54 Below Announces the Appointment of New Board Members

54 Below, the Times Square cabaret venue that is the recipient of a 2022 TONY AWARDS Special Honor for Excellence in the Theater, has announced new board members today. James Gunderson, Tom Hood, Howard Lee Morgan, Brian Kaltner, Lee H. Perlman and Susan L Raanan have joined the award-winning supper club board, effective immediately.

54 Below transitioned to nonprofit status in April 2023. The shift to a 501(c)(3), after over a decade in commercial operation, allows 54 Below to continue to celebrate Broadway, support new and emerging artists, launch new initiatives, and ensure sustainability for the club, known as “Broadway's Living Room,” in an ever-changing and ever-challenging industry. Since its official opening night on June 5, 2012, headlined by Patti LuPone, the intimate cabaret club has presented more than 6,000 performances, playing to more than half a million audience members.

The new board members join Chairman of the Board Tom Viertel; President Steve Baruch; Managing Director Richard Frankel; Brenda Braxton, Actress, Entrepreneur; Robert L. Dilenschneider, President and CEO, The Dilenschneider Group, Inc.; Ken Greiner, Businessman, Board Chairman of The Vineyard Theater; Debby Landesman, Philanthropic Advisor; Stanley Richards, Deputy CEO, The Fortune Society, Inc.; and Lucille Werlinich, Chair of Purchase College Foundation.

"54 Below is very proud to add these accomplished leaders to our distinguished board of directors,” said President Steve Baruch. “Their dedication to the club and enthusiasm for cabaret and supporting up-and-coming artists is invaluable as we continue another decade as ‘Broadway's living room'.”

MORE ABOUT NEW BOARD MEMBERS:

JAMES GUNDERSON was an in-house lawyer and executive for Schlumberger Limited in its New York and Paris offices, finishing his career there as Secretary, General Counsel and Head of Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality. After a second career as a corporate governance consultant, he focuses today on assisting education and arts-oriented nonprofits, as well as writers and artists interested in creating comic books.

TOM HOOD is a retired partner from the New York office of a major international law firm where he specialized in federal tax matters He is also involved philanthropically with other musical theater related New York organizations including, among others, City Center and the Entertainment Community Fund.

Brian Kaltner is an engineer and inventor, as well as a avid theater goer and cabaret fan. He has been a 54 Below customer from the opening of 54 with Patti LuPone and is usually at the club more than once a week.

HOWARD Lee Morgan is a venture capitalist, philanthropist, and strong supporter of musical theater and cabaret. 

LEE H. PERLMAN is a lifelong New Yorker and has worked for the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA) for 40 years serving in various roles, currently as President of GNYHA Management Corporation and GNYH Foundation, and Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative and Financial Officer of GNYHA. A dedicated volunteer and philanthropist, Mr. Perlman devotes significant energy to non-profits related to health care, education, and the arts. He serves on numerous Boards including Ronald McDonald House of New York, Musicians on Call, The Entertainment Community Fund, American Theatre Wing, Commonpoint Queens, UJA Federation of New York,  Berkshire Theater Group, and New York Convention Center Operating Corporation (Javits Center).

SUSAN L RAANAN is a native New Yorker and has served on several Boards focusing on issues of importance for New York City.  Most notably, she was the Chair of the MCC Theater Board from 2007 to 2022, leading the Board through MCC's transition from rental theaters through the construction of their new two-stage multi-level home in Hell's Kitchen, which opened in 2019.  Susan holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and is a Real Estate Broker in New York City.

About 54 BELOW

54 Below, a recipient of the 2022 TONY AWARDS Honor for Excellence in the Theatre, is a non-profit organization with a mission to preserve the music of Broadway and expand the art of the cabaret while growing opportunities for diverse communities of emerging and established artists and providing unparalleled audience experiences. It was founded as a place for the Broadway community to celebrate Broadway performers, both established and new, who sing not only the music of Broadway and the Great American Songbook, but also new material intended for Broadway and off-Broadway stages. One of the most in demand venues in the city presenting over 700 shows per year, the club features fine dining and superb scenic, lighting, and sound designs entirely imagined by Broadway designers. For performers, writers, musicians, and more, 54 Below gives opportunities to advance their craft, expand their repertoires, and develop their voices in a way that is more personal, making them stronger as artists.  It gives Broadway fans an opportunity to see their favorite artists in a different way, deepening their relationship and understanding of their talent. 

54 Below celebrates Broadway musicals and writers of the past and present, promoting an ongoing engagement with their work. It is also a place for innovation in musical songwriting and performance. Collaborations born at 54 Below give rise to and help develop new theatrical projects and new musicals. In addition, its popular streaming video activities and audio recordings support these activities, helping to build a new Broadway audience worldwide, both in age and geography.

Located at 254 West 54th Street, the club presents live shows at 7:00pm and 9:30pm. Tickets and information at 54below.org.

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