In this abridged version with original music, we witness how timeless the text is and how strongly it resonates amidst these precarious times for women’s rights.Â
54 BELOW will present Tony Award® nominee Mary Bridget Davies in a concert reading of Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own - a play with original music, on November 5th, 2022 at 7:00 pm.
A Room of One's Own is both a landmark in feminist thought and a rhetorical masterpiece, which started life as Virginia Woolf's lectures to the literary societies of Newnham and Girton Colleges, Cambridge, in October 1928. It was then published by the Hogarth Press in 1929 in a revised and expanded edition that has never been out of print. Addressed to audiences of female students, it became an unforgettable and passionate assertion of women's empowerment by one of the great writers of the 20th century. In this abridged version with original music, we witness how timeless the text is and how strongly it resonates amidst these precarious times for women's rights.
With the permission of The Estate of Virginia Woolf, producers Armand & Paiva LLC (Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812, Merrily We Roll Along, The Queen's Six) and Bev Ragovoy (Come From Away, A Night With Janis Joplin, Shout Sister Shout) present a unique version of this classic text as a play with original blues and rock music. After a successful debut of the concert reading at The Public Theater's Joe's Pub in October 2022, the creative team takes the show to Broadway's 'living room' next at 54 Below!
Mary Bridget Davies received a Tony Award® nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for her performance as Janis in A Night With Janis Joplin. She is a trained dancer, touring with dance productions with Tina Landon, and also studied improv with Second City in Cleveland. She has toured in Europe with Janis Joplin's original band, Big Brother and The Holding Company, and has recorded several albums including "Stay With Me: The Reimagined Songs of Jerry Ragovoy" on Broadway Records.
Kirsten Z. Cairns directs the concert reading. She is Artistic Director and Founder of Enigma Chamber Opera, and former Director of Opera Studies at the Boston Conservatory, where she staged many productions including Benjamin Britten's The Turn of The Screw and Curlew River, which was hailed in the Boston Globe as 'a transcendent experience.'
The songwriting team includes TJ Armand, a full-scholarship recipient from Berklee College of Music and a protegé of the late Atlantic Records VP Arif Mardin (Bette Midler, Chaka Khan, Bee Gees), who doubles as Davies' music producer and manager. Mark Berman ("Sex and The City," "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," Bullets Over Broadway) co-wrote the songs and serves as the show's pianist. Guitar virtuoso Alex Prezzano (A Night with Janis Joplin) will also join Berman and Davies on stage.
Mary Bridget Davies in A Room Of One's Own plays 54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on November 5th at 7pm. There is a $30-$40 cover charge ($34.50-$45.50 with fees) and $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.com. 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 $1.50 facility fee.
54 Below was founded as a place for the Broadway community to celebrate Broadway performers, both established and new, who sing not only the music of Broadway and the Great American Songbook, but also new material intended for Broadway and off-Broadway stages. The club features fine dining and superb scenic, lighting, and sound designs entirely imagined by Broadway designers. For performers, writers, musicians, and more, 54 Below gives opportunities to advance their craft, expand their repertoires, and develop their voices in a way that is more personal, making them stronger as artists. It gives Broadway fans an opportunity to see their favorite artists in a different way, deepening their relationship and understanding of their talent.
A recipient of the 2022 TONY AWARDS® Honor for Excellence in the Theatre, 54 Below celebrates Broadway musicals and writers of the past and present, promoting an ongoing engagement with their work. It is also a place for innovation in musical songwriting and performance. Collaborations born at 54 Below give rise to and help develop new theatrical projects and new musicals. In addition, its popular streaming video activities and audio recordings support these activities, helping to build a new Broadway audience worldwide, both in age and geography.
54 Below is one of the most in-demand performance venues in the city, presenting over 700 shows each year. Unique in its mission, it has become an indispensable member of the Broadway ecosystem, providing a place for seasoned and emerging artists to hone their craft, try out new work, grow their fanbases, and gather as a community. The management team includes Proprietors and nine-time Tony Award® winning Broadway producers Steve Baruch, Richard Frankel, and Tom Viertel, Creative and Programming Director Jennifer Ashley Tepper, and restaurant General Manager Mandisa Boxill.
Located at 254 West 54th Street, the club presents live shows at 7pm and 9:30pm. Tickets and information at 54below.com.
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