FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Kelly Strayhorn Theater Presents Music From the Heart: A Diana Ross Tribute
EAST LIBERTY, PA (November 22, 2022) — Music From the Heart: A Diana Ross Tribute is a showcase about the songs that bring us together, sung from a uniquely Pittsburgh perspective. KST Fall 2022 Freshworks resident artist Michelle Johnson is a Pittsburgh born-and-raised vocalist whose
new show weaves the parallels between her own life story and the music of Diana Ross. In doing so, Johnson, who goes by the moniker Mish, reveals a message of love, acceptance, and perseverance that promises to uplift and energize audiences at the beginning of the holiday season. The intimate performance will take place at KST’s Alloy Studios on Friday, December 2nd and Saturday, December 3rd at 8:00pm..
Music From the Heart: A Diana Ross Tribute was conceived by Mish as a tribute to her mother and grandmother, the women who raised her and who nurtured her gift for music. For Mish’s grandmother, Diana Ross’s music was a constant, called upon in both good and hard times as a source of healing, energy, and inspiration. When asked about the genesis of Music From the Heart, Mish explains:
“I have my grandmother to blame! From a very young age, she turned on the 1979 concert, Diana Ross: Live at Caesar’s Palace, and I was hooked. I remember going over the whole concert, and since that very first concert, I was amazed. I was able to continue studying Ross’s work, I did school reports about her, and I’ve always wanted to perform her.” — Michelle Johnson
Much has been written about Diana Ross’s accomplishments. Ross rose to fame as the lead singer of The Supremes, who remain the best-charting female group in history, and went on to both musical and acting acclaim as a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. What is less known are the parallels between Ross and Mish’s experiences. Looking back to a 1981 Interview Magazine conversation between Diana Ross and Andy Warhol, Ross reveals that (like Mish) her singing career began at a young age, at home, listening to her mother play popular music of the time:
“I’ve been singing since I was really little. I’m from a singing family, but they’re not professional singers, only gospel—my grandfather was a minister. I started to sing the music that was out then because my mother used to play it all the time. It was the end of the ’50s, the beginning of the ’60s. There was Frankie Lyman and the Teenagers, Etta James…” — Diana Ross
Perhaps even more striking are Ross and Mish’s shared fierce love and respect for their hometowns. Just as Ross’s musical career began and accelerated with support from her Detroit neighbors (Smokey Robinson among them), Mish credits Pittsburgh with giving her the network of acceptance and support necessary to pursue a singing career. From her colleagues at C.A.P.A. to the vocalists who will join her on the KST stage — Carmen Miller, Delana Flowers, Katy Cotton, Martel Brown, and Jordan Robinson —, the artist speaks generously of her gratitude. Mish is kind enough to extend her thanks to KST as well, expressing of her time as a Freshworks resident:
“My experience with KST has been life-changing. I wanted my idea, my show, to have a home where people would be open to the possibilities of what it can be, and I found that in KST. I’m very thankful. Between the studio and the theater, I’m like, Oh my Gosh, this is now my new home! I have been able to express, not only the different creative ideas I have, but also be able to share that with my family, my hometown.” — Michelle Johnson
KST presents Music From the Heart: A Diana Ross Tribute on Friday & Saturday, December 2 – 3 at KST’s Alloy Studios, 5530 Penn Ave. For press comps, please contact lizrudnick@kelly-strayhorn.org
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Mish, who is known off-stage as Miss Michelle Johnson, is a vocalist, songwriter and choreographer whose heart belongs to her hometown, Pittsburgh, PA. The C.A.P.A Middle/High School graduate has taken audiences through a storm of song and style at venues including the Pittsburgh Hard Rock Cafe, The Rex Theater, and The Greer Theater. Mish’s classically trained, soulful vocals incorporate stylistic elements from Aretha Franklin to Beyonce, earning her the moniker, “The Velveteen Voice of Pittsburgh.” Whether she is covering Aretha Franklin classics or original selections, she is at ease in any vocal capacity. Johnson played the role of Motormouth Maybelle in the 2014 CCAC South and 2019 Stage 62 production of Hairspray, and has performed with the renowned Pittsburgh Opera company in Aida. She has opened for pop superstars Nick Jonas (2015) and Ke$ha (2018). In 2019 and 2022 Johnson was a featured singer for Broadway Meets Motown at The Strand Theater. Mish shows involve extraordinary live vocals, vivacious hand-made, red carpet worthy costumes. Most recently, Johnson appears as the dynamic, hilarious, host and producer of her homegrown local TV talk show ‘The Mish Connection’ on Pittsburgh’s PCTV.
ABOUT KELLY STRAYHORN THEATER
Named after 20th century entertainment legends Gene Kelly and Billy Strayhorn, both natives of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Kelly Strayhorn Theater (KST) is reflective of the passion that its founders had for the arts. Today, Kelly Strayhorn Theater carries on the legacy of its founders by fostering bold and innovative artistry with a global perspective. KST celebrates diversity in voice, thought, and expression, and upholds a firm commitment to inclusion. Furthermore, KST provides a safe and welcome space for dialogue and artistic expression for all who enter.
Kelly Strayhorn Theater has a dynamic footprint in Pittsburgh, with two venues running along Penn Avenue. KST’s Alloy Studios is a cultural hub in the heart of East Liberty, and the historic Kelly Strayhorn Theater is located in the thriving business district. More than 20 years after the founding of the theater, KST continues to use its broad reach to impact the contemporary arts and the community. KST’s mission is to be a home for creative experimentation, community dialogue, and collective action rooted in the liberation of Black and queer people.