54 Below to Present HERE'S LOVE TO THE MUSIC MAN Celebration of Meredith Willson

54 BELOW will present Here’s Love to The Music Man: A Celebration of Songwriter Meredith Willson. Musical fireworks will ignite sparks on stage this coming Labor Day weekend, with this joyous evening of Meredith Willson standards, showtunes, and unexpected surprises, starring a stellar cast of Broadway stalwarts.

This intimate autobiographical revue takes you on a journey from the Midwestern icon’s humble beginnings in Mason City, Iowa, to becoming one of the most popular and acclaimed songwriters, conductors, arrangers and radio and TV personalities of the 20th Century, and the composer, lyricist, and bookwriter of The Music Man, the quintessential All American musical. You’ll hear showstoppers from that show, as well as The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Here’s Love (aka Miracle on 34th Street), The Silver Triangle, a song written in honor of JFK,  and Willson’s Billboard chart-topping hits that became standards, including “You and I,” “I See the Moon,” “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “May The Good Lord Bless and Keep You,” and “Till There Was You,” the only Broadway showtune ever recorded by The Beatles!

Produced, conceived, directed and hosted by Tony Award® nominee and Theatre World Award winner Walter Willison (Grand Hotel, Two By Two, Pippin), who also produced, conceived and directed the critically acclaimed Grand Hotel: The of 35th Original Broadway Cast Reunion Concert Honoring Tommy Tune’s 85th Birthday at 54 Below in February, which will return, by popular demand, for four encore performances on November 13th, 14th, and 15th. Musical direction and special arrangements are by Michael Lavine, most recently musical director of the star studded 40th Anniversary tribute to The Rink at 54 Below.

Here's Love to The Music Man: A Celebration of Songwriter Meredith Willson stars Loni Ackerman (Cats, Evita, Starting Here, Starting Now), Cheryl Ann Allen (“Apple Pie Dreams”), Nikita Burshteyn (Romeo & Bernadette), Emmy Award and 2024 ISA Best Actress winner Jennifer Bassey Davis (“Omni Loop”, opening nationwide in September, “All My Children”, California Suite), Melinda Hopkins (Two By Two tour), Marcy DeGonge Manfredi (Cats, The Phantom of the Opera), Michael Notardonato (Romeo & Bernadette), Jill Paice (An American in Paris, Matilda, Curtains), Ron Spivak (Promenade), Cynthia Thomas (Ain’t Misbehavin’), Tony Award® nominee Walter Willison (Grand Hotel, Two By Two, Pippin), and Sheila Wormer (“Better Dead Than Red”, “Every Vote Counts”).

The creative team also includes costume coordinator Mitchell Bloom (veteran of 27 Broadway shows, including Grand Hotel, and The Metropolitan Opera).

Here’s Love to The Music Man: A Celebration of Songwriter Meredith Willson plays 54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on September 1st at 7pm. Cover charges are $62 (includes $7 in fees) - $73 (includes $8 in fees). Premiums are $117 (includes $12 in fees) - $122.50 (includes $12.50 in fees). $25 food & beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at 54below.org/events/heres-love Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00pm are only available by calling (646) 476-3551. All online and phone ticket purchases are subject to fees of 10% of ticket price, plus a $1.50 facility fee.

 

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