Sherie Rene Scott, Norbert Leo Butz & More Set for 54 Below this Week

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. 54 Below also launched its series of late night events. Joining Tuesday nights' popular "Backstage" with Susie Mosheris the "54 Piano Bar," a new vocal competition - "The Callback," and more:

Sherie Rene Scott, June 17, 19, 20, 24, 26 & 27 at 7PM, June 21, 22, 28 & 29 at 8PM, June 28 & 29 at 11PM:
Sherie's back, front and center, for a limited two-week run of the highly-anticipated return engagement of her acclaimed show, Piece Of Meat. The New York Times raved, "I want to see it again and again!" It was called "One of the year's very best" by Time Out New York and praised for its "passion, wit and sincerity" by The Village Voice. Piece of Meat is an exhilarating show about human desires - carnal, culinary and otherwise - and Ms. Scott explores her singular storytelling and musical abilities with songs by Joni Mitchell, Paul McCartney, Talking Heads, Pete Townshend, Annie Lennox, Dire Straights, Buddy Holly, Kate Bush and Noah & The Whale, as well as original compositions by Music Director Todd Almond. The show features Musical Staging by Michele Lynch and Direction by Lear deBessonett. A multiple Tony Award loser/Obie and Lortel Award winner, Ms Scott's work off and on Broadway covers an array of well-loved productions including her own Everyday Rapture (co-written with Dick Scanlan), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, The Little Mermaid, Landscape of the Body, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Aida, Rent & The Who's Tommy. With Kurt Deutsch, she co-founded Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight Records, receiving Grammy Awards and nominations, plus a 2006 Drama Desk Award for dedication to the preservation of musical theatre through cast recordings. www.sherierenescott.com Cover charge $25-70. $25-30 food & beverage minimum.

Morgan James, June 17 at 9:30PM:
Currently starring in Broadway's Motown: The Musical as Teena Marie and others, Morgan James brings her smoky and soulful renditions of songs from her debut CD to 54 Below, as well as a sampling of tunes you've not yet heard from her. Her debut recording on Epic Records, Morgan James Live: A Celebration of Nina Simone,offers up a selection of songs that show off her extraordinary voice and exquisite gift for merging soul, jazz, and R&B in a fresh and thrilling new way. She's fast becoming one of the most sought-after multi-genre vocalists in the country. Morgan was recently seen in the Broadway revival of Godspell (who could forget her sultry rendition of Turn Back, O Man?). Come see what led Terry Teachout of The Wall Street Journal to declare Morgan "the most promising young vocalist to come along so far this century." Cover charge $25-35. $25 food & beverage minimum.

LATE NIGHT: THE CALLBACK, June 17 at 11PM:
At The Callback on Monday nights, contestants perform for a chance to win their own cabaret show at 54 Below. Contestants are chosen by video audition, their performances recorded and uploaded to 54 Below's Facebook and Youtube page, and each week, a winner is determined by audience vote to progress to the next round. "The Callback" contestants may also have the chance to sing in front of industry executives and Broadway celebrity guest judges as they move forward in the competition. For more information on "The Callback" rules or how to submit an audition video, please visit www.54Below.com. No cover charge. $20 food & beverage minimum.

WBGO JAZZ SERIES: PAQUITO D'RIVERA & THE CLASSICS, June 18 at 7PM & 9PM:
The Cuban saxophonist/clarinetist and his sextet perform revelatory and highly propulsive Pan American/Latin American arrangements of the classics by Bach, Mozart, Ernesto Lecuona, Astor Piazzolla, Debussy, Manzanero, Rachmaninoff, and many more.? Paquito D'Rivera, clarinet, alto saxophone;? Diego Urcola, trumpet, trombone;? Alex Brown, piano; Zack Brown, bass; ?Eric Doob, drums.? Cover charge $25-35. $15 food & beverage minimum.

LATE NIGHT: BACKSTAGE, June 18 at 10:30PM:
Each week, Broadway cast members and audiences alike gather to mix and mingle at 54 Below, Broadway's most intimate haunt, located in the heart of the theatre district. Musical Director Brad Simmons keeps the house jumping from the piano, while host Susie Mosher (the love child of Joanne Worley & Paul Lynde) guides the crowd through an evening of music, mayhem and full throttle belting, with special guests from Broadway and beyond dropping in to perform. NPR had this to say: "The best thing happening right now might just be the weekly Backstage. Hosted by the ridiculously funny Susie Mosher and pianist Brad Simmons who clearly is the man, it's two feel-good hours among New York's theater people, who seem like they're having a really fine time. Can't recommend it highly enough!" At this week's Backstage is Morgan James (Motown, Godspell, Addams Family), Carly Sakolove (NEWSical), ?Ned Massey (Four Messages), Katie Thompson (Big Fish, Giant), Elena Bennett ? (Jazz Vocalist), Lindsay Roginski (Chicago), Nick Adams (Priscilla Queen of the Desert), and ?Adam Feldman (Time Out NY's Soulful Troubadour). No cover charge. $20 food & beverage minimum.

MX. JUSTIN VIVIan Bond, June 19 & 20 at 9:30PM
For six nights in June, Justin VivIan Bond, under the Musical Direction of Emmy Award-winning composer Lance Horne, will be casting a LOVE spell at 54 below. Earn your merit badge on the ways of LOVE by entering a midsummer night's dreamscape of musical enchantment featuring a collection of songs with "LOVE" in the title made famous by a wide variety entertainers such as Lena Horne, Kate Bush, Cat Power, The Gossip, Bronski Beat and MORE! Get ready for the summer of love at 54 Below!... Viva L'Amour! Cover charge $25-35. $25 food & beverage minimum.

LATE NIGHT: THE STUDIO; Guns, A Cabaret, June 19 at 11PM:
After a successful run at NYU Tisch, GUNS, A CABARET, directed by Elizabeth Swados, is heading to 54 Below for a one time performance. A taunting and humorous cabaret diving into the psychology of our now on The Edge national struggle with firearms, this cabaret features songs about the complexities of gun use in the modern world composed by the cast. No cover charge. $20 food & beverage minimum.

LATE NIGHT: 15:54, June 20 at 11PM:
In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes. On June 20th, "15:54″ will unlock the doors for a weekly Thursday Late Night series featuring the best of New York City's cutting edge nightlife. Re-inventing the magic of Studio 54, resident artists, performers, and DJ's will serve you 15-minute sets at 54 Below. Upcoming artists and DJ sets include: Bridget Everett, Lance Horne, Corey Tut, Jamez Lopez, Lord Easy, Emma Dean, The Deep Pink, remixes by Quinn McCarthy, The Creamery Studio and many others TBA. Cover charge $15. No food & beverage minimum.

Norbert Leo Butz, June 21 & 22 at 11PM:
Back by popular demand! Two-time Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz returns with a BRAND NEW SHOW focusing on the female - both the mythic & the contemporary. Expect tunes from the likes of Elvis Costello, Loretta Lynn, Frank Sinatra and even a litttle Johnny Cash! After celebrating his dazzling cabaret debut (which went on to be the critically-lauded CD) last year at 54 Below, we're delighted to re-welcome the star of Wicked, The Last 5 Years, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Thou Shalt Not, Catch Me if You Can and the forthcoming Big Fish. Cover charge $30-50. $25 food & beverage minimum.

AMBER MARTIN, June 23 at 7PM:
This high-octane vocalist belts out a collection of the best songs ever written by acclaimed singer/songwriter Laura Nyro, joined by a bevy of superior musicians. Lovers of Laura Nyro can expect the evening of their lives as Amber interprets some of Laura's finest hits along with some very obscure cuts, performed live like they've never been heard before. From singing backing vocals for The Scissor Sisters to her sold-out performances in some of New York's hippest venues, Amber's shows have been likened to "watching Ruth Draper after she's come back from an acid trip during which she thought she was Janis Joplin." An acclaimed vocalist and comedic performance artist in the tradition of Lily Tomlin, Carol Burnett and Dolly Parton, Amber was recently named one of New York's Top 10 performers byThe New Yorker. www.AmberMartin.org Cover charge $25-35. $20 food & beverage minimum.

Nikki M. James, June 23 at 9:30PM:
The Tony Award winning star of The Book of Mormon makes her cabaret & 54 below debut! Nikki M. James shares an evening of song and personal stories, including a mix of Broadway favorites, contemporary pop and a few surprises. In addition to her celebrated work in Mormon, Broadway audiences have embraced Nikki in All Shook Up and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. She'll soon star in the upcoming movie musical, Lucky Stiff. Cover charge $30-40. $25 food & beverage minimum.

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (866) 468-7619.

54 BELOW, Broadway's nightclub, is the new 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 54,54 BELOW is a classically designed state-of-the art nightclub in the theatre district that hosts audiences with warmth and style.

In their description of 54 BELOW, The New York Times writes "the club 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." The New York Post calls the venue "a gorgeous new cabaret space. With its heavy lineup of moonlighting Broadway stars, 54 Below has the congenial feel of a theater hangout where stars go to unwind and sing the songs that really matter to them. It's a pleasure to share their joy."

Designed by Tony Award winner John Lee Beatty and architect Richard Lewis, lit by Tony Award winner Ken Billington, and with sound by Tony Award nominee Peter Hylenski, 54 BELOW features an in-your-living-room intimate relationship between its performers and audiences. Tony Award winner Scott Wittman serves as Creative Consultant and MAC Award Winner Phil Geoffrey Bondserves as Director of Programming. André J. Marrero is the Executive Chef of the new venue, which 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. Bringing together his love of the arts with his passion for cooking and hospitality, Chef André has created a market driven contemporary bistro menu that includes ingredients sourced from all over the world.

54 BELOW is owned and operated by Tony Award winning producers Tom Viertel, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, and Steven Baruch. 54 BELOW features up to three shows nightly and has audio and video recording capabilities. The cover charge ranges from $15-$115.

54 BELOW is located at 254 West 54th Street. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.com.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride

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