Marilyn Maye
54 Below254 W 54th St, New York 10019
Marilyn Maye takes the 54 Below bill on her own for a solo evening. No additional performers are named, and the listing does not identify a guest, tribute, record release, residency installment, or other program theme. The night is presented simply as a chance to hear a singer whose work ranges across cabaret, jazz, and popular song, including Great American Songbook standards.
Born in Wichita, Kansas, Maye began performing as a child in Kansas before beginning an 11-year engagement at Kansas City’s Colony supper club. She is particularly known for her 76 appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, a record for a singer according to the Great American Songbook Foundation, and for cabaret performances that have earned her the description “Manhattan’s Queen of Cabaret” from 54 Below. Her career also includes symphony and big-band concerts, and she has sung alongside Ella Fitzgerald. The Wall Street Journal has called her singing “hip and cool” as well as theatrical; Opera News says that “no entertainer gives you more in terms of great music, great theater, and great comedy.”
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.