Broadway Veterans Matt Cavenaugh and Jenny Powers Debut with Children at 54 Below
The married couple, known for their Broadway roles, will perform with their three children in a new cabaret show.
Broadway veterans Matt Cavenaugh and Jenny Powers are bringing their family to the stage for their debut at 54 Below, a renowned New York City cabaret venue. Their new show, "Keeping Up with the Cavenaughs," features the couple performing alongside their three children: George, 14; Henry, 11; and Rose, 6. The performances are scheduled for October 2 and 3, with a livestream option available.
The show pays tribute to Cavenaugh and Powers' notable Broadway roles, including Cavenaugh's portrayal of Tony in the 2009 revival of "West Side Story" and Powers' performances as Rizzo in "Grease" and Meg in "Little Women." The children will also perform solos and join their parents for numbers.
"None of them has a nervous bone in their body," Powers told The Post, noting her youngest daughter, Rose, recently delivered a solo performance at her kindergarten graduation. Cavenaugh will perform "Maria" as a trio with his two sons.
The idea for a family show emerged after Powers saw Cavenaugh and their son Henry perform together in a local production of "The Secret Garden." Initially, 54 Below approached the couple to perform as a duo, but Powers proposed including their children.
"We're paying tribute to the roles that we’ve either originated or revived on Broadway," Powers said. "We’re also singing songs that we’ll hopefully get to play someday. We’re trying to bring a lot of love and laughter — and hopefully only a little bit of family dysfunction."
Music director Phil Reno and director Joe Langworth assembled the show. Langworth has a history of collaborating with the family, often directing productions for The Link, a professional theater company and educational hub Cavenaugh and Powers founded in Jonesboro, Arkansas, in 2019. The couple established The Link to provide arts education for children, inspired by their own experiences and the impact the arts have had on their children.
"They learn what it’s like to step into someone else’s shoes — what it’s like to walk in their life for a day," Powers said about the benefits of arts education, adding that it instills self-confidence. Her son George echoed this sentiment, stating that the experience has improved his public speaking skills. The show will be livestreamed to accommodate younger audiences or those unable to attend in person.