Albums
In times of challenge there is healing and hope and happiness in music and art and in helping others to find their way. At the heart of my music is my heart.
Amore Celeste
(Heavenly Love) Enjoy Luanne’s emotionally rich, passionate and engaging vocal performance of treasured classical arias, ariettas and art songs of love, with lush and moving lovely original string arrangements and production by Philip Carroll, and splendid live string performances.
Days of Love
Luanne returns to her early days of singing and recording. Days of Love, includes Luanne’s poignant covers of songs of love and life, arranged years ago by Philip Carroll in his “magical” studio on Gay Street in New York City.
Black Wedding Dress
You are invited into the electrifying world of Black Wedding Dress. Experience Luanne Surace’s haunting vocals and deeply moving interpretation of these traditional songs of tortured love and joyous redemption and the original songs Hello Girl and Trouble For Me (Trouble So Hard).
BleeCker Street Roots
Take a journey into the deep and soulful sounds of America’s roots music on Luanne Surace’s powerful second album, Bleecker Street Roots. Backed by acustic guitar and percussion. Luanne gives a fresh interpretation to classic blues and spirituals.
Undercover Covers
Dark, soulful vocals, including singing and some sultry spoken word, combined with edgy, organic, pop electronica to drive these creative arrangements that deconstruct and reconstruct some of the most incredible pop/rock songs of our times.
About Luanne
Luanne Surace is an American singer, songwriter, recording artist, actress, and visual artist. Born and raised in upstate New York, she makes New York City’s Greenwich Village her home.
Luanne came to New York City to study law. She graduated from New York University School of Law and practiced law in New York City. Early family and educational influences and inspirations created a passion in Luanne for singing. That passion stayed with her, and in a time of challenge in her life, she turned to music and the arts for healing and hope, happiness and helping others find their way.
In New York, she began to study voice, at Greenwich House Music School, and in private lessons, in classical, opera, jazz and contemporary music. With NYC Music Director and Producer Philip Carroll, Luanne developed her singing, performing and recording. Luanne is grateful to multi-talented Phil Carroll for each and every thing he did over the years to help her pursue music.
“I grew up with music in my everyday life. I have wonderful memories of my grandmother singing in Italian, as she designed and sewed wedding gowns in the family bridal business, and of my mother, with a cane and top hat, singing “My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean” to entertain my siblings and me. My uncle sang and performed in local theater productions. He traveled to places I only read about in books, and brought back with him songs, musical instruments, and lively stories. My aunts came home on college break, bringing their friends with guitars to sing folk songs with my sisters, brother, and me. I credit my early schools for the emphasis on art and music. These were my first experiences with the joy of singing, so important in education. Singing in my school choir. Dancing with my cousins to the New Year’s Eve Casey Kasem music countdown. Playing “air guitars” and singing with my siblings. I was just an American kid who grew up in an era and in a country where all genres and styles of music rocked our world!”
Her love of all genres and styles of music and her love for stories of the heart are found in Luanne’s albums.
Her album liner notes provide detailed credits for all who inspired and supported her and all who worked on her albums, including the awesome producers, engineers, instrumentalists, vocalists, musicians, artists and professionals, and, of course, the amazing songwriters on cover songs.
Luanne’s 2021 album release, Amore Celeste (Heavenly Love), is a collection of treasured classical arias and art songs, produced by Philip Carroll. The album features Luanne’s rich and engaging vocal performance and lovely original string arrangements by Philip Carroll.
On Days of Love, recently released, Luanne returns to her early days of singing and recording. Days of Love, includes Luanne’s poignant covers of songs of love and life, arranged years ago by Philip Carroll in his “magical” studio on Gay Street in New York City.
Luanne’s Black Wedding Dress album, released in 2012, produced by Philip Carroll, with additional production and mixing by Producer Jimmy Bralower, features Luanne’s haunting original song “Hello Girl.” Also on the album is Luanne’s hard-driving original, “Trouble For Me (Trouble So Hard),” co-written with Producer Philip Carroll.
BLEECKER STREET ROOTS, released in 2008, is dedicated to traditional American roots music, deeply moving songs of tortured love and joyous redemption. On her debut album Undercover Covers Luanne brought a unique interpretation to some of her favorite pop and rock songs.
Luanne helps develop emerging singer-songwriters and recording artists through the non-profit organization, Recording Artists’ Development, Inc., “RAD,” www.recordingartistsdevelopment.org. She is honored to be a RAD volunteer Board Member, together with Phil Carroll and Drew Hemenger, and proud to support RAD’s non-profit work. She is devoted to mentoring and advancing RAD’s very talented artists, in the hope that they feel fulfilled and empowered, and that their music will entertain, heal a soul, and even change the world.
Luanne trained as an actress with the world-renowned theater Director, Gene Frankel, and with private coaches, including Joanne Gibson and Bill Balzac. She has performed in productions in New York City. With writer and theater director Walter Jones, Luanne has written theater and screen scripts.
Luanne is also a painter, taught and inspired by her late mother whose drawings adorn the cover and liner notes of Days of Love, Undercover Covers, and of course this website. Luanne has been a student, in New York, of the international painter and sculptor, Maestro Francesco Santoro.
She is also grateful to Keter Braun who helped her developed as a songwriter by generously sharing his talent with her and co-creating some very special songs.
Luanne loves her family and friends and New York City. She appreciates each and every listener and hopes she entertains, heals a soul, and maybe changes a little bit of your world, for the better!
Acting
Luanne is proud to have studied acting with the late Director Gene Frankel at the Gene Frankel Theatre Workshop. “I hung on Gene Frankel’s every word. Gene was teaching acting and he was teaching life. I still picture Gene pointing his finger and asking the all important question: ‘where are you putting your focus?’ He inspired and taught in acting, and in life, the importance of courage, trust, truth and specificity!”
She has had the pleasure to perform in a variety of plays in New York CIty. She also had her film debut in 2008 in My Mother’s Fairytales.
Arthur Kopit’s CHAMBER MUSIC
a MORTALS THEATER PRODUCTION
April 9-27, 2008 – Gene Frankel Theatre
Luanne as “Constanze Mozart” in the Arthur Kopit Play Chamber Music, a Mortals Theater Production, Gray Lady Entertainment, Director Robert F. Cole.
Directed by: Robert F. Cole
Luanne Surace’s character: “Constanze Mozart” Mozart’s wife
Review: “Luanne Surace as Mozart’s wife memorably calls to an invisible Wolfgang in a plaintive and ecstatic voice, reliving joys, happiness and enlightenment.”
Larry Litt, NewYorkTheatreWire.com
April 12, 2008
Photo Credit: Lilith Beitchman
Photos: Luanne Surace with Petra Kipke, Omar Abdali, Dan Snow, and Margaret Catov.
OEDIPUS REX
a MORTALS THEATER PRODUCTION
October 17-28, 2007 – Gene Frankel Theatre
Oedipus is preparing to address his ministers, his congress, and the legions of dispossessed gathered before the palace. His brother-in-law, Creon, has been dispatched to Delphi, to inquire of The Oracle what must be done to absolve Thebes of the unrelenting wrath of Heaven.
Directed by: Tom Keener
Luanne Surace’s character : “Christiane Amanpour”/CNN Reporter as part of the Chorus
Luanne as “Christiane Amanpour”/CNN Reporter in the modern adaptation of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, a Mortals Theater Production, Director Tom Keener, Fall, 2007.
Photo Credit: Lilith Beitchman
Photo: Luanne Surace with Elizabeth Lord and Bill McCue
ABOUT CLARENCE & ME
A DRAMATIC PLAY WITH MUSIC
September 24, 2007 & June 13, 2007
The idea about CLARENCE & ME was born during Walter Jones’ and Scott Hiltzik’s chance meeting on a bus. Sitting next to each other on the five hour ride from New York City to Boston in July, 2003, the two writers recognized their shared interests. A New England scenery passed by, Coltrane, classical piano music and theater were discussed; ideas were thrown back and forth; personal stories shared. By the time the Grey hound arrived at South Station the story was set, and their collaboration underway.
Through words and original piano music, ABOUT CLARENCE & ME portrays the relationship between two very different men: an old, set-in-his-ways, African-American who has always longed to play the piano and a younger white piano teacher and composter whose life is in flux. As their relationship grows, they discover that each has something to learn from the other.
Written by: Walter Jones & Scott Hiltzik
Original Music by: Scott Hiltzik
Luanne Surace’s role : Narrator
Luanne was the Narrator in the reading of About Clarence and Me, a new play by Walter Jones and Scott Hiltzik, at the Dramatist Guild in Fall 2007.
God Friended Me On Facebook
Northrop Play Festival
Theme: Overheard at a restaurant
A comic play about a conversation that could be overheard at a restaurant any day. Click here to view on youtube.
Director: Jean Brown (Best Director)
Playwright: Jamie Fallon (Best Writer)
Waitress: Luanne Surace
with Omar Abdali and Logan McCoy (Best Actor)
Sample Audio
Luanne studied voice over acting with Voice Actor/Coach Maggie Phillips at Actors Connection in NYC. She also studied Commercial Acting with Barry Shapiro at Actors Connection. She is interested in commercial acting, commercial voice over projects as well as character-based animation roles and audio book readings. Here is a demo sample of Luanne’s commercial voice over talent.
My Mother’ Fairytales
Filmed in Winter 2008 – released in the United States and in 2009 Italy as “Le Fiabe di Mia Madre”
Storyline: When Ariel and Olivia, two long-separated Italian sisters, discover they have inherited a house in Brooklyn from a mysterious woman they’ve never heard of, they embark on a journey of discovery that will change their lives forever.
Luanne appears as Ms. Russell in My Mother’ Fairytales, the Independent film by Director Paola Romagnani and Simmia Productions, Winter, 2008. Click here to view the imdb page
Directed by: Paola Romagnani
Luanne Surace’s role: Ms. Russell
Arthur Kopit’s CHAMBER MUSIC
a MORTALS THEATER PRODUCTION
April 9-27, 2008 – Gene Frankel Theatre
Luanne as “Constanze Mozart” in the Arthur Kopit Play Chamber Music, a Mortals Theater Production, Gray Lady Entertainment, Director Robert F. Cole.
Directed by: Robert F. Cole
Luanne Surace’s character: “Constanze Mozart” Mozart’s wife
Review: “Luanne Surace as Mozart’s wife memorably calls to an invisible Wolfgang in a plaintive and ecstatic voice, reliving joys, happiness and enlightenment.”
Larry Litt, NewYorkTheatreWire.com
April 12, 2008
Photo Credit: Lilith Beitchman
Photos: Luanne Surace with Petra Kipke, Omar Abdali, Dan Snow, and Margaret Catov.
OEDIPUS REX
a MORTALS THEATER PRODUCTION
October 17-28, 2007 – Gene Frankel Theatre
Oedipus is preparing to address his ministers, his congress, and the legions of dispossessed gathered before the palace. His brother-in-law, Creon, has been dispatched to Delphi, to inquire of The Oracle what must be done to absolve Thebes of the unrelenting wrath of Heaven.
Directed by: Tom Keener
Luanne Surace’s character : “Christiane Amanpour”/CNN Reporter as part of the Chorus
Luanne as “Christiane Amanpour”/CNN Reporter in the modern adaptation of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, a Mortals Theater Production, Director Tom Keener, Fall, 2007.
Photo Credit: Lilith Beitchman
Photo: Luanne Surace with Elizabeth Lord and Bill McCue
ABOUT CLARENCE & ME
A DRAMATIC PLAY WITH MUSIC
September 24, 2007 & June 13, 2007
The idea about CLARENCE & ME was born during Walter Jones’ and Scott Hiltzik’s chance meeting on a bus. Sitting next to each other on the five hour ride from New York City to Boston in July, 2003, the two writers recognized their shared interests. A New England scenery passed by, Coltrane, classical piano music and theater were discussed; ideas were thrown back and forth; personal stories shared. By the time the Grey hound arrived at South Station the story was set, and their collaboration underway.
Through words and original piano music, ABOUT CLARENCE & ME portrays the relationship between two very different men: an old, set-in-his-ways, African-American who has always longed to play the piano and a younger white piano teacher and composter whose life is in flux. As their relationship grows, they discover that each has something to learn from the other.
Written by: Walter Jones & Scott Hiltzik
Original Music by: Scott Hiltzik
Luanne Surace’s role : Narrator
Luanne was the Narrator in the reading of About Clarence and Me, a new play by Walter Jones and Scott Hiltzik, at the Dramatist Guild in Fall 2007.
God Friended Me On Facebook
Northrop Play Festival
Theme: Overheard at a restaurant
A comic play about a conversation that could be overheard at a restaurant any day. Click here to view on youtube.
Director: Jean Brown (Best Director)
Playwright: Jamie Fallon (Best Writer)
Waitress: Luanne Surace
with Omar Abdali and Logan McCoy (Best Actor)
Sample Audio
Luanne studied voice over acting with Voice Actor/Coach Maggie Phillips at Actors Connection in NYC. She also studied Commercial Acting with Barry Shapiro at Actors Connection. She is interested in commercial acting, commercial voice over projects as well as character-based animation roles and audio book readings. Here is a demo sample of Luanne’s commercial voice over talent.
My Mother’ Fairytales
Filmed in Winter 2008 – released in the United States and in 2009 Italy as “Le Fiabe di Mia Madre”
Storyline: When Ariel and Olivia, two long-separated Italian sisters, discover they have inherited a house in Brooklyn from a mysterious woman they’ve never heard of, they embark on a journey of discovery that will change their lives forever.
Luanne appears as Ms. Russell in My Mother’ Fairytales, the Independent film by Director Paola Romagnani and Simmia Productions, Winter, 2008. Click here to view the imdb page
Directed by: Paola Romagnani
Luanne Surace’s role: Ms. Russell