By Melissa Griegel…
Photos by Melissa Griegel Photography
www.melissagriegel.zenfolio.com
Ava Nicole Frances is taking the cabaret world by storm. She began showcasing her vocal talents professionally at ten-years-old, and now at just 21, she is a seasoned performer, having sung at the biggest cabaret venues in New York City and has several albums under her belt. Her new releases are all original music. Her October 10th, 2025 show The Dream That I See at The Laurie Beechman Theatre was attended by luminaries in the business including David Sabella, Richard Skipper, Susie Mosher, Michael D’Angora, Rick Hinkson, Jelani Remy, Sue Matsuki, and Spider-Duncan Christoper.
What brought all of these greats out to see a 21-year-old cabaret performer? Raw talent. Ava Nicole Frances knows how to command the stage, interweave storytelling with song, build a show, and, most importantly, she can sing. Her deep, earthy tones are perfect for a song like “Washington Square” (my favorite of the evening), and she can also belt out a showtune like “Don’t Rain on My Parade”, which is a good thing considering her dream is to make it on the Broadway stage.
In addition to many in the tight-knit cabaret community taking her under their wings, Frances has two very supportive dads, Sonny Vukic and Frank Silletti. Silletti also serves as her producer and director and is involved with all aspects of her career. She tells the audience that one would think that would be too much and cause conflict in their relationship. She assures us that it is a wonderful, relaxed working relationship and is so lucky to have her dad be so involved. The two of them have been recreating outfits from iconic roles of Broadway and film stars and she began the show with a film of photos of the original star’s photo morphing into a photo of Frances in their recreation.
With a vocal range and musical knowledge that spans many genres, Frances easily goes from pop to Broadway to jazz to American Songbook classics. Discussing her path from San Francisco to New York City, Frances talks humorously about roles she played in high school such as being cast as Harold Hill and Gaston when she wanted to be Marian the Librarian and Belle, and gratefully about her American Idol journey, her birth mom, and her life with her fathers. She also shares her dreams for the future. “I would sell my soul to be on Broadway,” she shares with the audience, “to originate a character or take on an iconic role, or play Sondheim heroine.”
The majority of the set list was from her Green Room 42 show The Dream that I See that was recorded live last year and is available on CD and on streaming services. Her recent album I Can’t Play with Flowers was released last month with eight original songs by Frances. She also has a few original singles not on the album. She sang two of her own songs, “Missing a Screw” and “Four Years of Fun”. The latter was inspired by the last election. Her Green Room 42 show took place a week before the last election. The day after the election, she took a walk to “feel normal again”. She came across an elementary school at pick-up time and witnessed what she described as “mothers trying to protect their daughters for a world that was no longer meant for them, and honestly, never was.” This was the inspiration for her lyrics for “Four Years of Fun’ which includes lines like “Your daughters are crying, but I guess to you that’s fine. And I wish that it was over, but it’s barely just begun. I don’t want to see your four years of fun.”
Frances is wise beyond her years, knowing when to change lyrics in popular songs to fit the storytelling and the room, how to discuss the current political climate, and how to thank those who are helping her along the way. She has a velvety voice that makes you melt into her songs, whether it’s a Renee Rapp song (“Snow Angel”), a Pasek/Paul piece (“A Million Dreams”), or Stephen Schwartz (“I’m Not That Girl’, “Colors of the Wind”). Before singing “When You Wish Upon a Star”, she said, “I can’t really see the stars, but I like to dream I can.” Frances dreams big and I am confident she will make her dreams come true. I look forward to seeing her name on the marquee of a Broadway theater some day.
Accompanied by a band that records with her and travels out for her shows, the musicians were led by Musical Director and pianist Michael Collum, with Eric Wharton on bass, Jon Berger on drums, and Jon Weber on violin. You can download Frances’ music on Spotify and other streaming services.
