Under the Streetlamp is a concert celebration of classic hits of the American radio songbook from the 1950s-1970s featuring tight harmonies and slick dance moves that take audiences back to an era of sharkskin suits, flashy cars and martini shakers. A time when, on hot summer nights, people would gather under a streetlamp to sing. With irresistible rapport, Under the Streetlamp offers audiences the opportunity to get to know four critically acclaimed stars of stage and screen, Michael Ingersoll, Christopher Kale Jones, Brandon Wardell and Shonn Wiley. While each performer gets his moment in the spotlight, it is their synergy and charisma as a group that has drawn an extremely devoted nationwide following. MICHAEL INGERSOLL is a Dayton, Ohio-born artist whose grounded musical style exudes the sincerity, warmth and generosity of the Rockabilly/Rhythm and Blues greats.

Before rocking the American Radio Songbook classics, Michael worked as an actor on stage and screen. The multitalented musician and actor has a diverse array of critically acclaimed and award-nominated Chicago and regional theater credits, from “Frost/Nixon"to “A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline; ”from “Beauty & the Beast ”to Cincinnati Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.

 

”He made his film debut in the Johnny Cash biopic “Walk the Line” and enjoyed a three year run as Nick Massi of the Four Seasons in “Jersey Boys,” originating the role for the first national tour.

 

Michael is passionate about community service and is a dedicated artist advocate. He holds a BFA in Acting from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio; as well as a Second Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. For more information, visit www.michaelingersoll.com

 

Musical Influences: I developed my love of music on my grandfather’s knee at the piano in the parlor.

 

My grandpa Roy Francis was a jazz musician back in the 60s during the art form’s heyday, He toured with some of the greats like Dave Brubeck. Unfortunately, he gave it up to support his family and became a welder at General Motors. He had a way about him when he performed. It was heartfelt, but still distinctly masculine. He is truly my biggest influence and inspiration.

 

Favorite Song to Perform: For me, it’s all about the story within the song. Great artists like Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash were masters at distilling a story down to its essence and telling that story through a song that resonated with depth and character. That’s why it’s so much fun for me to sing their music and why artists like them still have a prominent place in pop culture today.

 

CHRISTOPHER KALE JONES has been singing since he was a kid in church. Before his voice changed, he sang soprano in the prestigious Iolani boys choir in his home island of Hawaii. In high school he sang in select choirs including the selective All-State Honor Choir. In college, at Northwestern University, Chris began acting professionally, including work with Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Steppenwolf Theatre. Chris’s big break came in 2006, when he was cast in Jersey Boys as Frankie Valli for the first national tour. Other career highlights include Mercury in “Olympus On My Mind” (Bristol Riverside Theatre), for which he received a Barrymore Award Nomination, and Seymour in “Little Shop of Horrors” (Ford’s Theatre, D.C.), opposite his wife, Jenna Coker-Jones. In 2013, Chris and Jenna were blessed to add their little girl, Presley Rose Jones, to their family. When not performing with Under The Streetlamp, he spends as much time as he can with them and their awesome dogs, Fender and Rocket. He is thankful to God for all the blessings in his life. www.christopherkalejones.com

 

Musical Influences: I grew up in a relatively conservative family so there was a lot of Christian music and talk radio. But there was a lot of Broadway, and Disney musicals, too – Annie, Camelot, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast .... My mom, though, also liked Motown ... Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, etc. The song I remember the most, the one she’d clean the house to, was the Kiki Dee Band’s, “I’ve Got the Music in Me.” Little did I know my mom would be foreshadowing what I do now!

 

Favorite Streetlamp Experience:There have been a bunch! As a group, my favorite experience was when we did a New Year’s Eve show at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora, Illinois. It was fun to be the emcee to usher in the New Year for a couple thousand people. We did the whole count down and then saw everyone kiss. Afterwards, we had a party with the fans. It capped off our tour so it was a lot of fun knowing we got to then go home and celebrate with our own families.

 

I have a personal favorite, too. I’m a huge fan of stand-up comedy. It is pretty much all I listen to in my car. We do a lot of bantering in the show. Once a person came up to me after the show and said, “Your comedic timing is incredible.” I personally feel that music and comedy go hand in hand, equally providing escape and catharsis for our audience. It is something we really work at. So to have such an unexpected and endearing comment meant a lot to me.

 

Favorite Song to Perform: You know it’s funny. After you’ve performed a lot, you get excited about the new stuff.

Going into t he holiday season, it’s Ave Maria. 

During our regular tour, it’s Frankie Valli’s classic “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.” Our goal with that song was to give our audience the same feeling they had when they first heard that amazing song, but any artist wo rth their salt also has to put their own stamp on their material, or you’re just a cover band. With the background vocal parts and the creativity on the ending, I feel we were able to honor the original and lift it just a little bit higher. Now, it is very specifically “ours.”

 

BRANDON WARDELL, is the newest member of Under The Streetlamp. A native of North Carolina, Brandon is equally at home on stage, in front of a camera, in the recording studio or in the concert hall. He made his Broadway debut in “James Joyce’s The Dead,” alongside Christopher Walken, and also appeared in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” opposite Sutton Foster.

 

He also performed on Broadway in the casts of “Assassins” with Neil Patrick Harris, “Good Vibrations” and “Catch Me If You Can,” and was featured in “RENT” at the Hollywood Bowl, directed by Neil Patrick Harris.

 

Wardell sang before a live audience of more than 1 million at the 2005 Times Square New Year’s Eve Celebration, and also performed on the stage of Radio City Music Hall and at The Merle Watson Festival, sharing the bill with Allison Krauss and Emmylou Harris. He is a proud member of the Broadway Inspirational Voice choir and the Recording Academy. Also an avid producer, his work for the stage and in the recording studio has been honored with a Tony Award (he has been nominated for an additional four) and four Grammy Awards nominations.

 

Musical Influence: “My father is my number one influence when it comes to music. I grew up in a house where our third bedroom was a band practice room for my dad. He gave me every opportunity to be a part of his world. I had my first gig playing drums with his band when I was 12. When they announced my name, my Dad says I walked on stage twirling sticks in both hands and I never looked back.

Although a stroke a few years ago has been a physical setback, he never has given up on learning how to grow as a musician.”

 

Fondest Memory:

“I would have to say my fondest memory thus far has been getting to know the whole team; they are great people and incredible performers. I am a lucky man.”

Favorite Song to Perform:“I am looking forward to performing “Got to Get You into My Life” by the Beatles, because I am a huge fan and love the sound of the great horn parts juxtaposed with the traditional rock instrumentation.”

 

SHONN WILEY is the consummate song and dance man and a gifted choreographer. He made his Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning revival of “42nd Street.” He was then asked to star in a groundbreaking production of “42nd Street” in Moscow, making Shonn the first American actor to perform in an English speaking musical in Russia. Shonn later returned to the Broadway stage in “Dracula the Musical, during which time he also made his television debut