Fred Barton's Broadway Band Returns To Feinstein's/54 Below

Fred Barton's Broadway Band makes its long-awaited return to Feinstein's/54 Below and New York nightlife, with top-drawer guest singers, in a new evening of Broadway gems and Swing rarities, Friday, January 4 at 9:30PM. As always, Fred presents performers who know how to stop shows, and the songs that let them do it, arranged for the band in his trademark explosive style which has made him the orchestrator of choice for the New York Pops and orchestras around the country.

Fred's guest singers include Broadway veterans Karen Murphy and Michele Ragusa, along with Off-Broadway and recording artists AJ Hunsucker, Jesse Luttrell, and Karen Wilder. The repertoire includes his favorite songwriters: Jule Styne, Frank Loesser, Cy Coleman, Bob Merrill, and Johnny Mercer, along with some unsung heroes of the Golden Age - with Fred's knack for the spontaneous anecdote tying them all together.

Fred Barton: "I love show music. I love a good band. I love a great singer. And I especially love a great singer singing a great show tune with a great band. I know a bunch of great old-school Broadway performers, a bunch of great songs that aren't being heard, and I know a bunch of show music fans like me - and I've got a great 8-piece band comprised of Broadway's best musicians. I'm happy we can all get together and recall the words of Jerry Herman' song: 'There is no tune like a show tune!'"

Fred Barton and his Broadway Band will perform at Feinstein's/54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on Friday, January 4, at 9:30PM. There is a cover charged tiered at $25, $35, and $65 (Premium) seating, and a $25 food and/or beverage minimum. Tickets and further information are available at https://54below.com/events/fred-bartons-broadway-band/.

MORE ABOUT THE CAST

Karen Murphy's Broadway credits include A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, 9 TO 5, ALL SHOOK UP, 42ND ST., and TITANIC, as well as her acclaimed turns Off-Broadway in Forbidden Broadway, ZOMBIE PROM, and MY VAUDEVILLE MAN. She just returned from playing a featured role in the FINDING NEVERLAND tour, as well as in OLIVER! at the Goodspeed Opera House. She has sung with major symphony orchestras nationwide.

Michele Ragusa played leading roles in Broadway's YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, URINETOWN, TITANIC, RAGTIME, A CLASS ACT, and CYRANO: THE MUSICAL. Off-Broadway credits include DISASTER and ADRIFT IN MACAO, for which she garnered the Barrymore Award. Her versatility has taken her from major regional roles as diverse as Anna in THE KING AND I and Miss Hannigan in ANNIE. She is a regular featured guest with major symphony orchestras nationwide.

AJ Hunsucker has appeared in the National Tour of THE PRODUCERS, with featured roles in Off Broadway's FABULOUS! and THE GIRL WHO CAME TO SUPPER, as well as appearances in Fred Barton's AMERICAN SHOWSTOPPERS concert series at the Michael Schimmel Center downtown. Extensive regional productions include CRAZY FOR YOU, MY FAIR LADY, THE LITTLE MERMAID, and HAIRSPRAY.

Jesse Luttrell has just returned from performing his acclaimed one-man show SHOWSTOPPER in London and Puerta Vallarta, after multiple engagements at Feinstein's/54 Below. His solo CD is being streamed to fans around the world. His burlesque-meets-vaudeville revue BAWDY ran for six years at the Triad, and Jesse performed regularly in Fred Barton's AMERICAN SHOWSTOPPERS concert series at the Michael Schimmel Center. Numerous major roles in regional productions include CABARET, CATS, CAROUSEL, and MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS.

KAREN WILDER appeared with Fred Barton in the original Forbidden Broadway, having performed in numerous regional productions including GUYS & DOLLS, MACK & MABEL, NO NO NANETTE, and DAMES AT SEA. Karen performed on the original Broadway cast albums of SUGAR BABIES, PRETTYBELLE, RAGS, THE BAKER'S WIFE, BRING BACK BIRDIE, and ONWARD VICTORIA, and the studio recreations of SHERRY! (with Nathan Lane and Bernadette Peters) and BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S (with Faith Prince).

MORE ABOUT Fred Barton

Fred Barton is an acclaimed composer, lyricist, orchestrator, conductor, and actor. His symphonic arrangements are played regularly by the NY Pops at Carnegie Hall and in major concert halls nationwide. Fred debuted at age 23 as arranger-pianist for the original Forbidden Broadway (Drama Desk and Tony Awards.) He served the same role on WHOOP-DEE-DOO! (Drama Desk Awards), as well as arranging and playing SPAMILTON in New York, supervising the Chicago, LA, London, and recently launched National Tour. In 1983, Fred created book, music, and lyrics for his one-man show MISS GULCH RETURNS! (Back Stage Bistro Award), still produced by theatres nationwide into 2019, with the 1986 CD still selling and streaming steadily. Broadway and National Tour conducting: Anthony Quinn in ZORBA, Hal Prince's revival of CABARET, Cy Coleman's CITY OF ANGELS (Broadway, LA productions and National Tour), and Robert Goulet in CAMELOT. TV Composer-Arranger-Conductor credits include THE MAGIC SCHOOLBUS (Emmy Award), HBO's CATHOUSE: THE MUSICAL, WONDER PETS! (Emmy Award), and OLIVIA. Fred has arranged and/or played for nearly 80 musical theatre stars.

MORE ABOUT FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW

Michael Feinstein, one of the world's great musical artists, and 54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, have united to give New York an unparalleled destination for entertainment and dining. Feinstein's/54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, is the 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 that hosts audiences with warmth and style. Feinstein's/54 Below presents iconic and rising stars from the worlds of Broadway and popular music. 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. In their description of the venue, The New York Times writes that Feinstein's/54 Below "has the intimacy of a large living room with unimpeded views and impeccable sound; there is not a bad seat. 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." Located at 254 West 54th Street, Feinstein's/54 Below features up to three shows nightly with cover charges ranging from $15-$105. https://54below.com/events/fred-bartons-broadway-band/

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