Broadway vet whose credits include the original Cats and Starlight Express makes solo debut.
Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 54 Below
Broadway veteran KEN ARD, whose storied career includes the original Cats, Starlight Express, Smokey Joe’s Café, Jelly’s Last Jam, and the recent CATS: The Jellicle Ball, makes his 54 Below solo debut in KEN ARD: THE CROONER — BALLADS, BLUES & COCKTAILS on Saturday, November 21.
Drawing from Broadway, jazz, blues, and the Great American Songbook and inspired by the elegance and storytelling of the great male vocalists from the golden age of song, Ard brings a seasoned baritone, sly humor, and unmistakable theatricality to the room. KEN ARD: THE CROONER — BALLADS, BLUES & COCKTAILS is an evening about more than looking back—it is a celebration of experience, becoming, and the exquisite pleasure of having arrived at your own voice.
KEN ARD: THE CROONER — BALLADS, BLUES & COCKTAILS features Musical Direction by Wayne Barker, the Tony nominated and Drama Desk Award-winning composer of Peter and the Starcatcher, and costumes by David Quinn.
KEN ARD: THE CROONER — BALLADS, BLUES & COCKTAILS runs Saturday, November 21 at 9:30pm at 54 Below (254 West 54th Street). Tickets are available at www.54Below.org or by calling 646-476-3551 for day-of-show inquiries. Pricing, minimums, and fee structures apply as standard for the venue.
KEN ARD has originated roles in some of Broadway’s most memorable productions, including Macavity in Cats and Ken in Smokey Joe’s Café. He appeared on both Grammy winning Broadway cast albums. Most recently, Ard starred as DJ GriddleBone in CATS: The Jellicle Ball, where he also understudied the role of Old Deuteronomy. His other Broadway credits include Electra in Starlight Express, Pluton in Dangerous Games, and the Chimney Man opposite Gregory Hines in Jelly’s Last Jam. Ard was honored to stand by for Tony Award winner André De Shields in Half Time at Paper Mill Playhouse. De Shields later chose him to lead the cast of Sophisticated Ladies at NJPAC. Ard also appeared in Taylor Mac’s critically acclaimed Off-Broadway opera The Hang and played Duke Ellington in The Ellington/ Strayhorn Nutcracker Suite at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre. On film, he appears as Wilbur in Chicago. Beyond the stage and screen, Ard is an award-winning chef, visual artist, and accomplished jazz singer and cabaret performer.