Seth Christenfeld to Celebrate (Half) Birthday at 54 Below in April
The performance will take place on Monday, April 21st, 2025 at 9:30pm, with a livestream option at 9:45pm ET.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Apr. 01, 2025
54 BELOW, Broadway’s Supper Club, will present Life, The Universe, and Everything: The Seth Christenfeld 42nd (and a half) Birthday Spectacular on Monday, April 21st, 2025 at 9:30pm, with a livestream option at 9:45pm ET. At age eleven, Seth Christenfeld found a copy of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in his school library and proceeded to devour the complete works of Douglas Adams. At age fifteen, Seth saw the original production of Side Show on Broadway and proceeded to fall completely in love with musical theatre. These twin events reorganized his brain…and not necessarily for the better. But certainly for the nerdier.
Tonight, thanks to songs he’s written with a host of composers, you’ll get a glimpse inside Seth’s dorkalicious mind. It’s a strange place and he apologizes in advance for some of the things you’ll encounter. Malevolent theatre critics? Check. Weird breakups? Double check. The 1986 Mets? Ya gotta believe that’s a check. A Tamagotchi? Maybe, if he finishes that one in time. Confusing optimism? Eh, probably. C’mon in. Sit back. Relax. Experience…life, the universe, and everything. (well, some things.)
Life, the Universe, and Everything features lyrics by Seth Christenfeld (with one song cowritten with A. J. Freeman) and music by James Ballard, Will Buck, Christiana Cole, Amy Engelhardt, Eric Grunin, Brendan Milburn, Nora Terzo, and Paulo K Tiról (and maybe one or two other people if they get their acts together). Music Supervision and Direction is by James Ballard, and the whole shebang is directed by Dev Bondarin.
Performers currently scheduled to appear include (in alphabetical order) Apryl Arden, Alexandra de Suze, Jovan E’Sean, Alyse Alan Louis, Ann Harada, Lyda Jade Harlan, Jesse Manocherian, Zal Owen, Senna Prasatthong, Doug Shapiro, and Michael Winther, with others TBA.
Life, the Universe, and Everything plays 54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on Monday, April 21st, at 9:30pm. Cover charges are $35 (includes $5 in fees) – $46 (includes $6 in fees). VIP seats are $57 (includes $7 in fees) and Premium seats are $73.50 (includes $8.50 in fees). There is a $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at 54below.org/SethChristenfeld. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00pm are only available by calling (646) 476-3551. A livestream option is available as well, with tickets costing $29 (includes $4 in fees).
Seth Christenfeld
writes words for stuff, mostly involving people singing. With James Ballard: The Oxford Epidemic, A Door (Prospect Theater; Sound Bites 2024), The Jerk Next Door, lots of songs. With other people: Double Double (with Eric Grunin and A.J. Freeman; Bite-Sized Broadway podcast), The Bad Ideas of Jack Andrews (with Joseph Trefler; Davenport Ten-Minute Play Festival, NAAP Discover New Works), Musical Theatre Will Save the World (and other blatant lies) (with Jonathon Lynch and Gil Varod; no accolades, but isn’t it a great title?), others. Operas: Outside (with Bryan Blaskie; WQXR Best of 2019 as part of The Stonewall Operas), Women’s Work (with Benji Goldsmith; Salzman Award finalist). He holds a BA in Drama Studies from SUNY Purchase, an MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from NYU, and a membership in the They Might Be Giants Fan Club. For thirteen years, he ran the literary department at NYC’s venerable York Theatre. In his spare time, he is an avid if unspectacular video gamer and crossworder, a voracious reader, and a dedicated turophile. Yes, ladies, he’s single. If you have any other questions, ask his mother; he would direct you to his website (sethdoesthings.com), but it hasn’t been updated since the Obama administration. @sethdoesthings on most social media. Long live the Oxford Comma.
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