Broadway star and former Disney princess performs porch concerts in Long Beach

Long Beach mom and Broadway star Sarah Uriarte Berry is putting on weekly concerts for her neighbors from her porch amid stay-at-home orders.

Saturday, May 9, 2020
Broadway star and former Disney princess performs porch concerts
Broadway star and former Disney princess performs porch concerts

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Sarah Uriarte Berry is no stranger to the spotlight, but this Broadway star's new stage is her front porch.

"I sing everything unplugged, which means I don't have a microphone," the Long Beach resident said. "I'm just hollering out off of my porch into the street and they're able to hear it."

Berry moved to Southern California recently after living and working in New York for 22 years, where she starred in Beauty and the Beast, Les Misérables, Cinderella, among other musicals.

"You must believe me when I say we love Long Beach," Berry said. "We have really good neighbors."

A nearby resident in their Los Altos neighborhood overheard Berry and her husband singing "Happy Birthday" to another neighbor in March.

"Right after we finished singing, the neighbor who lives right next to us leaned out his window and said, 'I want somebody to sing for me!'"

The former Belle (yes, the one from Beauty and the Beast) performed her first porch concert on April 3. Berry said her audience makes sure to maintain six feet distance between one another.

"I look forward to this every week," said neighbor Nicole Thorn. "By Friday night, I'm done with working and managing a child at home. I just feel so lucky and blessed to have this in our neighborhood to bring some lightness and hope during a dull, darker time."

Berry said she tries to choose upbeat, positive music during these uncertain times.

"Disney songs are great," Berry said. "They're very familiar, they're beautiful."

The mother of three said she plans to continue spreading positivity through her Friday night performances.

"There's nothing like live entertainment and the energy that goes between performer and audience," Berry said.

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