Still More Theater Saturday - Backstage Babble Celebrates Joe Allen Restaurant & To Life A Celebration of Sheldon Harnick's Legacy on His 100th

We were given complimentary access to a livestream of Backstage Celebrates Joe Allen Restaurant for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed are our own.

What: Backstage Babble Celebrates Joe Allen Restaurant

Where:  Feinsteins/54 Below & Livestreaming

              254 W. 54 St.

              New York, NY

When: This event took place on April 29, 2024

The road to Broadway is littered with numerous discarded shows that couldn't make it on the Great White Way. Since May of 1965, Joe Allen's Restaurant located at 326 W. 46th Street, right in the heart of the theater district, has been celebrating some of these notorious flops by hanging a poster of the show in their restaurant.

For one night only, 54 Below turned the tables and celebrated the restaurant by having some of Broadway's best talk about and sing songs from many shows whose posters adorn Joe Allen's walls. The evening was even more special because many songs were sung by the performers who originated them.

Performers included: 

Josie De Guzman representing Nick and Nora

Brenda Braxton representing Legs Diamond

Michael Kubala representing A Broadway Musical

Amanda Green (lyricist) representing High Fidelity 

and many more!

The evening ended with Jim Walton representing Merrily We Roll Along, a notorious flop whose revival has become a huge hit on Broadway. Who knows if another of these shows will someday receive a new production and somehow make a go of it. In any case, it was fun to revisit them for one day.

And that's our view. 

For more about Joe Allen Restaurant or to make a reservation go to joeallenrestaurant.com. For more about 54 Below, see below.

XXX

We were given complimentary access to a livestream of To Life A Celebration of Sheldon Harnick's Legacy on His 100th for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: To Life A Celebration of Sheldon Harnick's Legacy on His 100th

Where:  Feinsteins/54 Below & Livestreaming

              254 W. 54 St.

              New York, NY

When: This event took place on April 30, 2024

Sheldon Harnick, esteemed composer of beloved shows like Fiddle on the Roof, Fiorello, and She Loves Me passed away at 99 years of age almost a year ago on June 23, 2023. On April 30, the day that would have been his 100th birthday, 54 Below hosted an event celebrating the acclaimed composer's life and legacy.  The event included numerous performers singing his songs including some who have appeared in his shows and some who have not.

Performers included:

Alison Blackwell singing Gorgeous from The Apple Tree

Kate Blackwell singing When Did I Fall in Love? from Fiorello

Adam Kantor singing a cut song from Fiddler on the Roof

Robert Cuccoli singing In My Own Lifetime from The Rothschilds

and many more!

It was a wonderful evening and a lovely tribute to the late great beloved composer.

And that's our view. For more about 54 Below and/or to purchase tickets for an upcoming show or event go to 54below.org.

Tune in tomorrow for this week's Sunday Scoop.

All pictures used in this post are our own. If there is a problem with any image, please contact us here and we will look into the matter.