Nessa brings the best kind of surprise to any music event. Combining whimsy with serious musicianship, Nessa can put audiences into a trance or up on their feet dancing. The music is Celtic inspired, but presented in a new and unique way. Spicing things up with African, Caribbean, Eastern flavors with classical and jazz influences, Kelly McDermott and her band bring charm and delight to listeners of all ages.  

“Great fun! Wonderful music.”  Cynthia Canty - NPR

Recently named the winner of the 2023 Desert Theatre League (DTL) Award for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Cabaret for her critically-acclaimed Linda Ronstadt show, Francesca Amari is a versatile singer/cabaret artist from Palm Springs, CA., and has performed @top-rated cabaret clubs from New York to Hollywood, including Birdland, Metropolitan Room, The Triad & 92nd Street Y in NYC; The Gardenia, Catalina Jazz Club, Mbar, Rockwell Table, E Spot/Vitello’s, Kulak’s Woodshed in L..A.; Martinis Above Fourth in San Diego & the Purple Room in Palm Springs. Francesca has earned rave reviews for her entertaining cabaret shows. She performs on cruise ships with her Linda Ronstadt tribute; has toured nationally w/her critically-acclaimed Gilda Radner tribute & has performed & studied with such cabaret luminaries as Andrea Marcovicci, Karen Mason, Marilyn Maye & Sam Harris. In SoCal, Francesca performs regularly as a jazz/pop singer or with her “Cocktails & Cabaret” show  and The Mod Squad Trio at top Coachella Valley spots, including Palm Springs Cultural Center, PS Underground, the COPA Nightclub, Oscar’s, Melvyn’s, Woody’s and the former AJ’s on the Green. 

Other awards and nominations include: 2022 Desert Theatre League Award for Outstanding Cabaret Supporting Artist, the 2021 BroadwayWorld Palm Springs Recipient for Best Streaming Concert/Cabaret for her Gilda Radner tribute show; and nominations in 2023 for Best Local Musician (Coachella Valley Entertainment Newspaper), 2020 Vocalist of the Decade (BroadwayWorld Palm Springs), 2020 & 2018 Best Jazz Vocalist (Coachella Valley Music Awards).

As an actress, she appeared in the AZ, FL & PA Non-Equity premieres of “Midlife! The Crisis Musical” by veteran Broadway brothers Bob & Jim Walton & won Desert Theatre League (DTL) awards for Outstanding Cabaret (2022) & Best Professional Actress (2016) as Reno Sweeny in Palm Canyon Theatre’s “Anything Goes.” She’s received multiple BroadwayWorld & DTL nominations for “Into the Woods,” “Gilda,” “Sister Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class” & “Women Behind Bars.” Other theatre credits include “Sordid Lives,” “Pump Boys & Dinettes,” “Taffetas,” “Beehive,” “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” & “A…My Name is Alice.”  Francesca is a busy audiobook director & has been teaching & directing children’s theatre for 30+ years.	 
www.FrancescaAmari.com

Here you'll find the award-winning podcast, The Improv Teachers as well as other improv related conversations from veteran improviser Lauren Morris. There's conversations about being an artistic director and what it takes to own and operate a long-form improv theater in a small community.

A sound you know, with a twist of my own.
Influenced by: Ed Sheeran, James Arthur, Aerosmith, The High Kings, The Elders, Green Day

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