Jane Lynch, Alice Ripley, Justin Guarini, Marilyn Maye and More Set for 54 Below, June-Aug 2014

By: May. 30, 2014
Enter Your Email to Unlock This Article

Plus, get the best of BroadwayWorld delivered to your inbox, and unlimited access to our editorial content across the globe.




Existing user? Just click login.

This June, July and August, 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street. For a detailed schedule of upcoming performances at 54 Below and to purchase tickets, visit www.54Below.com.

Below find the schedule for upcoming events in June, July and August.


JUNE AT 54 BELOW:

TÊTE-À-TÊTE WITH JIM BROCHU & SHELDON HARNICK

June 1 at 7PM

$30-40 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

This summer, Sheldon Harnick,one of Broadway's most legendary composers (Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me, The Apple Tree), sits down with Drama Desk Award winner Jim Brochu (Zero Hour, Character Man, The Big Voice: God or Merman) to discuss his life's work. Brochu will explore Sheldon's creative life and inspirations, history and even his future.Interspersed throughout the conversation, we'll welcome some of Broadway & cabaret's most esteemed voices, who will present some of the composer's most treasured compositions.

ALICE RIPLEY

June 1 at 9:30PM

$35-45 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

She's taking 54 Below by storm! Following her recent sold out appearances, Tony winner Alice Ripley returns with a brand new show! In Alice Imagines, the multi-talented star of Broadway's Next to Normal, Sunset Boulevard, The Who's Tommy, Side Show and The Rocky Horror Show explores roles she'd love to play and why! Kick off your summer with this night of pure magic from one the Great White Way's favorite stars.

ALWAYS FOR DANIEL: A BENEFIT CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF DANIEL JAMES MCCLUNG

June 2 at 7PM

$45-55 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

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, Alysha Umphress, Joelle Lurie, Michael Zahler, The Skivvies and more.

JUSTIN GUARINI

June 2 at 9:30PM

$25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage mininmum.

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 Graff 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, Pennsylvania.

TONY AWARDS BROADWAY TRIVIA NIGHT

June 2 at 11:30PM

No cover charge. $20 food & beverage minimum or two drink minimum.

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!

KELLI RABKE

June 3 at 7PM

$30-40 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

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's 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 originate 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.

HINTON BATTLE

June 3 at 9:30PM

$25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

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.

YIANNI PAPADIMOS

June 3 at 11:30PM

$10 cover charge. $20 food & beverage minimum or 2 drink minimum.

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. Featuring: F. Michael Haynie, Monet Julia Sabel, Matthew Stocke, PJ Adzima, Peyton Bristol, Ben Chavez, Adrienne Eller and Ruthy Froch.

KATE SHINDLE

June 4 at 7PM

$25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

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 animpressive 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. Georgia Stitt 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!

THE SKIVVIES

June 4 at 9:30PM

June 20 at 11PM

$30-40 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! 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.

SINGLE THE MUSICAL

June 5 at 7PM

$25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

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!

JOANNA CHRISTIE

June 5 at 10PM

$30-40 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

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.

LESLIE UGGAMS

June 6 at 8:30PM

June 7 at 8PM

$40-50 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

"A bright, spunky new show! Leslie Uggams embodies old-time Broadway professionalism marinated in jazz and blues. Trouper that she is, Ms. Uggams gave everything." - The New York Times. 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!

JOHN MICHAEL DIAS

June 6 at 11PM

$25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

Having graced the stages of Broadway & 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, Stephen Flaherty & Lynn Ahrens, 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.

TONY AWARDS VIEWING PARTY

June 8 at 8PM

No cover charge. $30 food & beverage minimum.

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, $30 minimum.

MILLY & ABIGAIL SHAPIRO

June 9 at 9:30PM

$30-40 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

Tony honoree/Grammy nominee Milly Shapiro (Matilda in Matilda) joins with triple threat sister Abigail Shapiro (Cindy Lou Who in Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas) for an unstoppable sister act in their premiere of The Shapiro Sisters: Live Out Loud! at 54 Below. The two kid sisters will delight you with a variety of their favorite songs from Broadway characters who touched their hearts. This concert is to benefit a cause for which they are most passionate: no bully! With original arrangements of these beloved classics by musical director Michael Moritz and direction by Deborah Kym, these powerhouse young sisters promise to both entertain and touch the heart of your world!

EMILY BERGL

June 10 at 7PM

June 13 & 14 at 8PM

$30-40 cover charge for 7PM show. $35-45 cover charge for 8PM shows. $25 food & beverage minimum.

Emily Bergl, best known for her roles on TV shows such as Desperate Housewives and Southland, burst onto the cabaret scene in 2011, garnering raves from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Since then, she has performed in leading venues throughout NYC and across the country. Her third show, Til I Get It Right, exposes the lengths we go to in our search for love and what we do when we don't find it, or even more frightening, when we do. In her signature nouveau cabaret style, Bergl uses the past to illuminate the present, blending together Irving Berlin with Blondie, Rodgers and Hammerstein with Tracey Chapman & even Noel Coward with Britney Spears. You'll be treated not only to an evening of diverse songs, but a full cast of characters all personified by this veteran Broadway actress. For anyone looking for an evening of song that's heartbreaking, droll and a little dangerous, this is your show!

BROADWAY BALLYHOO!

June 10 at 9:30PM

$25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

Scott Siegel's critically acclaimed Broadway Ballyhoo, that regularly features great Broadway and nightclub stars in New York City, makes its debut at 54 Below on Tuesday, June 10th at 9:30 PM. This ever-changing musical variety show, soon to begin its third year of performances, will play 54 Below every second Tuesday of the month at 9:30PM. For this first show in its new home, Scott Siegel, best known as the creator/writer/host of Town Hall's signature series, Broadway by the Year (in its 14th season), is opening with some powerhouse performers: on June 10 expect to see William Michals (Emile de Beque in Lincoln Center's production of South Pacific), Tony Nominee Gavin Lee (Mary Poppins), Jana Robbins (I Love My Wife), Raissa Katona Bennett (Phantom of the Opera), Camille Saviola (original cast of Nine), and Ben Davis (Violet).

ASTAIRE AND ROGERS: CHEEK TO CHEEK WITH STEVE ROSS & KAREN OBERLIN

June 11 at 7PM

$30-40 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

"Beyond having a lovely voice, poise and interpretive insight... Ms. Oberlin has impeccable style and musical intelligence." - New York Times "Steve Ross is the Crown Prince of cabaret." - New York Times Karen Oberlin and Steve Ross, two award-winning cabaret and concert performers, join forces in a new show entitled Astaire and Rogers: Cheek to Cheek. Before coming together in this tour de force performance, Mr. Ross toasted Fred Astaire and Ms. Oberlin gave tribute to Ginger Rogers in I Won't Dance: The Songs of Fred Astaire (York Theater) and the Ginger Rogers centennial celebration, respectively. Now, Fred has found his modern-day Ginger in this new concert celebrating the most beloved duo in celluloid history. Mr. Ross and Ms. Oberlin will include duets and solos from Fred and Ginger's ten films together, with songs from Golden Age masters Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, the Gershwins, Jerome Kern, and others. These masterful performers will bring to life such hits as "They Can't Take That Away From Me," "The Way You Look Tonight," as well as Ginger's "We're In the Money" and "Embraceable You," and Fred's "Night and Day" and "Something's Gotta Give." Karen Oberlin and Steve Ross's Astaire and Rogers: Cheek to Cheek evokes the style, smarts and sass that have kept Fred and Ginger known and loved throughout the 20th century, 21st century, and beyond.

NERDS THE MUSICAL

June 11 at 9:30PM

$25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

Check out the concert version of the show that the Philadelphia Inquirer called "generation defining" and "visually hot and musically adept filled with one knockout, high-velocity number after a number, performed by a cast that can do anything." Come join Charlie Pollock, Kevin Pariseau, Rob Morrison, Benny Elledge, Catherine Ricafort, Raymond Lee, Blake Segal, Alyse Alan Louis and more as the cast debuts songs from the new Broadway bound musical, Nerds. "With surgical precision (like How to Succeed meets Urinetown), Nerds nails such themes as the cost of dreams and the emptiness of revenge. And, is full of class, insight and wit." Written by multiple Emmy nominees, Jordan Allen-Dutton and Erik Weiner with a score by Hal Goldberg, Nerds is choreographed by Josh Bergasse and directed by Casey Hushion.

ZINA GOLDRICH, MARCY HEISLER & FRIENDS

June 12 at 9:30PM

$30-40 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

Back by popular demand! Join award-winning songwriters Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler ("Taylor the Latte Boy", "Alto's Lament", Ever After) as they bring their vivacious, eclectic, romantic, and seriously funny songbook to 54 Below. Featuring a slew of Broadway friends, this one-night only, all-original celebration kicks off the summer with old favorites, new debuts, and sneak peeks at upcoming projects.

MUSE MATCH 2

June 12 at 11:30PM

$20 cover charge. $20 food & beverage minimum or two drink minimum.

Muse Match is back at 54 Below! Join us for A Musical Theatre Blind Date Collaboration where brilliant composers write songs for talented actors they have just met. Proceeds benefit ZARA AINA, an organization that offers children in Madagascar the tools to succeed as students and story tellers by delivering school supplies to their villages and producing their original works of theatre. Featured songwriters: Michael R Jackson, Caleb Damschroder, Mike Pettry, Anna Jacobs, Zack Zadek, Sam Wilmott, Joel Waggoner, Lauren Marcus, Xander Green, Joel B New, Andre Catrini, Michael Roberts, Zach Redler, Tom Kenaston, and Brandon James Gwinn. Featured Performers: Bryce Pinkham, Shina Morris, Max Chernin, Deborah Grausman, Joan Barber, Neil Mayer, Whitney Brown, Katharine Cozumel, Alyse Alan Louis, Ryan Speakman, Diane Phelan, Traci Bair, Lisa Birnbaum,Tyrone Davis Jr, and Beth Kuhn.

LESLI MARGHERITA

June 13 & 14 at 11PM

$25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

An evening of sheer entertainment, All Hail The Queen is totally more than a cabaret. It's a Vegas-style nightclub act. Olivier Award winner Lesli Margherita (Matilda, Zorro) takes the reigns from the likes of Bette Midler and Liza Minnelli. Commanding the room with sass and bawdiness - plus some self-deprecating humor for good measure - Miss Margherita sings and struts her way through the 70 min set which includes twists on old songs and new favorites (courtesy of MD-Arranger Brett Ryback). With hilarious storytelling and showstopping numbers, the evening offers something for everyone. There will be feathers. There will be sparkles. And you better believe there will be worshipping. ALL HAIL THE QUEEN! All Hail The Queen, written & conceived by Margherita, will be directed by Lauren Bass with musical direction & arrangements by Brett Ryback (Murder for Two) and produced byJordan Bass & Lauren Bass.

RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN @ 54

June 15 at 7PM

$40-50 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

"Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'!" The time has come for 54 Below to salute the two men who paved the way for modern musical theatre with hit after hit, including The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Carousel, Oklahoma!, The King & I and Flower Drum Song, among others. Not only are tunes such as "Hello, Young Lovers," "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair," "If I Loved You" and "Edelweiss" part of the lexicon of popular music, the indelible stamp they left on Broadway redefined the American musical. Join us as, each month, we present four of Broadway's most intriguing voices singing their favorite R&H tunes, with musical direction by the extraordinary Andy Einhorn (Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella).

SIMPLY STREISAND

June 15 at 9:30PM

$30-40 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

In this celebration of all things Babs, some of Broadway and cabaret's finest voices celebrate the music of a legend. From Funny Girl to The Way We Were to little gems from A Star is Born, Yentl and her more than 45 best-selling albums, Barbra Streisand has stood the test of time like no other artist. At Simply Streisand, you'll hear an array of music from her catalogue, accompanied by a three piece band with narration from 54 Below's own Director of Original Programming (and host of the popular Sondheim Unplugged), Phil Geoffrey Bond, who will fill the audience in on special bits of Streisand lore, history, assorted tales and out and out gossip. From her humble beginnings in the cabarets of Greenwich Village straight through to her mega-stardom, Simply Streisand covers it all!

BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY IN CONCERT

June 16 at 7PM & 9:30PM

$40-50 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

Presenting an all-star concert version of Paul Scott Goodman's rock musical Bright Lights, Big City, based on the novel by Jay McInerney. Bright Lights, Big City follows a week in the life of Jamie, a successful young writer who loses himself in the chaos of 1980s New York City. The concert will starColin Donnell, Matt Doyle, original cast member AnnMarie Milazzo, Natalie Cortez, Renee Elise Goldsberry and Alice Ripley. The musical's original director, Michael Greif, will be at the helm. This will be the first NYC performance of Bright Lights, Big City since 2002. The musical was originally produced at New York Theatre Workshop in 1999.

EMILY KRON

June 16 at 11:30PM

$10 cover charge. $20 food & beverage minimum or two drink minimum.

Emily Kron: Canvas features a host of beautifully talented vocalists and musicians performing an array of styles harking back to 90s female pop angst, sultry female jazz vocals, classical musical theater songs reinvented, and much more! Additional performances by Peter Albrink, Casey Donahue, Ming Aldrich Gan, Justin Graves, Charlie Hely, Catherine McCarthy, Karel Ruzicka and more. Emily Kron has been singing since she was a wee little thing. Trained classically by the legendary Marni Nixon, Emily fell in love with an array of musical styles right away and began collecting inspiration from the infinite well of artists in her grasp. She has performed in theater and musical theater performances all over the city, at venues such as The Cherry Lane, LaMaMa, NYTW, Ars Nova and at several top-teir regional theaters in the country. She has also performed in live concert and cabaret acts at Ars Nova, The Highline Ballroom the Metropolitan Room, the Red Lion, and BB King! Emily Kron: Canvas is the artistic love child of Emily Kron and Claire Graves. Emily and Claire established their collaborative kinship at Middlebury College, while working on their senior acting thesis, where they discovered a deep creative bond.

SARAH DASHEW

June 17 at 9:30PM

$30-40 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

With her smoky vocal style and signature blonde curls, Los Angeles based singer-songwriter Sarah Dashew has rapidly carved out her own niche in the music scene. Her music is highly relatable - balancing strength and vulnerability, depth and whimsy - and exudes Dashew's spirit and personality in every lyric and melody. Drawing upon influences as diverse as James Taylor and Prince, her unique style walks a fine line between folk, pop, country and soul. Intensely vulnerable and physical on stage, Sarah pulls the audience in with her incredible live performance; locking eyes, her hair whipping every which way as she lives her songs and invites you in to do the same. Sarah grew up sailing the high seas with her family (her dad is a boat designer), and acknowledged music as her calling after seeing a gospel concert in college. Mentored and developed by legendary producer Chuck Plotkin (Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan), Dashew has garnered unanimous critical praise both for her recordings and live shows. This one is not to be missed!

JANE LYNCH

June 18 & 19 at 7PM

June 20 & 21 at 8PM

$75-85 cover charge for 7PM shows. $85-95 cover charge for 6/20. $80-90 cover charge for 6/21. $25 food & beverage minimum.

Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Jane Lynch comes to 54 Below for her solo concert debut! Fresh from her iconic portrayal of Sue Sylvester on Glee and her Broadway debut in Annie, Jane will now provide audiences at 54 Below with four unforgettable June nights. Jane began her theatrical career and developed her comic skills at The Second City, Steppenwolf Theatre and in many church basements all over the greater Chicago-land area. In addition to Glee, Jane's TV credits includeDesperate Housewives and Weeds, as well as the final season of The L Word opposite Cybill Shepherd. She has had recurring roles on Two and a Half Men, where she was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress, Criminal Minds and The New Adventures of Old Christine. With her wit and luminous stage presence, Jane served as the host for the 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. Jane also has a long list of film credits, including Julie & Julia; Christopher Guest's For Your Consideration, A Mighty Wind and Best in Show; Talladega Nights; The 40 Year Old Virgin; Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events; and many more.

AMY TOPOREK

June 18 at 9:30PM

$25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

Once in Love with Amy Toporek is the highly anticipated solo debut show by one of the most exciting voices in NYC. In addition to rave reviews on cabaret stages across the city, Amy has led theHairspray tour as Tracy Turnblad and appeared in The Marvelous Wonderettes and Nunsense. At 54 Below, Amy will be channeling the women of our past, presenting the many sides of love and acceptance of ones status in life and ones own self. Ranging from Liza Minnelli to Nancy Wilson, this evening will take you back to the nightclubs of yesteryear as you rediscover and uncover some of the best tunes from the American Songbook. Backed by the 'Fantastically Nostalgic' 7 piece band, Dylan and the Glatthorns, Amy Toporek is set out to ring in her new day and reveal her take on the life and times of the NEW Modern American Woman.

VIVIAN REED

June 19 at 9:30PM

$40-50 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

"VIVIAN REED, HUMAN DYNAMO AT 54 BELOW....You must not miss this great artist. It is the best major artist's show I have seen this year!" -Joe Regan Jr., Theater Pizzazz BACK BY OVERWHELMING DEMAND! After packing 54 to the rafters in November, multi-award-winning singer, actress & dancer Vivian Reed presents her passionate and powerful vocal stylings in unique arrangements of an eclectic lineup of R&B, jazz, gospel and musical theater songs. Through selections from her critically acclaimed Broadway performance in Bubbling Brown Sugar, as well as from Three Mo' Divas, her concerts and international nightclub appearances, the two-time Tony Award nominee - who is the recipient of a Drama Desk Award, a Theatre World Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award, among others - pays tribute to the people who have had a profound effect on her career. Accompanied by two pianists, a bassist, a drummer and two background singers, her high-energy show also features special guests and a salute to Harold Arlen, with a preview of songs fromOne for My Baby, a new musical in progress.

THE JULIE JAMES SHOW

June 21 at 11PM

$25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! It's The Julie James Show starring SiriusXM Radio Program Director & celebrity host Julie James ("Broadway Names with Julie James"). Julie spills the showbiz beans with snappy stories and original songs sure to dazzle any musical theatre lover. A fast-paced romp of a variety show with hilarious new songs, long-lost Broadway gems, and an impromptu visit with celebrities in the audience, the show is a delight for Broadway fans and pop-culture geeks alike. With new songs by long-time collaborator Aaron Hagan, Julie rolls back the radio curtain on what it takes to run the only 24/7 Broadway radio station in the world while juggling jingles for Howard Stern, working the Red Carpet at the Tonys, and recording chatfests with all her theatre heroes back at the SiriusXM studios. It's a classic evening of favorite tunes with an unconventional style and surprising twists as Julie comes out to the world as the songstress, storyteller and comedienne she truly is. After all, it's The Julie James Show!

SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED

June 22 at 7PM

$30-40 cover charge. $25 food & beverage mininmum.

A celebrated New York event since 2010, the Bistro Award-winning series Sondheim Unpluggedfeatures some of Broadway and cabaret's most dynamic voices, accompanied by piano only. Expect tunes from A Little Night Music, Company, Into the Woods, Follies, Passion, Dick Tracy and more. Past special guests have included original Sondheim cast members such as Len Cariou, Victoria Mallory, Donna McKechnie & Chip Zien - so you never know who might drop in. Sondheim Unplugged is hosted by series creator Phil Geoffrey Bond, who will fill the audience in on Sondheimien facts, history & assorted tidbits of theatrical lore! Come join the party! Special Guest Star: Sarah Rice (Sweeney Todd's original Johanna).

TERRI WHITE

June 22 at 9:30PM

$35-45 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

From Blues to Broadway... This Follies star has seen it all and lived to tell the tales! For one night only at 54 Below, Broadway's own Terri White, also a New York piano bar legend, brings her special brand of charm, humor and powerhouse vocals to our stage for a night of mischief. In addition to her highly acclaimed work in cabaret, the Great White Way has embraced Terri in roles ranging fromBarnum, Ain't Misbehavin', Welcome to the Club, Chicago, Finian's Rainbow and, of course, the recent revival of Follies, where she co-starred as Stella Deems!

THE SONGS OF MARK YORK, HOSTED BY KLEA BLACKHURST

June 23 at 7PM

$25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

The Songs of Mark York: It's a Party Every Night! Composer/Lyricist Mark York presents songs from his many musicals in this tuneful, joyous evening of song in his 54 Below debut. A native New Yorker from Oklahoma, Mark is a songwriter in the grand tradition of his idols Jule Styne, Jerry Herman and Cy Coleman. His songs represent a continuation of their classic Broadway sound, featuring catchy melodies, sumptuous harmonies and electrifying energy. Hosted by award-winning vocalist Klea Blackhurst and directed by Walter Willison, It's A Party Every Night will feature an exciting cast of Broadway artists offering selections from Galveston!, Rest In Peace, The Porker Sisters, A Midsummer Night, and many other shows written by Mark York. Currently seen accompanying Jim Dale in his one-man show Just Jim Dale (Roundabout), Mark York is the founder of The Ziegfeld Society (www.theziegfeldsociety.com), and is music director for I've Got A Little Twist (New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players).

BROADWAY CELEBRATES PRIDE WEEK! FEATURING TRACY MCDOWELL & MORE

June 23 at 9:30PM

$25-35 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum

Oh, what a night this will be, when all the colors of the rainbow unite in support of the LGBTQ Broadway Community for this Pride extravaganza! Featuring many of Broadway's best and brightest performing songs from Broadway, pop, rock, soul and beyond, with performances from Tracy McDowell (Motown), Christine Dwyer (Wicked), Joey Contreras, Bobby Cronin, Alan Shaw (LES MISERABLES), Mykal Kilgore (Motown), Russell Fischer (Jersey Boys), Alexandra Silber (Master Class) and many more, this evening is sure to dazzle and spread the love around. It's time for Broadway to come out, because closets are for clothes. Hosted by The Book of Mormon's Terren Wooten Clarke as Kizha A. Carr and produced by Bryan Campione and Harold Lewter, a portion of the evenings proceeds will be donated to the Hetrick-Martin Institute.

WILL & ANTHONY NUNZIATA

June 24 at 7PM

$30-40 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

After sold-out concerts in January, February, and March, acclaimed singing-actors and entertainersWill and Anthony Nunziata are back at 54 Below with a brand-new concert singing their favorite songs and telling their favorite stories. The singers, actors and recording artists have won acclaim for their concert and symphony performances throughout the country and around the world putting their fresh take on pop standards, Broadway showstoppers, as well as contemporary and classic Italian music. Audiences can expect to hear fresh arrangements from Broadway, the American Songbook, and a few surprises along the way- incl

Play Broadway Games

The Broadway Match-UpTest and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia? The Broadway ScramblePlay the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
Tony Awards TriviaHow well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends. Broadway World GameCan you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!

 



Videos