Interview: Miki Abraham Reflects on Life With OFF THE DOME at Joe's Pub

After two years of traveling with the Shucked national tour as Lulu, Miki Abraham is returning to New York City with a cabaret that takes an intimate look at their personal life over the last few years. On August 23 at 6 PM, Abraham will take the stage at Joe’s Pub and explore heartbreak, grief, love, and the joy of community through pop and musical theatre songs and stories.

Below, read a conversation with Miki Abraham about the show

This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

---

How did you get started in the world of theatre and cabaret?

I started doing theatre when I was seven years old. I was in a community theatre production of Annie Jr., where I played Annie. From the moment I held a script in my hands, I knew I never wanted to put it down. I’m one of those people who has known what they wanted to do for a very long time, and I’ve been incredibly lucky to keep finding rooms that make that dream possible. There’s something so special about telling stories and making your voice heard. I feel deeply grateful that I get to do this for a living.

How did the idea for Miki Abraham: Off the Dome come to be?

The last two years of my life have been… a lot. The end of a marriage, receiving a mental health diagnosis, coming out to my parents, family illness… the list goes on. I found myself existing in a space that people don’t talk about very often. We tend to sweep those messy, uncomfortable chapters under the rug because they aren’t pretty. I needed to create something from that experience. I wanted to make something beautiful out of moments that often felt very dark.

You just spent two years traveling the country with the Shucked national tour after having been part of its original Broadway cast. What excites you the most about creating your own cabaret show versus playing a character on Broadway?

Oh, any opportunity to breathe life into new songs and new rooms is something I’ll run toward. I believe art begets art, no matter what form it takes. Getting to step onstage as myself and tell my own story with the hope that it resonates with someone and encourages them to share their own is one of the greatest joys of my life. There’s something uniquely vulnerable about not hiding behind a character, and I find that incredibly exciting.

You have several people joining you for Miki Abraham: Off the Dome, including Dominique Kent, Byrdie, Jaden Dominique, EROS, and Chani Wereley. What has the process of working with so many talented people and sharing a stage with them been like?

Scary? Haha. No, but actually… the fact that these incredible artists have taken time away from their own brilliant lives to help bring this show to life is something I don’t take for granted. The level of talent in this lineup is unbelievable, and honestly, it inspires me to rise to the occasion. Every single person is bringing something completely unique to the stage, and getting to create alongside them has been such a gift.

What do you hope your audience will take away from Miki Abraham: Off the Dome?

I hope people leave with a deeper sense of community and a renewed appreciation for vulnerability. We spend so much time trying to hide the difficult, sticky parts of our lives because we don’t want to burden anyone or draw attention to our pain. But I believe there’s so much beauty hidden in those darker moments—we just have to be willing to find it together.

Do you have anything else you would like to add?

I swear this show isn’t all sad! It’s about growth, friendship, heartbreak, healing, personal struggles, and personal victories. It’s just as joyful as it is messy. If I’ve done my job well, I hope people leave believing that one of the most powerful ways through a dark season is to create something from it.

---

Tickets for Miki Abraham: Off the Dome at Joe’s Pub on August 23 at 6:00 PM are available here.

Need more Cabaret Theatre News in your life?
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...