Song List

If You Knew My Story

Disney Medley

Lydia² Medley

Valerie

Kiss Me

The Most Beautiful Bracelet

When You’re Home

Tin Man

Let Me Be Your Star

Tenor Medley

Take Me Or Leave Me

Wish I Were Here

Spoiling Me

A Soft Place To Land

Mine

Woman of the World

A Note From Giselle

From the moment Spencer first brought up the idea of me doing a solo show, I laughed and said, “Absolutely not.” I truly didn’t think I’d be able to pull it off, and honestly, I wasn’t even sure anyone would come. After three months of him trying to convince me, something in me finally decided to say yes.

Once I did, I immediately started thinking about what songs I would sing, who I wanted to sing with, and what I wanted people to take away from the show. I’ve done solo shows before, but nothing of this caliber. I found myself putting so much pressure on the setlist, trying to cater to what I thought other people would want to hear. I’ll never forget the first Zoom meeting I had with Spencer about the show. He reminded me that the whole point was to create a space to share my art with the people I love, and that I shouldn’t be worried because of the incredible support system I have. That reminder changed everything for me.

Spencer, I am eternally grateful that you reached out to me one day about performing in a Jeanine Tesori cabaret that you were producing. Little did I know the friendship that would come from it. Thank you for pushing me to do this, even when I was so unsure of myself. Since I was little, my love for performing was fostered by playing solo sets in my local coffee shop back home, and I never imagined I would have a similar opportunity in New York, especially at 54 Below. Your guidance, belief in me, and constant encouragement will stay with me for the rest of my career. Thank you for making this dream a reality. Here’s to many more years of collaboration, friendship, and closing out Hold Fast!

Tati, oh where do I even begin? To know you is to love you, there is truly no better way to say it. Words cannot even begin to describe how grateful I am to call you my best friend. The fact that this is our first time actually singing together on stage feels crazy to me. Thank you for constantly lifting me up, pushing me to be the best version of myself, and loving me exactly as I am. You make me a better person in every way. I will forever be your biggest cheerleader, screaming from the audience and probably crying at every performance. When we hung out for the first time after our reading rehearsal, I instantly knew you would be a part of my life forever. Getting to share the stage with you now is truly a dream come true. ¡Te quiero mucho!

Isabella, Lydia squared! I am so grateful that we decided to meet in person after being mutuals for so long. I remember when the Beetlejuice cast announcement came out, I immediately followed you since I was also going on tour at the same time. When we both moved to the city and finally met, I instantly knew we were going to be close. You are one of the kindest, most compassionate people I know, and such a light in every room you walk into. I am so excited that we finally get to sing together on stage. You are truly a force to be reckoned with, and I feel so lucky to call you my friend.

Kendall, my sister. I truly could not be more grateful for the reading that brought us together. I never would have guessed that just two years later we would be best friends and roommates. You are, without a doubt, the funniest person I know, and you bring so much joy into my life. Thank you for believing in me, especially during the moments when I struggle to believe in myself. I will forever cherish our pasta nights, our late night talks, and all the times we’ve filmed self tapes together. You push me every single day to grow into a better artist, friend, and person. I cannot wait to share the stage with you and finally let everyone hear what the walls of our apartment have been hearing!

Cesar, mi amor. I know I’ve said this before, but I am truly eternally grateful for the reading that introduced me to some of my favorite people, especially you. You understand me in a way that not many people do, and that is something I will never take for granted. I will always cherish our nights of sharing music we’ve written while you somehow manage to do my eyebrows at the same time. You are one of the most talented people I know, and your artistry constantly inspires me. I am so excited that we get to share the stage together at 54 Below, it means the world to me.

Jonathan, my dear friend and my stage dad. I adore you more than I can properly put into words. Thank you for always looking out for me, especially during tour. Being freshly 19 and traveling the country on my own was honestly a little overwhelming at times, but you took me under your wing and made me feel safe, supported, and at home no matter where we were. I am so grateful that you said yes to being part of this show. Having you here means so much to me. I love you endlessly.

Cody, a true prodigy. You really are the little brother I never had. Your talent, drive, and passion for your craft never fail to amaze me, and it has been such a joy to watch you grow. I cannot wait to be working for you in ten years, that is how much I believe in you. I will always cherish the times we’ve spent singing and making music together. I’m forever your fake big sister and your biggest cheerleader, and I cannot wait to watch you step into the star you already are.

Joseph, my twin. I am so grateful to know you and to have you in my life. You have one of my favorite voices ever, and getting to hear you sing never gets old. From the moment we met, I had a feeling we were going to be lifelong friends, and I’m so glad that turned out to be true. I will forever love being you and Tati’s third wheel, even though, let’s be honest, sometimes Tati is ours! Thank you so much for being part of this show. It truly means the absolute world to me.

Sara, you are genuinely one of the most talented people I know. We have done so many cabarets together, and I’m still shocked that this is the first time we’re actually singing together on stage. Your artistry, work ethic, and passion are so inspiring to me, and I admire you more than you know. I could quite literally listen to you sing anything, even the phone book, and be completely captivated. I will always be cheering you on in everything you do. I am so excited to share the 54 Below stage with you, especially singing from one of my favorite musicals.

To my family, thank you from the bottom of my heart for always being my number one supporters. I truly would not be where I am today without the constant love and encouragement you have given me.

Dad, thank you for sharing your love of music with me. I will forever cherish the memories of listening to you, welo, and all of my tios playing together. Thank you for always pushing me to grow and for fostering my love of guitar.

Mom, thank you for always being there, for driving me to rehearsals, answering every phone call no matter the time, and for being the best mom I could ever ask for.

Marissa, I love you so much. Thank you for always matching my energy, for answering my random FaceTimes, and for supporting me without ever judging me. I couldn’t have asked for a better big sister. And to the rest of my family, no matter where you are, thank you for always believing in me. I love all of you more than you know!

Yarelis and Autumn, you two have truly seen it all. Thank you for standing by me for the past ten years as we’ve grown up together. It has been such a gift to watch both of you become the incredible women you are today. There aren’t enough words to fully express how much I love and appreciate you both. Thank you for always lifting me up and encouraging me to step outside of my comfort zone. I am so lucky to call you my best friends.

Jillian, my girl, you are truly sunshine in human form. You have a way of keeping me grounded even when everything around me feels chaotic. Thank you for always believing in me and reminding me of who I am. Your support and kindness have played such a huge role in getting me to this point. From letting me use your self tape setup for my Doubtfire audition to being right there when I got the call in the Panera parking lot, I will never forget that. I am so grateful we’re in the same city again. Here’s to many more years of filming, bagel runs, and dancing in studios.

Alyson, I cannot thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me. You took a chance on me, and in doing so, completely transformed my voice into what it is today. Thank you for constantly pushing me to grow, for advocating for me, and for believing in my potential even on the days I struggle to see it myself. I adore you and feel so lucky to learn from you.

Jason and Melinda Bercy, truly the best managers I could have ever asked for. Thank you for believing in me from the very beginning and for continuously supporting me with such kindness and care. That support has given me the confidence to step into who I am as an artist. Working with you both has been such a gift, and I am so excited to keep learning and growing under your guidance.

And to everyone else who has supported me along the way, I truly could write a novel about each and every one of you. There will never be enough thank yous to fully express how grateful I am. I carry all of your love and support with me into this moment.
I cannot wait to share what we’ve been working on with all of you!

Meet the Performers

Giselle Gutierrez

Born in Plant City, FL, Giselle Gutierrez could not be more excited to make her Solo Debut at 54 Below. She has been singing and annoying her parents and sister since she could speak. Her love for music only grew when she received her first guitar at 8 years old. Determined to learn, she taught herself from YouTube videos. She took every opportunity she could to sing and perform - from talent shows to open mic nights at her local coffee shop called Krazy Kup. There, she would perform covers and eventually, her own original songs. The owner saw something in her and allowed her to start playing there when she was just 12 years old. That's where she truly found her love for performing. She started theatre relatively “late” in her career, beginning in her senior year of high school. The first musical she ever did was Bright Star, as Alice Murphy, a role that completely changed her life and made her realize she wanted pursue musical theatre as a career. She then auditioned for every theatre school she could, getting rejected from all of them. Discouraged, she decided to go to the University of Central Florida as a Theatre Studies BA major. There, she got into the fall musical, "Working", as a part of the ensemble and understudied the lead. It was during her understudy rehearsals that she was noticed by the director, who offered her a position in the BFA MT class of 2026. In the spring, her high school theatre teacher spontaneously sent her a screen shot from the Telsey office instagram about a virtual open call they were holding for the role of Lydia in the First Broadway National Tour of Mrs. Doubtfire the Musical. She decided to submit, this being her first professional audition ever. Two weeks later she received an email stating she had a callback in New York in 3 days. She scrambled to get a plane ticket and made it to New York. She did her final callback and 2 weeks later received the call that changed her life. The next year and a half would consist of touring with the National Tour of Mrs. Doubtfire, traveling to 42 different cities performing the show 427 times. Giselle can now be found in New York City singing at 54 Below, The Green Room 42 and other cabaret venues. None of this would be possible without the support of her family and friends who have believed in her from the beginning. Huge shout out to Spencer for pushing her to make this dream become a reality! Currently, Isabella is making her off-Broadway debut as Veronica in Heathers. Last year, she made her Broadway debut as Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice after touring with the company for a year and a half. She also starred in the new Canadian musical Life After as Alice Carter, earning a Dora Mavor Moore nomination for her performance. 

Sara Al-Bazali

Standby Veronica Sawyer/Heather Chandler in Heathers at New World Stages. New York Theatre: The Joe Iconis Christmas Extravaganza (13th and 14th annual). Readings/New Works: Grow, These These Girls Have Demons. Regional Theatre: Legally Blonde (Theatre Aspen). You can get tickets for her 54 Below solo debut on October 4 at 54below.org/saraalbazali

Kendall Becerra

Kendall Becerra is a proud San Diego native and recent BFA Musical Theater graduate from Marymount Manhattan College. She was honored to receive the Jimmy Award for Best Actress in 2022. Recent credits include Alice Murphy in Bright Star (MMC), Polexia (U/S Penny Lane) in Almost Famous (A.C.T. of CT), Gymslip in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (The Old Globe Theater). TV credits include: FBI Most Wanted (Co-star). Giselle, my ride or die, my roommate, my sister. I can’t imagine NYC without you and thank God everyday for putting you in my life. I am so incredibly proud of you. With all my love...

Cody Braverman

Broadway: Leopoldstadt (Young Leo). Off-Broadway: House of McQueen (Young Lee) First National Tour: Mrs. Doubtfire (Christopher). Regional: The Sound of Music (Kurt), Paper Mill Playhouse; A Walk on the Moon (Danny), George Street Playhouse. Film/TV: “Sesame Street,” The Harbinger. VO: “CoComelon” (JJ). Endless thanks to Bercy Talent, Zuri Agency, my extraordinary and dedicated coaches and mentors, and to the friends and family whose love makes these dreams possible.

César Carlos Carreño

César Carlos Carreño is a graduate of Oklahoma City University where he received his Bachelor in Music in Music Theatre. Recent credits include Spring Awakening (Melchior), Titanic: The Musical (Chorus), and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamboat (Joseph). Special thank you to my wonderful agents at DGRW, my supportive friends, and my lovely family! 

Tatianna Córdoba

Tatianna Córdoba is a Bay Area native and proud Latina/Filipina who received a BFA in Musical Theater from Boston Conservatory. She made her Broadway debut last spring as Ana in Real Women Have Curves and has since been seen in IN THE HEIGHTS (directed by Karen Olivo) and Picnic At Hanging Rock Off-Broadway. 

Isabella Esler

Currently, Isabella is making her off-Broadway debut as Veronica in Heathers. Last year, she made her Broadway debut as Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice after touring with the company for a year and a half. She also starred in the new Canadian musical Life After as Alice Carter, earning a Dora Mavor Moore nomination for her performance. 

Jonathan Hoover

Best known by for his viral Patti LuPone impression on instagram @inappropriatepatti. An impression that inspired Ryan Murphy to write him a role on American Horror Story: NYC playing opposite LuPone herself. National Tours: Mrs. Doubtfire/Daniel in Mrs. Doubtfire, Chorus Line. Regional: Dr. Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein, Bat Boy in Bat Boy, Joseph in Joseph…, Anthony in Sweeney Todd, Billy Crocker in Anything Goes and many more. He is a regular on the cabaret scene having performed in Lincoln Center,  Birdland Jazz, 54 Below, Joe’s Pub, Chelsea Table and Stage, Greenroom 42 and the Laurie Beechman.  For stalking purposes visit Jonathan-Hoover.com

Joseph Morell

Joseph Morell is a Miami Native, NYC based actor, who received his BFA in Musical Theater from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee College of Music. He was most recently seen as Henry in Next to Normal, with Zoetic Stage at the Arsht Center. He is so excited to be back at 54 Below! 

Spencer Sher

Producer/Drums

Spencer Sher is a Theatrical Producer, Arts Administrator, and Drummer. He made his 54 Below producing debut in July 2024 with 54 Sings Vulfpeck and his Green Room 42 producing debut in January 2025 with Fake Bands/Real Songs. He is the Creator and Producer of the podcast, “And the EGOT Goes To…”, of which he hosts the Tony Awards episodes and the Co-Host and Broadway Reviewer for the international Musical Theatre podcast, “Thrash n’ Treasure”. Keep an eye out this year for his new concert series, “In Their Own Words”, which uses interviews given by composers throughout their careers to add context to their library of work, premiering on August 4 with The Songs of Jason Robert Brown. Tickets are available at tinyurl.com/itowjrb. He is currently in his "convince his friends to do solo shows" era, in which he has successfully convinced his friends Sean Steele (Kinky Boots), Giselle Gutierrez (Mrs. Doubtfire), Delaney Brown (Jagged Little Pill) and Sara Al-Bazali (Heathers) to let him conceive and produce solo shows for them, and he is having the absolute time of his life getting to work with his friends and he can't wait for everyone to see what Giselle has been working on.

Aidan S. Wells

Music Director

Aidan S. Wells is a New York-based music director and conductor. Beyond an expansive history as a pianist on and off-Broadway, Aidan served as Associate Conductor for the South Kansas Symphony until 2020, and has conducted productions ranging from Queen’s We Will Rock You to Gershwin’s Crazy For You. As a pianist, he specializes in original and devised contemporary works, such as stage adaptations of Over The Garden Wall and, recently, Fantom.
Aidan has held instructor positions at Southwestern College and New York University, and is a fixture in the NYC cabaret scene, having music directed dozens of performances already in 2026 alone. Additionally, Aidan is the Founder and Artistic Director of AfterThought Production, a media and performing arts company in NYC.

Andre Wakkerman

Guitars

Andre Wakkerman is a New York City musician, songwriter, and educator. A founding member of The Third Rails, he performs throughout the city as a singer, guitarist, and pianist. He also teaches piano, guitar, drums, and music theory through his private studio. Andre is grateful for the opportunity to share his love of music both on stage and in the classroom.

Ronan McKinnon

Bass

Ronan McKinnon is a versatile and vibrant freelance bass player in the NYC area. He is known for appearing anywhere where great music is being played regardless of the style or genre and has been seen playing both electric and upright bass in many esteemed venues such as The Town Hall, The Rose Theater, Times Square, New York City Center, and Alice Tully Hall. Ronan McKinnon has made music alongside a number of musical giants such as Bill Frisell, The Clark Sisters, Salieu Suso, Sandbox Percussion, Bobby Sanabria, George Lewis, Doyeon Kim, Wyclef Jean and Jason Mraz. Additionally Ronan McKinnon frequently engages in multidisciplinary art, in 2023 he was the principal bass of the Mannes Opera’s production of The Magic Flute and in 2024 he was in the orchestra for The Martha Graham Dance Company’s production of Rite of Spring as well as numerous off broadway productions and occasional collaborations with the NYC civil rights focused orchestra, Protestra.

Noah Turner

Additional Arrangements

Noah Turner is a New York-based pianist, conductor, music director, and arranger. Recently he has worked as Music Director for Blue Hill Troupe's She Loves Me (2025) and Cinderella (2024), Associate Music Director on the International Tour of The Sound of Music in Manila, the Music Assistant on Joy the Musical (with Music Supervisor Andy Einhorn), and Music Director/Conductor of the Jersey Boys 2nd National Tour. He actively works as a music director at cabaret venues throughout the city such as 54 Below and Green Room 42. He has previously worked with Spencer Sher on 54 Sings Vulfpeck, Gimme Gimme: The Songs of Jeanine Tesori, Great Big Stuff: A Tribute to David Yazbek, and the upcoming Delaney Brown: Too Tall For The Bubble, Lydia Squared, and the “In Their Own Words” shows. Noah received his Master’s degree in Collaborative Piano from NYU Steinhardt, and has a Bachelor’s degree in Composition from SUNY Fredonia.

A Note From Spencer

When I sat down to start writing this note, I started to think about how I first asked Giselle to be in one of my shows. It was early 2025, I had seen a video of her singing All I’ve Ever Known from Hadestown on TikTok. Immediately, I was enthralled with her voice. A few months later, I DMed her to see if she was interested in being a part of my upcoming Jeanine Tesori cabaret. In the 407 days since that show, Giselle has become of my favorite collaborators and a close friend. Tonight, she gets to make her NYC solo debut at the iconic 54 Below. I’m writing this because I think it’s important for her to know just how special tonight will be. As you’ll see tonight, this show is so special. The featured guests we have are incredibly talented, and some of the nicest people I’ve ever worked with. There is an original song by Giselle in this show that I absolutely love, and there’s some fun medley moments too. I feel incredibly lucky to have Giselle as a friend, and I’m so proud to be a part of this show- I can’t wait for everyone to see it! (although I think at this point in the solo show process, she’s probably ready to kill me). I’m so proud to be a part of this show- I can’t wait for everyone to see it! 

This process has been a really special one. Our original music director and arranger was Noah Turner, who unfortunately had to leave us in May as he booked a gig in Houston. Of course, you'll still hear his genius medleys tonight. I'm really proud of the work we did on the Lydia and Tenor medleys, and I can't believe that Noah continues to say yes to my crazy ideas. Taking up his mantle, is the incredible Aidan S. Wells. It's been great to finally get the chance to work with Aidan. Throughout this process, he's been another person to bounce ideas off of, and I can't wait for the opportunity to work with him again. It's been really inspiring to see the friends who have come to support Giselle during this process, all of whom it's been a pleasure to work with. This whole process started with me sending Giselle a playlist called "Songs Spencer Wants Giselle to Sing", so it's been fun helping Giselle figure out what songs she wanted to force her friends to sing with her. (Two of those songs are still in the show! I'd love to hear your guesses as to what they are...) Sara, Kendall, Cody, César, Tati, Bella, Jonathan, and Joe have been great throughout this process, and I can't wait for the next chance I have to work with them all.

You can keep up to date on my upcoming shows by following @spencersherproductions on instagram. I hope you all had a fantastic time tonight with Giselle, and we'll see you at the next one!

Speaking of what’s next, I have three amazing shows coming up to talk about!

I’m incredibly excited to be working on a (rescheduled) solo show with my friend, Sean Steele on July 25. Sean Steele has gone from working cattle to playing football to building computers to making homemade fondue to pouring latte art to opera stages to regional theater stages and to off Broadway and more. This show is a love letter to all of the beautiful people that shaped him into who he is today. The original performance was rescheduled due to his illness in February and I can’t wait for people to get the chance to see it.
Tickets are available at tinyurl.com/seansteele

My new concert series, In Their Own Words is premiering on August 4 at the Green Room 42. The series uses previous interviews to add context to a single composer's catalog. The first composer in the series is the incredible Jason Robert Brown! You can see some of tonight's performers (Sara, Kendall, Tati, Bella, Giselle, and Joe) and some other amazing performers (Delaney Brown, Ian Laudano, Syd Sider, Will Stotts, and more). Tickets are available at tinyurl.com/itowjrb

You saw her tonight, and now you can see her make her 54 Below solo debut on October 4!

Sara Al-Bazali, fresh off her internet-viral run as the standby Veronica Sawyer and Heather Chandler in Heathers Off-Broadway makes her 54 Below solo debut in Wait for It. Featuring music from Hamilton, Shrek, and new arrangements of some of her favorites, the show is a journey through the music that has shaped her life and career. Featuring special guests to be announced.

Tickets are available at 54below.org/saraalbazali

Song Credits

If You Knew My Story- From Bright Star, Music and Lyrics by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell
Disney Medley- Conceived by Spencer Sher, Arranged by Noah Turner and contains

I Won't Say I'm In Love, from Hercules, Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by David Zippel

Part Of Your World, from The Little Mermaid, Music and Lyrics by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman

When Will My Life Begin, from Tangled, Music and Lyrics by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater

Waiting on a Miracle, from Encanto, Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Watch What Happens, from Newsies, Music and Lyrics by Alan Menken
Lydia² Medley- Conceived by Spencer Sher, Arranged by Noah Turner and contains

What The Hell, from Mrs. Doubtfire, Music and Lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick

Dead Mom, from Beetlejuice, Music and Lyrics by Eddie Perfect

Valerie- Music and Lyrics by Dave McCabe, Russell Pritchard, Sean Payne, Abi Harding, Paul Molloy, and Boyan Chowdhury

Kiss Me- From The Notebook, Music and Lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson
The Most Beautiful Bracelet- From Lempicka, Music and Lyrics by Matt Gould and Carson Kreitzer
When You’re Home- From In The Heights, Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Tin Man- Music and Lyrics by Jack Ingram, Jon Randall, and Miranda Lambert
Let Me Be Your Star- From SMASH, Music and Lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Whitman

Tenor Medley- Conceived by Spencer Sher, Arranged by Noah Turner and contains

Waving Through A Window, from Dear Evan Hansen, Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

I'm Alive, from Next to Normal, Music and Lyrics by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt

Out There, from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Music and Lyrics by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz

I Love Betsy, from Honeymoon in Vegas, Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown

Santa Fe, from Newsies, Music and Lyrics by Alan Menken

Take Me or Leave Me- From RENT, Music and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson

Wish I Were Here- From Next to Normal, Music and Lyrics by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt

Spoiling Me- Music and Lyrics by Abby Powledge
A Soft Place To Land- From Waitress, Music and Lyrics by Sara Bareilles

Mine- Music and Lyrics by Giselle Gutierrez
Woman of the World- From Shucked, Music and Lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally