Best Cabaret in September 2026: Tony Danza, Sleater-Kinney & 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!
Murder At The Gates by Steven Sater and James Bourne Concert at 54 Below
Fri. September 4 @ 7 pm
Songs from the new teen murder-mystery musical Murder at the Gates, by Steven Sater (Spring Awakening) and James Bourne (Busted, “Year 3000”), will be presented at 54 Below in a one-night-only concert celebration. A powerhouse young cast (featuring special guests straight from Broadway) brings the show’s electrifying pop/rock score to life. Join the party and be among the first to experience this exciting new musical.
Tickets: Remaining tickets start at $107.50 including fees. There is a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum.
Jekyll & Hyde: In Concert! Feat. Christiane Noll & more at 54 Below
Sat. September 5 @ 7 pm
The first Broadway musical to have inspired a cult following so intensely fanatical that they had their own title: “The Jekkies.” And they had good reason to love this show with such ferocious devotion. It opened in 1997 and ran for four years, making a matinee idol out of its male lead, Robert Cuccioli, and launching a brilliant concert career for its female star, Linda Eder. The concert version of this much-beloved show will burst upon the 54 Below stage to once again give glory to this thrilling Frank Wildhorn music and stirring lyrics by Wildhorn, Steve Cuden, and the legendary Leslie Bricusse. This special concert event will once again shine a light on one of Broadway’s most famous cult musical scores with songs like “This is the Moment,” “Someone Like You,” “Once Upon a Dream,” “A New Life,” and so many more!
Tickets: Remaining tickets start at $63.50 including fees. There is a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum.
Moliere’s Don Juan at LeFrak Center at Lakeside, Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
September 5-27
RSVP at www.moliereinthepark.org
In MIP's reimagining of the thrilling tale of Don Juan, three actors (Naomi Lorrain, Daniel Pearce, Michelle Veintimilla) transform before our eyes into more than ten characters, while Don Juan (Keshav Moodliar) and his faithful sidekick Sganarelle (Kaliswa Brewster) remain the only fixed figures in a world that constantly shifts around them. The result is a fast-paced theatrical spectacle where identities blur, loyalties shift, and the unexpected lurks at every corner.
Gabrielle Stravelli Trio at Birdland Jazz Club
Sat. September 5, 12, 19 & 26 @ 5:30 pm
Gabrielle Stravelli combines a tremendous swing feel with a gift for lyric interpretation, leading to a richly varied career defined by highly individual choices and a genuine connection with audiences. In the last year Gabrielle made her Carnegie Hall debut with the New York Pops Orchestra and released her fifth album, "Beautiful Moons Ago."
Tickets: Tickets start at $35.46 including fees. There is a $20 minimum on food or drinks per person.
Claybourne Elder: Can I Tell You Something? at 54 Below
September 8 & 9 @ 7 pm
Claybourne Elder (John Adams on HBO’s hit series “The Gilded Age”) has spent years telling stories onstage. This time, he’s trying to tell the ones he usually leaves out. In his new show, Elder returns to 54 Below for an evening that’s looser, more candid, and perhaps a little more spontaneous than his previous appearances. Known for performances that combine deeply felt singing with an irreverent sense of humor, Elder has a habit of turning a cabaret into something closer to a very funny late-night conversation with someone who has accidentally started telling you the truth. Expect Broadway and Sondheim, unexpected pop songs, stories from onstage and backstage, and whatever else he decides he’s willing to admit by the time the lights come up. Come for an intimate evening with Claybourne Elder that is part concert, part storytelling, and part oversharing among friends. After all, you’re not going to tell anyone, right?
Read a review of a previous show here.
Tickets: Tickets start at $30.50. There is a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum.
Tony Danza at Café Carlyle
Sept. 8 to 19 @ 8:45 pm
Following the success of his hit show Standards & Stories and multiple sold-out engagements at the iconic venue, Danza returns by popular demand with an all-new evening of music, storytelling, and signature charm. Combining timeless music with wit, humor, and heartfelt personal anecdotes, More Standards & Stories features a new selection of Danza’s favorite songs, interwoven with stories from his life and reflections on his relationship with his father. Accompanied by his band, Danza brings his trademark warmth to the Café Carlyle stage, punctuated by his beloved soft-shoe and ukulele performances. The show blends memorable music and captivating storytelling in the uniquely personal style that has made Danza a Café Carlyle favorite. The New York Times raved, “Tony’s a live wire who tap-dances, plays the ukulele, tells stories and radiates irresistible charm. He exudes the kind of charisma that can’t be taught!” Broadway World highlighted his performance, stating, “His voice and showmanship is a welcome reminder of why the standards are just that—because they’re timeless.”
Tickets: Tickets start at $150. For general and premium seating, there is a food minimum of $95 for two courses. Bar seating has a $50 food/drink minimum.
Jeff Harnar: BLAME IT ON MY YOUTH at Don’t Tell Mama
Weds. September 9 & 16 @ 7 pm
Multiple award-winning artist Jeff Harnar will return to the New York club Don’t Tell Mama with the show “Blame It on My Youth” for two Special Encore performances on Wednesday evenings September 9th and 16th at 7:00 PM. The critically acclaimed show played four performances last February to full houses and standing ovations. “Artistic audacity shines. Treat yourself. THIS is excellence,” wrote Alix Cohen of Theater Life. “Harnar stands as a beacon of professionalism and perfection,” added Stephen Mosher of Broadway World.
Harnar is joined by longtime music director Alex Rybeck revisiting songs from the shows they performed at the venue in the 1980s, when they were forging their 43-year-long musical partnership. “Blame It on My Youth” features songs by Irving Berlin, Kander & Ebb, Richard Rodgers, Jerry Herman, Stephen Sondheim, Charles Aznavour, Paul Simon, Carole King, and Billy Joel.
Tickets: $25 Cover Charge plus a $20 Minimum (must include 2 drinks). DTM is cash only.
Charles Busch Sings Johnny Mercer at 54 Below
September 11-12 @ 7 pm
Tony Award® nominated actor, playwright, and cabaret entertainer Charles Busch (The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, Die, Mommie, Die, Psycho Beach Party) returns with a new show of songs written by Great American Songbook legend Johnny Mercer. A two-time MAC Award winner and Bistro Award honoree, Charles has created a unique place in the cabaret world as a sensitive musical interpreter and as a hilarious and touching teller of tales. With music direction by Jono Mainelli, this evening will include some of Mercer’s most beloved songs, like “Moon River” and “On The Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe” alongside several lesser known Mercer gems.
Tickets: Tickets start at $30.50. There is a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum.
KT Sullivan at The Laurie Beechman
September 15 @ 7 pm
Award-winning cabaret artist KT Sullivan returns to The Beechman with her signature warmth, elegance, and sly humor in I’m Glad I’m Not Young Anymore. This sparkling evening celebrates the timeless songs of Cy Coleman, Noël Coward, Jerry Herman, Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini, Charles Strouse, and Lerner & Loewe, among others. Each performance features a special guest, adding a unique layer of charm and spontaneity: July 13: Eric Yves Garcia Aug 18: Bryon Sommers Sept 15: Melodie Wolford
Tickets: Tickets start at $25. There is a $25 food & beverage minimum
Ute Lemper: Celebrating Marlene Dietrich’s 125th Birthday at 54 Below
September 18-19 @ 7 pm
Join 54 Below to celebrate the 125th birthday of the iconic Marlene Dietrich with her expert interpreter Ute Lemper.
This show is based on a three-hour phone call and exchange between Marlene Dietrich and Ute Lemper in 1988 in Paris, 30 years ago. After receiving the French Moliére Award for her performance in Cabaret in Paris, Ute had sent a postcard to Marlene, who had lived at 12 Avenue de Montaigne since 1979, essentially apologizing for all the media attention comparing her to Marlene Dietrich. Ute was just at the beginning of her career in theatre and music, whereas Marlene looked back on a long, fulfilled life of movies, music, incredible collaborations, love stories and stardom. In this unforgettable show, Ute tells us Marlene’s story, along with singing her fabulous songs from all the chapters of her life, from the Berlin cabaret years to her fabulous Burt Bacharach collaborations. From “Just a Gigolo” to “Blowin’ In The Wind,” every musical moment is not to be missed.
Tickets: Tickets start at $30.50. There is a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum
Liz Phair & Sleater-Kinney: The Flannel and The Fury 2026 at Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Sat. September 19 @ 7 pm
Liz Phair & Sleater-Kinney: The Flannel and The Fury 2026 with special guest Frankie Cosmos, is coming to BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn.
Tickets: Tickets start at $82.55.
Death of Classical Presents: Royce Vavrek's Lincoln in the Bardo at The Green-Wood Cemetery (Brooklyn)
September 25 from 6-9 pm
Opening on September 25th with an immersive experience at The Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, followed by an October 15th preview event and cemetery tour at Trinity Church NYC in Lower Manhattan Both events feature stars from the Metropolitan Opera production performing selections from the score, and a conversation with the creators about bringing Saunders’s masterpiece to the operatic stage The new opera, which will receive its world premiere at the Met on October 19, follows a grieving Abraham Lincoln into a ghost-filled realm between life and death, as he mourns his young son while carrying the weight of a nation at war
Tickets: Remaining tickets are $400 for 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 and entry beginning at 6:00 PM
Ariana DeBose at Café Carlyle
Sept. 29 to Oct. 3 @ 8:45 pm
Café Carlyle is thrilled to welcome award-winning actress, singer, and dancer Ariana DeBose for her highly anticipated Café Carlyle debut, September 29–October 3, 2026. Best known for her Academy Award-winning performance as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, DeBose has captivated audiences across stage and screen, with Broadway credits including Hamilton and her Tony-nominated role in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. She also hosted the Tony Awards for three years, earning two Emmy nominations.
Tickets: General Seating $310 per person / Premium Seating $360/ Bar Seating $185. For general and premium seating, there is a food minimum of $95 for two courses. Bar seating has a $50 food/drink minimum.
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