Review: Matthew Morrison Blends Bway, Pop & Personal Reflection In RHYTHMS & REVELATIONS at 54 Below

On Sunday, December 28 at 7pm, Matthew Morrison brought the second night of his solo run, Matthew Morrison: Rhythms and Revelations, to 54 Below, performing for a warmly receptive crowd in an evening framed around honesty, authenticity, and connection, beyond his iconic roles.

The show began with the band assembling one by one. First bass, then guitar, then drums, followed by music director Sonny Paladino. Only after this slow build did Morrison enter to rousing applause, and immediately subverted expectation by sitting with his back to the audience to deliver his opening remarks. It was an intriguing, if slightly distancing, choice. 

Opening patter led into the first number of the evening, “Pure Imagination” by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley. As Morrison began to interact with the audience, a sleight of hand revealed a tiny light glowing at his fingertips, lending a literal spark to the song’s sense of possibility. From there, the show moved into Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten,” where Morrison’s showmanship shaped the number into a pop-forward, performative interpretation, slightly at odds with the vulnerability he was aiming to convey.

Morrison embraced theatricality throughout the show. For example, clapping his hands to cue a blackout before producing a plastic, light-up candle and asking, “Why do we keep our wishes a secret?” Audience members were then invited to close their eyes, make a wish, and then share it aloud with their neighbor. The moment kitsch yet sincere in its intent to foster communal experience. A gentle shift followed with a charming ukulele rendition of Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile." 

One of the evening’s most gripping segments came with Morrison’s 9/11 story. That morning, he was stranded on a train when he witnessed the North Tower ablaze, and subsequently witnessed the approach of the plane that crashed into the South Tower. He found himself writing what he believed might be his final words on a receipt in his pocket, and after eventually being let off the train, he ran to his girlfriend's apartment, only to discover... well, you'll have to go see the show to find out. It was vivid, dramatic storytelling that segued into a reflective “Send in the Clowns.”

A buoyant Hairspray medley of “Welcome to the 60s,” “Good Morning Baltimore,” “Nicest Kids in Town,” and “Without Love” celebrated Morrison’s Broadway breakout as Link Larkin, complete with swinging microphone choreography. When an audience member asked about the matching scarves worn by Morrison and the band, he explained they were to foster cohesion, adding that the scarves came from a Venice Beach shop called Late Sunday Afternoon (fans, take note).

Band introductions followed, each accompanied by affectionate anecdotes. Clint de Ganon on drums (a 13-time Broadway veteran who wrote the drum parts for Hairspray), Winston “Winnie” Roy on bass (praised as the glue holding everyone together), Beth Callen on guitar (with whom Morrison said he feels especially safe on stage), and Paladino as musical director, whom he’s known since their NYU days.

A tonal shift arrived with “Il Mondo Era Vuoto” from The Light in the Piazza, recalling Morrison’s performance as Fabrizio. Then came the inevitable - and enthusiastically received - acknowledgment of his Glee years. “Are there any Gleeks in the house?” he asked, to a chorus of delighted affirmation. Speaking candidly about how fame altered his life, Morrison led the audience through Coldplay’s “Fix You,” inviting them to sing along in a moment that felt very much like a Glee club reunion. Reflections on fatherhood followed, which Morrison identified as his greatest legacy, leading into a crowd-pleasing Finding Neverland medley (with Clint de Ganon particularly on fire). The contemplative “Where Is Love?” from Oliver! offered some of the evening’s most beautiful, blended vocals, with band members joining Morrison in harmony.

The show closed with a high-energy “You Can’t Stop the Beat.” While the enthusiasm was undeniable, the choreography felt a bit much for the intimate 54 Below stage. This reviewer felt it would land more comfortably in a larger venue. In adapting the movement to fit the limited space, some of the dancing read as a little awkward. That being said, the audience ate it up, with many rising in applause.

An encore followed: a playful ukulele mash-up of “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” and “The Bare Necessities." Ultimately, Rhythms and Revelations unfolds as part memoir and part theatrical showcase. While the evening was rich with memories and charisma, with just a bit more restraint and trust in simplicity, Morrison might allow the quieter, more unguarded and vulnerable moments he seeks to shine through more clearly.

You can catch Matthew Morrison at 54 Below through January 8. For more info, or to book, click HERE.