54 Sings The West End
Take a trip across the pond without leaving NYC for the ultimate celebration of West End musicals! Featuring songs from Two Strangers, The Great British Bake Off Musical, Calendar Girls, The Witches of Eastwick, Love Never Dies, and so much more. From patter songs featuring that classic British humor to sweeping ballads that belt to the rafters, come see what makes the West End such a special place. Whether you are a West End superfan or new to the world of British musicals, this will be a night at 54 Below you won’t want to miss!
Fiddler on the Roof
Winner of 9 Tony awards, Fiddler on the Roof is a cherished musical for the entire family. Set in a village in central Ukraine, the show tells the story of Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman with five daughters who struggles against anti-Semitism, Russian aggression, and sweeping change. The complex tale of tradition, family, migration, and cultural identity makes this musical both timeless and timely. To honor the originality and authenticity of the show, this production will include many Jewish and Eastern European cast and creative team members.
Sixty years after it first appeared on Broadway, Fiddler remains a celebration of resilience in the face of upheaval. Its memorable songs “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Matchmaker,” Sunrise, Sunset,” and “Tradition” remind us of the joyful hope to be found even in the most uncertain times.
Based on Sholem Aleichem stories by special permission of Arnold Perl.
Book by JOSEPH STEIN
Music by JERRY BOCK
Lyrics by SHELDON HARNICK
Directed by DANIEL KUTNER
Choreographed by CINDY MORA REISER
Music directed by DAN SANDER-WELLS
James will play the role of Perchik at all performances.
A Night at the Opera
Join The Cabaret Collective for a night of opera's greatest hits!
Looking for a bougie date night that's less expensive and shorter than a night at the Met Opera, but with the same level of talent and sophistication? Look no further! A Night at the Opera will feature all of opera's most familiar tunes, including Habanera from "Carmen", Queen of the Night from "The Magic Flute", Nessun Dorma from "Turandot," and more songs that will make you say “oh, I know this song from that movie!!”
We will have translations of every song that’s not in English, plot summaries to clue you into the action, and film scenes accompanying select performances!
A Night at the Opera will feature singers and instrumentalists from Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, A-level opera houses throughout the US and Europe, and winners of major competitions including the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, Lotte Lenya Competition, and American Traditions Vocal Competition.
James will perform as a soloist, singing “Largo al factotum” from Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia.
Fauré Requiem at Carnegie Hall
James will be making his Carnegie Hall debut as the baritone soloist in Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, conducted by Stephen Futrell and featuring the National Masterwork Chorus and Orchestra.
An American Soldier
The New York Premiere of a soaring new opera based on a powerful true story.
On October 3, 2011, Chinese-American Army Pvt. Danny Chen was found dead in a guard tower at his base in Afghanistan. Based on his story and the ensuing courts-martial of Chen’s fellow soldiers, this New York City premiere opera tells the powerful true story of a young soldier from Manhattan’s Chinatown who sought to serve his country, only to find his biggest threat was the very people who swore to protect him.
Told through the multidimensional music of Huang Ruo (M. Butterfly, Book of Mountains and Seas) with libretto by Tony and Grammy winner David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly, Soft Power), and directed by Obie Award winner Chay Yew (Cambodian Rock Band, Sweatshop Overlord), An American Soldier is a powerful and unforgettable experience.
Co-Produced by PAC NYC, Boston Lyric Opera, and American Composers Orchestra.
The 2024 version was co-commissioned by PAC NYC and Boston Lyric Opera.
James will sing the roles of Sgt. Lucas Brown, Pvt. Roman Parker, Sgt. Jackson Blakemore, and Pvt. Bryan Johnston.
Carmina Burana
Canterbury Choral Society will conclude its 72rd year on Sunday, April 21, 2024 with its first-ever performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, featuring soprano soloist Jennifer Grimaldi Toohey, bass soloist James C. Harris, and tenor soloist Blake Friedman, conducted by Jonathan De Vries, Artistic Director.
A double piano, organ and timpani orchestra will also perform.
Sunday in the Park with George
Stephen Sondheim's Pulitzer Prize-winning Sunday in the Park with George blazes with color, light, and dance in this vivid reimagining of the beloved musical - starring Broadway favorites Graham Phillips (The Good Wife, Riverdale) and Talia Suskauer (from Broadway’s Wicked), Sunday in the Park with George begins at the Axelrod PAC on March 8 and runs through March 24.
Directed and choreographed by Broadway veteran Eamon Foley, this new production takes the audience even deeper into the mind of trailblazing painter, Georges Seurat, as he creates his pointillism masterpiece “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grand Jatte.” The show’s use of movement and cutting-edge lighting and projection design fuses with Sondheim’s transcendent score to finally give audiences a window into the soul of the artist, revealing not only how George creates but also how he loves. Experience the world through his eyes, and experience this musical in a never-before-seen way.
Executive Artistic Director Andrew DePrisco has assembled a starry creative team to bring this glorious new Sunday to life, including music director Nate Patten, who will conduct the 11-piece orchestra, lighting designer Paul Miller, costume designer David Withrow, scenic designer Ryan Howell and projection designer Brad Peterson.
James will play the Boatman/Charles Redmond at all performances.
Five Mystical Songs
James will present his Eisenberg-Fried Concerto Competition-winning rendition of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs at Riverside Church with full orchestra in New York City this coming fall.
54 Sings INSIDE
“Welcome to the Internet,” “That Funny Feeling,” “Look Who’s Inside Again,” and “All Eyes On Me” – the music of Bo Burnham’s Grammy award-winning Netflix comedy special INSIDE comes to 54 Below for one night only! Join us as we present a love letter to INSIDE by fans for fans of the quarantine-defining sensation that continues to make audiences laugh the world over. Expect hit tunes from the special – and maybe even a few outtakes! You don’t want to miss this live, content-packed bonanza.
Co-produced and directed by Brie Underwood and JQ Welch with music direction by Welch.
James will sing “White Woman’s Instagram“ among other Bo Burnham favorites as he makes his 54 Below debut.
Human: A New Ancient Musical
Written by Bonnie Corral and Krystin Lacey, Human: A New Ancient Musical explores those things which make us human – creativity, empathy, grief – and celebrates how we came to discover these qualities. Human is the story of an early human family living within their hunter-gatherer tribe. The father works hard to keep his two children alive and uphold the tribe’s traditions of survival. The eldest son is expected to soon join the Summer Hunt, but he is more artistically-minded than strong, sharing the joy of colors with his younger sister. Told from the lens of a small family, the story asks the timeless questions we all ask about the world and ourselves. Making its NYC and stage debut, join us at 54 Below for a night of remarkable storytelling through original music.
James will perform the role of Apoja.
Will Wilson Saves the World
Eighty-year-old Will Wilson recalls losing his childhood friend to a violent massacre near the end of World War II. Meanwhile, his granddaughter seeks justice for the escaped Nazi SS officer who perpetrated this tragedy 60+ years ago. As her story thematically intersects with her grandfather’s past, she learns that life is about making choices.
Book/Lyrics: Lyndsey Chance *
Music: Michelle Lugo
Director: Kristy Thomas
James will play the role of Armand Lang.
Pleasant Little Kingdom: The Graduate Voice Recital of James C. Harris
The time has come to present the culmination of my work at MSM! Join me in Miller Recital Hall for an evening of Händel, Brahms, Schindler-Mahler, Poulenc, Vaughan Williams, and Sondheim. More details, including livestream and program, to come as the date draws nearer!
L’enfant et les sortilèges
MSM Symphony Orchestra and MSM Opera Theatre present
Opera in Concert
George Manahan (BM ’73, MM ’76), Conductor
Alexa Smith (MM ’10), Director
Jaeook Lee (PS ’21, DMA Candidate), violin
PROGRAM
BRAHMS Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77
RAVEL L’enfant et les sortilèges
James will perform the role of L’horloge comtoise on Friday, January 27.
Secret of the Possible
"Secret of the Possible" is a stage adaptation of three short Jewish tales originating from 18th Century Eastern Europe. The tales are brought to life by a company of 7 performers in dance, live music and spoken word.
James will perform numerous roles in the first act (ONLY on December 17, 18, 22, and 23).
Angélique
MSM Opera Theatre Presents A French Double Bill: Le portrait de Manon and Angélique
JACQUES IBERT, Composer
NINO, Libretto
Pierre Vallet, Conductor
John de los Santos, Director
James will play the role of Charlot in all four performances.
Audrey: The New Musical (Off-Broadway)
James will play the role of Mel Ferrer.
Winning both the Tony and the Oscar in her first year on the American scene, Audrey Hepburn commanded the screen opposite the likes of nearly every leading man of her day. Her own life, however, was far less charmed than that of the lucky-in-love heroines she so poignantly portrayed. From her days as a ballerina-turned-spy in Nazi-occupied Holland, to her heartbreaking attempts, with multiple men, to create the family of which the war robbed her, through her accidental revolution of style and singledom for generations of women, AUDREY re-examines the life of a legend through song, dance, and the technicolor lens of her most iconic screen performances.
Written by Danielle E. Moore (GATSBY: A New Musical), with choreography and direction by Kelli-Ann Paterwic and music direction by Sara Linger, AUDREY arrives this summer at The Players Theatre. The musical was developed with support of the East Broadway Theater Project (Artistic Director: Gail Kriegel), and was a 2020 Bold New Women's Musical Voices honoree from Helen Hayes Award-Winning Theatre company Creative Cauldron.
La bohème
James will sing the role of Customs House Official.
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Conducted by Vimbayi Kaziboni
Directed by Yuval Sharon
What if life didn’t end in death, but in a return to love? In this rewinding of a tragic tale, Yuval Sharon—“the most innovative opera director in the United States” (The New York
Times)—reimagines La bohème, taking us from devastation to hope, from loneliness and despair to the greatest joy of life..
La bohème
James will sing the role of Customs House Official.
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Conducted by Vimbayi Kaziboni
Directed by Yuval Sharon
What if life didn’t end in death, but in a return to love? In this rewinding of a tragic tale, Yuval Sharon—“the most innovative opera director in the United States” (The New York
Times)—reimagines La bohème, taking us from devastation to hope, from loneliness and despair to the greatest joy of life.
La bohème
James will sing the role of Customs House Official.
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Conducted by Vimbayi Kaziboni
Directed by Yuval Sharon
What if life didn’t end in death, but in a return to love? In this rewinding of a tragic tale, Yuval Sharon—“the most innovative opera director in the United States” (The New York
Times)—reimagines La bohème, taking us from devastation to hope, from loneliness and despair to the greatest joy of life.
La bohème
James will sing the role of Customs House Official.
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Conducted by Vimbayi Kaziboni
Directed by Yuval Sharon
What if life didn’t end in death, but in a return to love? In this rewinding of a tragic tale, Yuval Sharon—“the most innovative opera director in the United States” (The New York
Times)—reimagines La bohème, taking us from devastation to hope, from loneliness and despair to the greatest joy of life.
La bohème
James will sing the role of Customs House Official.
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Conducted by Vimbayi Kaziboni
Directed by Yuval Sharon
What if life didn’t end in death, but in a return to love? In this rewinding of a tragic tale, Yuval Sharon—“the most innovative opera director in the United States” (The New York
Times)—reimagines La bohème, taking us from devastation to hope, from loneliness and despair to the greatest joy of life.
Le nozze di Figaro
James will sing the role of Count Almaviva.
MSM Opera Theatre presents
Le nozze di Figaro
George Manahan (BM ’73, MM ’76), Conductor
Lawrence Edelson, Director
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte
Le nozze di Figaro
James will sing the role of Count Almaviva.
MSM Opera Theatre presents
Le nozze di Figaro
George Manahan (BM ’73, MM ’76), Conductor
Lawrence Edelson, Director
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte
Oedipus Rex
Opera Philadelphia presents a concert production of Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex.
James will sing in the chorus.
Oedipus Rex
Opera Philadelphia presents a concert production of Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex.
James will sing in the chorus.
Orpheus in the Underworld
Manhattan School of Music Graduate Opera Theatre presents Jacques Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld.
James will perform the role of Jupiter on Thursday, December 9th and Saturday, December 11.
MSM Opera Theatre:
Orpheus in the Underworld
George Manahan (BM ’73, MM ’76), Conductor
Stephanie Havey, Director
Music by Jacques Offenbach
English Version by John Bowen
Sung in English with English supertitles
Orpheus in the Underworld
Manhattan School of Music Graduate Opera Theatre presents Jacques Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld.
James will perform the role of Jupiter on Thursday, December 9th and Saturday, December 11.
MSM Opera Theatre:
Orpheus in the Underworld
George Manahan (BM ’73, MM ’76), Conductor
Stephanie Havey, Director
Music by Jacques Offenbach
English Version by John Bowen
Sung in English with English supertitles
