The Official 54 Below: Broadway's Cabaret Thread

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/26/12 at 7:18am

Saw Jenifer Lewis at 54 Below last night. It really is Broadway's Cabaret, and if you haven't been there yet, you are in for a true Broadway treat. It was my second time being there--the first time was for Rebecca Luker singing Jerome Kern and the two shows couldn't have been more different! At the end of both nights I felt like I wanted to come back as soon as possible.

Last night, the room was packed, the energy was highly charged and the Diva was in fine fettle. I had seen her in cabarets in the 1980s and I remembered her from being one of Bette Midler's Harlettes. Everyone there knew we were in for something wonderful but something possibly out-of-control.

With her ferocious, outrageous humor, she sang about her biploar disorder and she sang a song called "Black Don't Crack," about sang about how the faces of black women stay gorgeous as they age while the faces of white women need to be lifted. And she sang a song called "Sang Bitch," about the divas who came before her, at the end of which she got the entire audience to stand up and shout "Sang bitch!" at her.

Marc Shaiman arranged the songs and played for her like he was her best friend and had written half the songs she sang. (Maybe because he's her best friend and wrote half the songs she sang...or maybe because he's a Diva Wrangler Assoluta.)



She sang two Broadway songs and a very funny Shaiman/Wittman-written song about 11 o'clock numbers. She also gets serious a few times, and one of them was the other Broadway song, "I Got Lost in His Arms" from Annie Get Your Gun, which she sang as an ode to the man who recently came into her life.

She also introduced her beautiful daughter and sang a very moving "I Know Where I've Been" from Hairspray. Here is a clip of her singing the song, not from 54 Below, but from an appearance with Seth Rudetsky at the piano:

https://youtu.be/m_StdO1RE-A

At the end, she taught us white people how when a black person waves a napkin at a singer, it's bigger praise than applauding, and if they throw the napkin at the singer, it's the greatest praise of all. We all threw our napkins at her. Go--and you will too, bitches.

It runs through Saturday.

Updated On: 7/26/12 at 07:18 AM

[castlestreet]

Posted: 7/26/12 at 8:22am

It really is an amazing place- thanks for the write up PJ! I so wish I was going to be in the city for this- Saw LuPone during her first run and saw Ben Vereen two weeks ago- both were magical! Can't wait to go back in September.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/26/12 at 9:22am

Who are you calling "bitches"!! LOL

Thanks for the great recap. I'm still on the fence about traveling up to see Andrea McArdle on Monday. I saw one of her earlier cabaret acts back in the 80s at Freddie's (I think) on the east side.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 7/26/12 at 11:46am

PJ, my friend Verna (who is friends with Jennifer, actually) was reading your write-up over my shoulder and laughing mightily at the bit about napkins. She says "When we get really excited, we throw sugar packets, too!"

It's a wonderful, wonderful room. I saw LuPone there twice, and they were two of my happiest nights in recent memory. Something about that place seems to put everyone in the best mood.

I was leery of booking for McArdle; she cancelled the last two events I'd hoped to see her at (though both were benefit performances, but still . . . ). I'd love to see her sometime.

[Dangerous Jade]

Posted: 7/26/12 at 12:16pm

I loved seeing Lupone there. It's a very warm, intimate atmosphere and the staff couldn't have been more friendlier. It's driving me crazy whom I want to see next because there's so many to choose from!

[AndersonTours]

Posted: 7/26/12 at 6:30pm

Wish I were in town for Jenifer Lewis.

Took my partner to see Rebecca Luker and had one of the best times I've ever had at a cabaret show. She was sublime. It was classy. I felt like I was watching one of the greats in an intimate setting. She was relaxed, funny, heartbreakingly beautiful and sang like a dream. And all those amazing Kern songs!

The venue is the best in NYC right now. Can't wait to get back up and see another show there.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/26/12 at 6:55pm

I was there for Rebecca Luker too. The word for the evening was "sublime."

Updated On: 7/26/12 at 06:55 PM

[rhdery]

Posted: 7/26/12 at 7:03pm

I saw Ben Vereen, and he was fantastic. The intimate space allows the performer to really connect, and his personal connections to and ability to act each song were wonderful.

As for 54 Under-- it is a beautiful room with fantastic ambience, and the food and service were both top notch, I wish I could live there.

[BroadwayBound115]

Posted: 7/27/12 at 6:59pm

Does anyone know who is performing in Sondheim Unplugged on the 10th?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/28/12 at 6:08pm

Has Patti LuPone announced the dates for her return engagement?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/28/12 at 6:13pm

The great Patti LuPone will be there Sept 18th-22nd.

Patti LuPone is the sun, the moon and the stars!

[Wynbish]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 11:46am

Is anyone seeing Victor Garber?

[jdrye222]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 11:30pm

while I totally understand the site's goal in keeping things streamlined and not repeating thread topics --- the diversity of performers and interests regarding 54 Below seems like one "official" thread on it is not really right....
I don't really care about reading anyone's reaction to Jenifer Lewis. I am curious about Norbert, Victor Garber, etc...
I don't know, just my two cents. I'd rather each performer gets their own thread.

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 11:37pm

do they do any student ticketing? 60 bucks for a ticket for certain people is one thing, but when you add a 30 dollar food and drink minimum, yikes.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/16/12 at 1:02am

The bar seats tend to be cheaper, but not really. There isn't much in way of discounts, etc.

It can be expensive, but the room is so tiny. It's like having Patti Lupone literally in your apartment.

[broadway_show_fan]

Posted: 9/17/12 at 1:14pm

bump - question: How has the food been? I'm not a picky eater, but nothing stands out to me to be particularly amazing, and everything seems really expensive. Is it really high-end with small portions? So-so/nothing special? I'm not a drinker so $25 of food is what I have to do and I wanted to know what I'm in for.

On that note, anyone go to Eden Espinosa's first concert? How was it? What did she sing?

[little_sally]

Posted: 9/17/12 at 1:16pm

I don't think the food is bad at all but the portions are definitely small.

[broadway_show_fan]

Posted: 9/17/12 at 1:34pm

little_sally (and all others who ate there), what did you have? recommend it or no?

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 9/17/12 at 1:54pm

They may have changed the menu since June but for the Patti show I had the lamb chops and they were just two teeny tiny lambchops; all sides were extra. The Seared Halibut, though, came with a side of potatoes, which I thought was a much better deal. The cheese sampler they were giving away the first week they were open was actually more food and the free dessert was a spoon of custard with a 54 Below chocolate on top. They were so happy with me loving the place they gave me an extra dessert.

The food is good but the portions are ridiculously small. It worked out for me, though, because I wanted to be done with my food before Patti came onstage.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/17/12 at 1:54pm

I've been there a few times, and the food is delicious, but changes pretty often. Right now they're transitioning to a "fall menu" as the server told me, so they don't have as much seafood and stuff as they use to. I had the chicken and brussels sprouts though, which were delicious. And the olive oil cake was hella good.

[little_sally]

Posted: 9/17/12 at 1:56pm

The first time I went I had the ratatouille shepherd's pie and shared the grilled asparagus, both of which were very good (albeit, small). We also shared a flour-less chocolate cake, which was also very small.

When I was there last weekend, we had dinner elsewhere so I just had a glass of wine and we shared the olive oil cake (complete with popcorn ice cream)! Again, good, just very small.

[loliveve]

Posted: 10/10/12 at 11:43pm

How is the seating for 54 Below? Are the bar seats considerably different than the regular, or located in an area with different sight-lines?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/10/12 at 11:47pm

They are actually great seats because the bar is elevated in the back, so you don't have to pear over people's heads or strain your neck.

And the portions are small, yeah, but it's the same portions you'd find at any other fine dining restaurant. It's quality ingredients, so they aren't going to give you a pile of it.