Songs with sass, songs with attitude, and songs that put women center stage will be offered the in the September 28 concert Badass Women of Broadway at Feinstein’s/54 Below supper club in New York City.
Proceeds from the concert will go to Global Giving Foundation, which has a fund to help the survivors of recent hurricanes Irma and Harvey, which devastated swaths of Florida, Texas, and the Caribbean.
The show is a mashup of talent, from employees of Refinery29 to Broadway and Off-Broadway performers singing pop songs and showtunes. Among the latter will be Barrett Doss, who just closed in Groundhog Day, Coco Cohn (Mamma Mia!), Kalilah Black (The Lion King), Danyelle Williamson (Wicked), Kianee Truvillion (Spamilton), Darilyn Castillo, and others. Accompaniment will be provided by Eddie Carney.
Refinery29’s Hannah Salberg, who is producing the concert, told Playbill, “The primary mission of Refinery29 is empowerment of woman through storytelling that is timely, positive and thoughtful. In keeping with that ethos we themed our evening Badass Women of Broadway because, truly, in these strange and somewhat desperate times, we positively think the world needs some badass women. It will be a night of laughter and song, all to give help to those who have lost everything.”
Salberg said, “Each song in the show has a feminist twist, whether it be about friendship, overcoming heartbreak, or the realization that our power lies within ourselves. Each song comes from a female heroine that we admire. To us, a badass woman is anyone who won’t be confined or controlled by outside societal pressures or expectations. We see this through beloved characters like Elphaba in Wicked, Allison in Fun Home, Celie in The Color Purple, and beyond with our female pop stars like Lady Gaga and Rihanna, who march to the beat of their own drum and encourage others to do the same. I am so proud to be producing this show with so many like-minded women.”
The show will be hosted by Samantha Reece and Becky Chicoine, two comedians with their own show at Upright Citizens Brigade.
Here is the planned playlist (subject to change):
Opening: “Mama Who Bore Me” (Spring Awakening) sung by the cast
“Find Out What They Like” (Ain’t Misbehavin’), sung by Kalilah Black
“I Know the Truth” (Aida), sung by Patricia Beam (R29)-
“Avalanche” (Kerrigan and Lowdermilk), Aisha Carpenter
“You'll Be Back” (Hamilton), Katie Goffman
“I Will Prevail” (Wonderland), Lily Ramras
“Defying Gravity” (Wicked), Darilyn Castillo
“For Good” (Wicked), Lucie Fink and Hannah Cecille (R29)
“Love on the Brain” (Rihanna), Sahar Milan
“Ring of Keys” (Fun Home), Ally Veloudis
“Do You Wanna Dance?” (Bette Midler), Zachary Clause (a.k.a. Sherry)
“Natural Woman” (Beautiful) Danyelle Williamson
“Different” (Peace, Love and Cupcakes), Carrie Berk
“I’m Here” (The Color Purple), Kianee Truvillion
“As We Stumble Along” (The Drowsy Chaperone), Coco Cohn
