Alice Ripley, THE BROADWAY PRINCESS PARTY & More Set for 54 Below This Week

By: Aug. 10, 2015
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This week at 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

TURN THE BEAT AROUND: 54 BELOW CELEBRATES STUDIO 54, August 10 at 7PM & 9:30PM:

54 Below is Broadway's Supper Club - and the hottest venue in town - but long before that it was home to nightlife legend. 54 Below invites you to remember the glory - and the decadence - that was STUDIO 54. In the legendary club's heyday the guest list was a who's who from the world of entertainment - Andy Warhol, Liza Minnelli, Halston, Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger, Diana Ross, Brooke Shields, John Travolta, Michael Jackson - and the music played kept them dancing all through the night. Come "Turn the Beat Around" as we "Celebrate Good Times" and salute Studio 54 from its opening night to the "Last Dance." This is one party you won't want to miss. 54 Below is even rolling out their dance floor for the occasion! Produced and directed by Scott Coulter. Featuring: Scott Coulter, Cheryl Freeman (The Who's Tommy), Mike Schwitter (Pippin), Blaine Krauss (The Lion King), Devin L. Roberts (Venice, The Lion King), Jessica Hendy (Radio City Spring Spectacular), Lennie Watts (MAC, Bistro and Nightlife Award winner), Willam Blake (Echoes of Etta), Tyce Green (54 Sings Chess), Blair Goldberg (Carrie, Kinky Boots), Mary Lane Haskell (54 Shares Cher), Max Clayton (Gigi), Brian Charles Rooney (Bedbugs, The Three Penny Opera), Susan Agin (Anything Goes: The Concert), Kelli Rabke (Les Miserables, Children of Eden), Lucia Spina (Kinky Boots), Will Porter (54 Sings The Act), Justin Talkington (54 Sings Chess), Michael Holland, Larry Lelli, Matt Scharfglass, Jeremy Clayton and Thad DeBrock. $35-45 cover charge. $75-80 premium seating. $25 food and beverage minimum.

54 CELEBRATES EYDIE GORMÉ, August 11 at 7PM:

An evening celebrating Eydie Gormé, one of the greatest voices of her generation. From her big band days to her Latin American successes with Tres Panchos to the award winning songs that have become standards. Join 54 Below and six powerhouse vocalists, Doreen Montalvo (In The Heights), Kelli Rabke Agresta (Les Miserables), Mariand Torres (Wicked), Tari Kelly (The Boy From Oz), Kristy Cates (Wicked), Nicholas King (Beauty and the Beast, "The Tonight Show w/ Liza Minelli") and Award-winning cabaret star Carole J. Bufford, for an evening that will blow you away. Featuring some of Edie's greatest hits, including "After You've Gone," "If He Walked Into My Life," "Blame It On The Bossa Nova," "I Wanna Be Around," and many, many more! $30-40 cover charge. $65 premium seating. $25 food and beverage minimum.

Bryan Fenkart, August 11 at 9:30PM:

Join Bryan Fenkart for an evening of song and remembrances as he looks back on A Decade of Imperfection. Fenkart released his first solo album, An Imperfect Man, 10 years ago. He made his Broadway debut in Memphis, understudying the role of Huey, performing nearly 200 times; he later originated the same role in the first National Tour. Fenkart released his second album, Simple and Grey in 2012 and has been seen on stage in the world premieres of Billie Joe Armstrong's These Paper Bullets, Sheryl Crow's Diner, and Off-Broadway's Piece of My Heart: The Bert Berns Story. A Decade of Imperfection takes us on the unpredictable journey of the everyman, told through Fenkart's original music and the pop, rock and Broadway songs that have inspired him. Guest starring Zak Resnick (Piece of My Heart), Daniel J. Watts (After Midnight, Motown), and Derrick Baskin (Spelling Bee, Whorl Inside A Loop). $30-40 cover charge. $65 premium seating. $25 food and beverage minimum.

Alice Ripley: ALL SONDHEIM, August 12 at 7PM & 9:30PM:

Tony Award winner Alice Ripley returns to 54 Below for the first time in over a year with a brand new show! In Alice Ripley: All Sondheim, the multi-talented star of Broadway's Next to Normal, Sunset Boulevard, The Who's Tommy, Side Show, and The Rocky Horror Show explores the provocative lyrics and enduring melodies of songs written by the legendary Stephen Sondheim. Ms. Ripley has gathered some of her favorites - and will even revisit classic Sondheim characters she's played, remembering anecdotes along the way. From "Worst Pies In London" to "Getting Married Today"... from "Losing My Mind" to "Rose's Turn"... from "Being Alive" to "The Ladies Who Lunch"... this is a show you do NOT want to miss. Spend a summer night celebrating Sondheim with one of the Great White Way's favorite stars. $35-45 cover charge. $75 premium seating. $25 food and beverage minimum.

Edith Piaf: AN ALL-STAR CELEBRATION, August 13 at 7PM & 9:30PM:

Edith Piaf was more than the greatest female entertainer France ever produced; she was one of the 20th Century's most famous female singers - an international star! She was also the embodiment of passion - of love, loss, and unquenchable spirit. Piaf left behind a legacy of hit songs that will be performed in her honor at 54 Below by some of New York's most acclaimed performers. Come hear and experience the searing power and towering passion of Piaf's greatest hits such as "Non, je ne regrette rien" (1960), "Hymne à l'amour" (1949), "Milord" (1959), "La Foule" (1957), "L'Accordeioniste"(1955), "Padam ... Padam ..." (1951), and, of course, "La Vie en Rose" (1946), among many others. Imagine, she was born exactly one week after Frank Sinatra came into this world. What a week that was. And what a night August 13th will be as we pay homage to the memory, the music, and the spirit of Edith Piaf! Edith Piaf: An All-Star Centennial Celebration will be performed by award-winning Broadway and nightclub stars, and it will be produced, written, and hosted by New York impresario Scott Siegel, who has created more than 100 major concerts in venues such as Town Hall and Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has produced, written, and directed for Michael Feinstein, and he is the creator/writer/host of the critically acclaimed Broadway by the Year series at Town Hall (now in its 15th season). Featuring performances by: Gary Marshall, Carole J. Bufford, Molly Pope, Jenny Lee Stern and introduction Francesca Capetta with Musical Director Ross Patterson and Created/Written/Directed/Hosted by Scott Siegel. $30-40 cover charge. $65 premium seating. $25 food and beverage minimum.

Frank Sinatra CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION, PART 3, August 14 at 7PM:

54 Below Celebrates...THE SINATRA CENTURY! Frank Sinatra's Centennial Celebration continues with A Third Evening of His Greatest Songs! On August 14 at 7:00pm, a star-studded cast honors the Chairman of the Board with a brand new concert commemorating Frank Sinatra's Centennial! Performing the hits that made Sinatra the greatest solo artist of his century will be some of New York's most celebrated Broadway and Nightclub stars. Look for a cast chock full of Tony and Nightlife Award winners and nominees singing the songs that made Sinatra a legend in his own lifetime and that continue to burnish his reputation even now, 100 years after his birth. Hear Sinatra standards like as "Chicago," "Time After Time," "One For My Baby," "Strangers in the Night," and so many more! This special concert will be produced and hosted by the acclaimed creator of the long-running Broadway by the Year series at Town Hall, Scott Siegel. Featuring: Sal Viviano, Brian Charles Rooney, Christopher Johnstone and more. $30-40 cover charge. $70 premium seating. $25 food and beverage minimum.

Evan Ruggiero, August 14 at 9:30PM:

The One Legged Song and Dance Man is Back! After a SOLD OUT SHOW back in February, Evan Ruggiero will return to 54 Below. Joining him for this night of music will be Broadway Veteran Jackie Burns (If/Then, Wicked, Hair), Olivia Polci (Foolerie, 54 Below Solo Show, Bergen PAC Soloist), and Kyle Wilder (Black Out w/ Savion Glover, New Jersey Tap Ensemble, JUBA Masters of Tap and Percussive Dance). Evan's band feature's long standing members Ray Carega, Justin Garcia, and BrenDan Daily, and introducing Will Dougherty, Joe Gullace, Frank Scillieri, and Rich Cush. Not only will Evan sing his favorite rock and musical theatre songs, but he will be debuting some of his own songs from his new original musical he has been working on called "My Champagne Year." Evan Ruggiero began dancing at the age of 5 in his hometown studio and by age 10, he was accepted into the famed New Jersey Tap Ensemble, under the direction of Ms. Deborah Mitchell. He soon graced the stages of Lincoln Center, The Shomberg Museum of Harlem and The New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, among others. Upon entering his sophomore year at Montclair State University while pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre, Evan was suddenly diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer of the right leg. Enduring nine surgeries in a six-month period in an effort to save the leg, the cancer returned more aggressively than the original diagnosis. He was faced with the ultimate decision of amputation in order to stop the cancer and save his life, as well as undergoing chemotherapy for 16 months. In spite of the physical setback, Evan held close to the dream of dancing and learned of the famed Clayton "Peg Leg" Bates, a legendary African-American entertainer who taught himself to tap dance after losing a leg in a cotton gin accident at the age of 12. Bates performed twice for the King and Queen of England and became a regular on The Ed Sullivan Show appearing a record 58 times. Inspired by his story, Evan aspired to passing on his legacy. Within eighteen months after the amputation, and only two days after receiving his "peg-leg," Evan was tapping again. He has appeared with the St. Louis Tap Festival, LA Tap Festival, Jersey Tap Festival, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, on American Idol, has been a guest on The Ellen Show, on Telemundo's Un Nuevo Dia, and most recently made his first international appearance on Italy's hit television show Quelli Che il Calcio. $25-35 cover charge. $65 premium seating. $25 food and beverage minimum.

54 SINGS Lady Gaga, August 15 at 7PM:

Gypsy. Hair. Applause. That's right, it's... Lady Gaga! Come celebrate The Queen in a night that will leave you Speechless. Featuring some of Broadway and cabaret's best performers, little monsters everywhere will be on the Edge (of Glory) of their seats for this one-night-only event that all the Paparazzi will be at. So put on your best Poker Face and wear your wildest costume as 54 Sings Lady Gaga! (And please remember to silence your Telephone.) Featuring: Katrina Rose Dideriksen (Hairspray, Rent, Things to Ruin), Molly Hager (Heathers, "Happyish" on Showtime), Joe Iconis (Be More Chill, Smash, Christmas Spectacular), Julia Mattison (Godspell, Ruby Manger), Grace McLean (Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812), Emily Padgett (Side Show, Legally Blonde), Joel Perez (Fun Home, "Person of Interest," "The Big C"), Angela Polk (Motown, Venice), Ariane Rinehart ("The Sound of Music Live!"), Elyssa Renee Ramirez (Pinwheel, Vestments of the Gods), Tal Yardeni (Tal Yardeni sings Florence + the Machine) and more. Musical direction by Joshua Zecher-Ross. Produced and directed by Philip Romano. $30-40 cover charge. $70 premium seating. $25 food and beverage minimum.

LOUISA, REQUESTED, August 15 at 10PM:

Louisa, Requested is a musical cabaret revue show with a twist: it's all improvised. Louisa, a semi-washed up Broadway diva, is back in her old stomping ground for one night. Singing through her "repertoire" of original, legendary show tunes and ballads, Louisa will lead the audience through a (totally improvised) journey of her monumental career. Lulu Krause is delighted to be returning to 54 Below, after making her debut there this past winter. A former member of ComedySportz Philly, Lulu has been performing both straight and musical improv for five years. Her work has been seen at Dixon Place, The Duplex, the PIT, and The Magnet - where you can catch her performing musical improv every Tuesday night. She was recently nominated for a "My Favorite Child Award" by her mother, but lost (humbly) to her brother, who received his PhD in Math at age 25. Frank Spitznagel is the Musical Director at Magnet Theater and a piano accompanist who frequently plays for such improv groups as I Eat Pandas, Veal, The Made-Up Musical, Gusto, and many others. He is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music, where he studied piano performance. His work can be heard on several studio recordings. Frank has composed for Comedy Central and the Aspen Comedy Festival. He accompanied Itzhak Perlman in an original jazz composition by Benny Golson at Lincoln Center. He also played the American premiere of The Hired Man Off-Broadway. He has been musical director for productions such as Nunsense (all incarnations), A Chorus Line, Chicago City Limits, and several original musicals. $10 cover charge. $25 premium seating. $20 food and beverage or two drinks.

THE BROADWAY PRINCESS PARTY FT. Laura Osnes, August 16 at 7PM & 9:30PM:

The Princesses are throwing a ball, and you're invited! Hosted by Broadway's Cinderella herself, Tony nominee Laura Osnes, and music director Benjamin Rauhala, Broadway's most beloved leading ladies will sing the most beloved 'Princess' songs of stage and screen in a magical evening that is not to be missed! Where else might a little mermaid duet with a beautiful bookworm? Or might an ice queen drink tea with a princess no bigger than the size of a thumb? Might the princess with a lost glass slipper confide in a princess who lives in a tower, with the longest of hair? Get your ballgown out of the closet, dust off that tiara and make your way to 54 Below for a Broadway Princess Party you will never forget! Featuring: Laura Osnes (Cinderella, Anything Goes), Ruthie Ann Miles (Tony Award winner - The King and I, Here Lies Love), Caissie Levy (Les Miserables, Ghost), Kara Lindsay (Wicked, Newsies), Courtney Reed (Aladdin, In The Heights), Adrienne Warren (Bring It On, Dreamgirls), Taylor Louderman (NBC's "Peter Pan Live," Bring It On), Ciara Renee (The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pippin), Steffanie Leigh (Gigi, Mary Poppins), Teal Wicks (Finding Neverland, Jekyll and Hyde), Desi Oakley (Wicked, Evita), Arielle Jacobs (Wicked, In The Heights), Laurie Veldheer (Newsies, Mamma Mia), Alison Luff (Matilda, Wicked) and Alexandra Zorn (Cinderella). $35-55 cover charge. $70-85 premium seating. $25 food and beverage.



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