Will Kelley's FOR THE RECORD to Close With Final Performance at Laurie Beechman Theatre
The performance is on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 7:00 PM.
Will Kelley will return to the stage for the final performance of For the Record, his original autobiographical cabaret show, on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 7:00 PM at the Laurie Beechman Theatre — the very venue where the show's journey began.
The evening marks a full-circle moment for Kelley and his creative team. It was at the West Bank Cafe — home of the Laurie Beechman Theatre — that Kelley first sat down with director Michael Kirk Lane and described, over a plate of French fries, what he wanted to say on stage. That conversation became For the Record. Two acclaimed performances at 54 Below later, the show comes home to the room where it started — for one final night.
For the Record is an original autobiographical cabaret show about the walls we build to survive—and what it takes to finally take them down. Through a genre-spanning setlist from musical theatre to rock and everything in between, Kelley traces a deeply personal journey through identity, resilience, and the hard-won freedom of telling the whole story. The show has been praised for its emotional range, sharp wit, and the kind of candid storytelling that makes an audience feel like they're the only people in the room.
Since its debut at 54 Below in February 2026, For the Record has evolved with each performance—deepening, sharpening, and growing alongside its creator. The August 29 production represents the most fully realized version of the show, incorporating new material and refinements developed across three productions.
Kelley says of the final performance: "I'm a different person than the one who wrote this show. Performing it three times did what writing it couldn't. August 29 is where that person gets to take a bow."
An audience member who attended the June 2 performance at 54 Below wrote: "He walked out there and just told the truth. By the end of the night I felt like I'd been given permission to do the same."
For the Record is directed by Faith Prince (Tony Award, Guys and Dolls) and Michael Kirk Lane, with music direction by John Bronston.
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