Fred Barton and his Broadway Band Return to 54 Below Next Month

54 BELOW, Broadway’s Supper Club, presents the long-awaited return of Fred Barton and his Broadway Band, in a new evening of rare songs drawn from the Golden Age of Broadway, Hollywood, Radio, and Swing. Multi-award-winning singer/actresses Elena Bennett and Karen Murphy are the featured guest stars. 

The nine musicians that make up the Fred Barton Broadway Band represent the cream of the Broadway pit orchestra community, playing all-new arrangements from the pen of Barton, whose orchestrations are heard regularly at Carnegie Hall and in concert halls across the country. The Broadway Band has made numerous appearances at 54 Below, but this is its first return since 2019. Elena Bennett, Karen Murphy, and Fred Barton will sing rare songs of Jule Styne, Cy Coleman, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Burt Bacharach, among others. 

The Fred Barton Broadway Band plays 54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on Friday, July 28 at 7PM. There is a $35-$45 cover charge ($40-$51 with fees). Premiums are $80 ($89.50 with fees) and there is a $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.org. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00pm are only available by calling (646) 476-3551. 

Fred Barton debuted at age 23 as arranger-pianist for the original Forbidden Broadway. He co-created the Drama-Desk-winning WHOOP-DEE-DOO!, also arranging and playing the Off- Broadway hit revue SPAMILTON, supervising its long-run Chicago, LA, London, Pittsburgh, and National Tour productions. At age 24, Fred created his one-man musical theatre piece MISS GULCH RETURNS!, still produced by theatres nationwide into 2024, with a hit CD still selling and streaming after 37 years. Broadway/National Tour conducting credits: Anthony Quinn in ZORBA, Hal Prince’s CABARET revival, Cy Coleman’s CITY OF ANGELS, and Robert Goulet in CAMELOT. Television Composer/Arranger/Conductor credits: THE MAGIC SCHOOLBUS (Emmy Award), HBO’s CATHOUSE: THE MUSICAL, WONDER PETS! (Emmy Award), and OLIVIA. He produced, arranged, and conducted ten large-scale concerts in his “American Showstoppers” series at the Michael Schimmel Center, featuring major Broadway stars and his 14-piece orchestra. 

Elena Bennett is a winner of the Manhattan Association of Cabaret’s Hanson Award, a Backstage Bistro Outstanding Vocalist Award, and Cabaret Scenes Magazine selected her as one of the Top Acts of the Century. Off-Broadway, she starred in the acclaimed musical theatre piece ERIK AND THE SNOW MAIDENS, and toured the country as lead singer of the sell-out big-band revue FOREVER SWING. Elena performed as the star host of the Sydney Cabaret Convention, also making numerous appearances at the New York Cabaret Convention, including the most recent. She created the big- band album A WRINKLE IN SWINGTIME, with the 27-piece Fred Barton Orchestra, still in print and streaming worldwide after 24 years. 

Karen Murphy’s Broadway shows include TITANIC, the 42ND ST. revival, ALL SHOOK UP, 9 TO 5, A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Madison Square Garden, and she had the unusual assignment of going on for both Angela Lansbury and Elaine Stritch in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. Off-Broadway: MY VAUDEVILLE MAN (Drama Desk nomination), ZOMBIE PROM (Dramalogue and Encore Awards), and Forbidden Broadway. Her national tours include FINDING NEVERLAND, MARY POPPINS, WHITE CHRISTMAS, THE WIZARD OF OZ, and LES MISERABLES. Karen has headlined with symphony orchestras nationwide, and her albums include “Torch Goddess,” “My Vaudeville Man,” “9 to 5,” “Zombie Prom,” and “I Won’t Dance (with Steve Ross).” 

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