Tag: 54 Below

Michael Jackson Lives

In a recent post about Race and the New Generation of Musical Theatre, I gave a shout out to Michael R. Jackson, a musical theatre composer/lyricist whose work I recently came to know, and who was telling stories about people of color in a way I’d never seen before.

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I had originally heard of Michael when I saw a song from his largely autobiographical musical A Strange Loop performed as part of William Finn’s Ridiculously Talented Composers and Lyricists You’ve Probably Never Heard of But Should cabaret at 54 Below. (Well – truth be told I think I originally originally heard of him when the pop-star Michael Jackson died, and he was forced to distinguish himself on Facebook as Michael “Living” Jackson, but that’s neither here nor there.)

I then got to meet him as we were both participants of the Johnny Mercer Writers Colony at the Goodspeed Musical Theatre this past January. There I got to see more of his work on the show come to life.

A Strange Loop is, how shall I put it…graphic. Continue reading Michael Jackson Lives

Ridiculously Talented at 54 Below

Screen shot 2013-11-21 at 10.32.15 AMNext Monday, Tony Award-Winning Composer/Lyricist William Finn will host an evening of songs at 54 Below featuring the music of Brett Ryback.

The concert, titled Songs by Ridiculously Talented Composers and Lyricists You Probably Don’t Know But Should will take place next Monday, December 16th, at 9:30pm at 54 Below.

Performers will include Elizabeth Stanley, Alysha Umphress, Taylor Trensch, Rebecca Naomi Jones, and many more.

Following the concert, there will be an open-mic, where I will feature some BRAND NEW, NEVER BEFORE HEARD MUSIC.

Come see us! Tickets are $30-40, with a $25 Food/Drink Minimum.

(If you subscribe to my mailing list before next Monday, I’ll send you a code to get $5 off the cover charge in the main dining room!)