INTERVIEW: Robert Bannon returns to 54 Below to celebrate Pride
Photo: Robert Bannon will offer his Pride Playlist at 54 Below. Photo courtesy of the artist / Provided by official site.
Pride Month is almost here, and New York City, one of the best places in the world to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, is ready to have a festive and fun celebration. There are numerous events to take advantage of, and one of the highlights will be Robert Bannon’s return to 54 Below, the Midtown Manhattan cabaret venue. On June 14 at 9:30 p.m., Bannon will offer his Pride Playlist show, which shares his personal journey, set to hit songs from Lady Gaga, Celine Dion and so many others. One of the selections will be his Pride anthem, “I Think He Knew,” an original tune penned by Matt Gould and Griffin Matthews, according to press notes.
Joining him at the performance will be Broadway’s Mauricio Martinez, perhaps best known for his performance in On Your Feet!, plus Robbie Rozelle.
Bannon is a person who has built an expansive career that includes Saturday Night Live and The Real Housewives franchise, plus performances at Madison Square Garden, the Beacon Theatre and many other venues around the city. His two recording efforts are Unfinished Business and Rewind, according to his official biography. He’s also the host of the online talk show and podcast The Roundtable With Robert Bannon, which gathers tens of thousands viewers and listeners per week.
Recently Bannon exchanged emails with Hollywood Soapbox to talk about his upcoming 54 Below engagement. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
When did you make the decision to stage another Pride performance at 54 Below? Was it last year’s successful concert that led to this one?
Firstly, thanks so much for having me here on Hollywood Soapbox! I so appreciate it!
The whole journey to being a performer for Pride has been one I never really expected. The idea to perform at Prides came from the single “I Think He Knew,” which is on my Unfinished Business and Rewind album. Once the song came out, I started being asked about performing at New Jersey Prides and then bigger prides like Detroit (where I met my fiance FYI), Ohio, Delaware, NYC, etc.
You can ask anyone that knows me that I was apprehensive about it. I am a school teacher as my day job. How much of my personal life did I feel comfortable to share with the world? I started to get messages, emails, DMs, and people would come up to me and tell me their Pride story. So many parents, siblings and family told me how they accepted or wished they accepted their loved ones sooner. It was these stories that gave me the courage and the mission to spread my story.
Pride is the time to be you and have a big party where all are welcome. The idea came for a Diva Dance Playlist Concert, and what better place than 54 Below, which is the actual spot of 54 Below’s VIP Room! Pretty sacred grounds if you ask me. So after selling out last year and having a blast, we decided it was time for this to be a yearly event!
What can fans expect on June 14? Sounds like a party atmosphere.
It is a party! This is not your grandma’s cabaret. It is an evening of diva classics from Gaga to Celine. We do all the songs you know and love. I want you to sing, dance, have a drink and celebrate with me. I love shows that are fancy and classy — this is not that kinda show. This is the show to bring your friends, dress in sequins and party on with me. It is a family-friendly show as well. I do not do shirtless, dance-on-a-box kinda Pride. That is for someone and somewhere. This is for everyone: Your grandma and your nephew are all welcome to the party!
What’s it like to collaborate with Mauricio Martinez?
Mauricio is a star. He is an Emmy winner. He is a Broadway star (On Your Feet!). He has a gorgeous album recorded live at 54 Below. Robbie Rozelle, who is also a cabaret legend, has directed my shows and co-produced my last album. He also directed Mauricio’s album and show. Maurcio has been on my virtual talk show The Roundtable, and he is the kindest person. And he sings down! So when I had the idea to do a classic duet between two Queer music icons, Maurcio came to mind, and he said yes! Now he is a pro and a class act, so I am going to make sure I am ready to keep up with him!
How did the song “I Think He Knew” come about? What inspired this anthem?
I love this question and by the grace of God, this song has become my favorite song and message to sing. Matt Gould, who is the rage with the Broadway musical Lempicka, … and Griffin Matthews wrote this song for a musical they were working on. Matt is a dear friend of mine who has encouraged me for almost a decade. I happened to be in the room when they debuted this song, and there was not a dry eye in the house. It is based on Griffin and his relationship with his father, but it is so relatable to so many.
When making Unfinished Business, I needed to sing the song. I sang the song in a cabaret in New Jersey, and it was the moment I officially “outed” myself. It meant so much to me. I needed it for the album, and Matt and Griff gifted it to me. The video is directed by Kyle Bahl. The whole journey of “I Think He Knew” blows my mind. It is by far my signature song. It is forever dedicated to those who do not have the dad in the song, those who had to make their own family. I hope to be singing this song for as long as people will listen. This is my message, my protest and my heart wrapped in a four-minute musical story.
How important is Pride Month and Pride programming? It’s fun, but also very necessary and important, right?
Pride Month is more important in 2024 than maybe ever. We are living in a time where Queer rights are being tested across the United States as well as women’s rights. We need to stand up to equal rights for all. As an out teacher, I see the Queer youth and the struggle for acceptance. They need the examples, visibility and the message that they are perfect just the way they are. Queer hate crimes are up as well as Queer teen suicide by staggering numbers over the past few years. We need to keep showing love and “Pride” to all those in the community as well as the allies of the community. Yes, it is fun. Yes, come in rainbows and sequins, but also come with an open heart that all of us belong, too. We are all perfect and beautiful. This is about loving who you love and feeling at home on the planet. These are some of the most basic asks that are still up for debate. It is a party with a purpose.
What do you like about the 54 Below venue?
It is the perfect place to see a show in NYC! It is an iconic room where the best of the best have played! There is not a bad seat in the house. The lighting, sound and atmosphere [are] elegant and fun. The crowd is always a who’s who of NYC culture, and I love their Caesar salad with no anchovies. They know what they are doing there. It truly is Broadway’s living room.
How can fans follow you and your many projects?
My albums are available to stream wherever music is heard! The Roundtable, my virtual talk show and podcast, can be heard daily on The Broadway Podcast Network and my YouTube Channel. For all the links and information, visit www.RobertBannon.com or follow me on IG- @RobertMBannon.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Robert Bannon’s Pride Playlist will play June 14 at 9:30 p.m. at 54 Below in Midtown Manhattan. Click here for more information and tickets.
