54 Below to Present New Pay-What-You-Wish Series VERSES AND VOICES

54 BELOW is launching Verses and Voices, a brand-new, four-show series with pay-what-you-wish ticketing. The first two shows will play this fall.

Supported by a grant by the Live Music Society, 54 Below's new program aims to break down institutional and financial barriers for both artists and audiences. Select early-career composers and lyricists of cabaret and musical theatre will receive performance opportunities, an artist fee, mentorship, and professional development resources. 54 Below believes that this will bolster the cabaret and musical theater landscape by providing space for new voices, supporting the development of original music, and engaging diverse audiences. At the same time, audiences may see any Verses and Voices show regardless of their financial circumstances. In this pay-what-you-wish ticketing model, audiences may elect to pay as much as they are able for tickets, and all food and beverage minimums are completely waived for all shows. No minimum. No judgment. Just great songs.

VERSES AND VOICES! JENN GRINELS – NOVEMBER 18 AT 9:30PM

“Grinels' live shows are explosive and unapologetically human. Her innate ability to connect with listeners activates their deepest emotions pertaining to love, resilience, and hope." - Glide Magazine

Jenn Grinels, powerhouse singer-songwriter and one of musical theater’s most exciting emerging voices, makes her 54 Below debut with an evening of original music. Known for her electrifying vocals, unforgettable melodies, and emotional fire, Grinels shares selections from Wakeman — her folk-rock musical featured in this year’s NAMT Festival of New Musicals — alongside bold, brand-new works currently in development. A genre-defying artist who has spent the last decade touring the country and evolving her sound through diverse projects and collaborations, Grinels brings a soulful musical style that resonates deeply. Joined by special guests, this concert marks her first-ever appearance as a theatrical composer and offers an intimate look at a dynamic artist entering a compelling new chapter.

VERSES AND VOICES! Ellen Winter – NOVEMBER 21 AT 9:30PM

“A catchy melody isn't everything, but it sure doesn't hurt! Ellen Winter, [is] a gender expansive Brooklyn-based composer whose music may have been the soundtrack of your favorite 2020 TikTok trend.” - Playbill Songwriter Series: The Endless Earworms of Ellen Winter

Ellen Winter, co-composer of 36 Questions and bandleader of bold off-Broadway (The Beastiary, Cold War Choir Practice, Hurricane Diane), makes their 54 Below in Verses and Voices. With one foot firmly planted in the theater world and the other in indie-pop, Ellen and her band weave together a night blending genre, storytelling, and flirty debauchery. Selections include dramatic interpretations of songs from her albums YIKES, Every Feeling I’ve Ever Felt braided with original music from several new works in progress - with a Sondheim song (or three) thrown in. As an extrovert with too much love to go around, Ellen will be joined on stage by fellow weirdos of the Broadway, off-Broadway, and gay dancehall communities.

VERSES AND VOICES! ELIZABETH ADDISON – JANUARY 22 AT 9:30PM

Join us for an intimate evening of radical joy, storytelling, celebration, and song with award winning composer/lyricist Elizabeth Addison and cast members from the upcoming Off-Broadway production of her musical, Chasing Grace. Through story and a selection of songs from the show, you will get a glimpse into the making of this new musical as well as a look into the colorful lives of the characters Addison has created, including two characters inspired by Addison's own healing journey, "The Writer" and “Grace." Don't miss this one-time only, behind the scenes event that  explores and invites us to rejoice, laugh, cry and heal in community, in story and in song. Elizabeth Addison is a multi-hyphenate and besides being a musical theatre writer, she is an intuitive creative recovery coach, motivational speaker and avid blogger. Find out more at elizabethspeaks.com      

VERSES AND VOICES! Germono Toussaint – FEBRUARY 8 AT 9:30PM

Songs I Wrote is a raw, soul-stirring live concert from Germono Toussaint—playwright, composer, producer, and creator of Brown Liquor & Blessed Oil and The Last Gatekeeper. Featuring a powerhouse lineup of vocalists and an eclectic mix of musical theater, funk, soul, and house music, this one-hour evening explores identity, survival, and spiritual rebirth through songs drawn from over two decades of work. Toussaint invites the audience on a journey from Milwaukee to NYC, from the church to the club, from silence to truth.                   

MORE ABOUT PAY-WHAT-YOU-WISH TICKETING

At 54 Below we believe everyone should have access to live performances regardless of financial circumstances. That’s why we're offering Pay-What-You-Wish ticketing for Verses and Voices with food and beverage minimums completely waived for all four shows of the series.

You choose the price that works for you. Whether that’s $10, $25, or more, your presence in Broadway's Living Room is what matters most to us. Every ticket sold supports our artists, our staff, and maintains our venue. If you’re able to pay more, your generosity makes it possible for someone else to pay less. No minimum. No judgment. Just great songs.