Milestones & Memories – A Night to Remember

By Ann Parenti / Photography by Cashman Photo

Chic Compass pulled out all the stops for its latest launch at another sold-out event. Held at the fun and fabulous Loaded Empanadas on May 15 in Las Vegas, we introduced our cover star, Tony Pearson, and met many of the other fascinating individuals featured in this edition. It was an action-packed evening filled with celebrity performers, writers, designers, our valued advertisers, and many other interesting guests.

This edition is titled Only the Strong Survive, and I think you’ll agree with that sentiment once you read some of their touching stories. Check out our current issue to learn more about their incredible experiences.

In addition to the launch, we celebrated the Forgotten Song Foundation (FSF) and honored its 10 years of giving back to the art and music community in Las Vegas. FSF will close at the end of May, having awarded nearly $200,000 in grants and scholarships over the past decade.

We also bid a fond farewell to Parenti & Associates. It was my personal swan song to a company I’ve had for 38 years. Parenti & Associates was a multi-line manufacturer’s rep firm with clients from the architectural and design community specializing in hospitality and commercial design and construction.

The evening was filled with delicious food, sangria, wine, laughter and fun. We’d like to thank Anna Gomes for her hospitality and sponsorship of the evening, and Robert Dolan of Cashman Photo for sponsoring the event photography. A huge thank-you to all the guests who attended. It truly was a night to remember.

Chic Compass will be celebrating another milestone when we release our next edition in August—our eighth anniversary! Get ready to party with us once again. FSF and Parenti & Associates may be in the rearview mirror, but Chic Compass will keep following the compass toward our next exciting adventure!

“Wondrous Journeys” features an original song, “It’s Wondrous,” that pays tribute to 70 years of delight at The Happiest Place on Earth (Richard Harbaugh/Disneyland Resort)

Seven Decades of Happiness

Lighting Legends and Iconic Moments Around the World

BY HEATHER TURK / PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DISNEYLAND RESORT

“Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”

These words, spoken by Walt Disney, continue to ring true almost 70 years after Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California. What Walt Disney hoped would be “a source of joy and inspiration to all the world” has grown over the past seven decades from 18 major attractions on 160 acres to a 500-acre, world-class family resort destination, complete with dozens of attractions for guests to enjoy at two renowned theme parks: Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park.

While Disneyland Park’s 70th anniversary isn’t until July 17, Disneyland Resort’s yearlong anniversary celebration kicks off early on May 16. The Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration invites Disney fans of all ages (including Disney adults!) to experience not only what’s new at the resort, but also special anniversary décor, themed food and beverages, collectible merchandise and limited-time entertainment—including the return of the fan-favorite “Paint the Night” parade.

The dazzling nighttime parade will once again illuminate Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Park with its innovative floats, vibrant costumes, state-of-the-art special effects and high-energy music that includes a special rendition of the song “When Can I See You Again?” by electronic music project Owl City. Guests can watch as Mickey Mouse uses his vivid imagination to harness the power of Tinker Bell’s pixie dust and “Paint the Night” in Disney dreams, bringing to light beloved characters and stories from Pixar Animation Studios films such as “Monsters, Inc.,” “Cars” and “Toy Story,” and Walt Disney Animation Studios films like “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Frozen.”

Disneyland Park’s nighttime spectacular “Wondrous Journeys” will also make its return, featuring stunning projection effects that turn Sleeping Beauty Castle, the Rivers of America, Main Street, U.S.A., and the façade of “it’s a small world” into a magnificent canvas. Spectators will embark on a journey filled with artistry, music, storytelling and even sparkling fireworks on select nights as they celebrate more than 100 years of Walt Disney Animation Studios classics like “Hercules,” “Moana” and “Peter Pan.”

Additionally, the façade of “it’s a small world” will come to life each night through lights, music and projection effects for “Tapestry of Happiness.” A visual love letter to Disneyland, the all-new projection show not only features an animated mosaic of Disneyland attractions, moments and memories brought to life in a style inspired by the work of legendary Disney artist Mary Blair (“Alice in Wonderland,” “Cinderella”), but also the original 70th anniversary celebration theme song “Celebrate Happy” and nods to recognizable Disneyland tunes from across the decades.

During the day, revelers can enjoy a new character cavalcade at Disneyland Park: “The Celebrate Happy Cavalcade.” Guests will spot characters, including Goofy and his son Max, in their festive 70th anniversary attire, as well as friends not often seen at Disneyland—like Mickey Mouse’s teddy bear, Duffy, and Duffy’s teddy bear friend, ShellieMay.

Even Disney California Adventure Park is celebrating Disneyland Park’s 70th anniversary with an all-new “World of Color” fountains show inspired by Walt Disney’s opening-day dedication: “To all who come to this happy place … welcome!” Hosted by Joy and the other emotions from the Pixar Animation Studios films “Inside Out” and “Inside Out 2,” “World of Color Happiness!” explores the concept of happiness through moments from favorite Pixar films like “Turning Red” and “The Incredibles” and Walt Disney Animation Studios films like “A Goofy Movie,” “Tangled” and “Encanto.”

In addition to featuring classic Disney songs throughout the euphoric show, the nighttime spectacular boasts a rendition of “Rainbow Connection” performed by legendary R&B trio Boyz II Men and an original song, “Makes Me Wanna Move,” by the frontman of Fitz and the Tantrums, FITZ. Before the show begins, guests will even be treated to a zany song-and-dance number by more than a dozen of The Muppets as they share some safety information with the guidance of Joe the Legal Weasel.

Furthermore, Pixar fans can see more than two dozen of their favorite characters from Pixar Animation Studios films like “Luca” and “Soul” at “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” The delightful daytime parade will once again take over the streets of Disney California Adventure Park for the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration.

Beginning on Disneyland’s official anniversary, guests will be able to enjoy several new experiences on Main Street, U.S.A., that honor Disneyland Park’s cherished history and optimism for the future. The most anticipated attraction is “Walt Disney—A Magical Life,” which, through remastered footage and audio recordings, will take audiences on a cinematic journey that leads from Walt Disney’s early endeavors to the bright lights of Los Angeles and beyond.

When the curtain rises inside the Main Street Opera House, audiences will be transported to Walt Disney’s office, where the first-ever Audio-Animatronics figure of Walt Disney will share some heartfelt stories and words of wisdom with guests. The figure marks an advancement in the technology Walt Disney pioneered at the 1964 New York World’s Fair with an Abraham Lincoln Audio-Animatronics figure—which is fitting since the show will play in rotation with Main Street Opera House’s own “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” following its premiere.

Before audiences sit down for the show, they can browse through an all-new gallery at the Main Street Opera House that focuses on the evolution of Disneyland. Guests will see images, arts and artifacts on display that show Disneyland before, during and after Walt Disney’s dream became a reality. More than 30 artifacts showcased will come from The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, including an original rocking chair, lamp and table from Walt Disney’s private apartment above the Fire Station on Main Street that have never been publicly exhibited at Disneyland Park before. Several of Walt Disney’s humanitarian accolades will also be on loan from the museum, including his 1955 Emmy Award for the “Disneyland” TV show and his Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

Visitors can enjoy a special exhibit at the Main Street Opera House, too, that details how far Audio-Animatronics figures have advanced through the years—something they’ll see for themselves when they watch Walt Disney seemingly come to life during “Walt Disney—A Magical Life.” Once the show ends, audiences can learn more about how Disneyland plans to continue to move forward in the years to come at an informative exit lobby exhibit that focuses on The Happiest Place on Earth’s future projects.

Starting on July 17, guests will also be able to enjoy the heartwarming 3-and-a-half-minute film “The Last Verse” at Main Street Cinema. Celebrating the timeless connection and hope behind the Sherman brothers’ iconic song “It’s a Small World,” the movie unveils a new verse written by legendary composer Richard M. Sherman for the song’s 60th anniversary last year—his final Disney contribution before sadly passing away. Additionally, park guests will be able to hear the all-new verse when it debuts in the “it’s a small world” attraction that same day.

Guests riding “it’s a small world” during the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration will notice another recent addition: Miguel and his trusted alebrije, Dante, from Pixar Animation Studios’ “Coco” can now be seen as riders sail through Mexico. This change is one of several updates Disneyland Park has welcomed in recent months, including a newly reimagined bride scene toward the end of Haunted Mansion. The popular attraction has actually undergone several changes over the past year, including an expanded outdoor queue that now features gardens by two of the attraction’s classic characters, Master Gracey and Madame Leota, as well as a Mansion Greenhouse. There’s also an all-new retail shop, Madame Leota’s Somewhere Beyond, where guests can find merchandise themed to Haunted Mansion and “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.” From Aug. 22, 2025, through Jan. 7, 2026, Jack Skellington and the residents of Halloween Town will once again take over the eerie estate for the seasonal Haunted Mansion Holiday attraction that’s a part of both Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort and Holidays at the Disneyland Resort. Both events will coincide with the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration.

Summertime is also a great time to check out the new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure attraction that opened last November just next door to Haunted Mansion in Bayou Country. The thrilling water ride is the perfect way to escape the summer heat, as it crescendos with a 50-foot drop and a swingin’ soiree featuring the new song “Special Spice” performed by Anika Noni Rose (the voice of Princess Tiana). Riders are sure to be singing the catchy tune as they are wringing out their clothes after disembarking!

Although the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration will continue through summer 2026, Disneyland Park’s “Wondrous Journeys” nighttime spectacular and Disney California Adventure Park’s “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” parade will temporarily pause later this year to make way for the parks’ Halloween and holiday entertainment offerings. Be sure to visit the official Disneyland Resort website for up-to-date show times and announcements about the anniversary celebration. Regardless of when guests visit, they are sure to make joyful memories they won’t soon forget—just like Walt Disney wanted 70 years ago.

For a limited time, guests can purchase specially priced 4-day, one park per day Disneyland anniversary tickets for just $100 a day, or 3-day, one park per day tickets for $120 per day. Tickets can be used on nonconsecutive days from May 16 through Aug. 14.

For more information, visit disneyland.com.

Photo of Tony Pearson by Cashman Photo

Driven to Perfection

Professional Bodybuilder Tony Pearson

BY STACEY GUALANDI

Professional bodybuilding champion Tony Pearson’s life reads like a Hollywood script.

An abused child from Memphis, Tennessee, meets his hero Muhammad Ali; buys a one-way bus ticket to Muscle Beach; gets discovered by seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger; perfects the famous stomach vacuum pose; earns multiple bodybuilding titles, including Mr. America in 1978 and the Pro Mr. Universe; adopts the nickname “Michael Jackson of Bodybuilding;” retires for the second time at 63; becomes a Las Vegas-based personal trainer—and remains a bodybuilding legend.

“God was with me the whole time, and I really believe that now because of everything that happened and is still happening,” Pearson says. “I say Hollywood couldn’t script this.”

Pearson, now 68, affirms bodybuilding saved his life. But he says this is not a bodybuilding story.

“Everyone makes that mistake, and some are turned off by it, but it’s more of a life story,” he says. “It’s a real story that people can relate to.”

Well, let me tell you, it is a real page-turner.

Pearson waited decades to reveal in the book “Driven: My Secret Untold Story,” the hidden emotional turmoil that has weighed on him since childhood. Now, he says that weight has been lifted.

“Bodybuilding gave me hope to believe in myself because there was a lot of negativity around me that made me think, ‘You’re never gonna be anything,'” he admits.

Pearson grew up in the Deep South during the 1960s, the second youngest of four children. “My dad was an alcoholic; he was evil and treated my mom so badly,” Pearson says.

He was just a toddler when his mother ran away and divorced her husband. His dad, incapable of raising him, forced Pearson’s great aunt to take him in.

“Auntie Bettie was mean, and everyone was afraid of her,” he says.

Pearson describes in “Driven” one particularly harrowing story about his auntie holding him above the stove while flames burned beneath him. He was just 3 years old.

“I was this close to being a statistic,” Pearson says. “I was never a child again.”

For years, he and Auntie Bettie lived in abject poverty, in a shack with no indoor plumbing or electricity. At age 8, he was taken out of school and forced to do hard labor picking cotton. Beatings and torture became a way of life for Pearson.

“I just thought that everyone was being beaten every day or picking cotton daily or had no food,” he says. “Oh man, I used to starve. It was so painful. She was extremely poor, and I get that, but she was able to buy alcohol, so I’m sure she could have fed me. Knowing her, it was another form of torture.”

Auntie Bettie abruptly moved them to St. Louis, Missouri, where Pearson’s world began to open up after a chance encounter with Muhammad Ali, the then-world heavyweight champion.

“I’m looking up at him like, ‘Oh my God!’ The champ is standing in front of me. He was the man. He was like the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen,” Pearson says. “What an inspiration for me because I had never heard the word ‘sports’ with the childhood I had. But when I saw him, I wanted to do sports. I didn’t know what sport … but my friend said to me, ‘Man, you’re really strong.'”

A knee injury cut short his spot on the high school wrestling team, but that led to meeting another influential figure during his formative years: (in)famous St. Louis gym owner and old-school bodybuilder George Turner.

“He called me into his office, and he says, ‘I’m going to train you,’ and that was like heaven to my ears,” Pearson says. “Training was really hard … but I loved every second of it because it was like an escape from my miserable existence. Then you watch your body change. It was unbelievable.”

Pearson wanted to leave and go far away, so he decided to move to California—the only place he could pursue his dream of being a professional bodybuilder.
“There was an urgency to get to L.A. I don’t know what it was, but I knew I had to go,” Pearson says.

At 19, with only $75 in his pocket, he bought a one-way bus ticket to California, vowing never to return.

“The last thing [George Turner] said to me: ‘If you don’t commit a crime, you’ll make it. In other words, keep your nose clean,'” Pearson says. “So, that stuck in my head.”

Pearson could easily have gone down a dark path after surviving such a painful adolescence, but he chose not to follow in his family’s footsteps.

“That’s not who I am,” he says. “My great auntie put fear in your soul. ‘You better not do anything wrong; you don’t lie; you don’t steal; you earn it! You do the work, ’cause no one gonna give you nothing!'”

After months in Los Angeles, Pearson struggled to earn a living.

He was homeless, but the Venice Beach “weight pen” became his home.

Little did he know that Arnold Schwarzenegger—his idol and retired seven-time Mr. Olympia—had been watching his disciplined and dedicated daily workouts for months.

“When I got to Los Angeles, I said, ‘I want to be a bodybuilding champion,’ but I had no clue where to start. ‘How am I going to do this?’ But [Arnold] gave me the light.”

One fateful day, Schwarzenegger offered to take Pearson through a personal workout, gave him the number for Joe Weider—the co-founder of the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness—and told Pearson he had the potential to be a champion.

“If any other bodybuilder had told me that I would be a champion, I wouldn’t believe them. But when Arnold said it, I believed it and I took it to heart,” Pearson says. “Without him, I don’t think I would’ve made it.”

In no time, Pearson won his first contest, the 1976 Mr. Venice Beach. He told the crowd he would win Mr. America in two years.

“Everyone laughed, of course. But I did! That’s when I knew I was hooked,” says Pearson, after he beat the 1978 favorite, Ron Teufel. “At 19, I wasn’t cocky, I was just trying to motivate myself.”

Years later, Schwarzenegger would feature Pearson in the first edition of his book “The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding.” Of the young Pearson, Schwarzenegger wrote: “I remember a few years ago seeing a skinny Black kid training at the weight pen on Venice Beach. I watched him doing endless sets of squats, with very heavy weight, torturing himself with rep after rep. After a while, his thighs began to grow, and soon they were huge, separated and beautifully defined, and only a year and a half later he entered and won the 1978 Mr. America contest.”

Hard work and intense focus paid off.

“I lost Mr. Universe in ’79. I had one year to think about it. I had a whole year to say I lost. It tore me up inside, but I went back to London the following year and won.”

Pearson went on to win world singles and doubles titles and perform at exhibitions and seminars all over the world.

Early on, he was dubbed the “Rocky of Bodybuilding,” and because he resembled the King of Pop, he adopted the moniker “Michael Jackson with Muscles.”

Pearson’s dream had come true: Bodybuilding was now his full-time job—and a gift.

“God gave me the gift to have the structure, the height, small waist, small hips, small bones, all those things together,” he says. “To me, bodybuilding is like art. It inspired me because I don’t know where I would be without it. It just changed my whole outlook on life, and it was mentally and physically healing in a way.”

Pearson continued to compete for 20 years, until his retirement in 1994. In 2007, he was inducted into the Muscle Beach Bodybuilding Hall of Fame, where his career began.

During his career, he was on the cover of bodybuilding magazines worldwide. But despite all the titles and success, it seems he didn’t receive all the recognition he deserves.

Perhaps it’s because no one really understood the tremendous odds he overcame to reach the potential Schwarzenegger once predicted.

“I’ve known people for 30, 40 years, and they never knew any of [my story],” he admits. “I was with friends and said, ‘I used to pick cotton,’ and they started laughing. I thought, ‘I’ll never tell this story. No way. I would take it to my grave.'”

But in 2017, Pearson had a change of heart.

“I was depressed, more than usual, and feeling like my career was over because you live for bodybuilding, it’s everything, and when the phone stopped ringing, it was brutal,” he says.

“I was used to traveling, appearing at events and always being on the move. Then all of a sudden, there’s nothing, complete silence. I gained weight and trained less, but then I had lunch with a client and started telling her a little bit about my life—don’t ask me why. That’s when she looked at me and said, ‘You need to write a book!'”

He was pumped up and spent the next two years writing “Driven,” his untold story.

“I said, ‘I’m going to do this myself.’ I was in bodybuilding mode again. I will not quit. I’m gonna tell this story if it kills me. Which it almost did.”

Pearson says he ended up in the emergency room at 3 a.m. from exhaustion and reliving painful memories from his past. But ultimately, telling his truth was cathartic.

He then wrote a children’s book, “The Story of Baby Herc,” also based on his life, for kids who like to read and look at drawings.

“That’s an inspiration for kids. They might look at my book and want to be like that guy,” Pearson says.

In 2020, he came out of retirement one last time to win the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Masters Mr. Universe in Las Vegas, where he now lives.

“I was 63. That was my last competition because my body was telling me to quit.”

Now, he trains himself—and a long list of clients—to stay in shape and healthy.

“Everything is about form,” Pearson says. “You’re in your 60s and have all these aches and pains, and I say, ‘Don’t worry. We’ll fix it.'”

After working out with Pearson, many clients have successfully overcome injuries and gained strength in their later years, like Karen, 75, and Monty, 68, who made a choice last year to improve their fitness, balance, strength and quality of life.
Pearson says Monty was severely overweight.

“… and [Karen] couldn’t get through an airport without a wheelchair because she couldn’t walk to the plane and couldn’t put the bag in the overhead compartment.”

Their “couples’ goal” was to travel to Antarctica, ride in Zodiac boats, hike and kayak. Pearson designed special programs to improve their balance and build strength for these activities.

They worked out with Pearson three times a week, and one year later, Monty lost more than 100 pounds, and Karen can now travel easily, has no need for wheelchairs, and can carry her own bags. The freedom and sense of accomplishment, they say, is amazing. Now, he’s keeping them active and able to enjoy life.

“It’s hard work and it takes time,” Pearson says.

Pearson knows that journey all too well.

But to fully accept his remarkable past, he did something he once vowed never to do. He returned to St. Louis 10 years after leaving to make an appearance as a favor to his original bodybuilding mentor, George Turner.
But one morning, he woke up and knew he had to come face to face one last time with his former abuser, Auntie Bettie.

“Glancing around [her] room, I saw this picture on the wall. [Auntie] says, ‘That’s you on the wall. You’ve done so much,’ and she’s giving me all this praise,” Pearson says. “That’s when I said, ‘OK. She didn’t know any better.’ I forgave her, but I had to do it for myself too. I know this sounds weird—it was a hell of a childhood—but it taught me a lot about work discipline. I’m a perfectionist. It taught me that, because with [Auntie Bettie], you better be perfection.”

Pearson returned home again three years ago to film a documentary called “Driven: The Tony Pearson Story.”

“I had to go back to the places where it all happened. You’re really reliving it, and I got physically sick for months after,” Pearson admits. “My stomach was a mess standing on that Memphis bridge where the shack used to stand.”

Now, Pearson says he’s at peace and hopes to turn his life story into a Hollywood movie, starring Samuel L. Jackson as his dad, Halle Berry as his mom and perhaps Oprah Winfrey as Auntie Bettie.

If anyone can do it, Tony Pearson can. All you have to do, he says, is “believe in yourself.”

“So many people are always telling you that you’re never going to be anything, but I always took that negative energy and converted it into my training regimen. In my mind, I thought, ‘I’ll show you,'” he says.

“I did what I wanted to do, and I have no regrets.”

[Additional reporting by Debbie Hall in Chic Compass – Issue 20]

For more information, check out tonypearsonpersonaltrainer.com.

Photo of Valerie Perri at her home in Sherman Oaks by Sherman Alford (Sasaphotos)

Valerie Perri

For 45 Years, Her World’s Been a Stage

BY SHERYL ARONSON

Listening to Valerie Perri recall stories of how she landed roles as two of the most iconic female characters in musical theater: Eva Perón (“Evita”) and Golde (“Fiddler on the Roof”), and how she snagged one of the coveted spots as a dancer in the classic musical film “Grease,” it’s as if Perri was destined to be onstage. She has the stellar talent and chutzpah to succeed, as her versatile acting career spans 45 years. Whether it be singing and dancing in musical theater, performing on concert stages and in recording studios or appearing on television shows like “Who’s the Boss,” “Another World” and “ER,” or acting in films like “The Out-of-Towners,” “Dickie Roberts” and “George of the Jungle,” this actress has proven she’s a creative force, entertaining audiences worldwide.

Her other major credits include portraying Norma Desmond in “Sunset Boulevard,” Dolly Levi in “Hello, Dolly!” and Emma Goldman in “Ragtime.” She also starred in “If I Forget” at the Fountain Theatre, directed by Jason Alexander, and as Genie Klein in “Beautiful” for McCoy Rigby Entertainment and the Cape Playhouse. She also recently filmed roles in “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” “Truth Be Told” and “Criminal Minds.”

As a fledgling actress trying to make her way in the lustrous world of entertainment in Los Angeles, Perri captured the eye of legendary producer and director Hal Prince when she auditioned for Eva Perón in the first national tour of the Broadway production of “Evita.” Due to a scheduling mix-up at the audition, the then-22-year-old actress talked her way past the man admitting actors, then wowed musical supervisor Paul Gemignani with her vocal prowess, earning her a callback. Her success was hers alone due to a brilliant costume change that completely bewildered Prince, who thought she was two different actors: first singing as young Eva, then tackling the title song “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” as the First Lady of Argentina.

This past October, I sat in the “Fiddler on the Roof” audience at the La Mirada Theatre as she transformed into Golde, opposite Jason Alexander’s Tevye. Embodying the sharp tongue and wit of Golde, Perri’s fine-tuned voice belted out sarcastic responses to Tevye’s “Do You Love Me?” Going from her Yiddish/Russian accent to a German accent, Perri also played Fraulein Schneider in “Cabaret” at the Scherr Forum Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in March this year.

I sat down with her at her home in Sherman Oaks to talk about her award-winning acting career.

Chic Compass: Valerie Perri is an actress in theater, television and film. Tell me, is your passion musical theater?

Valerie Perri: Yes! As a child I was very enamored with Broadway musicals, and I was a big Shirley Temple junkie. As a young girl, I was glued to the TV screen every Saturday morning when her films were broadcast on our local station. My mom was a pianist, and she would play all the Broadway scores in our house and bought me Broadway show albums from the local five-and-dime store.

Chic Compass: Did you grow up in New York?

Valerie Perri: No, I grew up in a small town in rural Pennsylvania called Dallas. I didn’t get to New York until my senior year in high school when my prom date took me to see my first Broadway show, “Pippin.” Upon graduation, I wanted warmer weather, so I went to college at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. I was immediately cast in a production of “Cabaret” as a Kit Kat Girl. Only two freshmen got into the production that year, my pal, Ray Liotta, and I. From then on, I had the theater bug and dropped my second major in speech pathology.

Chic Compass: How did you develop your theatrical voice?

Valerie Perri: I started singing for pure enjoyment, and because my mother played piano, I enjoyed singing with her at the piano. But I never had formal voice training until I was cast in the role of Eva in “Evita.” I realized then I needed to train my voice, knowing I had a rigorous score to sing. I wanted to make sure during the run I was singing correctly so I didn’t lose or damage my voice.

Chic Compass: In Miami, you studied theater and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. After that?

Valerie Perri: It was my dream to move to L.A. Again, it was all about the weather, and despite Broadway being on the East Coast, the word “Hollywood” held such magic for me as a kid. At first, I got work as a receptionist at ABC Studios. I also performed in a small theater company called the Young Actors Company, and we did a musical revue at the Zephyr Theatre on Melrose Avenue called “A 5-6-7-8.” Without an agent, I would go to open calls until I landed a plum role and was cast in “Evita.” I didn’t have my Actors’ Equity card yet, so like Eva herself, it was truly a Cinderella story!

Chic Compass: How did you land the part?

Valerie Perri: When I first got the call to go in, they asked me to prepare both the roles of Evita and the Mistress because they thought, age-wise, I fell in the cracks. I wasn’t old enough to play Evita and a little old to play the Mistress.

There was a mix-up when I went to the audition, and my name wasn’t on the list. Even though they couldn’t find my name, I was still able to audition. I waited and finally was told to go downstairs to the stage. I walked onto the Shubert stage in Century City, and there were two people there, the pianist and Paul Gemignani, the musical supervisor.

He asked me, “What are you going to sing?” and I said, “I’ve prepared the material for Evita and the Mistress.” He told me I could only sing one of them. I thought to myself, “Welcome to the big leagues.” So I took a big breath and said, “Evita!”

After I finished, he came up to the stage and said, “You’re quite marvelous. You’re the first person who came in today that I wasn’t afraid was going to lose her voice singing this material.” He told me to work on the score and that he was calling me back next week to sing for Hal Prince.

The following week, I sang for him, and he asked me to come back again the following day. I thought, my goodness, how long will I have to go through all these auditions?

I didn’t know that there were two Evita cast members—one who heads the company for all the evening performances and one who performs at the matinees. He wasn’t sure which actress he would assign to which schedule. Only two of us were called back to sing for the role the following day.

The night before the second callback, I went home and thought, how can I stand out? I saw the girls who had been there that day; they’d been on Broadway or in a television series.

The next day, I brought a change of clothes with me. When I first walked out there to sing “What’s New, Buenos Aires?” I wore a black leotard and a dance skirt, and my hair was down. I finished the song, and Hal came up and said, “That’s great, honey … can you sing ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina?'” I told him of course, but did he mind if I changed my clothes?

He said, “Sure, go ahead.” I ducked into a quick-change dressing room on stage right. I wore a white Dior suit, red lipstick, high heels and earrings. I looked different. I walked back out onto the stage and stood there.

He asked, “Who is that? What happened to that Perri girl?” His assistant, Ruth Mitchell, said, “Hal, that is the Perri girl.” He said, “I’m sorry, honey, I didn’t recognize you.” I thought, bingo. That’s what I was hoping for.

I sang “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” then took off my suit jacket and sang “Rainbow High.” He asked me to wait backstage. He returned and told me and another wonderful Broadway actress, Loni Ackerman, that we both got the part. She would do the evening shows, and I would be her alternate and do the matinees, plus any evening performances she couldn’t do. It was a wonderful pairing, as Loni is still one of my best friends today.

I had been in L.A. for six months when Hal came back and said he wanted me to head my own company in Chicago. I was flown to New York City and put up at the famous Plaza Hotel on 5th Avenue and Central Park. Designer Barbara Matera fitted me for costumes, shoes were custom-made for my feet and my head was measured for wigs. I was to meet Patti LuPone after her Broadway show for an Associated Press photo shoot. It was absolutely thrilling!

Chic Compass: Quite a story! You certainly got your big break early on! How did this opportunity change your career?

Valerie Perri: Hal once said doing “Evita” is both a blessing and a curse. It’s a magnificent role, but where do you go from there? I started auditioning for other shows, but nothing matched the magnitude of “Evita.” Also, playing such a strong character made certain casting directors pigeonhole me. They wouldn’t see me for softer, more vulnerable roles.

I stayed in New York City and did some off-Broadway shows, industrials and the daytime series “Another World.” I was doing the musical “Diamonds” at Circle in the Square, also directed by Harold, when I met my future husband, Cliff Lipson. We married in 1988 after a matinee of a production of “Gypsy” I did at the San Jose Civic Light Opera, playing the title character of Gypsy Rose Lee.

I then got an offer to do two shows in repertory at the Pasadena Playhouse in California, “Lies and Legends: The Musical Stories of Harry Chapin” and “Jacques Brel” with Amanda McBroom and George Ball. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, it was “Jacques Brel,” and Wednesdays and Fridays, it was “Lies and Legends.” We alternated on weekends.

I kept getting work in television and theater. When I was cast in “Jerome Robbins’ Broadway” national tour, we played the Shubert Theatre in Century City for nine months, and I decided L.A. would be home. I wanted more than work. I wanted a family.

Six weeks after my twins were born, I did another national tour of “Evita,” bringing my husband, a nanny and our boys. We toured for a year until they started walking. Around then, my husband was hired as a staff photographer for the publicity department for CBS Studios, and I stepped back from theater to raise our sons.

I later did some TV acting on “Who’s the Boss,” then “Criminal Minds” and recently “Truth Be Told” with Octavia Spencer, a series on Apple TV+. I also did “Monsters,” a Netflix series. Now that my sons are grown, I go back and forth from the West Coast to the East Coast, depending on available work.

Chic Compass: How did the role in “Grease” come about?

Valerie Perri: When I was in college at the University of Miami, I met Pat Birch, the choreographer for “Grease.” She came to Miami to direct a “Diamond Studs” production at the Coconut Grove Playhouse. She called the university looking for dancers. My professor asked me and another student to audition. We got the job.

Two years later, I’m in California and see a casting notice for “Grease.” I went to an open call at Paramount Studios, wearing a poodle skirt and bobby socks. She was the choreographer. I told her I’d danced in “Diamond Studs,” and I got two weeks of work on “Grease.”

Chic Compass: And when did you finally get an agent?

Valerie Perri: After I left “Evita.” I interviewed at The Gage Group in New York and signed with them. I met Martin Gage later when I moved to L.A. I stayed with them until he merged the agency. Two L.A. agents, Arthur Toretsky and Gerry Koch, formed AMT Artists, and I stayed with them.

Chic Compass: Let’s talk about Jason Alexander.

Valerie Perri: During the pandemic, I saw “If I Forget” being cast at the Fountain Theatre, directed by him. They weren’t seeing people in person, so I submitted a self-tape and got a callback to read for him. It was a powerful play and a beautiful experience. He is always the smartest guy in the room. As a director, he brings things out of you with kindness and space.

Chic Compass: Talk more about working with him. You got to play Golde to his Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof” at the La Mirada Theatre this past fall.

Valerie Perri: It’s funny how TV makes you a celebrity. He was a Tony Award winner before “Seinfeld.” What makes him special is that he’s what we call in Yiddish, a mensch. No ego. Whether it’s Broadway or the La Mirada Theatre, he’s focused on creating good work.

When he decided to do “Fiddler on the Roof,” I was determined to audition to play Golde. I already knew him as a director and wanted to share the stage with him.

Chic Compass: How did you get the role?

Valerie Perri: A year after we did “If I Forget,” I performed in “Beautiful” at the La Mirada Theatre. Tom McCoy stopped by and said, “I want to do a production of ‘Fiddler on the Roof.’ You’re friends with Jason Alexander?” I said, “Yes,” and he said, “Tell him that he needs to do it!” Later, I saw a casting notice confirming Jason was starring.

I emailed him and asked to audition. He said Lonny Price was directing and would be handling casting. I contacted Lonny and told him I’d been called back for his projects before and that I was rehearsing “Beautiful” in New York. He graciously made time to see me. We met at his apartment, and I felt like I’d known him forever.

We read the role, and he said, “You know this woman.” I replied, “Yeah, it’s my mother and every one of my ancestors.” He said auditions were still happening in L.A., but I’d hear by the end of July. I got the part!

We started rehearsals in October 2024. It felt like a long wait, but it was worth it.

Chic Compass: What are you working on now?

Valerie Perri: This summer, I’ll play the Dowager Empress in “Anastasia” at the Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista, California. I also perform a cabaret show, “All in the Family,” with my twin sons. Jack is the music director and pianist, and Benny plays bass. It’s been such a joy to share the stage with them.

Chic Compass: Such an incredible career. Who else would you like to play in a musical role?

Valerie Perri: I was obsessed with “Gypsy” as a kid and once dreamed of playing Rose. But now, it’s not about what I’m doing but who I’m doing it with. I want to work with good, talented people who care deeply. Theater is magical. I feel like I’m entering a new time in life, playing older character roles, and to that I say, “Bring it on!”

Photo of A.J. Croce by Jim Shea

‘Heart of the Eternal’

Opens the Second Chapter for A.J. Croce

BY SHERYL ARONSON

With the release of his 11th studio album, “Heart of the Eternal,” Adrian James “A.J.” Croce compiles a delicious recipe of eclectic songs that highlight his aptitude for fusing rock, blues, gospel and soul. In addition to exploring diverse musical roadways, Croce delves deep into psychological and spiritual themes with curiosity, humor and homegrown wisdom earned along life’s painful paths.

Writing lyrics like these: Inside a rear-view mirror, I see my life defined. I feel the love and fear. I feel a peace of mind. Is there a state of grace along the finest line?

Croce’s self-reflection graciously offers listeners hope, questioning and care.

At an early age, he found refuge in music and journeyed inwardly, developing a unique worldview through songwriting and crazy-good piano chops. That passion opened the door to a successful career in music. At just 15, Croce wrote “I Found Faith,” exploring themes of love, faith, death and loss. Before the age of 2, he lost his father, Jim Croce. He also lost his sight at 4 and his family’s home burned down when he was 15.

Self-taught on the piano, Croce played his first gig at 12 and performed in San Diego nightclubs by 16. A few years later, he hit the road as a sideman for legends like B.B. King and Taj Mahal.

Working with producers T Bone Burnett and John Simon, Croce recorded his 1993 debut “A.J. Croce,” followed by “That’s Me in the Bar,” with Jim Keltner and featuring Ry Cooder and David Hidalgo (of Los Lobos). He went on to release “Fit to Serve,” “Transit,” “Adrian James Croce” (winner of Best Pop Album at the San Diego Music Awards), “Cantos,” “Cage of Muses” and “Twelve Tales.”

I spoke with Croce by phone as he traveled by tour bus to a show in Massachusetts. Following the March 7 release of “Heart of the Eternal,” he’s been touring the country and parts of Canada—and loving every moment. He expressed his surprise that fans already knew songs from the album and requested that he play them.

This project marks Croce’s first release of original music since 2017. He released a well-received cover album, “By Request,” in 2021.

“I’m always writing, but I haven’t been ready to tour due to the unexpected loss of my wife and then the isolation of the pandemic,” he told me.

Over the course of our conversation, Croce sounded relaxed—even joyful—as he expressed gratitude for a new chapter in his life: new love, new music and a readiness to honor his father’s legacy with a new show, “Croce Plays Croce.”

“What I needed to do was figure out how to write a show that would incorporate my father and myself—and the influences that shaped us both as artists.”

Chic Compass: Congratulations on your newest album, “Heart of the Eternal.” How is the tour going?

A.J. Croce: Thank you very much. It’s going amazingly well. The reaction to the new songs is shocking to me. The album came out recently, and people are already requesting songs from the new album at the concerts. That’s a great sign.

Chic Compass: You have a big following. People are excited about the new music, which is lovely for you.

A.J. Croce: I’ve had the opposite reaction too. (He laughs.) I’ll take it when people pay attention to my new music.

Chic Compass: You became an artist at a very young age. What are your earliest recollections of wanting to be a musician?

A.J. Croce: I wanted to be an artist and create music early on as a child. It was a calling. I’m a piano player first and foremost. I was blind for six years during my childhood, and that played a big role in my evolution as an artist and as a composer. It shaped how I hear music and how I think about music.

When I was about 12, I played at a friend’s party and was paid $20. I thought if I kept practicing and working hard, I could play music well. I had other interests besides music, but music was the most powerful, inspiring and the greatest refuge.

Chic Compass: How was music a refuge for you?

A.J. Croce: I don’t know how deep you’d like me to go.

Chic Compass: Please, go as deep as you feel comfortable.

A.J. Croce: I was less than 2 years old when my father died. When I was 4, I lost my sight. I was in the hospital for six months. From the ages of 4 to 10, I was completely blind but have since regained sight in one of my eyes. The piano was a solitary and beautiful place to reflect and feel emotions. I didn’t feel safe as a kid, and music allowed me to feel safe.

Chic Compass: It’s extremely important as a child to know you have that aspect of safety. It sounds like you created a whole world for yourself at the piano, and that’s inspirational—and probably healing. Maybe you were able to express anger, sadness or hurt—emotions that you couldn’t verbalize.

A.J. Croce: I think all humans do that regardless of their surroundings. We’re constantly trying to understand where we are at the moment and where we want to go from here. It’s universal.

Playing music was my way of connecting with others, and music still holds that power. Music is a wonderful way to communicate, and when you tap into the universal truths of any story, you see the outcome and the response from the audience. It’s palpable and very emotional. Music has the power to stop time, and that is magical.

Chic Compass: What influences were you pulling from as you matured as a piano player and artist?

A.J. Croce: Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder were my gateway and inspiration because I’d lost my sight. I also listened to the old blind blues piano players and guitarists like Blind Blake and Blind Willie McTell from the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s. As a kid, I avidly listened to this music and the rock ‘n’ roll playing on the radio, plus my father’s diverse record collection—soul music, lots of R&B, country, great jazz and blues—was a big influence. When I was 15, I played with a rock ‘n’ roll garage band. We covered ’60s-style rock and R&B, Etta James or Jimmy Reed.

I also played solo in piano bars, jazz bars and blues clubs. I was learning the American Songbook and refining my chops. At 16, Floyd Dixon asked if I would travel with him. Floyd wrote the famous drinking songs like “Hey Bartender” and “Wine, Wine, Wine.” I would go out on weekends and open for him. Then, at 17, I met Mae Boren Axton, who invited me to Nashville to record with Jack Clement. In my first session, I filled in for Jerry Lee Lewis. He walked out as I walked in. It was overwhelming.

That was the moment I realized I would be making and playing music as a career, even though the music might not be mainstream and would be a lot of work. Initially, I was hired in these settings as a piano player, not as a singer, but I continued developing my singing and composing skills. These skills didn’t develop equally at the same time. I was a stronger piano player before I was a singer or songwriter. I didn’t pick up the guitar until my 30s. As a guitarist, I’m starting to become good at it, whereas with piano, I have great confidence.

Chic Compass: Your mother gave you your father’s guitar. Was that the reason you started to play?

A.J. Croce: There were a lot of factors, that being one of them. As a songwriter, I saw thousands of options on the piano when I composed, and that could get in the way of storytelling. I discovered that if I could simplify things, the story would be easier to hear. On the guitar, I only knew four or five chords initially, which helped me simplify my songwriting.

On the same trip to Nashville, I decided to get a venue to play a concert. There was a brand-new club called the Bluebird, and the manager said, “We’d love to have you. Come back tomorrow and we’ll give you an upright piano.” I was performing for a lot of songwriters there and people were curious about me. At 17, I was young, but the songs I performed resonated with the audience. Also, having the legendary Steve Cropper come up to me after the show and encourage me greatly boosted my confidence.

At 18, I started touring with many musicians. At 15, I wrote “I Found Faith,” which ended up on my first album. To me, this was a breakthrough. Here’s a perspective: This is a piece of who I am, and it resonated with me.

Chic Compass: When did you put out your first album?

A.J. Croce: The first project had its roots in soul, rock ‘n’ roll and jazz. When I started touring with B.B. King, I didn’t have a manager or an agent. I had just signed a publishing deal but didn’t have a record label.

As we went from Vancouver down the West Coast, it seemed like every day there was a new connection to someone who wanted to be involved in the future of my career. It took a couple of years before everything fell into place. My first record didn’t come out until I was 19. I was on tour with a lot of artists such as Taj Mahal and the Nevilles, which brought me a real connection to New Orleans. I was learning and writing every day.

Chic Compass: I know you were always thinking about being your own person, not living under your father’s fame. You’ve played many genres of music and have had extensive exposure. How did you carve out your own voice?

A.J. Croce: The process or idea of myself as an artist has not changed much. I’m as open as ever and interested in learning and progressing. I will never rest on what I’ve already done. I will always push myself to create something new and different. When someone knows I have a famous relative, I feel that maybe I’ll never be an individual again. I will never be interviewed by someone who doesn’t think about my father, or I’ll never meet anyone who knows that we have that connection and doesn’t think of him when they think of me. He was so much a part of their popular culture. It’s not that I’m angry about it. The reality of celebrity and renown is incredibly unusual, and the idea that you can be an individual when you are related to someone well-known is not the case. I know who I am and am confident in my identity.

Chic Compass: I’m very interested in you as an individual artist. Your career has been amazing; you’ve played with many incredible people. In 2017, you last wrote your own individual songs. What happened between then and this new album, “Heart of the Eternal?”

A.J. Croce: First, I write every day. It’s not that there was a lack of material. But after “Just Like Medicine” was released, I went on tour. During that time, everything was going well. In the summer of 2018, however, my wife suddenly passed away. This event completely changed my life. My children were grown up at the time—my son was 21 and my daughter was 28—and it was extremely hard for me. She was the person who knew me better than anyone else and was my sounding board for ideas. She was my best friend. I stopped touring to regroup.

I started touring again in 2019, and then the pandemic hit in early 2020. I realized then that I wasn’t ready to be that vulnerable to write new songs. I decided to play cover songs by other people. It was an effective way to share the music I had been playing at home from friend requests. I needed that kind of community, especially during the lockdown.

It was during this time that I met my girlfriend, who had experienced a similar loss with her late husband. He was a musician I had known for 25 years but hadn’t seen very often. As I was starting a new relationship and falling in love, I noticed a second chapter unfolding. I had a lot to write about again.

Chic Compass: Let’s talk about some of the songs on your new album, “Heart of the Eternal.” There are songs about relationships and love. Is “I Got a Feeling” a nod to your father’s “I Got a Name?”

A.J. Croce: This song had nothing to do with that. Charlie Fox wrote it. The song came from a psychedelic soul feeling, like Shuggie Otis, the Chambers Brothers, and Sly and the Family Stone. The lyrics became conversational, and I wanted it to represent a more esoteric side of lyric writing.

When I returned to Nashville, I had been thinking about working with Tommy Sims, a great bass player and songwriter. He’s written for Eric Clapton and worked with Toni Braxton and Babyface. He and I got together, and I played him the music. We took the lyrics that I had added, and it became a song.

Chic Compass: I love the way you play the keys. It sounds so cool.

A.J. Croce: I also get to play lead guitar, and that’s fun.

Chic Compass: How was it working on the song “Reunion” with John Oates? That’s a lovely song—very spiritual—and deals with how people move toward the end of their lives.

A.J. Croce: The song came about because John had just gone to see his father, who was 100 years old. He told John that he was ready to have his reunion with the people he loved and the people he’d lost. The first time John played it for me, he was playing it in 4/4 time. I said it feels like it could be a gospel song. I put it in 6/8 and played it like that. John’s such a wonderful collaborator. He recorded his way for his LP, and I recorded the song my way. I loved this song so much that I also wanted to share it.

Chic Compass: “The Complications of Love.” Here’s what I found interesting because of my work with couples as a relationship therapist—I understood the lyrics very well. I call it the intimacy dance, where somebody wants to get close to their partner, but the partner feels scared, so they pull away. Then you go, well, if you pull away, I will pull away. “The Complications of Love” explains the dilemma beautifully.

A.J. Croce: I wrote the song on guitar, which was a good way to practice my diminished scales, that sort of Django Reinhardt sound. The song is a three-chord pop song, and it’s very moody and yet playful. There’s a certain amount of tongue-in-cheek aspect too. Dysfunctional is exactly what a relationship can be at times.

Chic Compass: On the song “The Finest Line,” you’re dealing with death again. I love the lyrics: Inside a rear-view mirror, I see my life defined. I feel the love and fear. I feel a peace of mind. Is there a state of grace along the finest line? That’s a great question; it also helps us think about life and how we can attain that state of grace. As an artist, have you found a state of grace?

A.J. Croce: I’ve had it for a long time. It’s about being open and curious, maintaining an interest in life and being open to new experiences. Also, I embrace having a sense of humor and being able to laugh at myself. Being forgiving is a huge part of being an adult and a happy human being. In forgiveness, there’s an acceptance of certain things in life. This has played a part in defining the person I am.

Chic Compass: I can hear in your voice that you’re excited and interested in everything you’re doing and having a great time. I know this is a cliché question, but I must ask: What has been your experience of putting together a show where you play your father’s songs? Finally, at the age of 50, you decided it was time. What caused you to create this show?

A.J. Croce: The experience was different than I expected. First, it took a long time for me to get there. First, I wanted my own identity. Second, I was constantly compared to my father, and I didn’t want to give the public another reason to compare us. However, behind the scenes for 30 years, I’ve been promoting my father’s music, celebrating his legacy as a publisher and ensuring that new generations hear his music. So as someone making sure that his music is archived and his legacy is protected and cherished, I’ve played a big role.
I heard some recordings of my father’s that particularly resonated—they were not his big hits—it was his music before he could make a living. He would play other people’s songs, and there was one recording where he played obscure music from mostly the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s. Strangely enough, these were the songs I had played since I was 13. I realized we had this musical connection, this love of the old music. We chose the same songs from the same obscure artists. These are the deep cuts, and I realized we had that connection.

As his 70th birthday approached, I decided to play a small show as a tribute. I played a bunch of his music, and the reaction from the audience was powerful, beautiful and emotional. I realized the sweetness of playing some of his songs, and I also discovered that if I were going to perform his music, it would be time to create an entire show. I needed to figure out how to write a show that would incorporate my father and myself and the influences that we both had that make us who we are as artists.

I use that in the present tense because his music is just as alive. A beautiful thing about art is that if people enjoy the music, then no artist truly dies. I put a show together, wrote introductions and ensured people knew the songs’ history. My father was a storyteller. He could play a two-hour show and only four or five songs because he talked so much. People loved it. Storytelling was an important part of his artistry.

Then, as an artist, who grew up playing improvisational music and not ever wanting to play the same thing, I had to create a skeleton for this piece—a framework for everything to fit in that had a beginning, a middle and an end. But also, one that was very flexible and allowed me to be creative night after night. I discovered that I didn’t want to perform his music because of a comparison, but what ended up happening was that people fell in love with what I do, and I gained a bigger audience through that concert than I could have ever imagined. I played to more packed houses than ever, and it was not just his music. It was not just my music; it was the celebration of two generations—a father and a son—and the circumstances in which we met and became intertwined as artists.

Chic Compass: You wrote a song for your children on your newest album. What does being a father mean to you and passing along that love and generational wisdom?

A.J. Croce: I mean, they never want to listen to it. (He laughs.) It’s important that my children learn things for themselves, in their own way, in their own time. I feel grateful that my children love me and call me all the time. We can laugh and talk about anything.

Chic Compass: San Diego was your home for many years, and of course, your family-owned Croce’s was in the Gaslamp Quarter. Ingrid Croce’s vision of creating a space to celebrate Jim Croce’s memory has been fully realized since the restaurant was opened in 1985. You still have people who love you, and I know you will be playing at Humphreys as one of your tour stops.

A.J. Croce: It’s a beautiful place, and my daughter still lives there. My mother and stepfather also live there, so I visit often. My son lives in Los Angeles. Even though I haven’t lived there in many years, I love going back to Southern California.

Chic Compass: Is there anything you’ve always wanted to say in an interview but have never been asked?

A.J. Croce: We touched on the subject a little bit. When I do interviews, I think there’s a natural inclination for people to be fascinated by the tragedies in my life: my father dying when I was young, losing most of my sight as a kid, my house burning down at 15 and my wife dying prematurely. Not often enough am I able to talk about the fact that there’s a second chapter. I’m in love. Out of those experiences of loss and pain, there’s something more. We get to choose how we deal with our tragedies. We get to choose how we want our dreams to end. I’ve opened up a new chapter in my life, and I’m very happy!

Adrien Brody, Mikey Madison, Zoe Saldaña and Kieran Culkin pose backstage with their Oscars® at the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025

A Look Back at the 2025 Academy Awards

BY JANET SUSAN R. NEPALES / PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF AMPAS

The 97th Academy Awards, held March 2 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, marked a triumph for indie filmmaker Sean Baker and his romantic comedy “Anora,” which tells the story of a sex worker who falls in love with the son of a Russian oligarch.

Although an underdog at the beginning of the awards season, the film—which premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival and won the Palme d’Or—began gaining critical acclaim and accolades. It soon found itself a frontrunner among Oscar nominees, including “Emilia Pérez,” “The Brutalist,” “Wicked,” “A Complete Unknown,” “Conclave,” “Dune: Part Two,” “I’m Still Here,” “Nickel Boys” and “The Substance.”

The film grossed $56.5 million worldwide against its $6 million budget and became Baker’s highest-grossing movie.

Baker Makes History With Four Oscars

Baker made history by winning four Oscars in one night—Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Director and Best Picture. He is the only filmmaker to have won four Oscars for a single movie.

Although Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez,” led early in the awards season, controversy over racist and xenophobic tweets from its Spanish-born, openly transgender star, Karla Sofía Gascón hurt its standing.

However, first-time Oscar nominee Zoe Saldaña won Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the musical, becoming the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award.

In her tearful acceptance speech, she added: “My grandmother came to this country in 1961. I am a proud child of immigrant parents with dreams and dignity and hardworking hands, and I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award, and I know I will not be the last. The fact I’m getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish—my grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted. This is for my grandmother!”

Mikey Madison Surprises in Best Actress Win

Another surprise of the night was Mikey Madison, an Oscar first-timer who won Best Actress for her portrayal of Anora, or “Ani,” in “Anora.” Madison edged out Demi Moore of “The Substance,” fan favorite Cynthia Erivo of “Wicked,” festival darling Fernanda Torres of “I’m Still Here” and Karla Sofía Gascón of “Emilia Pérez.”

Backstage, when asked about winning Best Actress while Baker won four Oscars, the soft-spoken 25-year-old Madison said:

“Oh my gosh, it’s, for lack of a better word, just incredibly surreal. I never thought anything like this would happen in my life. I just love making movies, and I’ve dreamed of being an actress who would be able to be in a film like ‘Anora’ my entire career. And so, it’s a huge honor, one that I think will soak in later down the line, hopefully. I really did not expect it at all.”

On Baker’s historic night, she added:

“Sean is such a wonderful and incredible filmmaker. He is an incredible writer and an amazing editor. He is a true lover of cinema and a kind person. He has dedicated so much of his career to telling really important stories. And so, I’m so happy for him because he’s just a true indie filmmaker. Like, we went off and just made this weird, crazy movie and had fun and poured our hearts into it. And you know, all of this started at Cannes, which was just a dream come true for me, a career-long dream to even just go to a film festival, specifically Cannes, and so everything that followed was wonderful.”

Adrien Brody Wins Second Oscar

Adrien Brody made history by winning his second Oscar for his performance as a Jewish architect in “The Brutalist.”

At age 29, Brody became the youngest actor to win Best Actor for 2002’s “The Pianist.” Now 51, he won his second Oscar for playing László Tóth, a Hungarian-Jewish architect who immigrates to rural Pennsylvania after World War II and experiences antisemitism in the three-and-a-half-hour saga directed by Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold.

Kieran Culkin Wins First Oscar on First Nomination

Kieran Culkin, 42, had a historic first Oscar win for his role in “A Real Pain,” written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg. Culkin plays a charming yet exasperating Jewish man touring Holocaust sites with his uptight cousin, played by Eisenberg.

During his acceptance speech, the New Yorker also got excited when he reminded his wife, Jazz Charton, that she had promised him a fourth child “if you win an Oscar.”

He said, “And I have not brought it up once until just now. I just have this to say to you, Jazz—love of my life, ye of little faith—no pressure. I love you. I’m really sorry I did this again, and let’s get cracking on those kids. What do you say?”

Conan O’Brien Honors Firefighters in Opening Monologue

Comedian and host Conan O’Brien took a moment during the ceremony to honor firefighters who battled the Palisades and Eaton wildfires, inviting them onstage and even letting them read some of his jokes.

“Please welcome members of the fire service who bravely responded to and battled the Palisades and Eaton wildfires,” O’Brien said. “On behalf of everyone in greater Los Angeles, thank you for all that you do.

“Now I know you’re going to find this hard to believe, but there are some jokes even I am not brave enough to tell. So, on behalf of myself, would you please read what’s in the prompter? And remember, everyone in this audience has to laugh. These are heroes!”

David Tupaz Pays Tribute to Karl Lagerfeld at Los Angeles Fashion Week

ARTICLE BY CHANELLE HAYES | DESIGNS BY DAVID TUPAZPHOTOGRAPHY BY JAIME LIM, LIQUID STAR PHOTOGRAPHY

Los Angeles Fashion Week, powered by Art Hearts Fashion, presented the collection of David Tupaz, the only established fashion and couture designer based in Nevada. His latest work is a tribute to the late legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld, known for his iconic tenure at Chanel.

Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue, recently featured nine of the world’s top designers to interpret Lagerfeld’s style in celebration of his fashion legacy. Tupaz continued this homage in his Fall 2025–26 collection, honoring the creative force behind one of the world’s most recognizable fashion houses.
Lagerfeld, who became creative director of Chanel in 1983, modernized the brand with his “Ode de Mademoiselle Coco” vision, building on Coco Chanel’s turn-of-the-century legacy. Today, Chanel remains one of the top French fashion houses in history.

Tupaz’s interpretation featured the classic black-and-white palette with subtle touches of red, accessorized with layers of gold chains and pearls—signatures of Coco Chanel. The collection also highlighted the camellia flower, one of her favorite symbols.

Branching into menswear, Tupaz introduced a unique twist: transforming Chanel’s iconic chains into hand-knitted scarves, a detail that drew applause on the runway. His reinterpretation of Chanel’s classic aesthetic is both timeless and modern.

After the show, during backstage interviews with media and press, Tupaz shared his heartfelt dedication: “To my dearest maestro, Karl Lagerfeld … I hope I made you proud.”

Photography of the full collection was captured by Jaime Lim. — Los Angeles Fashion Week, March 20, 2025

The U.S. Tariff Strategy

Past, Present and Future

BY JOSEPH AMATO

The history of tariffs in the United States is a complex tale intertwined with the country’s economic development, politics and international relations.

Immediately after the Constitution was ratified, the first U.S. Congress passed the Tariff Act of 1789. Its primary purpose was to generate revenue for the new government and pay off war debts, but it also aimed to protect young U.S. industries from foreign competition.

Throughout the 19th century, tariffs became a tool of U.S. economic policy, with the debate often split between industrialists in the North—who favored high tariffs to protect nascent industries—and agricultural interests in the South and West, who opposed them because they raised the cost of imported goods. Just before the Civil War, the Morrill Tariff Act of 1861 significantly raised import duties to support the federal government and protect American industries—an effort that gained importance during the war.

The Revenue Act of 1913 lowered tariffs significantly and implemented a federal income tax to make up for lost revenue, reflecting a shift toward more liberal trade policies. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, one of the most infamous tariff laws, raised U.S. tariffs to historically high levels. Many U.S. economists blame the legislation for worsening the Great Depression by stifling international trade and prompting retaliatory tariffs from other countries.
After World War II, the U.S. led efforts to reduce tariffs globally through the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and later the World Trade Organization (WTO), recognizing that open trade was crucial for global economic recovery and growth.

The latter half of the 20th century saw a general trend toward lower tariffs and more free trade agreements, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994. In recent years, however, there has been a resurgence of U.S. protectionist policies. Many foreign countries—such as China, Japan, Canada, Mexico and the European Union—have long imposed high tariffs on U.S.-made goods without major pushback. The Trump administration initiated a significant shift in U.S. trade policy by imposing tariffs on steel, aluminum and various products from China and other nations with trade imbalances. This sparked a series of trade disputes, market volatility and ongoing negotiations.

In the short term, tariffs almost certainly lead to higher prices for U.S. consumers on foreign-made goods, which can decrease consumption and reduce consumer surplus. Tariffs can also limit the variety of goods available to consumers. However, certain U.S. industries may benefit if tariffs reduce foreign competition, allowing local companies to increase production and potentially hire more domestic workers.

There are downsides for U.S. industries that rely on imported raw materials or components. If tariffs do not lead to negotiated settlements, they can increase production costs and reduce profitability. Tariffs may also hinder economic growth by reducing trade volumes and raising the cost of goods and services. In response, other countries might impose their own tariffs, potentially escalating into a trade war. This can worsen economic conditions, disrupt global supply chains and lead to higher prices.

Long-term tariffs might prompt countries to form new trade alliances and shift away from U.S. markets, potentially isolating the United States. Developing nations that depend on exports to the U.S. can be particularly vulnerable, risking economic instability as a result.

While tariffs are designed to protect domestic industries, they can also lead to higher consumer prices, inefficiencies and strained international relations. The overall impact depends on how tariffs are implemented, the products involved and how other nations respond.

The potential for the U.S. to be drawn into a trade war hinges on its specific policies and how other countries react. Trade wars often begin when one country’s tariffs trigger retaliatory measures, creating a cycle of escalating trade barriers. If the U.S. imposes tariffs to protect industries or counteract unfair trade practices—such as dumping, subsidies or intellectual property theft—affected nations may respond in kind.

Diplomatic relationships play a critical role in determining whether tariff disputes escalate. Strong communication channels can help nations resolve conflicts without retaliatory measures. Countries that rely heavily on U.S. markets may be more cautious in their responses, while the U.S. may hesitate to impose severe tariffs on nations it depends on for key imports.

In periods of global uncertainty, nations often become more protective of their industries, increasing the risk of tariff conflicts. Membership in trade organizations like the WTO can offer mechanisms for dispute resolution and penalties for noncompliance, helping to deter escalation.

In recent years, U.S. tariff policies—particularly under the Trump administration—prompted retaliation from countries like China, Canada and several European nations. This led to a notable escalation, especially between the U.S. and China. Sectors including agriculture, manufacturing and technology were hit hard.

Countries most affected by rising U.S. tariffs typically share key traits. Those that rely heavily on U.S. markets are particularly vulnerable, especially if they export products targeted by tariffs. Economies with less diversification face greater risks as they have fewer alternatives. Developing nations may also lack the resilience or negotiating power to respond effectively.

Nations with large trade surpluses—like China—have frequently been targeted. Due to deeply integrated supply chains under USMCA, U.S. allies such as Mexico and Canada feel the effects of policy shifts almost immediately. Germany and Japan, major exporters of automobiles and machinery, are also affected—despite some of their manufacturing occurring in the U.S. Nations like Vietnam and Bangladesh have grown their exports to the U.S., especially in textiles and electronics, but they also face significant risk from targeted tariffs. These dynamics underscore the interconnected nature of global trade, where U.S. policy decisions can ripple across international markets.

Tariffs should be used selectively to protect strategically important U.S. industries vulnerable to unfair practices. Ideally, they should be temporary and serve as bargaining tools to create a level playing field. While international trade agreements offer a framework, they are not always reliable—they are often subject to political influence or institutional bias. Tariff policies should be regularly assessed to avoid long-term negative effects like trade wars or sustained inflation. A thoughtful, strategic approach can maximize benefits while minimizing harm.

Several recent statistics help illustrate the real-world impact of U.S. tariffs. Since 2018, the U.S. has imposed tariffs on about $360 billion of Chinese imports. In response, China applied tariffs on roughly $110 billion in U.S. goods. Trade volumes between the two countries declined significantly, but the overall U.S. trade deficit did not shrink—imports shifted to other countries instead of boosting domestic production.

As a result, U.S. imports from nations like Vietnam, Mexico and Bangladesh rose. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, tariffs on China cost the average U.S. household more than $800 annually, primarily due to increased prices on electronics and apparel. U.S. agriculture was hit hard by retaliatory tariffs. China targeted major exports like soybeans and pork, leading to a sharp drop in trade and prompting the U.S. government to allocate about $28 billion in subsidies to support farmers in 2018 and 2019. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the trade war reduced GDP in both the U.S. and China and rerouted roughly $21 billion in trade to other countries in 2019. Overall, tariffs can serve strategic goals but often have far-reaching consequences: disrupted supply chains, higher consumer prices and slowed economic growth.

In 2025, we may witness a tariff-influenced economy’s strengths and weaknesses. The current administration has not hesitated to expand tariffs to correct longstanding trade imbalances. While the strategy may yield a more balanced global trading system, it also introduces uncertainty. Markets appear to be bracing for turmoil, but the administration is betting that this bold approach will yield results. Some countries have already started rolling back their own tariffs and returning to the negotiating table. Time will tell whether this gamble pays off—or backfires. We may find out in the coming months whether the current tariff strategy is an economic masterstroke or a misstep.

Desert Muse

Alisha Kerlin’s Artistic Odyssey at the Barrick

BY LAURA HENKEL

As with many artists, the journey to create is an evolution—fluid, unpredictable and deeply influenced by time and space. Does life imitate art or does art imitate life? For some, the line is not only blurred but entirely nonexistent. Every moment, every decision and every intention become part of a never-ending, living work of art. A perfect embodiment of this philosophy is Alisha Kerlin.

An artist rooted in Brooklyn, Kerlin was fueled by the city’s relentless pulse—the clatter of subway trains, the hum of crowded streets and the endless energy that electrifies the boroughs.

Immersed in this vibrant chaos, she thrived in her element, a singleton perfectly in tune with the rhythms of creative urban life. Yet, even amid this momentum, a desire stirred to evolve as an artist, grow her practice and seek new opportunities to deepen her work and expand her reach.

A Leap of Faith into the Unknown

She applied for an eight-week artist residency with the UNLV Department of Art in spring 2012, an opportunity that would shift her life’s trajectory in unimaginable ways. What began as a temporary relocation became an irreversible call of the desert. Upon completing her residency, Kerlin felt an unexpected longing—not for the noise and lights of New York but for the open skies and enigmatic pull of Las Vegas. The desert’s silence, surreal landscapes and raw aesthetic left a profound impression. The Vegas vortex, as some call it, had her completely under its spell.

Within weeks of returning to Brooklyn, she made a decision as bold as it was unorthodox. She sold everything she owned, packed her life into a pickup truck and set her sights on the Southwest. She had no job lined up and knew only a handful of people in Las Vegas, yet the pull of the neon metropolis was undeniable. She bet it all on Vegas—a city of audacious energy and constant reinvention—trusting that her next chapter would be written in the rhythm of the Mojave.

At the time, the Las Vegas arts scene was a collection of brilliant moments—flashes of inspiration and ambition—but lacked the centralized art-centric infrastructure in cities like New York or Los Angeles.

Finding work was imperative, and Kerlin sought opportunities to grow within the arts while sustaining her new life in the desert. She accepted a position as collections manager at the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art—a decision that would be either predestined, a fabulous stroke of luck or simply kismet.

A Museum Transformed: The Barrick’s Cultural Awakening

The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, where Kerlin now serves as executive director, has undergone a remarkable transformation. Originally founded in 1967 as the Museum of Natural History by the Desert Research Institute, it was housed in Nevada Southern University’s (now known as UNLV) first gymnasium.

While the building’s origin was functional, the museum’s name has a far more significant heritage. In 1989, it was renamed the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History in honor of Marjorie Barrick, a devoted philanthropist and advocate for education and the arts in Southern Nevada. The Barrick family’s enduring support helped shape UNLV’s cultural identity, and the museum stands as a testament to their legacy.

Over the decades, the museum evolved from its natural history roots into a vibrant hub for contemporary visual art. This shift began around 2011, but it was not until 2017, under Kerlin’s leadership as interim executive director, that the museum was officially renamed the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art. The name change marked a profound commitment to showcasing work that reflects the diversity and cultural richness of the Southwest. As the only free art museum in Las Vegas, it upholds Marjorie Barrick’s vision of accessibility and education for all.

Photo of the “Contemporary Ex-Votos: Devotion Beyond Medium” installation by Krystal Ramirez

Kerlin’s Vision: Redefining Las Vegas Art

The Barrick’s presence in Las Vegas is especially significant given the city’s often misunderstood relationship with the arts. While Las Vegas is globally famed for its entertainment, nightlife and spectacle, its identity as a city of culture and contemporary art is frequently overlooked. The notion that Las Vegas lacks a serious art scene is being actively dismantled by institutions like the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, which leads this cultural redefinition with audacity and grace.

Alongside legendary galleries that sparked the Las Vegas Arts District into what it is today, as well as the Rita Deanin Abbey Museum and the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District’s exhibition programs, the museum plays a critical role in enriching the city’s cultural landscape. What sets it apart is its status as a university-based, nonprofit museum that offers free admission, making art accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic status.

The museum’s exhibitions are a kaleidoscope of voices, perspectives and stories—each thoughtfully curated to highlight the power of visual language as a tool for connection and change. Thousands of visitors from across Southern Nevada and beyond engage with the museum annually, including students, local families and tourists seeking a deeper connection to the region’s creative pulse. Signature initiatives like the Bus to Barrick program facilitate access for K–12 students and underserved populations, further reinforcing the museum’s commitment to inclusion and public service.

A Vision Realized: Leading Through Change

By 2015, Kerlin was balancing the delicate art of leadership with the joyful chaos of new motherhood. Her daughter, Faye, arrived in October of that year. By early 2016, Kerlin had stepped into the role of interim executive director, the sole full-time employee at the museum, supported by a small but dedicated crew. Among them was writer Deanne Sole, now the museum’s full-time editor and curator, whose collaboration with Kerlin would reimagine the museum’s future in bold, transformative strokes.

In 2017, Kerlin formally added “of Art” to the museum’s name, solidifying its identity as a contemporary art institution and honoring the vision she had nurtured since her early days there. That same year marked the beginning of a period of remarkable growth. Following a national search, she was named executive director in 2019. The following year, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. As institutions worldwide shuttered, the museum closed its doors—and Kerlin was tasked with guiding the museum through a critical and uncertain time.

Despite the pandemic’s challenges, Kerlin and her team emerged stronger, reopening the museum in 2021 with renewed energy and purpose. Under her guidance, the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art has grown from a staff of two to a team of five full-time professionals as of 2025, with plans to hire a sixth member underway. This growth has enabled the museum to expand its curatorial programming, community outreach and institutional infrastructure. In 2026, Barrick will begin the accreditation process, a testament to its evolution into a comprehensive and nationally recognized art institution.

Under Kerlin’s leadership, the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art has curated an audacious and richly layered series of exhibitions that reflect the institution’s unwavering commitment to diversity, accessibility and critical engagement. Each exhibition becomes more than a visual experience—it is a platform for dialogue, reflection and social inquiry.

Art as Catalyst: Curating the Barrick’s Voice

One of the museum’s landmark projects, “Axis Mundo: Queer Networks in Chicano L.A.,” explored the vibrant intersection of queer identity and Chicano art in Los Angeles. Through works that ranged from intimate personal expressions to public acts of resistance, the exhibition illuminated marginalized voices and their profound contributions to the canon of contemporary art.

“Seeing/Seen,” curated by Las Vegas writer and scholar Erica Vital-Lazare, focused on Black women’s contemporary and historical presence through photography, video and archival imagery. Featuring works by veteran Newsweek photojournalist Lester Sloan and local artists A. Moss, Carl Summerlin, Jeff Scheid and Q’Shaundra James, the exhibition invited viewers into intimate moments of joy, labor, leisure and resilience.

In a celebration of spiritual artistry, “Contemporary Ex-votos: Devotion Beyond Medium,” curated by Emmanuel Ortega, bridged historical reverence with contemporary creativity. Historic Mexican retablos were presented alongside fearless reinterpretations by modern Latinx artists, creating a sacred dialogue that expanded the boundaries of devotional art and emphasized its enduring cultural resonance.

“Notes for Tomorrow” was a global conversation in visual form. Curators from around the world selected works that engaged with spirituality, politics and collective memory, inviting viewers to imagine alternative futures through artistic reflection. The exhibition’s shimmering installations, tinged with neon and desert hues, left visitors with renewed possibility and shared humanity.

Embracing emotional nuance, “The Emotional Show” delivered a visceral and immersive journey through the human psyche. Bold multimedia works explored themes of joy, grief, anger and love, creating an unflinching portrait of our shared emotional landscape that captivated and moved audiences.

“Color Made” investigated the potent symbolism and cultural resonance of color across artistic traditions. Alongside it, “Women’s Rights Are Human Rights” utilized striking international poster art to confront gender-based inequality and advocate for justice, aligning the museum with global movements for human rights and social change.

Together, these exhibitions elevated the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art from a local treasure to an international force for artistic dialogue, activism and critical thought, solidifying its role as a museum and a catalyst for cultural transformation.

Mastery at the Breakfast Table

Kerlin’s commitment to accessibility and engagement is evident in her art practice. In her “Content May Settle” exhibition at Available Space Art Projects (ASAP), she transformed the venue into an experimental playground, creating and installing dozens of new works from her ongoing junk mail series. This was her first solo project since becoming a mother and museum director.

“My work is made at our breakfast table in the living room. I paint on junk mail and other disposable or disregarded materials. I use fragments from family conversations for the text in my paintings,” Kerlin notes. “These conditions shape what I make—imperfect, quick gestures made to acknowledge the roles others have in my life.”

Layered atop gleaming grocery ads, her paintings erupt with humor and introspection. Text fragments like “a disappointed nutcase” and “why don’t unicorns exist?” leap from the page, capturing childhood wonder, domestic chaos and existential playfulness in brushstrokes that feel both spontaneous and deliberate. As Matthew Newton wrote for Art21, “In their isolation, Kerlin’s paintings function much more closely to the slippery, meaning-stuffed, ever-evolving nature of language itself.”

Over the last decade, her work has shifted increasingly toward connection, vulnerability and presence themes. Her practice offers a critical yet inviting approach that celebrates the intention to create and the human spirit that drives it—regardless of time, space or material.

The Future Is Now: A Renaissance in the Making

Kerlin’s approach to curating is intuitive and deliberate. She examines the gaps in the museum’s past exhibitions—what narratives were missing, which voices went unheard—and uses that awareness to shape future programming. This ensures that the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art’s exhibitions are timely and culturally and socially resonant, creating a more inclusive and dynamic space for all.

Although she maintains her art practice, Kerlin has fully embraced her role as a maestro—harmonizing the talents of an incredible staff, collaborating with a visionary dean and curating exhibitions that shimmer with originality and relevance. Las Vegas, much like Kerlin herself, thrives on reinvention. Under her inspired stewardship, the future of the Barrick is not only bright—it’s electrifying.