Cabaret Review by Ron Fassler…
In 2023, the fabled supper club 54 Below became a non-profit organization. Since that time, its longstanding goals of expanding the art of cabaret have taken on multi-layers. Its mission statement is now able to walk the talk in its calling for “growing opportunities for diverse communities of emerging and established artists and expanding their audience.” The building of programs that allow more young people to become involved in the arts are essential, not only to the benefit of those who reap the potential in their talents, but for them to experience the power of the arts to change lives. One program is an affordable ticket initiative with a $15 fee with no food or drink minimum to help those at a disadvantage to still be able to attend shows. Another is a new writers’ program which presents their voices on stage, many for the first time on any stage.
On Sunday September 15th, 54 Below held its very first benefit performance since becoming a non-profit titled An Evening with Broadway Legend LaChanze. It was put together by, among others, Brenda Braxton, who serves on the 54 Below Board of Directors. An accomplished actress with numerous Broadway credits, she is also an author and activist. In speaking with her at 54 Below prior to the show, she expressed the importance of bringing new people into the fold by way of the Genesis Project, one of the programs to which she has lent her time and talent. “We need to support artists both in the early parts of their career and later on, which I have done through my “Act 2… Now What?” seminars for women over fifty. With Genesis, young artists are mentored, take master classes, and get a chance to perform on the 54 Below stage, which is like no other in the city.” Braxton was instrumental in bringing her longtime friend LaChanze to provide the evening’s entertainment, which she did with humor, power and conviction.
LaChanze has been a Broadway mainstay for almost forty years. In addition to the Tony she received in 2005 as Best Actress in a Musical for the original production of The Color Purple, she received another in 2023 as one of the lead producers for Kimberly Akimbo, upon it receiving Best Musical. Other major Broadway productions have included Once on This Island (1990), where she created the role Ti Moune, Marta in Company (1995) and Wiletta Mayer in Alice Childress’s Trouble in Mind (2021). With the bulk of her time now spent building new plays and musicals for Broadway, her singing and acting career have taken a back seat. She admitted to not having sung in Public since June as she took to the 54 Below stage, but not a hint of rustiness was in evidence.
Singing an eclectic set of songs that all held special meaning for her, LaChanze was in strong voice, relaxed and having a hell of a good time. By evening’s end, people were up and dancing which, as a regular attendee at 54 Below, doesn’t happen all that often. It was testimony to her pleasure in performing, aided by a wonderful group of musicians: Marco Paguia, her musical director and on piano, Brian Holtz on bass and Steven Jackson Jr. on drums. Her first number, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens’ “Waiting for Life to Begin” from Once on This Island, was the embodiment of joy. A lovely version of the great Johnny Nash song “I Can See Clearly Now” was superb, as was a breathtaking arrangement from Jason Robert Brown of “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” from Show Boat (Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein). Other highlights included “Last Time I Saw Him,” a hit for Diana Ross written by Michael Masser and Pam Sawyer, and “Be a Lion” from The Wiz, with its authorship credited to five artists, “it takes a village” is literally what it took to make a success out of that show back in 1975.
As LaChanze put it, “54 Below is a vital part of our community, preserving and enhancing the music of Broadway.” The celebration Sunday night proved not only that it’s the best spot in the city to see a show, but proves that cabaret is still alive and well—and thriving. And with its relatively new status as a non-profit, the hope is 54 Below will be around for many years to come “preserving,” as LaChanze said, as well as encouraging new talent to grow.
An Evening with Broadway Legend LaChanze was on Sunday, September 15th at 54 Below, 254 W 54th Street, NYC. For further programing information and for details on ways to contribute to some of the programs laid out here, please visit www.54Below.org.
Photos by Ron Fassler.
