54 Below to Celebrate Black History Month With Sapphira Cristál, Joaquina Kalukango & More
See The Wiz’ Nichelle Lewis, The Notebook’s Dorian Harewood, and more.
54 BELOW wll honor the Black performers, producers, and artists who are vital members of our artistic community this Black History Month. Celebrate their contributions to our beloved art form as they present a spectacular line up of shows including some of Broadway’s youngest stars, The Wiz’ Nichelle Lewis, The Notebook’s Dorian Harewood, and more.
NEW WRITERS AT 54! LAWRENCE DANDRIDGE – FEBRUARY 4 AT 9:30PM
In an unforgettable one night only celebration, experience the original music of Lawrence Dandridge with the heartwarming story of the new musical Coming Home.
Follow the journey to the Baxter Family Reunion, where an unapologetic Black family comes together for a weekend to put aside their differences to discover the true meaning of family. The Coming Home musicals in concert takes you on a compelling journey exploring the generational dynamics between estranged family members set to an R&B and gospel-infused contemporary musical theatre score. Enjoy snippets of the show and engaging conversation with the writer and composer, Lawrence Dandridge, along with members of the Aurway Repertory Theatre Ensemble. Ain’t nothing like a family gathering and you’re invited… see you at 54 Below!!
Music direction by Shaquan Welch. Featuring Marcus Beckett, Angela Birchett, Martin Carpenter, Dwayne Clark, Chasity Contant, Byron Freeman, Veronica Gonmiah, Treston Henderson, Trevor Lavine, Larry Lyons, Malcolm Minor, Megan Parker, and Emily Kay Shrader. Joined by Corey Fulmore on drums, Javier Guerrero on bass, and Christian Rodriguez on guitar.
New Writers At 54! is an ongoing series at 54 Below showcasing exciting work by today’s hottest emerging voices, curated by Assistant Programming Director Alexa Spiegel.
$40 cover charge (includes $5 in fees). $67.50 premium seating (includes $7.50 in fees). $25 food & beverage minimum.
SAPPHIRA CRISTÁL – FEBRUARY 5 & 6 AT 7PM
Experience the unforgettable Sapphira Cristál in her 54 Below debut! A breakout star of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 16, and the co-creator behind Soundcake at Lincoln Center, join Sapphira as she brings her immense vocal talent, signature wit, and captivating storytelling to the stage. Featuring Broadway and operatic favorites along with her original music, this globe-trotting diva creates an intimate evening of pure magic. Don’t miss your chance to be moved, mesmerized, and inspired—get your tickets now!
$67.50 cover charge (includes $7.50 in fees). $106 premium seating (includes $11 in fees). $25 food & beverage minimum.
JOAQUINA KALUKANGO – FEBRUARY 12, 13, & 15 AT 7PM
Tony Award winner Joaquina Kalukango teams up with acclaimed music director Michael Orland for their 54 Below debut in An Evening with Joaquina Kalukango. Known for her unforgettable roles in Paradise Square, The Color Purple, and Slave Play, Joaquina invites audiences on a journey that transcends Broadway, blending genres from pop and country to disco and beyond.
With songs from The Color Purple, Paradise Square, and a dynamic mix of genres, Joaquina’s powerhouse vocals and storytelling come alive in this electric and intimate performance. This is a night where you’ll experience the full range of her artistry, delivering a performance that will stay with you long after the final note.
$78.50 cover charge (includes $8 in fees). $122.50 premium seating (includes $12.50 in fees) - $128 premium seating (includes $13 in fees). $25 food & beverage minimum.
KING’S ACADEMY JAZZ: NIGHT OF JAZZ FEATURING NICOLE HENRY – FEBRUARY 16 AT 7PM
This performance will also be livestreamed. For tickets and more information, click here.
As ambassadors of the most influential music of our time, The King’s Academy Jazz Ensemble is proud to bring their celebration of the music from the Great American Songbook to 54 Below! Wes Lowe, 3-time teacher of the year, and Mickey Smith, Jr., 2020 Grammy Music Educator Award Recipient, direct a program that is both innovative and inspirational, helping students find their voice and discover their sound through jazz.
Night of Jazz is a dynamic musical journey of the best jazz standards performed by a dynamic 20-piece high school jazz band and guest starring award winning vocalist, Nicole Henry. The King’s Academy Jazz Ensemble is a nationally recognized program where students perform at a professional level. Featuring young artists like Julia Basile and Ashton Horne, this next generation of musicians will leave the audience with hope and pride for a brighter future. This show will highlight everything that puts the “Great” in the Great American Songbook.
Nicole Henry’s versatile and emotionally driven performances have wowed audiences in 20 countries. Among her numerous accolades, Henry’s passionate, soulful voice and heartfelt charisma have earned her a Soul Train Award for “Best Traditional Jazz Performance,” “Best New Jazz Artist” by HMV Japan, “Best Solo Musician” by her hometown Miami New Times, while also being hailed as “One of Eight Black Artists Making Waves in 2024” by Symphonic. She has enjoyed four top 10 CDs including her latest album Time to Love Again which reached #4 on the U.S. jazz radio chart and remained in the top 40 for 20 weeks. Time to Love Again also reached #6 on the UK’s Sweet Rhythms chart and enjoys worldwide play on both Sirius XM’s Real Jazz & Watercolors stations. These successes were supplemented by a 32-city national tour.
The New York Times raved, “I had the sense of being in the presence of a pop-soul superwoman whose every gesture and inflection conveyed confidence and mastery,” while BroadwayWorld exclaimed, “(She) should be standing on the biggest stages of the world, alongside the biggest divas in the world. Everyone everywhere needs to be exposed to this magical force of musical artistry.”
$62 cover charge (includes $7 in fees). $100.50 premium seating (includes $10.50 in fees). $25 food & beverage minimum.
YOUNG, GIFTED, & BROADWAY CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH – FEBRUARY 17 AT 7PM
Young, Gifted & Broadway Presents: Lift Every Voice! Let’s lift our voices and celebrate Black History Month with Broadway’s best and brightest young stars! Join us at 54 Below for an evening where you will hear great songs from Broadway and beyond, along with some historical facts you may have never known. Journey with us, as we lift the voices of great historical figures of Black History! Featuring current and recent Broadway youth performers from MJ The Musical, Gypsy, Disney’s The Lion King, and more!
Featuring Donovan Louis Bazemore, Jace Bently, Layla Capers, Bryan H Chan, Annabel Cole, Summer Rae Daney, Mari Diop, Scarlett London Diviney, Austin Elle Fisher, Mehret Marsh, Austin Rankin, Albert Rhodes Jr, Grammy Award winner Walter Russell III, Nia Thompson, and more stars to be announced!
Featuring special guest, Broadway legend Bonita Hamilton-Caesar from Disney’s The Lion King and musical director Rashad McPherson. Come hear these gifted performers acknowledge the many Black Broadway performers whose shoulders we stand on and lift their voices as Broadway’s best and brightest young stars!
Produced by Angela Russell, Young, Gifted & Broadway Founder/Creative Director.
$62 cover charge (includes $7 in fees). $100.50 premium seating (includes $10.50 in fees). $25 food & beverage minimum.
BLU: CONFESSIONS OF A LOVER BOY – FEBRUARY 17 AT 9:30PM
Blu (MJ The Musical, Titanique) makes his solo debut at 54 Below!
In Confessions of a Lover Boy, Blu will take the audience on a journey through the many faces of love, delivering a night of love songs with the smooth, captivating style of a modern crooner. With music from legends like Lauryn Hill, Chaka Khan, and Luther Vandross, with music direction by Deah Love Harriott and featuring an all female band, his smooth vocals and heartfelt delivery promise a captivating and unforgettable evening. Experience the magic of one of Broadway’s rising stars joined by a few surprise special guests.
Blu is a Chicago bred singer and actor. Currently you can catch him swinging on Broadway in MJ The Musical. He’s excited/terrified/relieved and every other feeling imaginable to be returning to 54 Below to debut his solo cabaret. He would like to thank his tribe for pushing him and believing in him. This one’s for Pat.
$45.50 cover charge (includes $5.50 in fees). $73 premium seating (includes $8 in fees). $25 food & beverage minimum.
NEW WRITERS AT 54! DIONNE MCCLAIN-FREENEY – FEBRUARY 18 AT 9:30PM
This performance will also be livestreamed. For tickets and more information, click here.
Dionne McClain-Freeney is a composer, composer-lyricist, arranger, musical director, and teaching artist whose music for off-Broadway, children’s theatre, festivals, Gospel, and more, have earned accolades, including GLAAD Media Awards, AUDELCO, and Drama Desk. Whether big or small – stages AND ages, her music has taken audiences from the streets of Greenwich Village to downtown Newark, around the globe with children and talking parrots sampling rice & beans dishes, to Black fathers loving their sons, to an opulent ballroom for the “Black society event of the year.” After a feature in 54 Below’s Black Writer Showcase, join Dionne for a night of musical storytelling that will answer the question: Which theatre, TV, and movie megastar cried tears of joy after hearing one of her songs?
New Writers At 54! is an ongoing series at 54 Below showcasing exciting work by today’s hottest emerging voices, curated by Assistant Programming Director Alexa Spiegel.
$40 cover charge (includes $5 in fees). $67.50 premium seating (includes $7.50 in fees). $25 food & beverage minimum.
NICHELLE LEWIS – FEBRUARY 21 & 22 AT 7PM
Nichelle Lewis is thrilled to be making her New York City solo cabaret debut at 54 Below. Fresh off her acclaimed leading performance as Sarah in Ragtime at New York City Center Encores! and as Dorothy in The Wiz on Broadway, join her for an evening of music from her career, gospel and soul favorites, and some new original music.
$62 cover charge (includes $7 in fees). $106 premium seating (includes $11 in fees). $25 food & beverage minimum.
DORIAN HAREWOOD: SONGS FROM THE BRILL BUILDING – FEBRUARY 25 AT 7PM
“Harewood is an undeniable star. He made me burst into tears on three separate occasions – none harder than during his gut-wrenching performance of “Iron in the Fridge” and I seldom cry at Broadway shows.” – Entertainment Weekly
Tony® Award nominee Dorian Harewood makes his 54 Below and New York City solo concert debut with Songs from the Brill Building. The multi-talented star of The Notebook recently returned to Broadway after a 45-year hiatus. His previous Broadway credits include Two Gentlemen of Verona, Don’t Call Back, The Mighty Gents, and Streamers.
“The Brill Building is where some of the most popular American songs were written. It is considered to have been the center of the American music industry that dominated the pop charts in the early 1960s. These are but a few of the wonderful songs written by this supremely talented group of writers. These are: Songs from the Brill Building.” – Dorian Harewood
Music direction by Tony Daniels. Best known for his work on screen and television, Harewood first garnered attention in the ABC-TV miniseries “Roots: The Next Generations.” He then went on to star in the ABC-TV series “Strike Force” and the widely popular miniseries “The Jesse Owens Story” as the titular character. In 1994, he garnered a NAACP Image Award for his role as Jazz/Blues saxophonist Clarence “Cool Papa” Charleston on the NBC-TV series “I’ll Fly Away.” Other television credits include NBC-TV’s “Viper,” “The Hoop Life,” and guest starring roles in such series as “Private Practice,” “Boomtown,” “Las Vegas,” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” “Criminal Minds,” “9-1-1,” “Big Sky,” and a recurring guest starring role on “Bel-Air.” Film credits include Full Metal Jacket, Against All Odds, Sudden Death, and Showtime’s 12 Angry Men, among others.
$62 cover charge (includes $7 in fees). $100.50 premium seating (includes $10.50 in fees). $25 food & beverage minimum.
NEW WRITERS AT 54! RASHAD MCPHERSON – FEBRUARY 25 AT 9:30PM
New Writers at 54! Rashad McPherson will be an evening of music wherein we all share in a songwriter’s journey. The experience will include the mountaintops of accomplishment, achievement, and success; but also the valley lows of closed doors, difficult moments, and missed opportunities.
Join Rashad McPherson, his band and singers, and several special guests for a night of original music that will span genres. Giving each of us a reminder to keep believing.
Featuring Ken Alston, Jr., Kyle Ramar Freeman, and Cristina Raé. Joined by Shawn Dustin on drums, Jeff Huart on keys, AJ Jagannath on guitar, and Criston Oates on bass.
Also joined by supporting vocals Tyneshia Hill, Chauncey Matthews, Alexis Tidwell, and Candida Walker.
New Writers At 54! is an ongoing series at 54 Below showcasing exciting work by today’s hottest emerging voices, curated by Assistant Programming Director Alexa Spiegel.
$40 cover charge (includes $5 in fees). $67.50 premium seating (includes $7.50 in fees). $25 food & beverage minimum.
LIVE AT 54 BELOW
54 Below’s streaming series is designed to make more shows accessible to fans all over the world. “Live from 54 Below” will feature LIVE performances of current shows on the calendar, streamed directly from Broadway’s Living Room. Seven cameras will capture the excitement of being at the venue – all paired with the club’s dramatic lighting and award-winning sound design. To recreate the live experience, all shows will be presented exclusively at the time of performance with an in-house audience and will not be available on demand afterwards.
The following performances will be streamed live. For tickets, visit www.54Below.org/LIVE.
JOAQUINA KALUKANGO February 15 at 7pm ET / Tickets $28.50 (includes $3.50 in fees.)
KING’S ACADEMY JAZZ: NIGHT OF JAZZ FEATURING NICOLE HENRY February 16 at 7pm ET / Tickets $28.50 (includes $3.50 in fees.)
NEW WRITERS AT 54! DIONNE MCCLAIN-FREENEY February 18 at 9:45pm ET / Tickets $28.50 (includes $3.50 in fees.)
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