Join us at 54 Below for a dazzling evening featuring the songs of Queen of Mean: The Rise and Fall of Leona Helmsley. In an unforgettable celebration of the musical by David Lee, Ron Passaro, and Alex Lippard, experience “Real Estate,”“My New York,” “Your Second Act,” “No Limits,” and “Mama’s Comin’,” among other showstoppers. This razor-sharp, darkly comic musical shines a spotlight on one of New York’s most infamous icons: the hotel empress who built a billion-dollar empire, reigned over the tabloids, and earned the nickname “Queen of Mean.” Her rise, rule, and ultimate fall for tax evasion captivated America and made her a symbol of 1980s greed and excess. With wit, style, and biting relevance, Queen of Mean brings Leona’s story to the stage like never before. Featuring an unforgettable cast of top-notch singers, this concert is produced and directed by its original creators.

Perhaps inevitably, signs have pointed to a comeback for another eighties billionaire supervillain: Leona Helmsley. The hotel empress, whose iron-fisted management style earned her the nickname the Queen of Mean, grew up in Brooklyn. In ad campaigns, she cast herself as the nitpicking monarch of the Helmsley Palace Hotel (‘It’s the only Palace in the world where the Queen stands guard’), while the tabloids fed on tales of her berating and firing employees for minor infractions.

“Queen of Mean: The Rise and Fall of Leona Helmsley… aims to place its subject in the pantheon of great musical antiheroines, from Mama Rose to Eva Perón.’” – Michael Schulman, The New Yorker

Music directed by Vadim Feichtner.

Joined by Dan Berkery on drums.

Please note that all artists and acts are subject to change at any time.