Leslie Uggams, Kate Shindle, Hinton Battle & More Set for 54 Below this Week

By: Jun. 02, 2014
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Coming up this week, 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.

ALWAYS FOR DANIEL: A BENEFIT CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF DANIEL JAMES MCCLUNG, June 2 at 7PM:

A celebration to honor the life of young playwright Daniel James McClung, featuring the music of Judy Garland and Ella Fitzgerald, re-imagined. Created by Daniel's friend, Michael Zahler (...Spelling Bee, The Boy in the Bathroom), with a band led by Broadway Music Director Will Van Dyke (Kinky Boots, Addams Family, Wicked), and featuring some of the brightest talent from Broadway and the New York stage, the evening will benefit Muhlenberg College Theatre and Dance, where a scholarship will be established in Daniel's name. Performers: Rory O'Malley, Julia Murney, Jenni Barber, Chelsea Packard, Jason Michael Snow, Tamika Sonja Lawrence, Dana Steingold, Joelle Luri, Michael Zahler and The Skivvies. $45-55 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

JUSTIN GUARINI, June 2 at 9:30PM:

Justin Guarini: Lovesick is a new show from Justin Guarini, currently starring on Broadway as Fiyero in Wicked. Guarini has also appeared on Broadway in American Idiot, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and Romeo and Juliet. Guarini's 54 Below debut, directed by Gordon Greenberg, is his tribute to all the horrifying places love has taken him - from a Catholic school closet in Doylestown, PA to the revolving hotel rooms at American Idol, and, ultimately, to Broadway. With a seven-piece band, back up vocalists Nikka Lanzarone and Shayla Benoit, and music from Burt Bacharach to Beck to Mika, LOVESICK promises to be an evening of raucous and revealing storytelling - and a full-on party. Justin Guarini: Lovesick was developed at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, PA. $25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

TONY AWARDS BROADWAY TRIVIA NIGHT, June 2 at 11:30PM:

What's almost as astonishing as winning a Tony Award? Winning 54 Below's first annual Tony Award Broadway Trivia Night, of course! Hosted by Broadway Nerdist Todd Buonopane (Cinderella, Spelling Bee, 30 Rock) the night will feature Tony-themed trivia of all sorts, drink specials, and prizes galore. Start studying! No cover charge. $20 food & beverage minimum or two drink minimum.

KELLI RABKE, June 3 at 7PM:

Kelli Rabke makes her NYC cabaret debut with No Place Like Home - a dynamic show that focuses on the songs and roles that have shaped her career thus far. Her showbiz story is a true fairytale - from her role as Dorothy in Paper Mill Playhouse's The Wizard of Oz to Andrew Lloyd Webber choosing her to star in the revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - and her cabaret debut reveals the stories behind the story. Kelli went on to play Eponine in LES MISERABLES on Broadway and originated the song "Stranger to the Rain" in the premiere of Children of Eden. Weaving together beloved songs from the worlds of musical theatre and pop, Kelli travels from Broadway star to mom and back again, proving there really is no place like home. $30-40 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

HINTON BATTLE, June 3 at 9:30PM:

54 Below presents the highly anticipated release concert for Hinton Battle: Something New, the three-time Tony award-winner's new CD, on Tuesday, June 3 at 9:30pm. With his unique take on classic tunes, Battle pays tribute to the genius of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis and honors the memory of some of his dance contemporaries and the legendary tap dancers that have influenced his career. In an evening that highlights Battle's vocal versatility, he will be joined by Lee Pearson on drums, Terry Brewer on piano, and tap masters Maud Arnold and Derrick Grant. Battle is one of the most beloved and renowned Broadway performers. His impressive list of credits include his Broadway debut in The Wiz, as the Scarecrow, at the ripe old age of 15; Fosse's Dancin', Dreamgirls, Sophisticated Ladies, Chicago (as Billy Flynn), Ragtime (as Coalhouse Walker Jr.), Miss Saigon and The Tap Dance Kid. He is a singer, dancer, choreographer, producer and director, who knows no boundaries. Hinton is the recipient of numerous awards honoring his versatility as an entertainer, among them the NAACP Image Awards, Fred Astaire Awards, Ira Aldridge Awards, the Choreographer Media Honors, Planet Connection Award, Midtown International Theatre Festival Award, the 2012 Champion of the Arts Award from Big Boi's "Antwan Patten" Big Kidz Foundation, and the Amas 2014 Rosie Award for lifetime achievement in recognition of his extraordinary accomplishments in the theatrical arts. $25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

YIANNI PAPADIMOS, June 3 at 11:30PM:

Performer, playwright, and lyricist Yianni Papadimos brings you an evening of music from his recently produced The Cobalteans, MARIE, and All Ameriken, as well as several songs that have never been heard before. Yianni's writing centers on the struggles of the millennial generation within the American family. Through his characters and lyrics, he aims to explore how the early-twenties are depicted in musical theatre. Produced by Bridin Clements. Featuring: F. Michael Haynie, Monet Julia Sabel, Matthew Stocke, PJ Adzima, Peyton Bristol, Ben Chavez, Adrienne Eller and Ruthy Froch! $10 cover charge. $20 food & beverage minimum or two drink minimum.

KATE SHINDLE, June 4 at 7PM:

Kate Shindle has stories to tell. From being crowned Miss America to tackling Broadway in Legally Blonde, Wonderland, and Cabaret, this high-belting diva has graced all kinds of stages-and built up quite an impressive book of audition songs along the way. For her 54 Below debut, Kate has assembled the songs she's learned but never gotten to perform, bringing her "Binder of Broken Dreams" to life on the stage. Jason Howland is at the piano for a show that will be awesomely fun... filled with insider stories, great songs, and the kind of impressive vocal gymnastics only Kate can do! $25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

THE SKIVVIES, June 4 at 9:30PM:

This "musically thrilling" undie-rock, comedy-pop duo don't just strip down their musical arrangements, they literally strip down to their underwear to perform their distinctive mashups and eccentric originals for cello and ukulele, with touches of glockenspiel, melodica, and a surprising array of under-used instruments. Award-winning singer-actors Lauren Molina (Marry Me a Little, Sweeney Todd, Rock of Ages) and Nick Cearley (All Shook Up) became YouTube sensations as The Skivvies, with living room videos that displayed their powerful harmonies as well as their powerful abs. Those clips led to live shows that The Wall Street Journal called "smart, sophisticated...ingenious," and Out Magazine, "The Skivvies have managed to carve out a niche that we never knew needed to exist: part Weird Al- parody and part sexy burlesque...and unusual explosion of satire and sultry." They also have a single and music video directed by Augusten Burroughs, bestselling author of Running With Scissors. They will be joined by special guest stars who will strip down and rock out. Expect a hilarious evening of genre-hopping pop perfection. $30-40 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

SINGLE THE MUSICAL, June 5 at 7PM:

Single is the musical journey of a 35-year-old successful, single divorce attorney who is unfulfilled in her work and constantly chooses the wrong men. On her journey, we see Leah grow in her personal life through haunting flashbacks to the airline pilot who broke her heart and predictably married a stewardess, to the tattooed drummer whom she casually dates. But will she make it with Jacob, the heart surgeon she constantly sabotages by always looking backwards instead of to a bright future? Each man has a life and a story-and, even better, a song! Single previously appeared at the 2010 New York Musical Theatre Festival for a sold-out extended run under the title Therapy Rocks. The show is from British composer-lyricist Karen Bishko, whose other credits include touring with English pop group Take That at the O2 Arena in London. The 54 Below presentation will feature performances from Melissa van der Schyff (Bonnie & Clyde, Big River), Claybourne Elder (Road Show, Bonnie & Clyde), Catherine Porter (Next to Normal, Cougar the Musical), Ryan Duncan (Shrek the Musical, Altar Boyz), Allie Schulz (Grease), and more! $25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

JOANNA CHRISTIE, June 5 at 10PM:

With a musical background in everything but musical theatre- Classical piano and church choir as a child, fronting a rock band in her teens, singing jazz in smoky London dives in her 20s- never in her wildest dreams did Joanna Christie think she would end up being the lead in a musical on Broadway. In 2013, Joanna landed the lead role in the Tony award winning musical Once. This life changing experience has inspired an album of songs entitled The Year of Joy & Tears which Joanna will finish and record this year. Join us for an evening of songs off the album as well as other music that has inspired her during the years. Joanna will be joined on stage by members of the Once company as well as her mother and brother, both musicians from London. $30-40 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum or two drink minimum.

LESLIE UGGAMS, June 6 at 8:30PM & June 7 at 8PM:

Broadway legend Leslie Uggams returns to 54 Below for two performances only! Best known for her Tony Award-winning role in Hallelujah, Baby!, as well as the groundbreaking miniseries, Roots, Ms. Uggams' storied career has spanned television (her own CBS variety show), film (Skyjacked) and Broadway (Her First Roman, Blues in the Night, Jerry's Girls, Anything Goes, King Headley II, Thoroughly Modern Millie, On Golden Pond). This June, look for Leslie delighting audiences on West 54th Street. Get your tickets now - they'll go fast! $40-50 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

JOHN MICHAEL DIAS, June 6 at 11PM:

Having graced the stages of Broadway and national tours, Jersey Boys' John Michael Dias makes his 54 Below solo concert debut with Write This Way. John will take you on the musical journey of his life, from his childhood days in Tiverton, Rhode Island to center stage at the August Wilson Theatre in Jersey Boys. Audiences can expect to hear some the best songs ever written for the musical theatre, including those written by Stephen Sondheim, Harold Arlen, Andrew Lippa, Jule Styne, Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty, John Bucchino and more. From family stories to backstage showbiz tales, to re-imagined classics and contemporary tunes, John gives a fresh take on songs that have not only become part of the musical fabric of his life, but are songs that could have easily been written to describe the lives of each and everyone of us. $25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

TONY AWARDS VIEWING PARTY, June 8 at 8PM:

Step into the middle of the awards buzz in the heart of the theatre district! Watch live footage of the awards on our large screen TVs in Broadway's very own supper club, cheering on theatre veterans and rising stars as they receive Broadway's most coveted statuettes. No cover charge. $30 food & beverage minimum.



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