I’ll Be Home For Christmas: A Holiday Celebration for the Whole Family!

This event is Reserved Seated on the Floor with General Admission Standing Room in the Back, and Reserved Seated in the Balcony.

I’ll Be Home For Christmas: A Holiday Celebration for the Whole Family!

An evening to benefit two community nonprofit organizations:

• Healing Hearts Adaptive Recreation Services in Stamford, a program that provides socialization and weekly activities for young adults with Autism and other special needs.
• INTEMPO, a Stamford/Norwalk CT organization that provides high-quality classical music lessons to expose, educate, and enrich the lives of school age children.

The evening will feature Grammy and Oscar award winning vocalist Ms. Lisa Fischer!

with...

Dennis Collins

Wendy Gerbier

Frank Mastrone

Richard "Cookie" Thomas

The Stamford Holiday Youth Chorus

and Hosted by Micheal ‘Motts’ Pelazza

MS. LISA FISCHER is touring the world’s finest concert halls and festivals. After four decades of singing background for icons like The Rolling Stones, Luther Vandross, Sting, Tina Turner and Nine Inch Nails, Ms. Fischer set out to take center stage with her celebrated vocal prowess. Lisa’s heartfelt story in the Oscar-winning “Twenty Feet From Stardom”, altered her musical journey; sharing clips of her legendary duets with Sting, Mick Jagger on “Gimme Shelter”, and accepting her first Grammy for “How Can I Ease the Pain”. She invited with her co-conspirators Grand Baton, to reinvent classics in an organic fusion of Caribbean psychedelic soul and jazzy progressive rock, showcasing Lisa’s flexibility and freedom of expression, exploring her lifelong desire to make music that heals but still rocks the house. Lisa’s passion for constant growth and experimentation with different styles has invited collaborations with jazz pianist Taylor Eigsti, Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Sting, Chris Botti, Michael McDonald, Eric Krasno, Billy Childs, YoYo Ma, the BBC Proms / Jules Buckley and the Metropole Orkest, Anna Deavere Smith’s “Notes from the Field”. Her full evening program has been performed with Seattle Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony and the National Philharmonic.

DENNIS COLLINS has earned the reputation in the music and entertainment industry as a much in demand background vocalist. He has now stepped to the forefront with his newly released single “THE LOAD IS LIFTED”, which has garnered rave reviews, and recently held the #1 spot on a UK radio air play chart! It is available on all digital music platforms worldwide! His new EP is now available on all digital music platforms worldwide as well as performance dates spring 2026. Dennis was a featured soloist in the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Celebration, 2023 on NBC. He has recorded and/or performed with such popular artists as Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin, Carole King, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Bob Dylan, Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Batiste, Quincy Jones, Jimmy Buffet, Sting, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Celine Dion, Billy Joel, Beyoncé, Faith Hill, Bette Midler, David Bowie, Placido Domingo and others.

RICHARD “COOKIE” THOMAS has shared the stage with Spyro Gyra, Marion Meadows, Arti Dixson, The Brooklyn Bridge, the Coasters, the Jive Five, The Five Satins, in addition to a host of other well known groups. Cookie’s voice is especially suited to well-known classic standards. Richard draws his inspiration from the likes of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Johnny Hartman.

FRANK MASTRONE has appeared on Broadway in Cats, Les Miserables (as Jean Valjean), Jekyll and Hyde (performing the roles of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), Big: The Musical, the stage version of Saturday Night Fever, and as an original cast member in The Phantom of the Opera. Off Broadway and national Tours include Mamma Mia, Evita, Les Miserables, Cats, and Tapestry: The music of Carol King. His concert work has taken him from Carnegie Hall to the Royal Albert Hall, and most recently at Westport’s Levitt Pavilion. He has appeared at the Long Wharf Theater, the Eugene O’Neil Theater Center, The Old Globe in San Diego, and most recently with the Summer Theatre of New Canaan and The Music Theatre of CT.

BILL HELLER (Musical Director, keyboard) is best known as composer, arranger and keyboardist. He is the keyboard player for the legendary Grammy nominated jazz group, The Rippingtons. As a recording artist in his own right, his latest cd is titled, “Passage”. Bill has also performed with Michael McDonald, Patti Austin, Sara Bareilles, Mary Wilson, Smokey Robinson, Randy Brecker, Jennifer Nettles, Dave Valentine, Phil Perry, Larry Carlton.

BETTE SUSSMAN (piano) has served as Musical Director/Pianist for legendary artists including Whitney Houston, Bette Midler, Carly Simon, Desmond Child, Darlene Love, Christine Ebersole, Patti LuPone, Billy Porter, Rita Coolidge, Martin Short and many others.

WILL LEE (bass) is a Grammy Award-winning bassist, mostly known as a member for over three decades on Late Show with David Letterman! Will has also lent his considerable talents to over 2,000 Pop, Jazz, Rock, Reggae and Gospel albums with legendary artists, Chaka Khan Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Sinatra, James Brown, Barbra Streisand, BB King, Cat Stevens, Alicia Keys, Ricky Martin, David Sanborn, Gary Burton, Spyro Gyra, Bob James, Pat Metheny and others.

CHRIS PARKER (drums) is one of the most sought after drummers on the New York music scene and artist in his on right with three cd’s of his own. He has recorded on numerous platinum, gold and Grammy winning records with artists such as, Tony Bennett, the original Brecker Brothers, Bob Dylan, Cher, Natalie Cole, Donald Fagen, Ashford and Simpson, Aretha Franklin, Freddie Hubbard, James Brown, Miles Davis, Patti LaBelle, Michael Bolton, Michael Franks, Lionel Hampton, Eddie Palmieri, Gato Barbieri and others.

KEITH ROBINSON (guitar) has been Vanessa Williams’s guitarist for the past 27 years. He has also played with artists such as Earth Wind & Fire, Patti Austin, Taylor Dayne, Keith Sweat and others.

SHARON JERRY-COLLINS (Holiday Youth Chorus Director) is a very talented and versatile singer. She has recorded and performed with renowned artists such as, Roberta Flack, Whitney Houston, Mavis Staples, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Patti Austin, Pat Benatar and Neal Giraldo, Bette Midler, James Taylor Chic, Smokey Robinson, Jon Batiste, Ralph MacDonald, George Benson, Billy Preston and Sara Bareilles.

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Host or Publisher Wall Street Theater.