OUR STORY

“YOU OUGHTA BE ON BROADWAY” started when Jackie Presti heard her five year old daughter Samantha singing along to the song “ In My Own Little Corner,“ from the video of the 1997 Rodgers' and Hammerstein's
CINDERELLA.

Jackie thought it would be nice if Samantha could find a sing-along recording of “In My Own Little Corner” without a lead vocal so Samantha could sing with an orchestral accompaniment. When she couldn't locate anything like that, Jackie thought it would be a good idea to do it
herself.

Ethan Fein met Jackie when she first came to New York from the University of Miami. Ethan is a professional New York-based guitarist. Ethan was looking for a conducting teacher, and Jackie was recommended to him. It was while studying with Jackie that he realized what a consummate musician she is. She is a talented arranger and conductor as well as a beautiful singer and masterful teacher. Ethan suggested to Jackie that they collaborate on some kind of recording project.

Jackie married Greg Ruvolo. Then Samantha Lina Ruvolo came along and shortly thereafter began singing. Things started happening.

Ralph Spiegel, Ethan's friend from high school liked the idea of “You Oughta Be”and financed it.

Jackie thought it would be a good idea to get people she and Ethan knew from Broadway and recordings to sing the songs on “You Oughta Be On Broadway.” This way, anyone who wanted to learn a song would have a good example to go by. Each song would then be recorded on the CD again without the lead vocal.

Jackie decided to do a Richard Rodgers collection of songs written with Oscar Hammerstein II and Lorenz Hart. Jackie and Ethan called some friends and asked them if they wanted to sing. They all said yes.

Brigid Brady sings “Mister Snow” from CAROUSEL, Liz Callaway sings “Ten Minutes Ago” from CINDERELLA, Ariana Di Lorenzo sings “I Enjoy Being A Girl” from FLOWER DRUM SONG, Thursday Farrar sings “My Favorite Things” from THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Penny Fuller sings “The Sweetest Sounds” from NO STRINGS, Nadine Isenegger sings “In My Own Little Corner” from CINDERELLA, Sally Mayes sings “It Might As Well Be Spring” from STATE FAIR, Jackie Presti sings “Bewitched” from PAL JOEY, Lindsay Rose sings “You've Got To Be Carefully Taught” from SOUTH PACIFIC, Anne Runolfsson sings “Getting To Know You” from “THE KING AND I,” Samantha Lina Ruvolo sings “Edelweiss” from THE SOUND OF MUSIC and Katie Scharf sings “A Cock-eyed Optimist” from SOUTH PACIFIC.

Jackie started arranging. Jackie and Ethan decided to use real musicians and real instruments for the orchestrations. Ethan put together a rhythm section. He asked his friends John Serry, piano, Ricky Martinez, drums, and Jeff Ganz, bass.

Jackie asked Andrea Andros to play viola, Rick Dolan and Sean Carney to play violins, Eileen Folson to play cello, and Gary Keller to play saxophone, clarinet, and flute. Greg Ruvolo, Samantha’s father, plays flugelhorn, but was only allowed to do this after Samantha put in a good word. Sometimes it’s who you know.

Jackie then asked Emily Bindiger, Margaret Dorn, Linda LoPresti and Annette Sanders to join her in singing background vocals.

The whole thing was mixed together by the brilliant Bill Moss at Nola Recording Studios, without whom nothing would have been possible. Bill
has the sharpest ears in the business.

Once upon a time, a group of friends did an album called “You Oughta Be
On Broadway.” Soon they will do some more. Watch this space.

Jackie Presti
Jackie Presti is a singer and vocal therapist, originally from Florida, and
now based in New York. She was in the original cast of the Broadway
show, CITY OF ANGELS, and has been working extensively as a studio
singer doing film, television and commercials. She can be heard on the
film soundtracks of "The Hudsucker Proxy," "Interview with the Vampire,"
"Michael Collins," and "Mission to Mars;" on television in "The Miss
America Pageants," "Garth Brooks' Christmas Show," and "Rosie
O'Donnell," and on commercials for IBM, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines,
American Express, Martha Stewart, and Volvo. (back up)

Ethan Fein
Ethan was the guitarist in CATS on Broadway for 18 years. When Ethan
started taking conducting lessons with Jackie Presti, he had been working with many dance orchestras in New York, including those of Lester Lanin, Peter Duchin, and Steven Scott. Jackie's conducting lessons had come in handy, because not only did Ethan have to follow a conductor at CATS, but he also had played in the Broadway shows 42nd STREET, WEST SIDE STORY, and THE FULL MONTY, and he had also performed with Eartha Kitt, Bernadette Peters, Joel Grey, Gregory Hines, Kristin Chenowith, Nell Carter, Maurice Hines, Regis Philbin, and Marvin Hamlisch. (back up)

Greg Ruvolo
Greg Ruvolo is a trumpet player who has played the Broadway shows
VICTOR/VICTORIA, MY FAIR LADY, GRAND HOTEL, 42nd STREET and CATS, where Ethan met him. He is married to Jackie Presti and is the father of Samantha. Greg plays flugelhorn. (back up)

Samantha Lina Ruvolo
Samantha Lina Ruvolo, whose singing provided the inspiration, is the daughter of Jackie and Greg. Samantha's singing has attracted the attention of Fisher-Price and they contracted her to record a television commercial. (back up)

Brigid Brady
Brigid Brady was on Broadway in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, and performed in the national tour of THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER. Off-Broadway she was in CATHER COUNTY, and performed in regional theater productions of SHOWBOAT, SHE LOVES ME, A WONDERFUL LIFE, CANDIDE, and ELMER GANTRY. Ethan met her when she came for guitar lessons. Brigid later played the role of "The Mother" in a new musical version of THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE which Ethan is writing with lyricist/bookwriter Peter Morris. (back up)

Liz Callaway
Liz Callaway is a Tony nominee and an Emmy winner who starred in CATS
on Broadway in the role of Grizabella which she performed for five years, where Ethan met her. She says she has sung "Memory" over five thousand
times. Ethan says he has played it more than that. Liz starred in the Broadway shows MISS SAIGON, THE THREE MUSKETEERS, BABY, THE LOOK OF LOVE, and Stephen Sondheim’s MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. She has three solo albums. Her web site is www.lizcallaway.com. (back up)

Ariana DiLorenzo
Ariana DiLorenzo, 13, has been performing as an actor, singer and dancer since she was 3. She is currently in the cast of the off-Broadway show AMERICAN GIRL REVUE. She has been in three independent films, "Play Date," "Dirt Road," and "Turning Circles." She has been on stage as a Senior Company Member of Broadway Dance Company, "Spotlight Night," Synthesis Dance Project, New Dance Group, Metropolitan Youth Theatre and Stage Door Manor. (back up)

Thursday Farrar
Thursday Farrar was on Broadway in AIDA and ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, and off-Broadway in PARADE and GOLDEN BOY. She has toured with LES
MISERABLES and CAROUSEL. She performed in HARMONY at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego and MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at the Kennedy Center in Washington as well as in PARADE at Lincoln Center in New York. (back up)

Penny Fuller
Penny Fuller was nominated for a a Tony award in 2001 for the role of
"Gabrielle" in Neil Simon's THE DINNER PARTY. On Broadway she was also in BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, CABARET, and REX. She created the role of "Eve Harrington" for which she was nominated for a Tony in APPLAUSE. She has six Emmy nominations and won the Emmy Award for THE ELEPHANT MAN. Penny is a friend of Jackie's and wanted to sing "The Sweetest Sounds" from NO STRINGS because she had performed the show in the recent Encores production of it at City Center.(back up)

Nadine Isenegger
Nadine Isenegger is currently starring in 42nd STREET on Broadway, where she lives the ultimate Broadway fantasy. She started in the chorus and then was chosen to play the lead role of Peggy Sawyer, the character in the show who is discovered in the chorus and becomes the star. Life imitates art. Ethan knows Nadine from CATS, in which Nadine was Victoria, the white cat. He also performed with her on A CHORUS LINE at the Papermill Playhouse in New Jersey and 42nd STREET on Broadway. Nadine also performed in KISS ME KATE and FOLLIES on Broadway, and the national tours of 42nd STREET, FAME, and TITANIC. (back up)

Sally Mayes
Sally starred in the Broadway shows SHE LOVES ME, for which she received a Tony nomination, and URBAN COWBOY, and WELCOME TO THE CLUB. Off-Broadway she starred in PETE 'n' KEELY, DAS BARBECUE, and CLOSER THAN EVER. She has recorded five solo albums. Sally Mayes and Ethan have been working on a CD of Sally's original songs which they hope to release in 2004 on SSF Records. Sally's web site is www.sallymayes.com. (back up)

Lindsay Rose
Lindsay Rose, 13, is the daughter of Linda LoPresti, who sings background vocals on "You Oughta Be. . ." Lindsay has been performing since she was 3. She has sung on numerous national commercials and has been on stage in REMEMBER THE LIGHT, INTO THE WOODS, and JOSEPH AND THE
AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT. Linda LoPresti and Jackie Presti met when they started getting each other's phone messages. They became close friends. Lindsay's father is Bob Rose, a studio guitarist who is a friend of Ethan's and Jackie's. (back up)

Anne Runolfsson
Anne Runolfsson has performed on Broadway in VICTOR/VICTORIA, JAMES JOYCE'S THE DEAD, LES MISERABLES, CYRANO, and ASPECTS OF LOVE. She has toured with LES MISERABLES, VICTOR/VICTORIA, and THE SECRET GARDEN, and has recently released a solo album. Anne was introduced to Jackie and Ethan by Emily Bindiger. You can find out more about her at www.annerunolfsson.com. (back up)

Katie Scharf
Katie Scharf, 11, has been on the television show "Sesame Street," and the films "Waldorf Salad," "Carousel," and "28 Days," in which she played "Young Gwen." Old "Gwen" was played by Sandra Bullock. Katie has
performed in a bunch of commercials. (back up)

MUSICIANS2
John Serry
John Serry is a pianist whom Ethan had met at CATS. John had been
substituting for two keyboard and two percussion chairs at CATS, which
was unprecedented. John has a brilliant career, primarily as a jazz musician,
but he has also played in the Broadway shows of CATS, LES MISERABLES, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, and SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, as well as a lot of work in the recording studios. For more on John, click here. (back up)

Jeff Ganz
Jeff Ganz plays bass. Ethan and Jeff have known each other for years, starting with a Lester Lanin job in Saratoga Springs where Jeff wore a gorilla mask. Jeff was the first person Ethan ever saw who made Lester laugh. Since then, they have worked together all over the place. Jeff has had a phenomenal career as a bassist working with people from Gerry Mulligan to Liza Minelli and Marvin Hamlisch. Jeff also played on Broadway in BIG RIVER, STARLIGHT EXPRESS, and CATS. For more on Jeff, go to www.jeffganz.com. (back up)

Ricky Martinez
Ricky Martinez is a drummer whom Ethan met playing the music for the TV
show "Sesame Street." Ricky is the regular drummer there, and Ethan was a substitute guitarist. Ricky has also played on Broadway in MISS SAIGON. Ricky and Ethan play together in a blues/rock band called Men Without Hope, go to www.menwithouthope.com. (back up)

Andrea Andros
Andrea Andros is a violinist and violist who plays viola on "You Oughta Be On Broadway." She has played on Broadway in VICTOR/VICTORIA where she met Jackie's husband, Greg. She also is performing in the Radio City Music Hall Christmas show.

Rick Dolan
Rick Dolan, violin, is currently playing in the Broadway show THE PRODUCERS.

Sean Carney
Sean Carney, violin, is currently playing in the Broadway show WICKED.

Eileen Folson
Eileen Folson, cello, met Ethan when they both played in CATS on Broadway.

Gary Keller
Gary Keller is a friend of Jackie's from the recording studios and plays
saxophone, clarinet, and flute.
(back up)

Background Vocals
Jackie asked her friends Emily Bindiger, Margaret Dorn, Linda LoPresti, and Annette Sanders to join her in singing background vocals. Collectively and individually they are among the best and most famous anonymous studio singers in New York. Everyone has heard their voices thousands of times without knowing who they are, but on "You Oughta Be On Broadway" you can hear them all together and now you know their names. (back up)

Emily Bindiger
In addition to her commercial performances, Emily Bindiger can be heard on the soundtrack album of Woody Allen's "Everyone Says I Love You," on "Cowboy Bebop Blue," and Christine Lavin's "The Runaway Christmas Tree" (which Emily also produced). She has sung with many famous stars including Neil Sedaka and Ben Vereen. Emily sings in The Accidentals, an a capella vocal group. For more on Emily, go to www.theaccidentals.com and click on her name listed under Members. (back up)

Margaret Dorn
Margaret Dorn is also a member of The Accidentals. Margaret has sung with Celine Dion, Michael Bolton, Bette Midler, Barry Manilow and many more. Margaret has two solo albums. For more information on Margaret, go to www.theaccidentals.com and click on her name listed under Members.
(back up)

Linda LoPresti
Linda LoPresti has been heard on hundreds of commercials, and is the mother of You Oughta Be's Lindsay Rose. (back up)

Annette Sanders
Annette Sanders is a jazz singer, and has performed with Lionel Hampton, Stan Getz, Michel LeGrand, Burt Bacharach, Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack and Benny Goodman. (back up)

Bill Moss
Bill Moss was the assistant engineer at Nola Recording Studios when Ethan was subbing on guitar on the television show "Sesame Street." Over the years they have done a lot of projects together. In the recording studio, often a musician hardly sees the engineer's face, but constantly hears his voice in the earphones. A few years ago, Ethan barely survived a difficult situation at another recording studio. He found the sound of the other engineer's voice particularly grating, and after the session in the car driving home he called up Nola and asked to speak to Bill. When Bill answered, Ethan said "I just called to hear your voice." Ethan immediately began to relax. (back up)

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