Best Cabaret in May 2026: Harry Connick Jr., Lillias White, Melissa Manchester & More
See some of the biggest names performing at cabaret venues this month - at a range of budget points
See some of the biggest names performing at cabaret venues this month, at a range of budget points. We've put together a list of some of the biggest stars of the stage and screen and the biggest names in jazz, cabaret, comedy and Broadway with shows in NYC. Now's your chance to see these stars live, in-person and in an intimate venue. Tickets to these shows are limited and they are likely to sell out, so make sure to check this list when you plan out your month!
Lillias White Live at The Laurie Beechman
May 1 and June 5 @ 7 pm
Fresh off her triumphant run in Hadestown, Tony Award winner Lillias White brings her incomparable voice and storytelling magic to the newly re-glammed Laurie Beechman Theatre for an intimate evening of music. Joined by pianist Mathis Picard, Lillias will dazzle with an eclectic mix of the unexpected and the unforgettable—showtunes, jazz, pop, R&B, blues, and more. Expect fresh takes, a few classics, and the sheer joy that only Lillias can deliver.
Tickets: Tickets start at $45. There is a $25 food & beverage minimum
Ask a Fuckboy at Caveat
May 1 @ 9:30 pm
Ask a Fuckboy is a new comedy show in NYC that combines the irreverence of Call Her Daddy with the indulgent storytelling of your favorite guilty pleasure Reddit thread. Comics present unhinged dating stories and a panel of “fuckboys” (male comedians) weighs in.
Tickets: Tickets are $35.74 including fees.
After the Fall: Mazzoli + Metamorphosen at The Crypt under the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (Harlem)
May 1-2 @ 7 & 8:30 pm
Missy Mazzoli's Dark with Excessive Bright – here performed in its arrangement for string quintet with violin soloist – takes its title from a line in Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost, where a blind man attempts to describe his vision of God. In a similarly surreal and evocative manner, Mazzoli's music twists, turns, and transforms, casting and chasing shadows across four centuries of musical expression from the Baroque era through to the present day. And as if she wasn't busy enough frolicking in the Crypt with us, Missy's opera Lincoln in the Bardo will receive its world premiere at the Metropolitan Opera this October!
See the works in an intimate crypt setting. Each performance includes a pre-concert reception with wine, food, and cocktails in the spectacular main space of the Cathedral, followed by a walk through the stone quarry before descending to the Crypt.
Tickets: Tickets are $100. They’re currently sold out, but you can join the waitlist on their ticket page.
Kim David Smith: Comme Une Folle – torch songs for tough times because gay (or else) at Joe’s Pub
May 2 at 9:30 pm
Described by Broadway World as the "David Bowie of cabaret," "slyly subversive" by The Wall Street Journal, and labeled the "male Marlene Dietrich" by The New York Times, Australian cabaret artist Kim David Smith returns to Joe's Pub with "Comme Une Folle -- torch songs for tough times because gay (or else)." Queer mega-muses collide in a conjuring of torch-singing, bruise-hearted ladies and their loungy lamentations; Marlene, Minnelli, and Minogue meet Eartha, Piaf, Judy, and more, in jazzy, Julie London-esque rearrangements by award-winning musical director Tracy Stark.
Tickets: Tickets are $36 (inclusive of advance phone/web service fee). There is a 2 drink or 1 food item minimum per person.
50th Anniversary of the Concert of the Century at Carnegie Hall
May 5, 2026 @ 7 pm
Carnegie Hall celebrates the 50th anniversary of its “Concert of the Century” by presenting a once-in-a-lifetime, star-studded performance. Join us in commemorating one of the most legendary events in Carnegie Hall's history, and witness an even larger cast of the world’s top musicians as they make music history of their own. Complete this glamorous evening with gala tickets that include the best possible concert seating and your choice of a pre-concert cocktail party; a post-concert, black-tie gala dinner; or both! This gala evening supports our artistic, education, and social impact programs.
Tickets: The only tickets currently available are via gala RSVP.
Melissa Manchester – Fifty Threads: An Artists Journey at 54 Below
May 6 to 9 @ 7 pm
Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Melissa Manchester returns to 54 Below with Fifty Threads: An Artist’s Journey, reflecting on her five-decade career, celebrating her 20 plus albums, and sharing stories along the way. A Native New Yorker, Melissa holds the distinction of being the first singer ever to have two Academy Award-nominated songs in the same year (“Through The Eyes Of Love” from Ice Castles and “I’ll Never Say Goodbye” from The Promise) and to perform them both in the same Oscar telecast.
Tickets: Tickets start at $35 including fees. There is a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum. There’s currently a limited amount of subsidized tickets for $18 with no minimum for May 6. 54 encourages you to take advantage of this lower priced ticket if their other ticket prices are prohibitive for your personal circumstance.
Frida, Diego, and the Day of the Dead at The Green-Wood Cemetery (Brooklyn
May 8 at 7 pm
Death of Classical and the Metropolitan Opera collaborate for the first time on a large-scale outdoor event at Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery inspired by the Met’s upcoming opera El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego, with music by Gabriela Lena Frank and a libretto by Nilo Cruz. Rooted in Mexican cultural traditions and sung in Spanish, the work imagines a magical-realist reunion between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera on Día de los Muertos. The evening begins at sunset with an immersive pre-show experience for approximately 1,000 attendees, featuring complimentary tastings and performances by mariachi ensembles, dancers, and other artists, followed by a seated program at dusk including performances by Met Opera singers, poetry, and a conversation with the composer.
Tickets: $300– Premium seating for four at a reserved table near the stage (price includes all four seats at the table), with complimentary beverages at your table. $25 – General admission seating in chairs
Toshi Reagon’s 42nd Annual Birthday Concerts at Joe’s Pub
May 10 at 6 & 8:30 pm
Toshi Reagon is a multi-talented and versatile singer, composer, musician, curator, and producer with a profound ear for sonic Americana. Her expansive career includes residences at Carnegie Hall, the Paris Opera House, and multiple festivals and venues nationally and internationally. A highly collaborative artist, she has worked with many musicians, choreographers, film and theater makers, including Meshell Ndegeocello, Alsarah, Lizz Wright, Urban Bush Women, Dorrance Dance, Ananya Chatterjea, Nona Hendryx, Carl Hancock Rux, Rhiannon Giddens, Robert Wilson, her band BIGLovely and many more.
Tickets: Tickets are $42 (inclusive of advance phone/web service fee). There is a 2 drink or 1 food item minimum per person. Only a few tickets are left for this.
Beth Malone Sings 1990s Lesbian Icons and Starstruck at 54 Below
May 15 & 16 @ 7 pm
Tony® nominee Beth Malone returns to 54 Below for the first time in 5 years in a brand new concert celebrating 1990s lesbian icons including the Indigo Girls, k.d. lang, Tracy Chapman, Melissa Etheridge, and more. Best known for originating the role of (Big) Alison in the groundbreaking and celebrated Tony® winning musical Fun Home, based on Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir of the same name, Malone now brings songs and personal stories to the stage.
Tickets: Tickets start at $30.50. There is a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum. There’s currently a limited amount of subsidized tickets for $18 with no minimum. 54 encourages you to take advantage of this lower priced ticket if their other ticket prices are prohibitive for your personal circumstance.
Harry Connick Jr. at Carnegie Hall
May 22 and 23 2026 @ 8 pm
In his two-event Carnegie Hall headlining debut, the great artist and entertainer Harry Connick Jr. presents a program of solo performances, small-group and big-band numbers, and a brand-new orchestral piece to honor the 100th birthday of his late mother, Anita, who dreamed that one day he would perform on this stage.
Tickets: Tickets start at $111.
Donna McKechnie: A Musical Memoir at The Laurie Beechman
May 23 @ 7 pm
Join Tony Award winner Donna McKechnie in an intimate journey through her remarkable career in the theatre, a heartfelt and personal reflection of a life dedicated to the arts. Through captivating stories, she shares and celebrates working alongside legendary artists such as Bob Fosse, Gwen Verdon, Michael Bennett, Marvin Hamlisch, and Stephen Sondheim. This musical memoir features performances of iconic songs from many of the beloved shows she has graced, including A Chorus Line, Company, A Little Night Music, On The Town, Sweet Charity and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. This new show celebrates her lifelong passion for the transformative power of musical theatre.
Tickets: Tickets start at $50. There is a $25 food & beverage minimum
|
Camille Sings Tennille Don't Tell Mama (5/03-5/09) |
|
|
Powerhouse: The Icons 54 Below (6/18-6/18) |
|
|
David Rothenberg: Never Too Late 54 Below (5/03-5/03) |
|
|
Melba Moore: From Broadway, With Love 54 Below (6/24-6/24) |
|
|
I Wish You Well – The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski-Trial Musical 54 Below (6/24-6/24) |
|
|
Redhot & Blue of Yale Jazz 54 Below (5/07-5/07) |
|
|
Pop Off and Rock On 54 Below (7/24-7/24) |
|
|
Ella Mae Dixon: Swingin’ Showtunes 54 Below (5/10-5/10) |
|
|
The Songs of Jeremy Schonfeld 54 Below (6/01-6/01) |
|
|
Liberace & Liza: A Tribute 54 Below (7/08-7/08) |
|
| VIEW ALL SHOWS ADD A SHOW | ||
Videos