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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Pace chapter.

54 Below is a non-profit cabaret and restaurant located in Midtown Manhattan. The cabaret is known for its heavy involvement in the world of Broadway, offering solo shows to some of its most noteworthy performers as well as creating an entryway for Broadway hopefuls. 

“Cut Too Short: 54 Sings Broadway Shows of the 21st Century That Deserved Better,” performed on Sept. 26, 2023, and was directed and produced by Pace University’s very own Kianna Healy and McKenna Logan,

The set started out with the entire cast, Kianna Healy, McKenna Logan, Musical Director Joshua Turchin, Andrew Maroney, Erin Rose Doyle, Oscar Williams, Summer Ray Mayes, and Noah Sucato, singing “It’s Time to Dance” from the musical The Prom.

Having so much talent in one room was a completely and extraordinarily overwhelming experience. The cast did a wonderful job of making the audience feel included in their individual performances by encouraging participation or sharing personal anecdotes. The set list alternated between solos, duets, and group numbers, every single one of them just as showstopping as the last. 

Andrew Maroney kicked off the solos with “Good Kid” from the musical The Lightning Thief, setting a high bar for the acts to follow. Maroney’s performance then shifted to an emotional number, as McKenna Logan sang “Times are Hard for Dreamers” from Amélie, which she prefaced by stating her love for the musical and how it sparked her passion for theatre. The amazing solo acts continued with Kianna Healy singing “World Burn” from Mean Girls, Oscar Williams singing “Come Back” from Dogfight, Erin Rose Doyle and Joshua Turchin singing “The World According to Chris” from Carrie: The Musical, and Summer Ray Mayes singing “Just Breathe” from The Prom.

Additional performances included: Oscar Williams and Andrew Maroney singing “Secondary Characters” from [title of show] and Noah Sucato and Andrew Maroney performing “When I Drive” from Bonnie & Clyde. The appreciation for Bonnie & Clyde continued as Healy and Williams sang “Too Late to Turn Back Now” followed by another duet with Healy and Maroney singing “Dyin’ Ain’t So Bad.” It’s safe to say Bonnie & Clyde was “Cut Too Short.” 

With such a talented cast, group numbers are bound to be crowd-pleasing. The cast was able to get the whole audience to laugh while performing “Gay or European?” from Legally Blonde, as well as keep the crowd silent and clinging onto every word when Logan sang “Die, Vampire, Die!” from [title of show] with backup from Healy, Maroney, and Williams. The cast left the audience with a bittersweet farewell performance of “Nine People’s Favorite Thing” from [title of show]. 

Kianna Healy and McKenna Logan organized an array of songs from their favorite musicals that deserved better and made sure the show depicted a wide range of emotions. The talent, along with the superb food at 54 Below, made for an unforgettable cabaret experience. We can’t wait to see what the cast of “Cut Too Short” takes on next!

Madison Wolff is the treasurer at the Her Campus at Pace Chapter. She oversees the financial status of the chapter as well as financial opportunities. She also assists with socials, marketing, and creating a good HC community on the campus. Aside from Her Campus at Pace, she is a sales associate at Orangetheory Fitness where she is tasked with problem solving, critical thinking, and keeping a positive outlook. In her past she has been the Editor-in-Chief for a small magazine where she had to run social media and keep groups of people working efficiently together towards a common goal. She is studying Communication and Media Studies as well as Graphic Design at school. She hopes to one day work in the Public Relations field. In her free time, Madison enjoys creating playlists, go on runs, studying up on things to increase her wellness, and taking Orangetheory classes. She enjoys rewatching her favorite shows are Sex and the City and Game of Thrones. You can find Madison stuck in October out of the remaining 11 months in the year.
Kaitlyn Weinerman is a member of Her Campus at Pace! She participates in the activities of the chapter, all of its inner workings, attends meetings, and more. She also writes articles for Her Campus at Pace. Outside of Her Campus, Kaitlyn works in a gift shop, Maglyn's Dream, as a senior sales associate back in her hometown of New Paltz, NY. She is a Psychology major with a passion for mental health awareness. She is the Treasurer of Psi Chi, the psychology club and honor society at Pace. She is a First Year Experience peer leader, an Office of Sexual and Interpersonal Wellness Peer Educator at Pace, and an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the Science of Development Lab at Pace. On her own, Kaitlyn loves to shop, listen to music, and explore New York City. She absolutely adores cats, and will always stop to pet one when she gets the chance. She is a huge horror and comedy movie can, her favorites being Hereditary and The Hangover. She also loves to cross stitch and spend time with her friends. Back home, she lives with her mom and dad, who she loves and appreciates very much. she is very excited to write amazing pieces for Her Campus.