THE SOUND OF MUSIC NUNS' CHRISTMAS PARTY to Play 54 Below Next Month

54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, presents "The Sound Of Music Nuns' Christmas Party" on December 12, 2014 at 9:30 pm. It's been one year since you saw them on national TV in THE SOUND OF MUSIC LIVE!, but these sisters have reunited and are hosting the season's best and most irreverent Christmas party! Celebrate the season at 54 Below with an evening of holiday spirit, majestic choral singing and hilarious storytelling from some of the finest female voices on Broadway.

Featuring Cameron Adams, Wendi Bergamini, Catherine Brunell, Paula Leggett Chase, Margot de La Barre, Rayanne Gonzales, Joy Hermalyn, Leah Horowitz, Autumn Hurlbert, Andrea Jones-Sojola, Jessica Molaskey, Sydney Morton, Elena Shaddow, Laura Shoop, Georgia Stitt and Rema Webb.

The evening will be directed by Gina Rattan and music directed by Georgia Stitt.

In August of 2013 these sixteen women and Audra McDonald, Christiane Noll, Linda Mugleston, Gina Ferrall, Nikki Reneé Daniels, Stowe Brown, Ashley Brown and Adrienne Danrich performed as nuns alongside Carrie Underwood in the live NBC broadcast of "The Sound Of Music." As part of the rehearsal process for the televised event, the women were invited to visit The Benedictine Sisters of The St Walburga Monastery in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The convent had previously hosted a visit in 1959 from Richard Rodgers and Mary Martin who were conducting research for the original Broadway production of "The Sound Of Music." Upon leaving, Mr. Rodgers commented, "We try to entertain, but you Sisters have the real art."

Upon their visit, The Sound of Music Live nuns were touched by the tightly-knit lives of these women, their dedication to their mission and their commitment to their community. All proceeds from this event will be donated as a Christmas gift to The St. Walburga Monastery to support the nuns' modest daily life and further their efforts to deepen community, hospitality, and service in education, health care, and spirituality in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

"The Sound Of Music Nuns' Christmas Party" plays 54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on December 12, 2014 at 9:30 pm. There is a $30-$40 cover charge and a $25 food and beverage minimum. Premium seats are available for $70. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.com. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00 are only available by calling (646) 476-3551.

MORE ABOUT THE (BROADWAY) NUNS:

CAMERON ADAMS: Broadway: The Music Man (Zaneeta), Oklahoma!, Hairspray (u/s Amber), Cry-Baby (u/s Allison), Shrek, Promises, Promises (Miss Della Hoya), How To Succeed... (u/s Rosemary), Nice Work If You Can Get It (u/s Billie and Jeannie). Off-Broadway/Regional: Follies, Little Me both at NYCC Encores!, Inventing Mary Martin at The York Theater, The Unsinkable Molly Brown (Maureen) at The DCPA. TV: NBC The Sound of Music Live!, ABC/Disney's The Music Man (Zaneeta). Love to my family and my Jeremy. @CameronAdamsNYC

WENDI BERGAMINI: BROADWAY: Evita; Promises, Promises (Miss Olson); South Pacific. NATIONAL TOURS: The Light in the Piazza (Franca,1st National), Guys & Dolls, Evita (25th Anniversary tour), Cats (Jellylorum). REGIONAL: Little Dancer (world premiere), Secondhand Lions (Ghita, 5th Avenue Theatre), My Life is a Musical (Woman #2, world premiere, Bay Street), Finian's Rainbow (Westport Country Playhouse), The Baker's Wife (Goodspeed Opera House), Titanic (CLO South Bay Cities), The Grapes of Wrath (The Western Stage). NYC THEATRE: It's...Superman (Encores), Naughty Marietta (Musicals Tonight!), York Theatre, NYGASP. TV/FILM: The Sound of Music Live! www.wendibergamini.com

CATHERINE BRUNELL: In addition to playing a nun and Frau Zeller in the NBC broadcast of Sound Of Music Live, Catherine has been seen on Broadway in Mary Poppins, ELF, Big River (revival), A Tale of Two Cities, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and LES MISERABLES. National tours: Big River, Les Mis. Catherine has played leading roles at Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Old Globe, Paper Mill Playhouse, Goodspeed, MUNY, & Ford's Theatre. Training: Northwestern University.

PAULA LEGGETT CHASE: Broadway: next - On The Twentieth Century (Imelda Thornton), Bye Bye Birdie (Gloria Rasputan), Curtains, The Pajama Game, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Kiss Me, Kate, Damn Yankees, Crazy For You, A Chorus Line. Also, Cabaret (with Joel Grey), Applause at Encores! TV includes:The Sound Of Music, Live, 30 Rock "Randi" (Queen of Jordan episodes); Law & Order (Judge Dorothy Parnell); Unforgettable, Bored to Death, Odd Mom Out, Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? (Mediva).

MARGOT DE LA BARRE: is excited to be making her first appearance at 54 Below! Broadway: South Pacific, Evita, Anything Goes, White Christmas, & Promises, Promises. Tours: The Boy Friend (directed by Julie Andrews), Seven Brides... (Martha). Lucky wife & mommy to my beautiful, supportive family. Happy Holidays, everyone!

RAYANNE GONZALES: proudly worked the habit in NBC's Sound of Music Live! Broadway: The Phantom of the Opera, Hands on a Hardbody. Theatre: Mother Courage, My Fair Lady, The Music Man, Damn Yankees, Señor Discretion Himself (Arena Stage); In the Heights (First National Tour and Walnut Street Theatre); South Pacific (North Carolina Theatre and Casa Mañana); The Music Man (Geva Theatre); Porgy & Bess (Natchez Festival).

JOY HERMALYN: Broadway: Fiddler on the Roof, Cyrano, Candide, A Christmas Carol, Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme. Off-Bwy: Roundabout Death Takes a Holiday, numerous Encores! at City Center. Carnegie: Sound of Music (Sister Berthe); Kristina -Andersson &Ulvaeus. Opera from Austin-Spoleto-Utah. Recent: Sweeney Todd (NY Philharmonic/PBS); Seven Deadly Sins -NYC Ballet (standby Patti LuPone), Gypsy(Rose), Into the Woods(Witch). Voice Teacher @Yale/Kean U, Mom - grateful 2&4 her talented sisters of Sound of Music Live NBC! JoyHermalyn.com

LEAH HOROWITZ: Happy to reunite with my Sisters! Broadway: Follies (Young Heidi - also at Kennedy Center and the Ahmanson); Les Miz (Cosette); White Christmas; Woman in White; Fiddler on the Roof; La Cage Aux Folles; Thoroughly Modern Millie. NYC: The Most Happy Fella, Merrily We Roll Along, and Where's Charley?, all with City Center Encores! Regional: Bright Star (Old Globe). TV: The Sound of Music Live! (NBC), Carousel (PBS). www.leahhorowitz.com.

AUTUMN HURLBERT: Broadway/Tour: Legally Blonde and Little Women (1st National Broadway Tour). Off-Broadway: Second Stage, York Theater Company, Encores! at City Center, Cherry Lane, SoHo Rep, Theater Row. Regional Theater: Actors Theater of Louisville, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Huntington Theater Company, North Carolina Theater, Arena Stage, Goodspeed, Pioneer Theater. Film: Sudden Death! Television: The Sound of Music, Live!, Legally Blonde; The Search For Elle Woods, Guiding Light. Web-Series: Research.

ANDREA JONES-SOJOLA: a native Kentuckian, is delighted to return to 54 Below with her sisters from the Abbey! Broadway: Porgy and Bess (Strawberry Woman). Off Broadway/ Regional: Most Happy Fella (City Center Encores!); Showboat, Sweeney Todd (New York Philharmonic); Showboat,(Carnegie Hall); Three Mo' Divas (Tour). Film/TV: TylerPerry's For Colored Girls (Soprano #3); Sound of Music Live! (Nun #11). Andrea has performed on stages in Africa, Europe and the Middle East in operas such as Cosí fan tutte, The Tender Land and Don Giovanni. Upcoming: Parade (Lincoln Center)

JESSICA MOLASKEY: is a veteran of over a dozen Broadway shows including the recent revival of Sunday in the Park With George. She has appeared in A Man of No Importance and Parade at Lincoln Center, Dream, Tommy, Crazy for You, LES MISERABLES, City of Angels, Chess, Cats, Falsettos and Oklahoma!. For the past eight years she and her husband John Pizzarelli have enjoyed sold-out engagements at the Café Carlyle. She played Sister Berta in the recent NBC production of The Sound of Music Live and Marie in The Most Happy Fella at City Center.

SYDNEY MORTON: Sydney Morton is so excited to reunite with her fellow "Nunsies!" Broadway: Motown (Florence Ballard; OBC), Evita (u/s Mistress; OBC), Memphis (Ensemble; OBC). Tours/Regional: Flashdance (Alex), Jersey Boys (Francine; Chicago Company), High School Musical (Gabriella; Paper Mill Playhouse), MUNY, PCLO. Film/TV: The Intern, Various Commercials. Training: The University of Michigan (BFA Musical Theatre), RADA. Sydney blogs and makes online comedy sketches, all found on sydneymorton.com. Love to P. #NUNLIFE

ELENA SHADDOW: TV: Sister Sophia in NBC's Sound of Music Live! Film: The Intern. Broadway: Anne Dindon in La Cage Aux Folles, The Woman in White, Fiddler on the Roof, Nine, Sweet Smell of Success, Les Miserables. New York: Fanny in Fanny at Encores! The Bacchae at The Public Theatre. London: Magnolia in Showboat at The Royal Albert Hall. Regional: Francesca Johnson in the world premiere of The Bridges of Madison County at Williamstown Theater Festival, Maria in The Sound of Music at Papermill, Olivia in Twelfth Night at Shakes NJ. elenashaddow.com

LAURA SHOOP: (Broadway/New York) Into The Woods, Fiddler On The Roof, Oklahoma!, Bernarda Alba, Jerry Springer: The Opera. (Tour) Thoroughly Modern Millie (1st National). (Regional) The Bridges of Madison County (Williamstown), Rocky Horror Show (Old Globe), Cabaret and Run For Your Wife (Engeman), Carousel (Paper Mill), Lady In The Dark (Prince). TV: The Sound of Music, Live!, Guiding Light, As The World Turns. Concerts: Show Boat (NY Philharmonic), Hello, Dolly! (Indianapoils Symphony). Juilliard Graduate.

REMA WEBB: is a 16 year Broadway veteran and the Founder/Executive Director of On Broadway Performing Arts Training Program. Recently, she appeared in the Tony Nominated Production of Violet at The Roundabout Theatre. Movie Credits include: NBC's The Sound of Music Live, The Oksana Baiul Story, Sudden Death, Beloved, and First Born. She has been a 15 year cast member of Disney's The Lion King and is an Original Cast Member of Broadway's The Book of Mormon. Her Broadway debut was in the 1998 production of Ragtime.

GINA RATTAN: (director) Currently: Resident Director on Matilda The Musical (Broadway) and Associate Director of Peter Pan Live! (NBC). As director: O Beautiful (The University of Illinois), The Tin (Sam French Play Fest), Sweet Tooth (Fringe NYC 2012), How Deep is the Ocean? (NYMF 2012), Twelfth Night (Old Globe San Diego), Virtually Me (National Tour), The Burning House (NY Workshop). Selected credits as associate: The Sound of Music Live! (NBC), Soul Doctor (Broadway), Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (Broadway), Billy Elliot (Broadway-Resident Director), Little House on the Prairie (Guthrie & First Nat'l Tour); Lorca in a Green Dress (Apostrof Fest., Prague); Show Boat (Royal Albert Hall, London); First Wives' Club, King Lear, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Old Globe). Gina works extensively as a teaching artist both at NYU and independently. www.ginarattan.com

GEORGIA STITT: (music director) is a composer/lyricist and a music producer. She wrote The Danger Year; Big Red Sun (NAMT, Arlen Award with John Jiler); Samantha Spade: Ace Detective (commissioned by TADA! with Lisa Diana Shapiro); The Water (with Jeff Hylton and Tim Werenko); and Mosaic (with Cheri Steinkellner). She has three albums: This Ordinary Thursday: The Songs of Georgia Stitt, (2007), Alphabet City Cycle (2009) and My Lifelong Love (2011), and an orchestral piece, Waiting for Wings (Cincinnati Pops, co-written with husband Jason Robert Brown). She teaches at Pace University and is the music supervisor of the upcoming Anna Kendrick/Jeremy Jordan film The Last Five Years. Her best and only acting credit was as Nun #1 in NBC's The Sound Of Music Live! www.georgiastitt.com

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