Interview: Stephanie Lazard of 54 SINGS SAMMY RAE & THE FRIENDS at 54 Below

54 Below has a long history of testing out new waters, with regards to the content that they present.  Thanks to a crackerjack team of bookers, developers, producers, and creatives working throughout the club, the Tony Award winning club has gone far beyond the elegant moniker of Broadway's Living Room to become a place where young artists can display their music and their musical tastes.  Everything from folk music to punk rock has been enjoyed in the basement club on 54th Street, and one of the most popular and effective ways of getting those different genres and artists out there is the 54 SINGS series, during which one might sit back for an hour of Ariana, a set of Styles, or a dose of Dolly, and everyone loves a good theme night, don't they?

On September 4th, the club will present a 54 Sings night dedicated to the super popular band Sammy Rae & The Friends with an exciting cast that features former 54 solo artists, actors from the Broadway stage, and even 54 Below's own Cassi Mikat, returning for the first time since completing grad school.

As final rehearsals for 54 SINGS SAMMY RAE & THE FRIENDS get underway, producer Stephanie Lazard took out some time to chat with Broadway World Cabaret about life in the basement as a producer, the allure of Sammy Rae & The Friends, and the need to dance.

This interview was conducted digitally and is reproduced without edits.

Stephanie Lazard, welcome to Broadway World! 

Thank you so much for having me!

You have been a producer at 54 Below for a while now, and you and I chatted during the 54 Gets Warped show last year.  What have you learned since jumping into the producing pond?

This is actually the third show I’ve produced at 54 Below! Elmo Zapp and I produced 54 Sings Hanson together way back in 2019. Neither of us had been in NYC for very long (we both moved here from LA) and we basically just asked a bunch of our friends to do this silly little show with us. It was back in the time of 11:30 PM shows at the club and we had no idea if anyone would show, but it turned out to be a hit and so much fun! One of the big things we learned from that show, and then jumping into 54 Gets Warped, was that we absolutely wanted to keep working with our friends. These shows can be a lot of work and stressful to put together, but when you do it surrounded by some of the best people in the business who also happen to be your friends? It just makes the night that much more special and worth it.

Your latest project is 54 SINGS SAMMY RAE & THE FRIENDS.  There are a lot of 54 Sings shows, it is one of the staples of the club.  How does the club and the creative team go about choosing who 54 will sing during each season?

Coming straight from 54 Below Creative and Programming Director Jennifer Ashley Tepper, "54 Sings" is the series and term we use to encompass all shows at 54 Below where artists are performing the work of one music artist, genre, piece of media, or creative property. Shows falling under this umbrella are both pitched to us by artists and pitched by us to artists, depending on programming needs. We always strive to program a variety of different kinds of shows, pay attention to what audiences want to see, and collaborate with artists to figure out what the best "54 Sings" choices for the venue are. This can also be affected by everything from which permissions can be obtained if a specific musical is being celebrated, to what property might be celebrating an anniversary year, to which performers are available for a given show. The 54 Sings shows have been produced by hundreds of different concert producers we've worked with over the past decade and have celebrated everything and everyone from The Spice Girls to Irving Berlin to 1776. Using the all-encompassing "54 Sings" helps tie together the concerts with our brand, remind people that they'll be seeing a concert rather than a full production, and provide direct information in show titles about exactly what audience members can expect.

Once the artists being profiled in the 54 Sings series, how is it determined how many producers each show will have and who those producers will be?

In my specific situations, I have always produced shows at 54 Below alongside someone. Once we’ve discussed our plans for the show, we pitch the idea to the 54 Below Programming team together. Many 54 Sings shows only have one producer, but some will have a whole producing team. It is all up to the individual show and what they might need to ensure their performance is top notch!

What is it about Sammy Rae & The Friends that made them a group just right for the 54 Sings series?

While their website mentions that their sound is a mix of Sammy’s influences, rooted in classic rock, folk, and funk and sprinkled with soul and jazz, they are so theatrical live, to the point where you can imagine their music being part of a musical. Sammy’s voice is one of the most iconic, unique, and gorgeous sounds I’ve ever heard. They’ve mentioned they come from theatre, and it absolutely showed in their SummerStage set a few months ago with multiple quick changes and even a costume reveal that rivaled many I’ve seen on Broadway. We aren’t trying to make this show a copy of what you’d see them do live, but we are definitely going to honor them with what we have planned! All our performers are friends or fans of the band, and I think we are really going to do their music justice! The band has also been so supportive of the show with their posts and comments all over Instagram. It’s been a dream come true working on this show.

Tell me about your personal journey with the group Sammy Rae & The Friends and why it’s important for you to shine this light on their work.

I heard a few songs here and there back in 2019/20 and really enjoyed their vibe. But I’d say it wasn’t until around early 2022 when I was hanging out with a friend and he turned them on that I really got hooked. I love their unyielding support of the LGBTQ+ community. I love how unapologetic and true to themselves they are. I love that their music can be enjoyed by anyone, and that each person might feel differently listening to each song. I wanted to do this show at 54 Below so we could not only bring their music to people who are already fans, but to those who might not have heard their music before, too.

54 Below is Broadway’s Living Room but we’ve seen the club branch out in many different directions, genre-wise.  Is it possible to put butts in seats in a Broadway-centric nightclub when doing rock shows, pop shows, punk shows, and genres that veer a little further away from The Great White Way?

Oh absolutely! I think what makes 54 Below such an incredible venue is that it allows musical theatre performers to come in and showcase their own music or genres they don’t typically get to sing daily. With the 54 Sings series, specifically, many feature a lineup of incredible Broadway performers, which might be why someone decides to buy a ticket.  If someone comes to a show I’m producing just to see their favorite Broadway performer, my hope is that they leave being a fan of the artist we are showcasing. So many people, myself included, are lovers of musical theatre and a bunch of other genres, that it just makes sense to mix the two together!  

As a producer, when you are casting a show like 54 Sings Sammy Rae and The Friends, how do you start the casting process? How do you know which theatrical singing actors will be able to sing non-theatrical music?

For this show specifically, I went straight to my friends who I know love the band to ask them to be part of it. I then went through Instagram to see who I follow that also follows SR&TF, as well as who Sammy Rae follows, and created a list of people I knew I had to ask. The number of enthusiastic “yeses” I got back very quickly made me confident that this show was going to be a success! Elmo works closely with the performers to make sure each song sounds the best it can sound. Because of how theatrical Sammy Rae is, there is no doubt in my mind that every single performer in the cast is going to nail it!

I’ve noticed that the shows you produce lean into rock music and an air of celebration.  Where does the partying instinct come from, for you?

I’m not even sure! Music really helps define my mood and I love songs I can move my body to. I’ve always been a dancer, and movement, whether it’s jumping up and down at a concert or being in a dance class, is such a cathartic release for me. I get a lot of joy listening to music, and I want to try and bring that to others when they come to my shows.   

You are back, for this show, with your producing partner, Elmo Zapp, but also with frequent 54B producer Vaibu Mohan.  What is the dynamic between the three of you while producing by committee?

I will always work with Elmo in one capacity or another. He’s the best!  This time around he stepped away from the producer role and is focusing on music directing and playing bass, but I still rely heavily on him for decisions (whether he likes it or not)! Vaibu is such a joy to work with because she brings a fresh take on things and is insanely knowledgeable in this business. We all complement each other really well and work great together! It’s been a really lovely process.

Say I’ve never heard Sammy Rae & The Friends before and get me started on their work with your best pitch.

It is impossible not to sing and dance along to Sammy Rae & The Friends! Their sound is unique, their positivity is infectious, and they put on one of the best live shows you will ever see! Every person in the band comes from a different background in music and that mix of jazz, rock, and even musical theatre really comes through. From the lyrics down to the killer vocals, there is something for everyone to enjoy. I think everyone needs to find them on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, etc. right now and enjoy!

Stephanie Lazard, thanks for talking to us today and have fun on September 4th!

Thank you so much for having me! I can’t wait for everyone to see what we have in store for the show!

54 SINGS SAMMY RAE & THE FRIENDS will play 54 Below on September 4th at 9:30 pm.  Information and reservations can be accessed on the 54 Below website HERE.

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