Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – JENN COLELLA returns to 54 Below with an intimate, heartfelt show focused on her musical theater roots

• By drediman
• March 18, 2025
• No Comments

Last night, I had the great pleasure of catching Jenn Colella in cabaret mode at 54 Below. The Tony nominee is no stranger to 54 Below, having twice held court for the prime time New Year’s Eve showing at the beloved and well-appointed theater district cabaret club. With just a piano for accompaniment — kudos to the excellent work by music director Chris Ranney on keys — Colella’s latest show is an efficiently paced, emotionally resonant evening of song and banter. Suffice to say, it was a treat to experience the Broadway star in such intimate quarters; the audience was in good hands throughout.

By and large, Colella focused her attention on her musical theater roots, which was represented by some deep cuts, as well as some of her regular go-to selections. In terms of the former, she included a pair of songs from the all-but-forgotten Urban Cowboy (the short-lived musical in which she made her Broadway debut), as well as a touching song cut from the musical adaptation of High Fidelity (“Getting My Shit Together”). Of the latter, she gave her fans some standout numbers from her three major Broadway shows — “All Falls Down” from Chaplin, “This Girl” from Suffs, and of course “Me and the Sky” from Come from Away — and she did not disappoint. She did, additionally, throw in a few recognizable pop standards like Stevie Wonder’s “Knocks Me Off My Feet” and John Lennon’s “Imagine”, both sensitively sung, to appease non-musical theater fans. For me, the evening’s highlights were an epic rendition “Always Starting Over” from If/Then, an entertainingly jazzed-up “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady, and a gorgeously moving “I’ve Been Here Before” from Closer Than Ever.

I’m happy to report that Colella was in fantastic voice, singing with a piercing directness and intensity that’s disarming. Indeed, she performs with the uncommon attack of a rocker, regularly unleashing a belt that can cut through a song with power and incisiveness. That’s not to say her show was a one-note affair. On the contrary, her set list was ideally balanced and presented with heartfelt generosity. Throughout, her banter was natural and sincere — and also brimming with wisdom — framing her songs with insight and warmth.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

JENN COLELLA
Cabaret
54 Below
1 hour, 15 minutes (without an intermission)
Through March 19