Best Cabaret in December 2025: Christine Ebersole, Norm Lewis, Sam Morill & More
See some of the biggest names performing at cabaret venues this month - at a range of budget points
By: Rebecca Kaplan Dec. 01, 2025
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!
Christine Ebersole with Billy Stritch: I’ll Be Home For Christmas at 54 Below
December 1 to December 6 @ 7 pm
Join legendary two-time Tony Award® winner Christine Ebersole and musical icon Billy Stritch at the piano, as they celebrate the holidays together. I’ll Be Home For Christmas will feature the greatest hits of their twenty year partnership, going all the way back to 42nd Street on Broadway when they first met! Christine Ebersole recently co-starred on Chuck Lorre’s hit sitcom “Bob Hearts Abishola” for CBS. She starred most recently on Broadway in War Paint in her Tony® nominated role as Elizabeth Arden, opposite fellow Tony® nominee Patti LuPone as Helena Rubinstein. She won her second Tony Award® for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, as well as virtually every Off-Broadway award, for her “dual role of a lifetime” as Edith Beale and Little Edie Beale in Grey Gardens. She also recently starred in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Oscar nominated film Licorice Pizza as Lucille Doolittle, based on Lucille Ball. In 2018 she made her LA Opera debut as the Old Lady in Francesca Zambello’s production of Candide, conducted by James Conlon.
Tickets: Tickets start at $95.50. There is a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum.
Sam Morill at Carnegie Hall
Thurs. December 4 @ 8 pm
Morril is one of the fastest-rising stand-up comics in New York City and one of the best joke writers in the scene today. He was a regular on Comedy Central’s This Week at the Comedy Cellar, where he appeared on frequently when not touring cities across the nation. He was named one of Comedy Central’s Comics to Watch in 2011 and has performed multiple stand-up sets on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Late, Late Show with James Corden and Conan. He’s also had stints on Last Comic Standing, America’s Got Talent, @midnight with Chris Hardwick, and Inside Amy Schumer. Morril can be heard on the podcast We Might Be Drunk with co-host Mark Normand and seen on Netflix’s That’s My Time with David Letterman. His newest stand-up special, Sam Morril: Same Time Tomorrow, can also now be viewed on Netflix.
Tickets: Tickets start at $51. The orchestra section is sold out except for accessible seats but there are still a few tickets left in the upper levels.
Cheyenne Jackson at Carnegie Hall
Mon. December 8 @ 8 pm
Get ready for an unforgettable evening of electrifying vocals and heartfelt humor as the Grammy- and Emmy-nominated Cheyenne Jackson (Xanadu, Into the Woods, American Horror Story, 30 Rock) takes the stage! Enjoy a one-of-a-kind concert that weaves together Broadway hits, pop anthems, and timeless American Songbook classics—plus a few special seasonal surprises. He’ll be joined by Jane Krakowski (30 Rock) and Jessica Vosk (Wicked).
Tickets: Tickets start at $42.50. The orchestra section is already mostly sold out for this one.
We Love the Winter Weather: Songs of the Season at Birdland Jazz Club
December 8 @ 7 pm
Four award-winning New York favorites—KT Sullivan, Stacy Sullivan, Jeff Harnar, and Todd Murray—bring We Love the Winter Weather to the Birdland stage, joined by music director Jon Weber. This eclectic and entertaining holiday cabaret features material by Irving Berlin, Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne, Carol Hall, Danny Apolinar, David Friedman, and Mel Tormé, with nods to “Grandma,” Elvis, Peggy Lee, and a “short attention span theater” retelling of White Christmas. Each performer is a heavyweight: KT Sullivan—Lorelei Lee in Broadway’s Gentlemen Prefer Blondes—is an internationally acclaimed cabaret artist in residence at the Algonquin Hotel and Artistic Director of the Mabel Mercer Foundation. Jeff Harnar, winner of multiple MAC, Bistro, and BroadwayWorld Awards, recently sold out Birdland with his album release Sammy Cahn The Second Time Around. Stacy Sullivan, a MAC and Nightlife Award winner, is renowned for her Peggy Lee tribute, which has toured internationally from London to Carnegie Recital Hall. Todd Murray, known for his acclaimed album CROON and his widely heard holiday originals, has sold out venues nationwide and abroad. Their musical director, Jon Weber, hosts NPR’s Piano Jazz, and his newest release Simple Complex rose to #1 on the charts. Together, this dream team brings chemistry that will warm your winter fingers.
Tickets: Tickets start at $35.46 including fees. There is a $20 minimum on food or drinks per person. Livestream available at veeps.com/birdland.
The 15th Annual Joe Iconis Christmas Extravaganza at 54 Below
December 12 to December 14 @ 7 & 11 pm
Joe and his merry band of musical theater punks descend on every square inch of 54 Below with their legendary holiday tradition that brings their insane celebration of all things red and green back to the heart of the theater district. Written by Joe Iconis, directed by John Simpkins, and produced by Jennifer Ashley Tepper, this wild yuletide explosion is part rock concert, part theater piece, and part theme park attraction come to life. Featuring brand new holiday songs, old favorites, a huge cast of musical theater all-stars, feisty elves, emotional reindeer, an inebriated Mr. and Mrs. Claus, and more whiskey-fueled shenanigans than you can shake a candy cane at, it promises to be the hap-hap-happiest holiday hoedown ever seen on stage. Find the full list of guest performers here.
Tickets: Tickets start at $40.50. There is a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum. (The 7 pm performances are already sold out, and the tickets for the 11 pm performances are going fast so get yours now.)
Norm Lewis: Christmas Lives Here at 54 Below
December 18 to December 24 @ 7 pm
It’s official! Norm Lewis (The Phantom of the Opera, Once on This Island, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, Chicken & Biscuits) is returning to 54 Below for an 11th season of his Christmas and Holiday residency, right back where it all began, here in Broadway’s Living Room. It can easily be stated that the Tony® and Emmy-nominated Broadway, film, and television star is a holiday time attraction and must-see, adding him and 54 Below to your lists of Rockefeller Center, Macy’s, the windows at Saks Fifth Avenue, the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, and any other beloved New York City tradition you cherish at Christmastime. And because it all started right here at 54 Below, Mr. Lewis is calling this year’s edition, Norm Lewis: Christmas Lives Here. On board, once again, are his director Richard Jay-Alexander and his musical director Joseph Joubert, as well as the hottest holiday band, featuring Joubert on the keys, Michael Olatuja on bass, and Perry Cavari on drums and percussion. There’s plenty of new material and annual favorites and, as usual, Norm always has some surprises and tricks up his sleeve. You won’t want to miss it and you’re going to want to secure your reservations early, as this engagement is always a sellout.
Tickets: Tickets start at $106.50. There is a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum.
The New York Pops featuring Megan Hilty at Carnegie Hall
Fri. December 19 @ 8 pm
Celebrate the season with Broadway and television sensation Megan Hilty and the acclaimed Essential Voices USA choir. This joyous evening will enchant audiences with holiday classics, spirited carols, and heartwarming performances.
Tickets: Tickets start at $61.25. The orchestra section is almost completely sold out except for accessible seats but you can still grab a handful in the upper levels.
Peter Cincotti: A New York Christmas at Café Carlyle
December 22 to 30 @ 8:45 pm
See singer-songwriter and piano-phenomenon Peter Cincotti for a festive holiday run from December 22–31, 2025, culminating with a special New Year’s Eve performance. A Café Carlyle regular, native New Yorker, and the youngest artist ever to reach #1 on the Billboard Jazz Chart, Cincotti promises to deliver an unforgettable evening of music and storytelling to close out the year at one of New York’s most iconic venues. Cincotti’s career has taken him to iconic venues around the globe, from Carnegie Hall to Paris’s L’Olympia. He has collaborated with luminaries including Andrea Bocelli and David Guetta, shared the spotlight with Ray Charles, and made appearances in both major motion pictures like Spiderman 2 and acclaimed series such as Netflix’s House of Cards. His distinctive songwriting, often infused with a socially conscious edge, caught the ear of Grammy-winning producer David Foster, who produced Cincotti’s third album, East Of Angel Town. That project gave rise to the hit single “Goodbye Philadelphia,” which soared into the top ten of European pop charts. Renowned for his seamless blending of genres, Cincotti continues to infuse contemporary music with the energy of his dynamic piano style. Audiences can look forward to a captivating holiday experience- an evening of music, stories, and the spirit of New York at its most magical.
Tickets: Remaining tickets start at $150 for bar seating (sold out except December 27). There are a few premium tickets left for December 29 for $250 a ticket. For all performances, there is a $95 two-course menu requirement per person. Beverages, tax and gratuity are additional. For Bar Seating, there is a food and beverage minimum of $50 per person.
Matthew Morrison: Rhythms & Revelations at 54 Below
December 27 to January 8 @ 7 pm
Matthew Morrison (Hairspray, The Light in the Piazza, South Pacific), known for his standout role as Will Schuester on “Glee,” is a dynamic performer whose charisma and versatility have captivated audiences for years. With a background in musical theater, Morrison effortlessly blends his impressive vocal talents with a strong acting presence, bringing depth and charm to his performances. Here’s a description of Matthew’s brand new show Rhythms & Revelations in his own words:
Step into a world where music and dance become more than just entertainment—they become a journey into the heart of what makes us human.
Tickets: Tickets start at $95.50. There is a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum.
Videos