Review: Ann Hampton Callaway Gives Beauty and Love at 54 Below

Love and beauty were the themes of the night at the signature performance of  Ann Hampton Callaway: Finding Beauty - Inspired Classics and Originals at 54 Below on August 21 - 24, 2024.  The Tony-nominated, raven-haired pop and jazz singer, songwriter and actress, took center stage dressed to impress in a black pants ensemble resplendent with a black sequinned top and sparkling accessories.  The filled-to-capacity audience responded with rapturous applause as she began the evening with her theme song, “Finding Beauty”. 

The sonorous songstress possesses a tremendous powerhouse of a voice.  This reviewer was thrilled as song after song showcased her ability to command her voice to not only “hit the back of the room” but to literally envelope the famed venue with her reverberating crooning!  What a performance!  As the strobe lighting on stage danced, the audience was invited to join in as she belted well-known classics including Carole King’s iconic, “I Feel The Earth Move”, “Big Yellow Taxi” (Joni Mitchell) and a duet with the famed Billy Stritch for “New York State of Mind” (Billy Joel). Wow! Wow!  Wow!

The show progressed on its ideals of love and beauty with some original songs of Ann Hampton Callaway, some  in collaboration with many of her illustrious musical friends and idols.  A compilation of one of her early idols, James Taylor’s “Secret O’Life” and her own “You Can’t Rush Spring” relayed how Callaway learned to discover beauty in the world from the famous “Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank.  As she said, if Frank could find “beauty” in her war-torn world, then we all must be able to find it in ours. Additional standout performances of  Callaway originals as well as musical unions with famed artists included   “Forever and a Day” which told of the joy of finding the love of your life and which she dedicated to her spouse, Kari Strand (with Alan Bergman), “Stealing Away ” (with Dan Levine), “New Eyes” talking about friendship and second chances (with Melissa Manchester), “Information Please” an emotional tale based on a 1967 Reader’s Digest story of a young child’s love and friendship with his telephone operator (with Amanda McBroom), and “Love and Let Love”, which has become Callaway’s LGBTQ anthem. Of course, Ann Hampton Callaway’s renowned theme song, “The Nanny Named Fran” from the hit TV show, The Nanny, had theatergoers singing along with delight.  

An amazing onstage duet with her real life sister, Broadway actress and singer Liz Callaway, who came clad in a red overblouse and black slacks, had patrons on their feet.  The two “belters” gave a commanding performance of the Carole King classic “You’ve Got A Friend” to the roar of the crowd.  The talented Broadway siblings showed their true love for each other as they announced they will be starring in a show together at 54 Below over the Thanksgiving week of 2024.

Finishing the show with “Imagine” (John Lennon) / “At the Same Time” (Ann Hampton Callaway) left theatergoers envisioning what a beautiful world Ann Hampton Callaway portrays to her audience.  Thank you Ann Hampton Callaway for giving this reviewer a glimpse into love and beauty through a simply spectacular evening’s show.  

Ann Hampton Callaway: Finding Beauty- Inspired Classics and Originals featured the incomparable Ann Hampton Callaway, guest performer, the amazing Liz Callaway, Musical Director Billy Stritch, Martin Wind (bass) and Tim Horner (drums).

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Find great shows to see on the 54 Below website here.

Visit Ann Hampton Callaway's website to learn more about her.

Header photo credit: Conor Weiss

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