#solo performance: feinstein's 54 below

[derekklenadaily]

54below: Join Broadway leading man Derek Klena as he debuts his brand new solo show! The Tony nominee will share stories from his performing career, from Dogfight to Moulin Rouge! and beyond, while also sharing a sensible dad-joke or two.

Derek Klena l Jan 7-10 & 13 at 7pm

Tickets & info at link in bio

[notasimpleslater]

Here is some recommended viewing/listening for any new Ethan Slater fans... 👀

Videos

Performing "(Just A) Simple Sponge" in The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage! (X)

Performing "The Ballad of Guiteau" with Will Swenson in the Assassins concert (X)

Performing "What the Hell Am I Doing with my Life?" by Drew Gasparini (X)

TodayTix concert (1/12/19) (X)

Feinsteins/54 Below concerts (8/1/19 - 8/2/19) (X)(X)

Broadway Buskers concert (9/17/21) (his portion starts at 3:50 and ends at 55:35) (X)

Music

Solo music (X)(X)(X)

Edge of the World (a musical written by Ethan and Nick Blaemire) (X)

The SpongeBob Musical cast album (as SpongeBob) (X)

Assassins 2022 cast album (as The Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald) (X)

Let me know you want anymore recommendations ✌🏻❤️

[staystrange]

On Sunday, December 2, 2018 at 7:00 PM, I had the honor of being at the final performance (for now) of Two-Player Game at Feinstein’s/54 Below!! I had the most magical and wonderful time hearing songs that mean so much to me performed live by people whom I look up to so much. Here are some of the many photos I took throughout the night, and if you’d like to hear some of my favorite moments and memories, check under the cut : )

• My dinner reservation was at 5:00 PM, so I got to 54 Below right before it opened. Honestly, since it was my first time there, I was just in happy shock the entire time, and there were still two hours to go before the show. • Talia Suskauer was sitting in the booth not far behind my table. • Will Roland was the special guest at the performance I went to. He walked in right at 7:00 with Jen Tepper and his fiancée, Steph Wessels, and sat in the booth in the back right in the center. Mike Faist also sat with them, which is a nice coincidence because I was at his final performance as Connor Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen back in May!! • Katlyn Carlson was also there, but I think she sat on the other side of the room from where I was. • SETLIST: Broadway, Here I Come! Two-Player Game I Love Play Rehearsal Tiny Short Little Song The Answer The Vagabond Song of the Brown Buffalo Loser Geek Whatever (performed by Will Roland) Michael in the Bathroom The Goodbye Song Kaboom • I was an emotional mess during the majority of the songs. I teared up right from the beginning of Broadway, Here I Come! and I’m pretty sure George looked right at me when he sang “don’t you cry, don’t you cry,” though I could have been imagining it. • There was a running joke throughout the show about Bernadette Peters being George’s understudy for Two-Player Game. It got even better towards the end because someone in the audience said she used to live a floor below Bernadette Peters. • Despite (most likely) everyone in the room knowing exactly what Be More Chill is, Joe still fully explained what it was before starting Two-Player Game. • During Two-Player Game, Will Roland was doing the choreography from his seat and it was honestly the best thing I have ever witnessed. • When George sang “is it really true, I’m your faworite person” while sitting on the piano bench next to Joe, he did a bunch of vocal runs after “person” and played a few notes on the piano. There was a long pause before Joe told him to never touch his piano again and George just ran away apologizing. • Before I Love Play Rehearsal, Joe and George asked the audience what we thought they were like in high school. At one point, something someone said led to George dramatically walking out the doors with Joe playing a perfectly dramatic accompaniment on piano. • During the “I also have a touch of ADD” part of I Love Play Rehearsal, George took someone’s phone from the audience and admired their phone case. • Instead of mentioning his performance as Rum Tum Tugger in Cats during I Love Play Rehearsal like on the album, George said that his first role was a piece of Pumba’s poop in The Lion King. If any of you guys saw his Instagram story the next day, this is the explanation behind that. • When George made the fake fart noise during I Love Play Rehearsal, he was like, “Ew, Joe! People are eating!” • Since I knew that Tiny Short Little Song was the next song, it was hilarious to hear Joe and George exaggerate about how it was such a big deal for George to perform it. • I was a bit disappointed that they didn’t play Andy’s Song since it’s one of my favorites on the album and I was looking forward to seeing the kazoo part live, but it was worth it to get to hear The Answer. That song means the world to me, and I definitely teared up during it. When I bought my tickets, I’d hoped that maybe they’d perform it because it was the last show for a while, but I never thought they actually would. I will forever be grateful for this performance. • I had a fantastic view of George playing the drums during The Vagabond, and it was so awesome to watch. He’s incredible, and that song is even more epic live. • Let me just say that there is no experience quite like shouting “food, booze, drugs, guns, and radical politics” along with an entire room of people, including a bunch of people you look up to. • I didn’t even notice when Will Roland walked right past me to get to the stage for his performance because I was so focused on George and Joe, but he did. • Will was wearing the Apocalypse of the Damned shirt that someone made for him during the Be More Chill Off-Broadway run. Also, he and George were both wearing Be More Chill pill-shaped pins on their jackets. • When Will was onstage, he joked that he’d never performed on the 54 Below stage before and wanted to see what it was like. He also jokingly hit one of the cymbals on the drumset. • This was Will’s fifth Two-Player Game performance. • As they were introducing Will’s performance, Will suggested he sing a song from Be More Chill, but “one that I actually know, not like Britton’s solo in Upgrade, I don’t know that one” (it was hilarious). • The best part was when Will was like “should we make it” (pause) “a thREE-PLAYER GAME?” with George and Joe joining in. • When I was speculating about what song Will would sing, I was hoping it would be Flesh and Bone (my favorite Joe Iconis song and one that he’s performed in the past), but I figured it would probably be Loser Geek Whatever since the studio version had just been released a few days earlier. My other thought was Amphibian, but I knew that was a long shot. • George played the drums during Loser Geek Whatever. It was fantastic. • Will walked right past me again when he walked off the stage, and I noticed this time, but Joe started playing Michael in the Bathroom as Will was walking by and I could not decide what the heck to focus on because so much was happening at once. I literally gasped even though I knew what song was next. • I don’t remember if the lyrics to Michael in the Bathroom changed for Off-Broadway, but George sang “there’s nothing else clearer” instead of “the present is clear” for this performance. • Michael in the Bathroom never gets old. • During the bridge part (”knock, knock, knock, knock”) I could definitely hear Will saying the spoken parts along with Joe and George. • After Michael in the Bathroom, Joe mentioned the cast members that will make their Broadway debuts with Be More Chill (Lauren Marcus, Katlyn Carlson, and Jason Sweettooth Williams), and he jokingly included Will Roland, even though we all know that this isn’t his first Broadway show. • The Goodbye Song was beautiful. • They said that The Goodbye Song was the last song, and for a second I thought they were cutting Kaboom. They weren’t. It was their encore. • Kaboom means the world to me, so getting to hear it live was so special. • Talia Suskauer harmonized a bit toward the end of Kaboom. • I asked Jen Tepper to sign my Two-Player Game liner notes and she was so excited when she saw them!! I thanked her for all of her work on Be More Chill and 54 Below and everything she does, and she was so sweet. She even referenced the Bernadette Peters joke and complimented my glasses!! • I’ve met George a couple times before (at the Be More Chill stagedoor and at the BCEFA Flea Market), but this was my first time meeting Joe. I asked them if they were okay with hugs, and they both said yes, so I hugged them both and they thanked me for coming to the show, which was so kind of them because really it was me who wanted to thank them. George had already signed my Two-Player Game CD liner notes at the Flea Market (long before I knew I was going to this show) so I asked Joe to sign them. I also told him that he’s one of my biggest writing inspirations and that it was an honor to see him live and he was so sweet and asked me about what kind of stuff I write, which really meant a lot to me. He also complimented my glasses!! • Overall, I had the most magical time and I could not stop smiling the entire night!! If you ever get the opportunity to go to a Two-Player Game show in the future, don’t pass it up. It’s so worth it, and I will forever be grateful that I got to go : ) • Photos: outside before the show, my view before the show started, Two-Player Game, Tiny Short Little Song, The Answer, Will and George in between songs, Loser Geek Whatever, Joe and George hugging in between songs, Kaboom, and me with George and Joe.

[fuckyeahthebookofmormon]

Donell James Foreman – currently in The Book of Mormon – makes his Feinstein’s/54 Below solo concert debut with his brand new pop music experience, a concert delving into the journey of loss, lust, longing, and love – featuring the music of Prince, Janet Jackson, George Michael, Madonna, Luther Vandross, Lady Gaga, and many more. Having fulfilled his dream of performing on Broadway, Donell is ready to live out his lifelong dream of being a pop star. Donell’s unapologetic transparency breathes new life into songs we’ve grown to love, forever changing the experience of hearing these iconic pop hits.

[writerchickmarie]

A Pair of Showstoppers - Playing to a Full House

There are times when a pair does beat a full house.

This was the case on Wednesday evening at 54 Below - and it had nothing to do with poker.  It had everything to do with the two performers on the stage, who are each showstoppers in their own right.  Put them together, and magic happens.

Many of us have seen John Lloyd Young perform several times or more doing his solo cabaret act, and were happy to find out that Michael Feinstein was going to have him as a special guest performer for a few of his Showstoppers evenings at 54 Below this month.  Wednesday night was the first of those performances, and it was a pleasure to see both men perform during their sold out opening night.

One of the things I looked forward to about attending this show was all of Michael’s stories about different songs and performers that he has known over his career - and he definitely did not disappoint.  He had us both laughing and crying at various points during the show, with stories about Liza Minnelli, the late Barbara Cook, and so many others.  There were songs that touched our hearts and tunes that entertained us - along with one song that just might get Mr. Feinstein a job speaking Russian, if he ever needs a side gig.  Let’s just say that I wonder how long it originally took to learn all of those names and practice how to sing them so quickly.  It’s just another one of the many skills that Michael has and shares with his audience - a true Renaissance man and all-around entertainer.

JLY came up on stage during the set to sing two solo numbers beginning with his own showstopper from Jersey Boys.  “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” never fails to take my breath away, and this time was no exception.  No matter who performs this song (which has always been a favorite of mine), nobody does it better than JLY,  His second song was “The Impossible Dream” from “Man of La Mancha”, and it’s clear that he was meant to sing this song.  He feels the lyrics down in his soul, which is part of what makes a showstopper even better.  I can’t wait to see what’s next on his quest...the stars are well within reach.

At the end of the evening Michael and JLY performed together - in a perfect vocal blend.  This was their ace in the hole, as we had all wondered what they were going to sing together. JLY sang “Sometimes A Day Goes By” (recalling his days in theatre arts at Brown University) and Michael sang “I Don’t Remember You”.  Michael started with his selection, followed by JLY - then they put the two of them together and created magic. It was the perfect way to end the show, and so beautifully done that I would like to hear it over and over again.  Thanks to Feinstein’s/54 Below on Facebook, I can, and so can all of you.  They posted it live as it happened, and it’s up on their page if you would like to see, hear, and relive the magic.  This ace was well played.

Another special part of the evening was getting to see the rapport between JLY and Michael.  Their friendship and mutual respect for each other shone through, and is one of the reasons this duo works so well together.  I would love to see them take this on the road and do shows in other cities, so more people can experience it for themselves.

So - can a pair of kings rule over a full house?  They can if they are John Lloyd Young and Michael Feinstein.  If you have a chance to see the show this week - go.  It’s a sure bet that you will love it!

[theparkertingle]

College

Run Freedom Run, Urinetown (audio)

Chateau D'If, The Count of Monte Cristo (audio, video)

Act 1 Finale, The Count of Monte Cristo (video)

Goodbyes, The Count of Monte Cristo (video)

Lily’s Eyes, The Secret Garden (video)

Rock of Ages

2009 Tony Performance (video)

High Enough (video)

Every Rose Has Its Thorns (video)

Don’t Stop Believing, Rock of Ages Closing (video)

O’Holy Night, Rock of Ages Cast (audio)

West Side Story

Something’s Coming (broadway/hollywood bowl)

Maria (broadway/hollywood bowl)

Tonight (hollywood bowl)

One Hand, One Heart (hollywood bowl)

Heathers

Heather’s reading (video)

Freeze Your Brain (audio)

Our Love is God (audio)

Seventeen (audio)

I Can’t Do This Alone (audio)

Newsies

Newsies (broadway, papermill (message me), live hd event)

Preview footage (video)

I Never Planned On You (original lyrics audio)

The World Will Know (recording studio)

Santa Fe (broadway, bonus track version, la, orlando, michigan, Diaster!) 

Then I Saw You (papermill, second link)

Something To Believe In (broadway)

2012 Tony’s Performance (video)

Barnes & Nobles Concert (audio)

Santa Fe/Seize the Day (good morning america, the view)

Bonnie and Clyde

Bonnie and Clyde (broadway)

Preview footage (video)

How ‘Bout a Dance/This World Will Remember Us (florida news station)

This World Will Remember Me (broadway)

When I Drive (Joe’s pub)

This World Will Remember Us (frank & friends concert

What was Good Enough For You (frank & friends concert)

Bonnie (london, la, broadwayspotted master class)

Finding Neverland

Finding Neverland (cambridge)

Act 1: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4

Act 2: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4

Circus of Your Mind (cambridge)

Death Note

Where is the Justice? (audio)

Hurricane (audio)

Stalemate (audio)

Playing His Game (audio)

Smash

They Just Keep Moving the Line (54 below)

Cut, Print, Moving On (video)

High and Dry (54 below)

Under Pressure (54 below)

Hitlist

Hitlist (audio)

Hitlist Miscast Medley (54 below)

Broadway Here I Come (la, tv, 54 below, london)

Rewrite This Story (54 below, tv)

If I Had You (54 below)

I Heard Your Voice in a Dream (54 below, tv, la)

Don’t Let Me Know (54 below, tv)

Caught in a Storm (54 below)

Calling Out my Name (54 below)

Heart Shaped Wreckage (54 below, la, tv)

The Love I Meant To Say (tv)

The Goodbye Song (54 below, tv)

The Last Five Years

Shiksa Goddess (audio)

Moving Too Fast (audio, hollywood, abs news)

The Schmuel Song (audio)

The Next Ten Minutes (audio)

A Miracle Would Happen / When You Come Home To Me (audio)

If I Didn’t Believe in You (audio)

Nobody Needs to Know (audio)

Goodbye Until Tomorrow (audio)

Breaking Character Concert / Other (solo) Concerts

Anthem, Chess (hollywood)

Moving Too Fast, The Last Five Years (hollywood)

Broadway Here I Come (hollywood)

Heart Shaped Wreckage (hollywood)

I Heard Your Voice in a Dream (hollywood)

Heaven (hollywood)

Maybe I’m Amazed, Joyful Noise (hollywood)

I’m Not Good Enough, Jeremy Jordan original (hollywood) 

Revelation, Jeremy Jordan original (hollywood)

Losing My Mind, Follies (hollywood, 54 below)

Santa Fe, Newsies (hollywood)

Somewhere Over the Rainbow (hollywood, 54 below, london)

Bonnie, Bonnie and Clyde (hollywood)

Let It Go, Frozen (hollywood)

Chipotle, Avenue Q-esque (hollywood)

Under Water, Jeremy Jordan original (p1, p2)

I’m Not, Jeremy Jordan original (london)

Memories of Losing You, Jeremy Jordan original (london)

Take Me or Leave Me, Rent (london, london video)

Jeremy and Ben’s Medley (video, audio)

Smiles/I’ll Be Seeing You (london)

New Shoes (london)

Parade In Concert

Parade (message me for full bootleg)

Act 1: p1, p2, p3, p4, p5

This Is Not Over Yet (rehearsal)

All the Wasted Time (audio)

Miscast

Let Me Be Your Star, Smash (2013)

Who Will Love Me As I Am?, Side Show (2013)

Let It Go, Frozen (2014)

Cell Block Tango, Chicago (2015)

Don’t Rain on My Parade, Funny Girl (2015)

Sondheim 

A Bed and a Chair (video)

Another Hundred People, Company (video)

Giants in the Sky, Into The Woods (audio)

Opening Doors, Merrily We Roll Along (video)

Miscellaneous Musical

Ten Minutes Ago/The Next Ten Minutes, Cinderella/The Last Five Years (video, video)

Come What May, Moulin Rouge (54 below)

I’ll Never Pass This Way Again, Civil War (frank & friends)

Sarah, Civil War (frank & friends)

The Ultimate Disney Princess Power Ballad Medley (disney magic)

Disney Medley (trevor project)

Why, God, Why?, Miss Saigon (audio)

Anything You Can Do, Annie Get Your Gun (audio)

Somewhere Over the Rainbow/Home, The Wizard of Oz/Home (seth speaks, 54 below)

One Day More, Les Mis (carnegie hall)

The Story Goes On, Baby (beverley hilton)

The Wheel, Tuck Everlasting (video)

Everything is Coming Up Roses, Gypsy (feinstein’s at the nikko)

Rocky City, See Rock City and Over Destinations (audio)

Out of the Bay, Unlock’d (audio)

Dolgaya River, Brother Russia (audio)

Lost in the Wilderness, Children of Eden (audio)

Out There, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (audio)

Miscellaneous Composers

The Answer, Joe Iconis (54 below)

Runaway With Me, Kerrigan-Lowdermilk (kerrigan-lowdermilk live

Dare To Dream, Michael Mott (with Laura Osnes, with Adrienne Warren)

Try, Michael Mott (54 below, where the sky ends concert)

Rise or Fall, Michael Mott (54 below)

Lucky, Michael Mott (where the sky ends concert)

Fleet Weak, Carner & Gregor (an evening of carner & gregor)

Wall Lovin’, Carner & Gregor (an evening of carner & gregor)

Snapshot In My Memory, Carner & Gregor (video)

Stay Awhile, Carner & Gregor (2009, 2010, 2010, 2014)

Tie Me Up, Carner & Gregor (54 below)

Traffic Island Song, Carner & Gregor (video)

So Many Windows, Carner & Gregor (audio)

No Turning Back Now, Drew Gaspirini (live, recorded)

I Am Yours, Jonathan Reid Gealt (video)

Here For You, Jonathan Reid Gealt (studio version)

If the World Looked Like You, Will Reynolds (laurie beechman theater)

This Year, Will Reynolds (bright lights concert series)

Greenwood Tree Suite, Will Reynolds (the songs of will reynolds)

Just Ahead, Will Reynods (the songs of will reynolds)

The Violet Hour, Eric Price and Will Reynolds (54 below)

Rooftops, Caleb Hoyer (laurie beechman theater)

Drift, Kooman & Dimon (video)

Get Up and Go, Joey Contreras (audio)

Prepared, Georgia Stitt (54 below)

She, Georgia Stitt (54 below)

Carry Me Up, Andrew Satomayor (laurie beechman theater)

Please Don’t Let Me Go, Scott Alan (audio)

Other

I’ve Told You Now, Sam Smith (54 below)

It’s All Coming Back to Me Now, Celine Dion (54 below)

Beauty and the Beast, Celine Dion (54 below)

Total Eclipse of the Heart, U2 (54 below)

Some Boys, Death Cab for Cutie (54 below)

This Will Be Our Year/The Way I Feel Inside, The Zombies (54 below)

I’ll Be Home for Christmas (54 below)

Creeptastic, the Skivvies (54 below)

More Than Anyone, Gavin DeGraw (audio)

Was I A Trooper Mom?  (today)

Love is a Many Splendid Thing/Mona Lisa/Atcheson, Topeka & Santa Fe/ All the Way/Moon River (pasadena symphony)

Breathe Again (feinstein’s at the nikko)

Gonna Be Alright, Laura Molina (music video)

The National Anthem (2011, 2014)

Put a Little Love in Your Heart, Jackie DeShannon (the flash)

Hark, Hark, the Lark, The Greenwood Tree (audio)

Who is Slyvia? The Greenwood Tree (audio)

Tangled

 I Will Make You Have Faith in Me (d23) 

[thebarksy]

BWW Review: Samantha Barks Brings Broadway, Bieber, and Breakups to Feinstein's/54 Below in New York Solo Debut

Friday evening at Feinstein's/54 Below was one unlike any I had experienced in quite a long time. I've been a regular at the intimate midtown venue since it opened its doors over five years ago. I feel that I've blessedly had the chance to see all of the "above the marquee" (aka top-price) talent on my bucket list. Streisand, Bernadette, Liza, Stritch, Stokes, Chenoweth, Osnes, Benanti, Salonga--- hard to top this roster when it comes to an evening of pure vocal perfection and undeniable star-power.

This past weekend, as the Isle of Man's Samantha Barks made her much-anticipated United States solo debut, I saw a performer whose presence and voice created a thrill, if not completely on par with, definitely in the same conversation as what I felt the first time I saw Lea in concert.

Discovered first by UK theatre nerds in 2008 when she came in third place on the OLIVER!casting reality show I'D DO ANYTHING, hers wasn't a name known to the international audience until she landed the plum role of Eponine in the major motion picture adaptation of LES MISERABLES. Rounding out a sizzling ensemble of film stars in the stratosphere, Barks' casting was among the last roles to be filled. Along with a still-not-quite-yet-a-sex-symbol Aaron Tveit, she was easily the least famous person among the principal players. But any good LES MIZ fan already knew from her breathtaking 25th Anniversary Concert performance that "Dear 'Ponine" was to be in good hands.

Following her hauntingly beautiful cinematic debut and numerous head-turning appearances on the red carpet, Barks has gone on to starring roles in major London productions of CITY OF ANGELS, THE LAST FIVE YEARS and HONEYMOON IN VEGAS as well as originated the title role in Berkeley Rep's world premiere of AMELIE.

Long a fan of her powerful, versatile voice, this long-awaited debut was one I was not about to miss. The mood at the venue was energetic, the crowd largely consisting of excited teenagers and Wall Street "bros" who were clearly familiar with Barks' work. She took the stage, greeted by enthusiastic applause, and opened with the pop-folk single "Troublemaker" from her 2016 self-titled solo album.

Not having heard the album or this track before, I was immediately struck by the easy tone of her voice. She didn't sound overly "musical theatre." She didn't sound like a Disney princess. If I had to find a resemblance, I'd say she sounded a bit like Taylor Swift (who was once rumored as a potential Eponine) on a very healthy day. And I mean this as a compliment to both of them. It's no secret that many of the best vocalists out there are steered into pop-country, a medium that benefits greatly from raw talent (hello Rachel Potter!) without the need for fancy auto-tuning and producer sorcery.

Introducing herself to the packed house, and making most of us feel very old, Barks mentioned that 54 Below actually played a part in her upbringing.

"I grew up on an island called the Isle of Man. We had lovely theatre, but being able to watch [YouTube videos] of 54 Below was my cool thing to do. It's where I went to see all of my favorite people, so it's very much an honor to be here tonight."

Not wasting any time, she started "at the very beginning" and delivered a sultry torch version of "As Long As He Needs Me" from OLIVER! Her voice immediately took on a smokey, age-infused quality, an impressive contrast to the younger, lighter vocals demonstrated with her opening tune.

After a pair of breezy anecdotes about her love of "Sex and the City" (complete with unsuccessful attempt at finding her inner Carrie Bradshaw), things got a little bit more country with a stunning arrangement of The Band Perry's "If I Die Young" before leading effortlessly into the riff-heavy, unconventionally anthemic "Hard to Find" from Barks' album. The great Billy Stritch manned the piano the entire evening.

Describing herself as "the ultimate Cupid, responsible now for two marriages," the charming performer recounted the story of her sister's wedding, which "manifested itself in [Barks making] the ugliest face ever" as she ugly-cried in front of friends and family. Cue seamless transition into an old favorite, "dedicated to [her] sister, for ruining her wedding." That favorite: "Summertime."

To which at least one of us in the audience endured a brief moment of, "Do we really need a new rendition of this song?" The answer, it would turn out, is absolutely. Her voice, now at once smooth and raspy, lent itself ideally to what can best be described a heartfelt, gin-soaked tribute to the countless great jazz divas to color the Gershwin classic over the decades.

Going further back into her musical memory, Barks recalled first hearing the next tune on a children's choir album as a youth. It was a seemingly personal discovery and a favorite at a young age... before being informed by her father that, indeed, "Blackbird" was by The Beatles. She followed up a lilting "Blackbird" with her deeply emotional take on Sarah McLachlan's TOY STORY tearjerker, "When He Loved Me." The song has struck a chord with me since Laura Osnes performed it at Café Carlyle in memory of her mother.

At risk of letting the tone get too serious on a Friday night, Barks asked, "Any Justin Bieber fans here tonight?" There were. And I am. There's really not much I can say about what was to follow, except that she led the house in a rousing singalong of "Love Yourself"

At this point, a gentleman in the front row felt compelled to inform Barks that the song is about Selena Gomez. Not breaking her stride, she replied, "Was it? Do you know what? Originally it was a bit ruder, wasn't it? I thought I'd keep it civilized!"

Frome one break-up song to the next, Barks slipped effortlessly back into her clarion-voiced folk-pop dialect, following up the Bieber Break with Burt Bacharach and Katy Perry's respective meditations on lost love, "This House Is Empty Now" and "The One That Got Away."

What struck me most about the evening as a whole is how completely it managed to tell a story of loss, heartbreak and healing almost entirely through song interpretation. With minimal setup and only very essential between-song banter, Barks brought us all out safely on the other side with Joni Mitchell's reverent, introspective "Both Sides Now".

In keeping with the theme (if not necessarily the style) of the evening, Barks closed out her set with yet another breakup-related song, but it was one that leaves everyone in a great mood. Having recently starred in a London production of THE LAST FIVE YEARS, the actress let us know it was time to belt. And it was here that we heard her raw, unadulterated musical theatre power as she made short work of the wildly difficult "I Can Do Better Than That." You might even describe it as fresh, undiluted and pure. It was, as a matter of fact, top of the line.

Speaking personally, Barks' New York solo debut was everything I want in an intimate evening with a top-notch talent at 54 Below. Traversing a varied terrain of genres, she demonstrated a skill set that fully supports my belief that she is one of the most essential musical theatre artists working today.

A pleasant, engaging storyteller, she was clearly enjoying herself and seemed totally at ease from the start. With flowing, succinct anecdotes, glowing smile and quirky, self-effacing humor, Barks' persona is aggressively likable. But in the end it was her powerful, versatile voice and pitch-perfect relationship with her music that steered the ship and created something quite remarkable.

From small British island to reality TV runner-up to West End regular to film star to the New York cabaret stage. We all left the room with only one question: when will it be time for Broadway?

Oh, and she did return to the stage for an encore. "I left one out," she laughed. It was "On My Own." And it was glorious.

[megameryl]

Harvest what you grow

Dear diary-crashers,

Sorry you haven’t had a proper update from me in a while. This whole month-and-a-half has just been a vortex of rehearsals, rewrites, and...wait for it...a social calendar! Yes, after some two decades, I finally have cool places to go on weekends. Lol. My new boyfriend got me a beautiful “Tough Moon” pendant for Christmas, and we go on many adventures together. In fact, this Sunday we’re taking a trip to the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens; I’ve wanted to go there for ages!

And there are other thrilling things on the horizon. Firstly, my Fitzgerald-inspired musical (in one act) will play two performances here on Staten Island. Then I’m attending BroadwayCon on January 28th. All of this will culminate in what is perhaps my most intimidating theatrical venture to date...a solo concert at Feinstein’s/54 Below. St. Genesius, guide my hand! But as my friend Margaret pointed out: I must continue to believe in myself and what I do.

Song of the day: “Someone in the Crowd” from LA LA LAND.

[pressreleasepower]

Big Noise Artist Serge Clivio to Return to Feinstein's/54 Below with All-New Show

Fresh off of the success of his two prior engagements, Big Noise recording artist Serge Clivio returns to Feinstein's / 54 Below, Broadway’s Supper Club on Wednesday, October 30th at 9:30 pm with an all-new show entitled Still Rolling Stones.

Feinstein's/54 Below is located at 254 West 54th Street in New York City. For Clivio's show, there is a $30-$65 cover charge and $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00 are only available by calling (646) 476-3551.

From brand new originals to songs from genres that include pop, country, gospel and soul, Clivio and company's aim is to have audiences laughing, crying, and tapping their feet through intimate stories and personal songs. By far Clivio's most personal concert, Still Rolling Stones is conceived as a follow-up to his first-ever solo show, Sticks & Stones, which played throughout New England in 2018.

Clivio will bring back his all-star band from around the US, led by musical director Mike Stapleton, seen in the Broadway orchestras of Beetlejuice and the Tony Award-winning smash hit, Wicked. Most recently, Stapleton served as the Associate Music Director of Paper Mill Playhouse’s Chasing Rainbows. Stapleton and Clivio have assembled an all-star group of musicians to back them up: Berklee College of Music Alumni Eric Derwallis from L.A. on the drums, Youngchae Jeong on bass, and Matt Sewell on guitar. Boston Conservatory graduate Molly Keane-Dreyer and star of the RENT 20th Anniversary Tour, and David Merino provide back-up vocals.

Hailing from Massachusetts, Clivio has been performing for as long as he can remember. Most recently, Clivio finished up a contract playing Mary Sunshine in Music Theatre Wichita’s highly-acclaimed production of Chicago. Throughout his time at The Boston Conservatory (where he received a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre), Clivio was seen all over the country in various theater productions. Since then, he released a single ('Fire Away' - available on all major streaming platforms), appeared on ABC’s television reboot of American Idol and performed multiple solo concerts to sold-out audiences. Clivio’s next single, 'Kiss Me One More Time' (featuring up-and-coming singer/songwriter Allie Seibold), is available everywhere on October 11th.

More About Feinstein’s/54 Below

Feinstein’s/54 Below, Broadway’s supper club and private event destination, is a performance venue in the grand tradition of New York City nightlife. A few blocks from the heart of Times Square and just below the legendary Studio 54, Feinstein’s/54 Below is a classically designed state-of-the art nightclub in the theatre district. The club presents iconic and rising stars from the worlds of Broadway and popular music. In their description of the venue, The New York Times writes, "Feinstein’s/54 Below has the intimacy of a large living room with unimpeded views and impeccable sound - there is not a bad seat in the house. Its sultry after-hours ambience is enhanced by brocade-patterned wall panels planted with orange-shaded lanterns. And the atmosphere is warmer and sexier than in Manhattan’s other major supper clubs.

[biofunmy]

A Merry Murderess Hangs Up Her ‘Chicago’ Fishnets

The recently concluded FX mini-series “Fosse/Verdon” threw the private and public worlds of the choreographer Bob Fosse and his collaborator and third wife, Gwen Verdon, back into the spotlight.

Yet one of their most enduring works has been a Broadway staple for 23 years, so much a part of the local entertainment furniture that it’s easy to take it for granted: the 1996 revival of the 1975 musical “Chicago,” originally directed and choreographed by Fosse, and in which Verdon starred as the vaudevillian murderess Roxie Hart.

Donna Marie Asbury, 56, has been with the revival almost from the beginning: She joined the first national tour in December 1997 and the Broadway company in March 1999. On Monday, she gave her last performance as June, one of the Cook County Jail tenants.

At the curtain call, the producer Fran Weissler, reading a letter from the director Walter Bobbie, said, “You made putting on fishnets look like a class act.” Afterward, the cast presented her with a chicken-shaped cake that alluded to the circumstances of June’s crime — she was carving the poultry when her husband “ran into my knife.”

Ms. Asbury — who also understudied Velma Kelly (Roxie’s prison pal) and the warden Mama Morton — made her Broadway debut at 11 in the Angela Lansbury revival of “Gypsy” in 1974. Other credits include the original production of Stephen Sondheim’s cult flop “Merrily We Roll Along” and Eva Perón in a 1990s tour of “Evita.”

Her next step will be a solo concert at Feinstein’s/54 Below on June 19, in which she’ll retrace her career up to her stint in “Chicago” — a two-decade-long engagement that almost completely overlapped with the life of her daughter, Jacqueline, now 23.

The young woman is planning to be a writer or director. “She doesn’t want to wear a vinyl bra like her mother, which is really good,” Ms. Asbury said, laughing, during a chat in the empty Ambassador Theater. Here are edited excerpts from the conversation.

Had you done Fosse before joining “Chicago”?

Never. I have actually always thought of myself as a singer first, but how lucky that this style came very easily to me. I love doing it and it looks good on my body, thank God. People think it’s easy because you’re not leaping and this and that, but it’s very precise.

What did you think of the TV series?

Wasn’t Michelle Williams brilliant [as Verdon]? I thought her dancing was fine — they made her look very good. I didn’t gasp: She held her own. I was so impressed by her.

One issue the series raised was the diverging impact of aging on men’s and women’s careers. Was that a factor in your decision to leave?

I wanted to leave on my terms and I wanted to leave feeling good about what I was still doing on the stage. And honestly, the cast members keep getting younger and younger. They hired this 23-year-old boy and I could be his mother.

To a certain extent you know you can feel good and you look good, but I stopped doing promotional things because I didn’t want to stand next to 23-, 25-, 27-year olds. I didn’t feel as good without the costume and the wig and the makeup. I thought, “If people saw this, they’d be like, ‘Why are you in that show?’”

It does play with your mind, especially as an older woman in the business — an older woman in general. But I don’t think there’s any other show out there where you can start in your 30s and still do it, and probably do it better, in your 50s. With this show, you need life under your belt, challenges to bring an edge to the piece.

What have you learned doing the show so long?

Gratitude — just being grateful for making a living doing what I absolutely love. I’ve never had any side jobs, it’s just been theater. I’ve been here with so many celebrities in and out, huge people, and you see that the hustle never stops: They’re always planning the next thing or what will keep them in the news on social media. It can wear you down.

Did anything in particular make you want to leave?

Bebe Neuwirth [the revival’s initial Velma Kelly] came to the theater yesterday and said, “I was just wondering, like at 15 years, did you say, ‘I’m going to go 20?’” I said to my husband, “20 does seem like a good number.” I could probably do it a few years longer but I want to walk, I want my body to be able to function. If I stayed much longer, I would be risking injuries I could not get back from. I wake up every morning with pain, but you’re like an athlete, you do what you do to keep your body in shape and in tune. Aleve is a wonderful thing [laughs].

The show has such strong bones. Do you feel that it carried you sometimes?

Honestly, even when I’m tired, I hear the conductor say “5, 6, 7, 8” and I still feel the excitement. I feel so proud to represent. In this business sometimes you take jobs you aren’t particularly proud of because you got to work. Never with this job. Never.

Sahred From Source link Arts

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[derekklenadaily]

54below: #JustAnnounced! Tony nominee Derek Klena returns to 54 Below with his brand new solo show. Prepare for an unforgettable night filled with heartfelt stories and iconic songs from his career, including Anastasia, Dogfight, Wicked, Moulin Rouge!, Jagged Little Pill, and more!

Derek Klena | Jan 8-10 at 7pm

Presale access & more info at link in bio

[derekklenadaily]

Details regarding pre-sale tickets for Derek's upcoming performances in January at Feinstein’s 54 Below will be available in the coming days for audience members on designated dates.

[derekklenadaily]

54below: New date added! Due to popular demand, Derek Klena is adding another performance to his January run! The Tony nominee will share personal stories from his journey through fatherhood, how it's transformed both his life and career, and the powerful role music has played along the way. Expect to hear fan favorites from Anastasia, Dogfight, Jagged Little Pill, and more.

Derek Klena | Jan 7 - 10 at 7pm

Tickets & info at link in bio

[derekklenadaily]

54below: Now on public sale! Join Tony nominee Derek Klena for an all new show. Hear staples from his remarkable career, including hits from Anastasia, Dogfight, Jagged Little Pill, Moulin Rouge!, and more! Sit back and enjoy the magic...and perhaps a sensible dad-joke or two.

Derek Klena l Jan 8 - 10 at 7pm

Tickets & info at link in bio

[derekklenadaily]

54below: #NEWDATESADDED! Due to overwhelming popular demand, Derek Klena has added ANOTHER show to his January run! Join the Tony nominee as he sings staples from his career and opens up about his journey through fatherhood while also sharing a dad-joke or two.

Derek Klena | Jan 7-10 & 13 at 7pm

Tickets & more info at link in bio

[derekklenadaily]

Flashback Friday: Derek and Christy Altomare sing "At the Beginning" from the animated film 'Anastasia' on April 19, 2019 for Derek's solo concert at Feinstein’s 54 Below in New York City.