Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes, Phantoms with Ben Affleck, and Sprawl, among many
others. He was recognized as Best Actor in a Short Film at Method Fest for his performance
in Sugar Mountain. Luke has guest starred on many acclaimed TV shows. On stage, Luke has
performed in A Christmas Carol and Life with Father, Shenandoah, Macbeth, Camelot,
Phantom and The Will Rogers Follies. At a young age he made local TV documentaries and directed
award-winning short films played in film festivals worldwide. With his directorial feature film
debut Choose Connor winning the Jury Prize for Best American Independent at the Philadelphia
International Film Festival, Luke was named one of the “Ten Young Americans to Watch” by
MovieMaker Magazine.
Mark Janicello
ITALIAN TENOR (VEGETARIAN)
Multitalented Italian artist Mark Janicello is a singer, actor, author, director, poet, painter and lyricist.
Performing since the age of 4, Mark has played lead roles in over 20 musicals, 30 operas, 12 plays,
and 14 films. In 1992 he was named “America´s Best Street Performer” switching between Pavarotti
and Elvis style singing, which led to nationwide and international media attention. Becoming widely
known especially while living in Europe, he went on to star in Elvis: A Musical Biography and was
dubbed the best Elvis interpreter by legendary Elvis composer Ben Weisman. With 28 CD
recordings, Mark has also appeared or recorded with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Bill Cosby and
Liza Minelli, and performed in Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Opera, and The Apollo Theater.
Liel Kolet
AWARD-WINNING ISRAELI SINGER
Blessed with an immensely talented voice, international singer-songwriter and peace activist Liel
Kolet has dedicated her career to peace. Since she won a European talent contest at age 12, Liel
has performed in hundreds of concerts around the world and helped raise millions in funds for
respected aid organizations. At age 14, she invited President Bill Clinton to join her on stage in a
historical duet that gave her peace mission global exposure. Renowned artists Andrea Bocelli,
Herbie Hancock, Patty Labelle and the Scorpions have recorded peace songs with Liel. A German
Radio Award winner, she is currently recording with the legendary multi-Grammy winning producer
Humberto Gatica.
Katie McMahon
IRISH SOPRANO
Katie McMahon is best known for her exquisite soaring soprano solo in the
original Riverdance single, which topped the charts in Ireland for three months. She toured with the
hugely popular show Riverdance for five years as their original lead vocalist. Her voice has been
described by the Irish Times as “poetry, perfection and purity.” Before her work in Riverdance, Katie,
a born and bred Dubliner, was classically trained in voice and harp. She was a member of the
renowned Anúna, Ireland´s National Choir, and a featured soloist on their first two CDs. With five
acclaimed solo CDs, she has toured with the group Secret Garden as lead singer and harpist and
founded her own band and troupe of Irish dancers, who perform throughout the US.
Brian Joo
KOREAN POP STAR
Brian Joo debuted as a member of the Korean pop/R&B phenomenon, Fly to the Sky, releasing
eight full-length albums and producing multiple #1 singles, while garnering various top Korean music
awards. Currently, the singer, songwriter, DJ, MC and actor is working on his solo career. He has
successfully released two full-length albums and two mini albums: The Brian, Manifold,
Unveiled, and ReBorn Part 1, plus a #1 single, “Kajima (Don’t Go).” In another
highlight, Unveiled landed on the iTunes R&B charts in the US, Canada and Japan. He released the
Korean version of “In My Head” and performed it live with Jason Derulo, and has collaborated with
other international artists such as Jade Valerie. In 2011, Brian starred in the Korean production of
the musical Rent.
Heather Park
KOREAN SINGER (VEGAN)
Heather Park, the Seoul Diva, was discovered in Manhattan, New York City by the program director
of the leading hip-hop/R&B radio station Hot 97. Soon launching her career with the record label
Stush Music, the singer-songwriter has since gone from strength to strength: Her 2005 debut album
Dream in Pictures won international recognition. In 2007, her ballad “Leave Me To Dream” was
featured in the soundtrack of Michael Kang´s feature film West 32nd starring John Cho and Grace
Park. Heather has performed throughout the US and the UK. Her second album, Stay, highlights her
own unique style blending various genres of R&B, hip-hop, soul, and folk. Heather is a yoga
practitioner and vegan.
Fabiana Passoni
AWARD-WINNING BRAZILIAN SINGER
Born in Poços de Caldas, Brazil, Fabiana Passoni began singing when she was 6 years old, taught
by her father. After running a successful music school in her hometown, she moved to the United
States where she developed her own unique musical style. With joyful rhythms and a velvety, rich
Brazilian voice, Fabiana was named Best Brazilian Female Singer living in the US by the Brazilian
International Press Awards´ 2012 Colégio Eleitoral. With 3 albums produced so far, Fabiana´s songs
are a combination of jazz fusion with the older rhythms of Brazil such as bossa nova, baião and
samba. With passionate interpretations, her live performances are a celebration of Brazilian soul and
culture – rich in percussion and expression with a relentless zeal for life.
Siavash Shams
PERSIAN SUPERSTAR
Born in Iran, Siavash Shams is a Persian superstar, pop icon, singer, songwriter, composer and
record producer who has sold over 1 million albums and performed at sold-out venues around the
world. He has produced 7 successful albums. The first, Hamsayeha, has been reported to be the #1
bestselling Persian album of all time. In 2003, three English tracks on The Voice placed him on the
46th Grammy nomination list. With a distinctive style, dance and vocals that have shaped a whole
generation of Iranian pop and R&B, he was one of the first Persian artists to modernize Middle
Eastern music by blending in Western rhythms. He was the first Persian artist to top Eurodance and
Latin pop charts at MP3.com. Based in California, Siavash has won the hearts of fans across cultural
borders.
Kay Tse
CHINESE PLATINUM POP STAR (VEGETARIAN)
One of the premier Hong Kong Cantonese female pop singers, Kay Tse has been praised by the
media as the “Grassroots Singing Queen.” She is known for her remarkable vocal range and skillful
ease with various styles, including pop, alternative, rock, jazz and soul. From her first chart-topping
2008 song, “Wedding Invitation Street,” she has produced one acclaimed album after another, such
as Binary and Yelling, and her live concert tours are always well-received. Honored with Hong
Kong’s prestigious “Media Award – Performer” for her exceptional number of collective wins across
the categories, the platinum artist’s career is an extraordinary success story. Also a songwriter,
actress and model, Kay Tse performs in Cantonese, Mandarin and English.
Ho Quynh Huong
AULACESE SINGER (VEGAN)
Ho Quynh Huong from Âu Lac (Vietnam) is beloved by audiences as well as acclaimed by
professionals. Her CDs and DVDs have consistently topped the major charts. Called the “Queen of
Awards” for her wins both at home and internationally, she is a 3-time winner of the Yellow Apricot
Awards’ Most Favorite Pop Artist, 5-time winner of Blue Waves Awards’ Most Favorite Singer, and
Blue Waves Awards’ Most Favorite Singer of the Decade. In 2006, readers of Cinema & Theater
Magazine voted her as “New Generation’s Diva.” Ho Quynh Huong has been invited to perform in
over 20 countries across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia, including for the Asia Pop
Music Festival in South Korea, and the Southeast Asian Games closing ceremony in Laos. Ho
Quynh Huong is an animal-loving vegan who participates in humanitarian endeavors.