The Wallis’ Virtual Nightclub Series ‘The Sorting Room’ Sessions Returns, Launching with ‘Chester Gregory: Celebrating The Motown Era’

The virtual Sorting Room Sessions, the Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts’ popular nightclub series, returns with four new entertaining on-demand programs featuring a range of Motown, jazz, popular and classical music. Broadway star and recording artist Chester Gregory delivers a range of soulful Motown hits, opening the digital series on April 30, followed by the compelling artistry of lauded Los Angeles chamber ensemble Delirium Musicum, performing works by Mozart, Brahms, Chopin, Prokofiev and others, on May 7. The Sorting Room continues with multi-Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton and the Tierney Sutton Band presenting timeless jazz standards and selections from the American song book to celebrate the group’s 25^th anniversary on May 14. The series concludes on May 21 with For The Record showcasing the music and legacy of legendary ’80s “Brat Pack” films. The programs are presented digitally on Friday evenings beginning at 7:00 pm (PT), with single tickets and multi-show ticket packages now available. Purchase of each digital concert includes 48-hour viewing access.

“These dynamic live performances, produced specifically with our artistic and production staff, were filmed live in The Wallis’ Bram Goldsmith Theater,” says The Wallis’ Artistic Director Paul Crewes. “We are particularly excited about this second virtual series as we are developing the world of The Sorting Room Sessions, and how we present our wonderful artists. The sessions also include compelling conversations with the artists that provide insights into their artistry and their creative process.” The programs include:

Celebrated Broadway star and recording artist Chester Gregory, lauded for his “killer singing and dancing skills” (The Hollywood Reporter), showcases his powerhouse eight-octave vocal range on such iconic Motown hits as “I Only Have Eyes 4 U,” “What You Won’t Do For Love,” Superstition,” “My Girl,” “What’s Going On,” and “Higher and Higher.” Gregory, who previously starred in The Wallis’ critically acclaimed 2018 production of Sheldon Epps’ 1980 show Blues in the Night, has also been showcased in such productions as Tarzan, Cry-Baby, Sister Act, Hairspray and Motown the Musical, in which he appeared as legendary songwriter/producer Barry Gordy, Jr. He has toured nationally with Dreamgirls and his one-man show The Eve of Jackie Wilson.

Single Sorting Room Session on-demand shows are $20.00 per household, for viewing on Smart TV, computer, smartphone or tablet, and $75 for all four performances (must purchase all four events in one transaction for savings). Patrons will receive a link and password 24 hours prior to each performance date. On Demand purchase includes a 48-hour window of access, beginning at 7:00 PM the evening of the performance. Tickets cannot be transferred or shared. Tickets may be purchased by visiting TheWallis.org/SR, by email at Tickets@TheWallis.org or by calling 310.746.4000 (Tuesday – Friday, 9:30 am – 2:30 pm).

About the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts: 

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is a dynamic cultural hub and community resource where local, national and international artists share their artistry with ever-expanding audiences. The campus, located in the heart of Beverly Hills, CA, is committed to robust and distinctive presentations and education programs curated with both creativity and social impact in mind. Distinguished by its eclectic programming that mirrors the diverse landscape of Los Angeles and its location in the entertainment capital of the world, The Wallis has produced and presented more than 300 dance, theater, opera, classical music, cinema and family programs since its doors opened in October 2013. Hailed as “au courant” (LaLa Magazine), The Wallis was lauded by Culture Vulture, which proclaims, “If you love expecting the unexpected in the performing arts, you have to love The Wallis.” Its programming has been nominated for 79 Ovation Awards and nine L.A. Drama Critic's Circle Awards. The campus itself, a breathtaking 70,000-square-foot facility, celebrating the classic and the modern, has garnered six architectural awards. Designed by acclaimed architect Zoltan E. Pali (SPF:architects), the restored building features the original 1933 Beverly Hills Post Office (on the National Register of Historic Places), which serves as the theater's dramatic yet welcoming lobby, and includes the contemporary 500-seat, state-of-the-art Bram Goldsmith Theater; the 150-seat Lovelace Studio Theater; an inviting open-air plaza for family, community and other performances; and GRoW @ The Wallis: A Space for Arts Education, where learning opportunities for all ages and backgrounds abound. Together, these elements embrace the city's history and its future, creating a performing arts destination for L.A.-area visitors and residents alike. The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is led by Chairman of the Board Michael Nemeroff, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer Rachel Fine and Artistic Director Paul Crewes.

For more information about The Wallis, please visit: TheWallis.org.
For downloadable photos, please visit: TheWallis.org/Press.
Like The Wallis on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram