Photos: Ukulele Kids Club Hosts BROADWAY BRUNCH At 54 Below

Broadway performers, musicians, and members of the Broadway community united to support the Ukulele Kids Club (UKC) at 54 Below’s UKC Broadway Brunch “All Uke Need is Love” (sponsored by Bear Givers) to a sold-out audience on February 8th. Check out photos of the event.

The brunch was hosted by Hamilton’s original Broadway cast member Thayne Jasperson and actor, musician, and composer Joshua Turchin, who also served as the music director. Performers shared their love of music alongside a UKC Teen Ambassador who received their first ukulele while receiving medical care as a young hospitalized child.

The cast featured Thayne Jasperson (Hamilton, Matilda, Newsies), Joshua Turchin (Wicked: For Good, The Perfect Fit (Book/Music/Lyrics), The Little Mermaid at the Hollywood Bowl, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, 13 the Movie, Forbidden Broadway (Off Broadway), A Christmas Story the Musical (National Broadway Tour), Schmigadoon),  special guest Laura Benanti (Gypsy, She Loves Me, My Fair Lady, Into the Woods, and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and more), Allie Trimm (Wicked, 13: The Musical, Bye Bye Birdie), Michael Thatcher (Wicked, The Play That Goes Wrong, Julius Caesar- Shakespeare in the Park), Anna Zavelson (Chinese Republicans, Masquerade, The Notebook, The Light in the Piazza at New York City Center), Jenny Mollet (Ragtime, Six, The Color Purple), Gabriella Pizzolo (Stranger Things, Fun Home, Matilda), Krystal Hernandez (SIX: The Musical), Kay Sibal (SIX: The Musical), Najah Hetsberger (SIX: The Musical, & Juliet), Taylor Marie Daniel (SIX: The Musical, Once Upon A Mattress, The Heart of Rock & Roll), Gianna Yanelli (SIX: The Musical, Mean Girls), Kelsie Watts (SIX: The Musical), Desmond Luis Edwards (How to Dance in Ohio), Madison Kopec (How to Dance in Ohio), Natalia Artigas (Frozen Broadway Tour, On Your Feet at Papermill Playhouse), Dance Molinari Broadway Students (Mariah Belle Williams, Cole Bellorgey, Desi Sandoval, Ellie Joy Fortson, Ever Savage, Jordan Greenberg, Lena Josephine Marano, Mabel Danielian, Matt Brough, Nina Randazzo, Romy Fay. Sadie Rose Gubenko, and Tahliah Bergel), Annabel Liebert (UKC Teen Ambassador). 

Musical direction by Joshua Turchin.

The band consisted of Joshua Turchin (piano), Peter Douskalis (guitar and ukulele), Luke Woodle (drums), Kat Cartusciello  (bass). 

The Ukulele Kids Club (UKC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the core mission to donate ukuleles to medically fragile children and provide access to music therapy and musical resources to support their well-being. As of 2026, the UKC has donated over 17,000 ukuleles to children in hospitals worldwide. Every $50 donation provides a child with their very own ukulele. 

For more information about the Ukulele Kids Club or to make a donation, visit www.theukc.org. 

Photo Credit: Angela of York