54 Celebrates Henry Mancini

Post author:Jacqueline Parker
Post published:August 22, 2025
Reading time:3 mins read

54 Celebrates Henry Mancini

54 Below, NYC, August 11, 2025

Reviewed by Jacqueline Parker

In one of the most crowd-pleasing cabaret shows of the current season, music director and host Michael Lavine presented a carefully curated selection of the music created by Henry Mancini. Regarded widely as one of the most significant film composers of the past century, he also composed popular themes for television.

The unmistakable vamp from “The Pink Panther Theme” introduced the program, Lavine on piano emphatically struck the opening notes, and Sean Harkness (guitar), Michael O’Brien (bass), and Scott Kreitzer (reeds) blended to make this opening number thrilling.

Complementing this upbeat tone, Christine Pedi, who looked sensational in a multi-colored jacket, lit up the stage with “Le Jazz Hot” from Victor/Victoria (lyrics by Leslie Bricusse) and imbued this piece with all the enthusiasm she is known for. Nicolas King followed and added some scatting to his usual rendition of “Charade” (Johnny Mercer); he delivered the lyrics masterfully. Alan and Marilyn Bergman supplied the words for the hauntingly beautiful “Soldier in the Rain,” which Javier Muñoz delivered with his gorgeous tenor voice. A befeathered KT Sullivan gave a playful rendition of “I’ll Give You Three Guesses” and “Your Good-Will Ambassador” (both by Mercer). Deniz Cordell joined the band on piano to play the sensuous and mesmerizing “Dreamsville.”

Lavine occasionally donned his host hat to add an anecdote or factoid about the material. He has a natural charm for this role, reminiscent of Steve Allen or Merv Griffin. Before introducing A.J. Shively, Lavine noted that the next song’s lyrics consisted of only two sentences, and Shively emphasized how meaningful they were when he sang “The Days of Wine and Roses” (Mercer).

Cordell returned to sing alternative lyrics to “Two for the Road” before Jane Summerhays sang the more familiar version, both written by Mercer. “Baby Elephant Walk” followed, with Cordell leading the band on piano. It should be noted that Lavine and Cordell created this program together; it’s a partnership that hopefully will continue to provide memorable and entertaining evenings. Cordell sang “The Sweetheart Tree” (Mercer). Then he introduced his own wife and sweetheart Annie Pasqua and they shared the piano in a nostalgic medley of TV themes that most notably included “Mr. Lucky.”

Muñoz returned to deliver perhaps the saddest song of the evening, “Send a Little Love My Way” (Hal David). Shively followed with a jazzy “Bye Bye” (Jay Livingston & Ray Evans) that was full of exasperation and a touch of anger. Cabaret master Steve Ross was poignant in his wistful and touching rendition of “Whistling Away the Dark” (Mercer). The entire cast joined Lavine for the song everyone wanted to hear: “Moon River” (Mercer). That song was the finale to a show that was a testament not only to Mancini but also to Lavine and Cordell as well. Bravo to all!

Tags: 54 Below, Jay Livingston, American Songbook, Clubs, Mr. Lucky, Steve Ross, Ray Evans, NYC, 54 Celebrates Henry Mancini, Charade, Send a Little Love My Way, KT Sullivan, A.J. Shively, Henry Mancini, The Pink Panther Theme, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Bye Bye, Broadway, Merv Griffin, CD, Scott Kreitzer, Victor/Victoria, Cabaret, Jane Summerhays, Leslie Bricusse, Soldier in the Rain, Moon River, Sean Harkness, American Songbook Association, Steve Allen, “I’ll Give You Three Guesses, The Days of Wine and Roses, Broadway Musicals, Deniz Cordell, Whistling Away the Dark, Your Good-Will Ambassador, composer, ASA, Cabaret Reviews, Dreamsville, Cabaret Scenes, Michael O’Brien, Hal David, Music Director, CD Reviews, Baby Elephant Walk, Christine Pedi, Johnny Mercer, Jacqueline Parker, Michael Lavine, The Sweetheart Tree, Javier Munoz, Nicolas King, Le Jazz Hot, Two for the Road, Annie Pasqua

Jacqueline Parker

Like Ethel Merman, lifelong New Yorker Jacqueline Parker began her career as a stenographer. She spent more than two decades at the city's premier public agency, progressing through positions of increased responsibility after earning her BA in English from New York University (3.5 GPA/Dean’s List). She won national awards for her work in public relations and communication and had the privilege of working in the House of Commons for Stephen Ross, later Lord Ross of Newport. In the second half of her career, Jacqueline brought her innate organizational skills and creative talents to a variety of positions. While distinguishing herself in executive search, she also gave her talents to publishing, politics, writing, radio broadcasting and Delmonico's Restaurant. Most recently, she hosted Anything Goes! a radio show that paid homage to Cole Porter and by extension the world of Broadway musicals and the Great American Songbook. Other features of the show were New York living, classical music, books, restaurants, architecture and politics. This show highlighted the current Broadway scene, both in New York and around the country through performances and interviews with luminaries including Len Cariou, Charles Strouse, Laura Osnes, Steve Ross and Joan Copeland. Her pandemic project was immersion into the life, times and work of Alfred Hitchcock, about whom she has written a soon-to-be-published article. Jacqueline has been involved in a myriad of charitable causes, most notably the Walt Frazier Youth Foundation, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Sisters of Life, York Theatre, and the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival. She is a proud Founder of Hidden Water. Her greatest accomplishment is the parenting of her son, a lawyer specializing in mediation. She has many pretend grandchildren, nieces and nephews, on whom she dotes shamelessly, as well as a large circle of friends to whom she is devoted. Her interests in addition to theater and cabaret are cooking, entertaining, reading, and spending time on Queen Mary 2.