Photos: See Highlights of Sean McDermott's THE BEST OF ME at 54 Below

Guest post by Maryann Lopinto

Sean McDermott returned to 54 Below for performances on both January 18th and 20th.

He opened the show with  “Once In a Lifetime” by Newley and Bricusse from Stop the World, starting at the bar and making his way to the stage and going into “The Best Is Yet To Come” by Coleman  and Leigh.  We knew we were in for a treat.

We learned that he made his Broadway debut in Weber's Starlight Express as a replacement. He replaced the star who played Chris in Miss Saigon, and sang “Why God Why” by Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boubill so beautifully.  He also was in Falsettos by William Finn but did not sing a song he sang; it was sung to him by Mandy Patinkin as he was lying in his arms dying – “What More Can I Say” – and it would bring tears in his eyes every performance, and it did to the audience tonight at 54 Below.

He told us being an Irish Tenor, he had to sing “Danny Boy” and boy did he sing it, wow!

He sang “Sway” in a Cha Cha beat, danced with a lady in the audience, and if there was room I would have danced the Cha Cha too. His best friend wrote him a song “The Best of Me,” and it was really special.

He treated us to some great Broadway songs. “Lullabye of Broadway” (Warren and Dubin) from 42nd Street, “Loving You” from Passion (Sondheim) together with “Sometimes a Day Goes By” from Women of the Year (Kander and Ebb).  He sang “Being Alive” from Company by Sondheim and “This Is the Moment” from Jekyll and Hyde by Wildhorn, Bricusse and Cuden, together with “Defying Gravity” from Wicked by Stephen Schwartz. All but one  were performed by male actors, and Sean would be so perfect in all of these roles.

He closed the show with “In My Life” by Lennon and McCartney.

We were told his biggest thrill was being part of Barbra Streisand's show in Europe.

The concert featured Music Director Ron Abel on piano, Sean Harkness on guitar, Tom Hubbard on bass and Ray Marchica on drums.

Learn more about Sean McDermott at seanmcdermott.com

Find more upcoming shows at 54 Below on their website here.

Below, see highlights from the January 20th show snapped by Maryann Lopinto