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John McDaniel to Direct COME FLY WITH ME, Starring Jeff Harnar, Linda Hart and More 11/21 at 54 Below

By: Oct. 18, 2013
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54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Cabaret and Broadway favorites Jeff Harnar, Linda Hart, Nicolas King and Jennifer Sheehan in "COME FLY WITH ME" on November 21, 2013. The evening is a centenary celebration of the lyrics of Sammy Cahn and the music of Jimmy Van Heusen and was conceived and directed by Grammy and Emmy Award winner, John McDaniel, during his first season as artistic director of the O'Neill Theater Center's Cabaret and Performance conference. Mr. McDaniel makes his New York directorial debut with this show.

"COME FLY WITH ME" stars the original O'Neill Theater Center cast: Jeff Harnar, Linda Hart, Nicolas King and Jennifer Sheehan, who have each become well loved on Cabaret and Broadway stages. Music Direction is by Tedd Firth, with Tom Hubbard on bass. The music arrangements were created by Tedd Firth and John McDaniel.

"COME FLY WITH ME" plays 54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on Thursday, November 21, 2013 at 9:30pm. There is a $35-$45 cover charge and $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.com. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00 are only available by calling (646) 476-3551.

Jeff Harnar is the winner of the 2012 Noel Coward Foundation Cabaret Award. Carnegie Hall appearances include both the Cole Porter and Noel Coward Centennial Galas. Jeff was artistic director and host of the three seasons of "The American Songbook in London" at The Jermyn Theatre and Pizza on The Park. Television credits include his critically acclaimed "The 1959 Broadway Songbook" (PBS). Jeff tours nationally with Shauna Hicks in their symphony "Pops" concert "I Got Rhythm: Mickey & Judy's Hollywood." Jeff has released four solo CD's and is the winner of 3 MAC Awards and 3 Back Stage Bistro Awards. Look for Jeff as the nightclub singer in "A Portrait of James Dean" (Iconoclast Films 2013).

Linda Hart - On Broadway, Linda has created original roles in both "Catch Me If You Can" and the Tony Award winning "Hairspray." She won a Theatre World Award for her performance in "Anything Goes" at Lincoln Center. She was one Bette Midler's Harlettes in her Broadway productions, "Divine Madness" and "DeTour". Off-Broadway, she starred in "The Great American Trailer Park Musical", "Gemini", and "Surviving Grace". Other highlights include "Light Up the Sky" at Pasadena Playhouse (Drama-Logue Award) and "A Flea in Her Ear" at Chicago Shakespeare. On film, Linda has starred opposite Kevin Coster in both "Tin Cup" and "A Perfect World". She also appeared in the Academy Award-Winning "The Insider", and her favorite, "Get Shorty" with John Travolta. Linda played Mazeppa in the CBS-TV production of "Gypsy," starring Bette Midler, and has appeared on dozens of TV series and mini-series, including as one of the stars of the hit FOX series, "The Winner." Linda has headlined with the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, and can be heard on many original cast albums, as well as twelve albums with her Gospel, Grammy Award-Winning family, The Harts! Miss Hart is thrilled to be starring in the upcoming new musical, "Piece of My Heart," slated for this Spring.

Nicolas King has appeared in three Broadway productions, "Beauty & The Beast", "A Thousand Clowns" and "Hollywood Arms", as well as in dozens of national and international TV commercials including the award-winning "Oscar Mayer Lunchables". He is the winner of 2012 Bistro Award (Outstanding Vocalist of the Year) and the 2010 Julie Wilson Cabaret Award. TV performances include spots on The Tonight Show, The Today Show, The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon and Kenny The Shark. He has often been the opening act for Liza Minnelli in concert.

Award-winning vocalist Jennifer Sheehan has performed for audiences across the country and in the UK. Highlights include performances at Carnegie Hall (as the guest of Michael Feinstein), Cafe? Carlyle, Feinstein's at Loews Regency, the Savannah Music Festival, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, Guild Hall in Easthampton, the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, the Juilliard at Aiken Festival, Ely Cathedral in England, The Colony Hotel's Royal Room in Palm Beach, the Brownville Concert Series in Nebraska, The Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis and more. She also has sung in numerous concerts at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, and many of New York's prestigious private clubs. She also was slated for a three-week engagement at the fabled Oak Room before The Algonquin Hotel closed the room's doors in 2012. The first-ever recipient of the Johnny Mercer Foundation's "Margaret Whiting Award" and the first-ever winner of the "Noe?l Coward Foundation Competition Award," Ms. Sheehan also has received the Dorothy Loudon Foundation's "Dorothy Loudon Award." Previously, she was honored by the Mabel Mercer Foundation with the "Julie Wilson Award" for outstanding interpretation of the Great American Songbook and was the first- place winner in the National Glenn Miller Vocal Competition. She is a graduate of The Juilliard School.

Tedd Firth (Music Director and Arrangements) is a New York City based musical director, jazz pianist and arranger. As musical director and accompanist he has worked with Barbara Cook, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Maureen McGovern, Tom Wopat, Elaine Paige, Michael Feinstein, Faith Prince, Tony DeSare, Linda Lavin, Christine Ebersole, Lucie Arnaz, Lee Ann Womack, Marilyn Maye, John Schneider, Karen Akers, Mary Cleere Haran, Margaret Whiting, Carol Sloane and many others. Among the jazz musicians he has performed or recorded with are John Pizzarelli, Houston Person, Frank Wess, Mark Whitfield, Red Holloway, Benny Golson and Joe Morello. New York appearances include Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Blue Note, Birdland, the Iridium, the Algonquin, the Cafe Carlyle and Feinstein's at the Regency. Numerous national appearances include a performance at the White House. As an arranger/orchestrator, Tedd's work has been performed by Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, the Detroit, Indianapolis, San Diego, Pittsburgh and Baltimore Symphony Orchestras, the New York Pops and Liza Minnelli. Television appearances include "The Today Show," "Live From Lincoln Center" and "All My Children."

John McDaniel (Director and Arrangements) is a Grammy and two-time Emmy Award winning Music Director, Composer, Arranger, Orchestrator, Theatrical and Record Producer and is the new Artistic Director of the O'Neill Theater Center's Cabaret and Performance conference. Broadway credits include Bonnie & Clyde (Drama Desk Nomination, Best Orchestrations), Catch Me If You Can, Brooklyn (Producer and Orchestrator), Annie Get Your Gun (Grammy Award, cast album Producer), Taboo, Chicago, Grease, Patti LuPone on Broadway and Company - the Original Cast in Concert at Lincoln Center. John is perhaps best known as the band leader on The Rosie O'Donnell Show for its entire 6 year run, for which he won 2 Emmy Awards. Recent credits include Daughter of the Regiment (Opera Theatre of St. Louis), Happy Days (National Tour), Pirates! (St. Louis Muny Opera). John was music director & arranger for concert appearances with Cab Calloway, Shirley MacLaine, George Burns, Al Jarreau, Tyne Daly, Joel Grey, Carol Burnett and Frederica von Stade, Betty Buckley and most recently, Bette Midler. He has been guest conductor at many Symphony Orchestras, including San Francisco, Indianapolis, Phoenix, Buffalo, Colorado, Baltimore and his hometown St. Louis Symphony. He holds a BFA in Drama from Carnegie Mellon.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, is the new 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, 54 BELOW is a classically designed state-of-the art nightclub in the theatre district that hosts audiences with warmth and style. The venue provides a food and beverage menu from early evening through the wee hours of the morning that is worthy of the world-class entertainment on the stage. Located at 254 West 54th Street, 54 BELOW features up to three shows nightly with cover charges ranging from $15-$95.




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