| Long Story Short | Striking 12 |
Valerie Vigoda, electric violinist and singer, is the founding member of GrooveLily. Originally from McLean, VA, Valerie is a classically-trained musician, honors graduate of Princeton University, and former Army lieutenant. She has toured the world with Cyndi Lauper (opening for Tina Turner and Cher), Joe Jackson and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. She founded GrooveLily (originally “The Valerie Vigoda Band”) in 1994, with a critically-acclaimed CD called “Inhabit My Heart.” Dirty Linen Magazine wrote: “to call Valerie Vigoda talented barely seems to do her justice. She has a great voice, is an intelligent lyricist … and an ace violinist. Methinks we’ll hear more of her.” Along with her husband and longtime collaborator Brendan Milburn, Valerie is a 2009 winner of the ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award, as well as a two-time winner of the Jonathan Larson Award for Excellence in Writing for the Theatre.
The success of their first concert-musical, the critically-acclaimed holiday show STRIKING 12, has led them farther into the world of theater, where they have carved out a unique niche as a rock band writing and performing shows. After years on the indie touring circuit, they are delighted to be creating many projects with various collaborators: STRIKING 12 (Off-Broadway 2006, Lucille Lortel Nomination for Outstanding Musical, Bay Area Theatre Critic’s Choice Award); TOY STORY THE MUSICAL (Disney); SLEEPING BEAUTY WAKES (Deaf West Theatre/Center Theatre Group/McCarter Theatre, two 2007 Ovation Awards, including World Premiere Musical); WHEELHOUSE, GrooveLily's autobiographical concert-musical (in development); LONG STORY SHORT (City Theatre of Pittsburgh/TheatreWorks Palo Alto/San Diego Rep); A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (McCarter Theatre/Paper Mill Playhouse); and ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES ME, a new 1-woman fever-dream musical (La Jolla Playhouse/TheatreWorks Palo Alto). Valerie lives in Los Angeles with husband Brendan Milburn and 5-year-old son Mose.
The success of their first concert-musical, the critically-acclaimed holiday show STRIKING 12, has led them farther into the world of theater, where they have carved out a unique niche as a rock band writing and performing shows. After years on the indie touring circuit, they are delighted to be creating many projects with various collaborators: STRIKING 12 (Off-Broadway 2006, Lucille Lortel Nomination for Outstanding Musical, Bay Area Theatre Critic’s Choice Award); TOY STORY THE MUSICAL (Disney); SLEEPING BEAUTY WAKES (Deaf West Theatre/Center Theatre Group/McCarter Theatre, two 2007 Ovation Awards, including World Premiere Musical); WHEELHOUSE, GrooveLily's autobiographical concert-musical (in development); LONG STORY SHORT (City Theatre of Pittsburgh/TheatreWorks Palo Alto/San Diego Rep); A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (McCarter Theatre/Paper Mill Playhouse); and ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES ME, a new 1-woman fever-dream musical (La Jolla Playhouse/TheatreWorks Palo Alto). Valerie lives in Los Angeles with husband Brendan Milburn and 5-year-old son Mose.