SOMA’s backing band, The Local Heroes, is thrilled to announce the fourth in a series of benefits: SOMA Rocks 4 – A Singer Showcase. The show will be Saturday night, January 20, 2024, at the Woodland in Maplewood, New Jersey.
January’s concert and party will feature the singing talents of Maplewood’s own Becky Gulsvig, Miguel Cervantes, Lauren Hooper, Manu Narayan, Alex Jones, Allison Posner, Graham Rowat, and Joanna Young, along with The Local Heroes’ full-time lead singers, Diane Davis and Charlie Pollock.
Join us for an eclectic evening of live rock’n’roll with songs selected by the singers and arranged by, and performed with, The Local Heroes.
Drinks at 8, concert at 9, party at 10. Adults only.
All proceeds will benefit the Columbia High School Music Parents Association (CHSMPA).
The Local Heroes are SOMA’s own Matt Katz, David Pohl, Dave Shields, Mark Litwin, David Diamond, Charlie Pollock, and Diane Davis, with special guest Marc Gidal.
Artwork by Sarah Gifford Design @sarahgdesign
SOMA Rocks 4 Guest Vocalist Bios:
Becky Gulsvig
Becky is currently on Broadway in A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical. Other Broadway credits include: Hairspray, Legally Blonde The Musical, School of Rock and Come From Away. She also starred in the 1st National Tours of Legally Blonde, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and Come From Away. Becky is the creator and owner of Little Apple Arts, a children's theatre enrichment program in SOMA. She lives in Maplewood with her husband, daughter and their dog, Moose.
Miguel Cervantes
Miguel has starred in the role of Alexander Hamilton in the Chicago and Broadway productions of Hamilton. Prior to Hamilton, Miguel performed in the Broadway casts of American Idiot and If/Then and the digital musical A Killer Party: A Murder Mystery Musical. In addition to his stage career, Miguel has appeared on the tv shows, Madam Secretary, Person of Interest, and The Blacklist.
Miguel is also the co-owner of Dinger’s, Maplewood’s newest batting cage and training facility. Miguel lives in Maplewood with his wife, Kelly, their children, and their two dogs.
Lauren Hooper
Lauren is a dessert loving Jersey Girl who likes to play pretend with other ridiculously silly (yet serious) pretend players. Projects she’s taken herself a little too seriously on include film and tv credits For Colored Boys, Redemption opposite Rob Morgan, Law &Order: SVU and recurring roles on Netflix’s Manifest, and Showtime’s Homeland. Regionally, Lauren starred in the lead role in INTIMATE APPAREL, receiving a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play. Favorite musicals roles (where she cut up back stage) include Sarah in RAGTIME, Kate in Michael John LaChiusa’s THE WILD PARTY, and Michelle in DREAMGIRLS, done regionally and off-Broadway. When she’s not telling jokes that don’t land or playing pretend, she’s gardening, going on near and far adventures with her hubby and two kids, or work her booty out dancing/biking/playing soccer/ or running.
Manu Narayan
Manu most recently co-starred on Broadway as Theo in the Tony Award-winning revival of Sondheim’s COMPANY. Other Broadway credits include Lincoln Center’s revival of MY FAIR LADY, GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER, and the lead in A.R. Rahman’s BOMBAY DREAMS, the first South Asian musical on Broadway. Off-Broadway highlights include Tobias in A DELICATE BALANCE (Transport Group), Charley Kringas in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (Roundabout / Fiasco Theater), Mike in THE LISBON TRAVIATA and Uncle Ernie in The Who’s TOMMY at the Kennedy Center, as well as numerous regional credits. Recent TV and film credits include ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE (AMAZON), AND JUST LIKE THAT (HBO), BULL (CBS), THE BLACKLIST (NBC), PRODIGAL SON (FOX), 99 HOMES, THE LOVE GURU, CINDERELLA STORY: ONCE UPON A SONG. Manu has sung around the world: for the Queen of England and her family in London, at the Jewish Singers’ festival in Warsaw, at the Jewish Cultural festival in Krakow, in Italy, Russia, India, and most recently at the Lyrics & Lyricists series at the 92nd street Y in New York City. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Manu lives with his family (both human and canine) in Maplewood, NJ.
Alex Jones
Alex Jones is a local South Orange resident. He provides lead vocals for two local bands, Gravy Train, a three piece acoustic cover band that has been playing throughout SOMA and the Summer Concert Series at Floods Hill for the past couple of years and Water Towers, a 5 piece alternative band based out of South Orange. He is a high school guidance counselor by trade and is happy to be a part of the SOMA Rocks family.
Allison Posner
Allison Posner is an actor, singer and voiceover artist. Theater: The Magnificent Seven, Volleygirls. Concerts: SOPAC, Green Room 42, 54 Below, Ars Nova, Joe’s Pub, Symphony Space. TV: John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch. VO: Numerous books, commercials, session singing. She serves on the board of SOMA Action (@soma_action), a grassroots organization focused on driving progressive change. A Maplewood resident for 7 years, proud mom of Walter (8) and Harry (5). allisonposner.com @allisonjp23
Graham Rowat
Broadway: Dear Evan Hansen, Meteor Shower, Sunset Boulevard, Mamma Mia, Guys and Dolls, LoveMusik, Dracula, Beauty and the Beast. Off-Broadway: The Blue Flower (Second Stage), The Boys in the Band (Transport Group), The Minister's Wife (Lincoln Center Theater). TV: Evil, Madam Secretary, Elementary, Law and Order. Recordings: LoveMusik (Broadway Cast Recording), Life Begins at 8:40, Sweet Bye and Bye (PS Classics). linktr.ee/grahamrowat
Joanna Young Schubart
Joanna is happy to call Maplewood home! She is an actress who has performed on Broadway, Off-Broadway, National Tours and regional theatres across the country. She is currently on the voice faculty at Rider University and has a private voice studio in her home. Joanna is a mom of three boys, one in college and two involved in the music program at Columbia High School. She loves to sing with her SOMA friends and the Local Heroes and you might have spotted her last year dancing her totally eclipsed heart out on Fleischman Is in Trouble.
Diane Davis
Diane is the co-lead singer of The Local Heroes. Best known for starring as Ginny Potter in the acclaimed Broadway production of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child", Diane previously appeared on Broadway in Golden Boy, Festen, and Old Acquaintance. Off-Broadway she has been seen in Nice Girl (LAByrinth), The Model Apartment, Regrets Only (Manhattan Theater Club), The Young Left (Cherry Lane). She has also worked regionally, most notably starring in An American Daughter at the Williamstown Theater Festival, The Qualms at Steppenwolf, and The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window at The Goodman Theater. Diane was nominated for both a Lucille Lortel and a Drama Desk award for “Outstanding Actress in a Play” for her portrayal of Debbie in The Model Apartment. Her work in Nice Girl was designated by the New York Times as “one of the Stage’s Best Moments of 2015.”
Charlie Pollock
Charlie Pollock is the co-lead singer of The Local Heroes band. He is also a veteran of stage and screen. Broadway: Violet, Urinetown, 9 to 5. Encores: The Wild Party, Really Rosie. Shakespeare in the Park: Love’s Labour’s Lost. Off-Broadway: David Bowie’s Lazarus, Tick, Tick, Boom!, I love You, You’re Perfect... National Tours: Urinetown, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber
T.V./Film: Jesus Christ Superstar Live! The Good Wife (recurring), The Good Fight (recurring) Elementary, As the World Turns (recurring), Law and Order, The Guiding Light, P.S. I Love You.
Charlie lives with his family in South Orange.