I'm rather late with this report, but I needed to sit a while with the memories of my recent flying visit to New York, letting them settle before sharing. It wasn't my first visit and each time I've been there's been a special reason for the trip. This time it was to see a man fulfil a long-held dream, which made it really very special indeed. The man, of course, was Lee Mead and the dream was bringing his own show (fittingly re-named An Englishman In New York for the occasion) to Broadway. The venue was the renowned 54 Below, affectionately known as 'Broadway's Living Room', a cabaret club deep in the heart of New York's theatre district and the show was his first performance on US soil. Here's to many more!Lee had arrived in the city a few days earlier, allowing time both for rehearsals with the local musicians who would make up his band for this one-off show and for renewing his acquaintance with the city - he lived there for several months in 2009 while training at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute - his posts on social media in the days leading up to the gig giving us glimpses of both activities and leaving us in no doubt how excited he was to be there.
I flew in the night before the gig and spent the next morning taking in the view from
Edge (the highest outdoor viewing deck in the city) and exploring
The Vessel before heading back to my hotel to meet up with a New York based Lee fan who was finally getting to see him on home turf and two more fans who had made the trip from the UK. We had time to catch up over a glass of wine at a roof top bar before heading to the venue ... a
red door (Lee didn't paint it black!) below a red marquee at street level opened to reveal a flight of stairs leading down to
the room where it happens. Reminiscent of the Pheasantry (for those who know it), tables are arranged around a small stage, with booths at the rear of the room raised above the floor tables ensuring a good view for all.
There was prosecco and food and chatter and greetings and then it was time... the band took their places - Adam Dennis, Lee's long-time musical director, on piano with guitar, bass and drums (names pending!) - then with a brief announcement inviting us to welcome him to the stage, there was Lee.He opened, as he did on his UK tour earlier in the year, with Walking in Memphis. I love how Lee sings this, though on this occasion I could sense him feeling his way into it - not cautious exactly, not quite full tilt either - but with this first song behind him and his audience leaving him in no doubt that he was very welcome indeed, he visibly relaxed into the show and, I hope, enjoyed every moment as much as we did! His stage was tiny, mostly taken up with grand piano, drum kit and four brilliant musicians, but he owned every inch of it, even finding room for a few dance moves (think All I Care About Is Love and Dancing Through Life), though there was an early near miss with a stool and I did clock him carefully checking the closest tables for any wine bottles that might be in range before his high kicks!
With only 90 minutes to play with, the set was carefully crafted and deliciously familiar to his UK fans - fittingly for this venue, it drew a little more on Lee's musical theatre repertoire than we might see in a full show back in the UK - show-casing his sublime voice in the best possible way. Spanning his career from his first schoolboy role as Danny Zuko in Grease to his upcoming title role in Barnum (though the nod to that came via a song from The Greatest Showman), we also heard from Joseph, Fiyero and Billy Flynn and from characters he hasn't (yet!) played... the Phantom, Jean Valjean and Bobby (Company) - all of it received with great enthusiasm by an audience who clearly know and love their show tunes. See all the details on the full setlist.
At this point I would normally also name-check
the band but sadly, I don't yet have their names (I'm working on it!), so for now I will simply say they were brilliant. It's a testament to their supreme skills, and to Adam's as MD, that with only a few hours' rehearsal they looked and sounded like they'd been playing Adam's beautiful arrangements for years!
As always, Lee chatted to his audience - sharing how it felt to be making his US debut, thanking us all for being there, telling some of his back story, setting his song choices in context with memories and anecdotes. One story in particular stayed with me... he talked of singing with Donny Osmond at Concert for Diana, going on to recall how later that same month the revolve had broken mid-show on the opening night of Joseph in the West End. During the resulting show stop, when he was sitting backstage with a towel draped over his head to shut out the world (and the camera crew who were following his every move for The Winner's Story), he felt a tap on his shoulder and heard a quiet 'hey buddy'. Looking up, he found Donny there, telling him he was doing great and it was all going to be wonderful. Nice one, Donny!
Lee brought the show to a close, as he has so many times before, with Any Dream Will Do - my thanks to @ren598 for sharing it on YouTube (below) - and though the audience 'choir' may have been a little quieter than usual, it was a fitting end to a show that was a dream come true not only for Lee, but also for his US fans who finally got to see him on their side of the Atlantic, or indeed to see him live for the first time, and for those who travelled from the UK to share the moment. Lee reflected on the night in a video on his socials and you can hear in his voice just how much the show and the support meant to him. I was delighted to hear him say he's been invited back to perform at 54 Below again in the future... so I hope it's not too long before I have another great excuse to head back to New York, I still have plenty of exploring to do!We had a chance to speak briefly to Lee after the show and, while I know I told him he'd been brilliant, I don't think I said 'thank you'. So I say it now - thank you to Lee for always dreaming big and making it happen, to Adam and the super-talented musicians in the band for your superb playing, to everyone at 54 Below for your wonderful hospitality and last, but never least, to the friends who shared the moment for your fabulous company, with added thanks to Amanda for allowing me to share some of your photos here. It was most definitely a night to remember.
Lee's full concert and events schedule (including past appearances) is at CONCERT & LIVE EVENTS
Published: 22/09/2025