Ken Ard: The Crooner — Ballads, Blues & Cocktails
54 Below254 W 54th St, New York 10019
Ken Ard brings The Crooner: Ballads, Blues & Cocktails to 54 Below for his solo debut. The Broadway veteran sings a program shaped by Broadway, jazz, blues and the Great American Songbook, delivered with the seasoned baritone, sly humor and theatricality highlighted in the venue’s description. No accompanying musicians are named for this performance, so the focus is firmly on Ard’s voice and his take on songbook material.
Originally from Oakland, California, Ard is an accomplished cabaret singer and actor whose Broadway credits include Cats, Starlight Express and Smokey Joe’s Café, as well as the recent CATS: The Jellicle Ball. He received an NAACP Award nomination for Smokey Joe’s Café and is described as a two-time Grammy winner for cast recordings. In cabaret and jazz settings, he has regularly performed with pianist Mark Berman and with European jazz musicians. A profile quoting Variety says Ard “was born to be an entertainer, he radiates and mesmerizes”; other published praise calls out a “velvet-toned voice reminiscent of Nat King Cole’s” and labels him a “real crowd-pleaser.”
A nonprofit cabaret venue dedicated to live music, 54 Below is a listening room where audiences gather to experience legendary artists performing in a dedicated space. The atmosphere is elegant and intimate, with a focus on the music and the performers. The room is designed for seated audiences, offering close proximity to the stage, and the experience is centered around the show rather than conversation or drinking. Shows are ticketed and require advance purchase, with a nonprofit mission that supports the arts. The venue has a strong reputation for excellence in theatre, as recognized by a 2022 Tony Award nomination.