Signal Boost: Music Mondays

Music Mondays

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  April 12: Sarah Anne Sillers and Andrew Kullberg

  Helen Hayes Award-nominated actor and vocalist Sarah Anne Sillers, accompanied by her husband Andrew Kullberg, welcomes you into their new home with a heartwarming set of jazz standards and musical theatre favorites. Sarah Anne is delighted to return (virtually) to Olney, where she previously performed in Singin' in the Rain and Elf the Musical. Sarah Anne has brought her soulful voice to stages across the DC area, including NextStop Theatre Company, Adventure Theatre MTC, Monumental Theatre Company, Keegan Theatre, Constellation Theatre Company, Imagination Stage, and more. Find her on Instagram @sarah.anne.sillers or on her website, www.sarahannesillers.com.

   

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  April 19: Madison VanDenburg

  Madison VanDenburg is a 19 year old pop singer/songwriter from upstate NY, best known for her top-3 finish on American Idol in 2019. From her Idol audition - which went viral and rendered Lionel Richie “speechless” - to her duet with Pat Benatar and her dynamic covers of artists including Alicia Keys and Celine Dion, Madison has attracted millions of fans and hundreds of thousands of social media followers. Since her appearances on Idol she has appeared on TV and performed in front of live audiences coast to coast, from the 70,000 seat Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara to the Times Union Center in Albany. She has also performed countless live streaming sessions on Instagram, FaceBook, StageIt and Twitch and legendary venues including The Bearsville Theater and Daryl Hall’s House Club.

  Known for her powerhouse vocals and commanding stage presence, Madison spent 2020 developing her songwriting skills with solo and co-writing efforts - while finishing her senior year of high school. 

  Now, with her first EP in production and a growing catalog of all new material, Madison is showcasing her talents again with live performances online and in-person.

• Past Mondays

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  Nov. 9: Jsyg

  John Sygar is an actor and musician from Bowie, Maryland. He makes music under Jsyg and also streams on Twitch. You can follow him on Instagram @jsyg. He would also like you to vote. You can listen to John's music on Spotify and purchase his album "Do Disturb" on Bandcamp.

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  Nov. 16: Jade Jones

  Jade Jones is a theatre actor and singer, and a native to the DMV area. As a young girl she traveled alongside her mother and aunt, a dynamic gospel duo. Growing up, Jade found her passion performing in her church choir and high school theatre productions. Her musical influences include a wide range of genres and artists such as Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, Gwen Stefani, Marvin Gaye, Sarah Vaughn, The Notorious B.I.G., Erykah Badu, Lil Wayne, and Elvis. Earlier this year, she appeared in the highly acclaimed production of James Baldwin's The Amen Corner at the Shakespeare Theatre Company of DC.  Jade has tackled notorious musical theatre roles such as Sweeney Todd’s Mrs. Lovett, and Little Red Ridinghood from Into The Woods. In February Jade was nominated for not one but two Helen Hayes awards for her work in Into The Woods at Ford’s Theatre, and her portrayal of Nana in Round House Theatre’s production of School Girl’s Or; The African Mean Girls Play.  
  Jade also released her first EP this summer as artist Litty Official. If you want to explore more aspects of Jade’s musical talents, Litty Official’s EP “He Could Never” can be found on Spotify, Soundcloud and Apple Music. You can support her on Cashapp: $Jada0514 and on PayPal: JadeJonesDC@gmail.com

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  Nov. 23: Katie Chambers

  Katie Chambers may look familiar from her performance as the Ex-Girlfriend in the ensemble of OTC production of Once. Additional credits include OFF-BROADWAY: The Cave, A Folk Opera. REGIONAL: Woolly Mammoth Theater: An Octoroon; Imagination Stage: Wake Up, Brother Bear!; Keegan Theater: Bridges Of Madison County, Big Fish, Parade, Next To Normal; Red Branch Theatre: Bridges Of Madison County. TV: Whose Wedding Is It Anyways?!, I Want That: Tech Toys. EDUCATION: MM in Cello Performance from San Francisco Conservatory of Music, BM in Cello Performance from University of Maryland, College Park. Learn more about her work as a performer and educator on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.  

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  Nov. 30: Amy Andrews

  Born in Baltimore and raised on the Chesapeake Bay, Amy Andrews was brought up on the sounds of Sinatra, Ella, The American Songbook, and Motown, but spent years training for a career in musical theatre before writing her own music and taking to the road. After an auspicious move to Atlanta, GA, which served as her home base for the better part of a decade, Amy is now based back home in the mid-Atlantic. A wildly talented artist known for brilliant performances, stunning vocals, and unassuming wit and candor on stage, Amy has received national (US) press, chatted with radio and tv hosts across the country (US), and toured extensively across the States, Canada, and the UK. You can listen to and/or purchase her albums on Apple Music, Bandcamp and Spotify.

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  Dec. 7: Dior Ashley Brown

  Dubbed the “Hip-Hop Polymath” by the Washington Post, Dior Ashley Brown is a living legend. Her many creative roles are united by a single mission: to maintain the soul of music, empower all people, especially Black women and girls, and leave a legacy of positive change. Her latest single “Vernacular (RED/BLUE)” is hard-hitting, soft-centered, and unmistakably political – a bold call-to-action that treads down any attempts to use language as a way to divide and shut out others. At her core, Dior Ashley Brown is about changing atmospheres, breaking down barriers, and sparking a movement, revealing the ways diversity lends beauty and a greater understanding of what it means to be human. Check her out on Bandcamp, YouTube, and support her on Patreon.

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  Dec. 21: Justine Icy Moral

  Justine Icy Moral is singer and actress who has been seen onstage across the country and on television in the US and in the Philippines! At age 14 she became a Recording Artist with SonyBMG Philippines and released her Pop album entitled "Dream Away", debuting on Philippine Networks and Radio. She studied Vocal Performance and is a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University. She got her professional start in theatre at 11 years old as young Ngana on the National Tour of South Pacific and has been enjoying working in Theatre all her life! Some of her favorite roles include playing Belle in Beauty and the Beast in Boston, Evelyn Nesbit in Ragtime, Mulan in The Ballad of MuLan, performing in The King and I here at Olney Theatre Center and in Dallas, Texas, and playing the role of Ghost of Christmas Past at Ford’s Theatre’s Christmas Carol during the Holiday Season. You can catch her on-screen playing the role of Amy in the recent Filipino musical feature film The Girl Who Left Home, which is currently playing in Film Festivals.  

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  Dec. 28: Mason McCormick

  Mason McCormick is the singer-songwriter identity of DC-based Actor Nick DePinto. Olney Audiences may remember Nick from his dazzlingly endearing comedic turn as The Bank Manager in OTC's production of Once in early 2019 although he has appeared in 7 other OTC productions since 2008 and is a veteran of the National Players. As MASON McCORMICK his songwriting skills are front & center. This fine & wild troubadour is the Folklaureate of the College Park Farmers Market and the Co-Host of the weekly produced Ginger Beer & Stories FB Livestream Show. He started writing songs in the 8th grade to impress a girl and he never stopped writing songs - although he stopped impressing girls a long time ago. He has written, performed & music directed music for Imagination Stage,  We Happy Few Productions, LiveArtDC, Grain Of Sand Theatre, and Flying V Theatre. His most recent release is the Christmas duet "You Can Count On Me This Christmas (with Emma G)" and his band The Dusty Stars has a new album out called "Loyal To You." You can find out more about MASON McCORMICK (and Nick) with a little internet sleuthing and if you enjoyed his performance and would like to support this Artist via his virtual tip jar then you are most welcome to do so through Venmo: @MMSONGS   or Paypal:  Paypal.me/mmsongs  Thank you!  And watch for crows of love because they are always flying around someplace!

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  Jan. 4: Carlos Castillo

  Carlos Castillo (They/Them/Theirs) is an actor and musician who made their professional acting debut at 17 in Olney Theatre’s Carousel, and last appeared at Olney Theatre in the Helen Hayes Nominated Ensemble of Once the Musical. Carlos also appeared in the most recent National Tour of Once! Additionally, they have performed regionally in collaboration with the Kennedy Center, Imagination Stage, Adventure Theatre, and the Arden Theatre. They are excited to perform some tunes from Once, Olney’s upcoming Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and an original from their upcoming EP, titled "Slow Down!" Be sure to follow their Instagram, @cemanuelcastillo to keep up with all of their creative projects, and if you are inclined to help fund the creation of their upcoming EP, feel free to send a Venmo tip to @Carlos-Castillo-47!

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  Jan. 11: Ian Geers

  Ian Geers (he/him/his) is an actor/musician currently based in Chicago who has had the pleasure working with Olney Theater Center as a member of National Players Tour 66 and as the Male Swing in their production of Once. He’s very excited to be performing songs from some of his favorite artists Tom Waits and the Decemberists as well as from the show Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and even a couple of songs he wrote and co-wrote for the National Players (T66) production of As You Like It. Ian’s writing work can be heard on his scripted, Audio Verse Finalist podcast "The Vanishing Act", which is currently available on all podcast providers vanishingpod.com. iangeers.com

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  Jan. 25: Rex Daugherty

  Rex Daugherty (Man with Guitar) is delighted to be making his Olney Theatre debut (wink!). Rex is a DC-based artist currently serving as the Artistic Director of Theatre at Solas Nua. Originally from Oklahoma City, both of his parents grew up on farms and taught him the value of hard work and good company. Rex has made the DC area his home for the past thirteen years, and he shares his life with his wife, Lee, and son, Beckett. Beckett is three years old and loves to crash any and all Zoom meetings. 

  Rex has been a songwriter since he first picked up a guitar at 15 years old. Originally inspired by his Oklahoman roots and love of Woody Guthrie, his songs range from whimsical and folksy to forlorn and lyrical. He loves to combine songwriting and theatre whenever possible, and is currently co-writing a singer-songwriter musical with Stephen Spotswood called, The Devil and June Gantry, which was a semi-finalist at The Eugene O'Neill's National Music Theater Conference. Listen to the playlist!

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  Feb. 1: Lauren Farnell

  Lauren Farnell (she/her/hers) is an actor and musician in the DMV. Originally from New Jersey, Lauren finds herself in DC singing and playing folk music to survive the pandemic. She welcomes you to "A Night of Joni and Friends"! Lauren's favorite artist and number one influence on her own music is the prolific Joni Mitchell. She will be singing folk-rock hits of the 60s and 70s and accompanying herself on guitar. Enjoy, and please sing along at home. Feel free to follow her on Instagram at @lafarnell, or drop a tip to her Venmo @Lauren-Farnell

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  Feb 15: Jordan Friend

  Jordan Friend is a DC-based director, performer and singer-songwriter, as well as the Founding Artistic Director of 4615 Theatre Company. His music mixes adventurous melodies with sharp, character-driven lyrics. He is currently in performances for OLD SOUL, a new solo musical he wrote and composed, which tells the story of two "missing years", and his attempt to recover memories through songwriting. For his Music Mondays show, Jordan will perform some of his own material, including a song from his musical, plus a few covers of Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and more. If you want to check out the virtual run of OLD SOUL, performances (via interactive video call) run through March 7th, and tickets are available.

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  Feb 22: In The Valley

  Since 2018, "James & Katie" Johnson have performed across stages throughout the Capital Region as a folk-pop cover band. The married singer-songwriters are now releasing new music each month under the moniker "In The Valley." The duo offer a hybrid blend of dissonant, indie melodies and lo-fi-pop rhythms. In The Valley music is reminiscent of Oh Wonder, Billie Eilish, and Noah Gundersen. You can hear the music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.

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  March 1: Matt Merline

  Performing songs by Death Cab for Cutie and Frank Turner, Matt Merline wants you to know he's not just some "sad white boy with a guitar." He also plays the ukelele. With self-deprecating humor and virtuoso guitar chops, this Music Monday, from a National Players Tour 71 alumnus will lift you up to start the week.

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  March 29: Kanysha Williams

  Happy Women's History Month! Join actress Kanysha Williams as she pays tribute to phenomenal black women in music! With a set full of popular hits and music history, you'll be sure to be educated and entertained! Don't miss it!

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  April 5: Yesenia Iglesias

  Yesenia Iglesias is a Puerto Rico native, and DC teaching artist whose work you may remember from pie., which premiered as part of Olney’s Just Arts virtual festival last fall. She returns for this week’s installment of Music Mondays, and invites you to a literal tiny desk listening party of select original compositions that have been best described as “anthemic”, “understated,” and “something like the enigmatic love child of Solange and Enya.” You can follow her on Instagram: @j_sound_yesi