Jeff Daniels Croons and Diana & Ace Fall in Love in January’s Top 10 Shows at 54 Below

There’s no wintertime lull at the theater district’s favorite hot spot: January at 54 Below is packed with exciting concerts from big name performers, with a couple of campy evenings thrown in just for fun. Check out our countdown of shows guaranteed to put a smile on your face as 2014 begins!

10. Patrick Page Embraces His Villainous Side
It must be the voice—Patrick Page couldn’t be nicer in person, but on Broadway, he specializes in bad guys (Spider-Man, The Lion King, The Grinch, A Time to Kill and more). On January 28, Page will explore his path to theatrical villainy in a show that promises to deliver laughs as well as chills.

9. Beaches Inspires Cabaret Greats
Who can resist the divine Bette’s rendition of “The Wind Beneath My Wings” as C.C. in Beaches? The 1988 chick flick (which co-starred Barbara Hershey as doomed lawyer Hillary) gets a 54 Below salute on January 5, with eight cabaret vets performing the song in question, “Under the Boardwalk” and more.

8. Jennifer Laura Thompson Opens Up
Tony nominee Jennifer Laura Thompson shares musical moments from Urinetown, Wicked and more in her 54 Below debut on January 7 and 11. With musical direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, the versatile Thompson covers her Broadway career, plus favorite pop and jazz songs.

7. Tom Wopat’s Got Your Number
Tom Wopat jumps with ease from Broadway (most recently as the sheriff in The Trip to Bountiful) to the concert stage, and he brings his baritone back to 54 Below on January 7 for an early evening set. Look for selections from his latest album, I’ve Got Your Number, including songs made famous by Paul Simon and James Taylor.

6. Donna Vivino Goes Green
From Young Cosette in Les Miz to Elphaba in Wicked, Donna Vivino has wowed musical audiences, and her witty show It’s Not Easy Being Green returns for one night only on January 23. Don’t miss Vivino’s jazzy renditions of songs like “Castle on a Cloud” and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.”

5. Sam Harris Gets Ham-my
In anticipation of the release of his new memoir Ham: Slices of a Life, Tony nominee Sam Harris returns to 54 Below January 15-18 with a show mixing excerpts from the book with songs from his classic repertoire. Don’t miss this master showman-turned-author as he shares tales from his very eventful life.

4. Ann Morrison Salutes Sondheim & Bernstein
After a sellout show in September, Merrily We Roll Along’s original Mary Flynn returns to 54 Below on January 6 in an evening of show-stopping songs and stories about mentors Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein. Morrison’s special guests for the evening are her son, Huck Walton, and Liz Callaway.

3. Stop Right There! The Spice Girls Meet Broadway
Spice up your life with a very special late night event at 54 Below, as Broadway’s younger generation salutes the incomparable Spice Girls. Watch Kate Loprest, Jason Gotay, Kara Lindsay, Stephanie Umoh and many more tackle the hits that remain super-glued in your brain, from “2 Become 1” to “Wannabe.” Say you’ll be there!

2. Diana DeGarmo & Ace Young Play Samson & Delilah
Newlywed American Idol finalists and former Broadway co-stars Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young preview their recording of Samson & Delilah, A Love Story on January 29 and 30. DeGarmo and Young play the legendary lovers in Ron Yatter’s musical, due from Broadway Records on Valentine’s Day.

1. Jeff Daniels Shows Off His Musical Chops
He’s an Emmy-winning and Tony- and Oscar-nominated actor, and now Jeff Daniels will show off his singing and songwriting skills in six concerts, January 2-4. Among the arresting titles on the bill for this humorous evening: “If William Shatner Can, I Can Too” and “You Can Drink An Ugly Girl Pretty.” Cheers, Jeff!