Thomasina Gross takes Eartha Kitt tribute show to Los Angeles and New York

Thomasina Gross is bringing Eartha... I’m Still Here! to Catalina Jazz Club in Los Angeles on July 31 and 54 Below in New York on Aug. 26, with a return engagement in Los Angeles on Sept. 26. The show is an Eartha Kitt tribute that mixes song, dance and storytelling and marks Gross’ debut at Catalina.

Why it matters: - Eartha... I’m Still Here! is positioned as a live tribute to Eartha Kitt that aims to reach both longtime fans and first-time audiences. - The tour adds a New York date after the Los Angeles launch, expanding the show’s reach beyond the West Coast. - The Catalina run also gives Gross a new Los Angeles stage credit, while the 54 Below booking signals a New York showcase for the production.

What happened: - Goddess Empire Entertainment announced that Thomasina Gross will headline Eartha... I’m Still Here! this summer in Los Angeles and New York. - The show plays Catalina Jazz Club & Grill in Los Angeles on Friday, July 31, with doors at 7 p.m. and showtime at 8:30 p.m. - The production moves to 54 Below in New York on Aug. 26 at 9:30 p.m. - Gross returns to Catalina on Sept. 26 as the opening act for Grammy-nominated singer Freda Payne. - Tickets are available at Catalina Jazz Club and 54 Below.

The details: - Thomasina Gross created and performs the show, which blends song, dance, storytelling and multiple languages. - The production explores Eartha Kitt’s resilience, wit, glamour, courage and uncompromising spirit. - Nohely Quiroz directs the show, with music direction by Eli Baumgarten. - Tye Blue, a two-time Tony Award nominee for Titanique, is a producer on the project. - Eric Floyd and Wanda Dee of Goddess Empire Entertainment are listed as producer and executive producer. - Gross is a Broadway, television and film performer with credits including Mamma Mia!, Hair, The Rookie, The Goldbergs, Hairspray Live! and Glee. - Quiroz is the creator of Odie’s World and has credits across stage and screen, including Better Call Saul, NCIS and Monsters at Work. - Baumgarten is a New York-based music director, pianist, arranger and composer who released his debut album, Into Nowhere, in 2023.

Between the lines: - The production leans into the appeal of a recognizable icon while relying on Gross’ physical and vocal resemblance to Kitt as a selling point. - A BroadwayWorld pull quote describes Gross as more than playing Eartha Kitt, saying she “summons her like a conjuring.” - The release frames the show as an independent production and says it is not affiliated with, endorsed by or produced in association with the Eartha Kitt Estate or Kitt Shapiro. - Goddess Empire Entertainment says it has sold more than 5 million tickets across nightclub, theater, arena, festival and stadium events in 150 cities in 90 countries on six continents.

What's next: - The immediate stop is Catalina Jazz Club on July 31. - The next major engagement is 54 Below on Aug. 26. - Gross is scheduled to return to Catalina on Sept. 26 for the Freda Payne opening slot. - Media interviews are being accepted now through Goddess Empire Entertainment.