Cabaret Roundup: August 17-23 – Simple Plan, Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal & More in NYC
See some of the top cabaret shows and concerts in NYC this week
Are you trying to plan your entertainment for the week or looking for a fun show to see this weekend? We have you covered with jazz, cabaret, comedy, and more! NYC has so many incredible events, but here are a few top picks to consider this week including a free outdoor concert with Angélique Kidjo, RENT co-stars Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal in a duo show, A Strange Loop songwriter Michael R. Jackson and more.
PS: In addition to these events, make sure to check out our roundup of free outdoor concerts for Summer 2026.
Michael R. Jackson: Wake Up Call at Joe’s Pub
August 17
Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-Winning Musical Theatre Writer Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop, White Girl In Danger, Teeth) returns to Joe’s Pub 20 years to the day of his NYC concert debut with Michael R. Jackson: Wake Up Call, an evening of thoughtful, humorous, and personal songs from his catalogue and his latest musical in progress, Subscribers. In Wake Up Call, Michael invites you to join him as he laughs at and reflects on two decades of fitful slumber and dark dreams in a probing, emotional and sometimes eye-rolling look at the world as he sees it.
Tickets: Tickets are $54 (inclusive of advance phone/web service fee). There is a 2 drink or 1 food item minimum per person.
54 Sings Shuffle Along, Or… A 10th Anniversary Celebration at 54 Below
August 17 @ 7 & 9:30 pm
Get ready to swing! 54 Below honors the monumental legacy of 1921’s Shuffle Along with a celebration marking the tenth anniversary of the ten-time Tony Award® nominated Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed.
Step back into the vibrant Jazz Age with a high-energy concert designed to make you shake, shimmy, and shuffle to Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake’s revolutionary score. Through showstoppers like “I’m Just Wild About Harry,” “Love Will Find a Way,” and “I’m Just Simply Full of Jazz,” you’ll see exactly how this sensation launched icons like Josephine Baker and Adelaide Hall while providing the electrifying soundtrack to the Roaring Twenties.
Tickets: Tickets for the 9:30 pm show start at $19.50. There is a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum.
Adam Pascal & Anthony Rapp: In Resonance at 54 Below
August 18-22 & 25-29 @ 7 pm
Broadway legends and longtime friends Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp reunite for a new powerful and personal concert that takes audiences on a journey through the music that has shaped their lives and careers. In Resonance is an electrifying blend of pop, rock, and musical theater—featuring iconic songs that have inspired them, influenced their artistry, and deeply resonated with their shared history. From soul-stirring anthems of the stage to classic rock ballads and contemporary hits, Adam and Anthony bring their unmistakable voices, raw emotion, and enduring chemistry to a setlist that honors the music that made them who they are. With heartfelt storytelling, unexpected covers, and signature songs from their own Broadway journeys—including a nod to RENT, the show that changed everything—In Resonance is a celebration of friendship, music, and the transformative power of song.
Tickets: Tickets start at $63.50. There is a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum. The January run of this sold out, so snag your tickets to this one early
KT Sullivan at The Laurie Beechman
August 18 & 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
Karen Mason: SPF! Songs, Patter and Fun! at Don't Tell Mama
August 18 @ 7 pm
Enjoy an evening of great songs, hilarious stories, and spontaneous fun as Karen Mason brings her signature wit, warmth and unforgettable voice to the stage.
Tickets: $20 Cover Charge plus a $20 Minimum (must include 2 drinks). DTM is cash only
Simple Plan: Bigger Than You Think! Tour - The Sequel! at SummerStage (Central Park)
August 19 @ 6 pm
Multi-platinum rock band Simple Plan have announced the next chapter of their massively successful U.S. headline run with the “Bigger Than You Think! Tour – The Sequel!,” returning to the road this summer following an unforgettable first leg. The “Bigger Than You Think! Tour – The Sequel!” continues Simple Plan’s 25th-anniversary celebrations with the kind of all-gas-no-brakes live show that has cemented the band as one of pop punk’s most beloved acts for more than two decades. Delivering a career-defining setlist including hits like I’m Just a Kid, Welcome to My Life, Summer Paradise and many more. The summer tour will once again feature special guests Bowling For Soup and 3OH!3 on all dates, making for a stacked lineup celebrating some of the most iconic and enduring artists of the pop-punk and alt-party era.
Tickets: Verified resale tickets start at $215.28.
Chloe Radcliffe: CHEAT at Joe’s Pub
August 19 & 20
CHEAT is a bitingly funny dissection of one standup comedian's history of cheating in every relationship, and of how suppressing the “bad person” inside of us doesn’t make it go away. (FYI: seeing the show does not make you a cheater…in fact, avoiding it seems way more suspicious...)
Chloe Radcliffe can be seen in Bradley Cooper’s latest film Is This Thing On? and was named one of Deadline’s 15 Comedians Ready To Break Out In 2025. Oliver Butler directed the Broadway premiere of "What the Constitution Means to Me" by Heidi Schreck, now streaming on Amazon Prime.
Tickets: Tickets are $30 (inclusive of advance phone/web service fee). There is a 2 drink or 1 food item minimum per person.
Sasha Velour's NightGowns at Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Fri. August 21, 7 to 10 pm
Internationally acclaimed actor, author, illustrator, and TV personality are just some of the glamorous hats worn by superstar Drag Queen Sasha Velour. Her allstar revue NightGowns is considered one of the best drag variety shows of all time. Whether you know her from RuPaul’s Drag Race (she’s the Season 9 Champ) or her extravagant live performances, catching NightGowns under the stars in Prospect Park promises an experience you’ll remember forever.
Free. RSVPing helps you stay up-to-date on show info, but does not guarantee entry. Bandshell entry is first come first served.
The Voice of Miles Davis: A Symphonic Celebration at Marcus Garvey Park
Fri. August 21, 7 to 9:30 pm
Presented in partnership with Jazzmobile SUMMERFEST, Park Avenue Artists and the Miles Davis Estate, The Voice of Miles: A Symphonic Celebration is a bold new show that transforms the acclaimed documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool into a dazzling concert experience. Through the show, pairing Davis’ original, isolated trumpet recordings with a live orchestra, audiences will experience the sound and story of the genius who reshaped jazz as never before.
Free. No RSVP necessary.
Angélique Kidjo / DJ Freshy K at Cetral Park
Sun. August 23, 7 to 10 pm
Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo returns to SummerStage with her multilingual fusion of Afrobeat, pop, jazz, reggae, and various African traditions and percussive rhythms that earned her international acclaim. After arriving in Paris in the early ‘90s, Kidjo recorded a run of critically acclaimed albums on Island Records—beginning with the chart-topping 1991 album Logozo—and followed it up with an ambitious trilogy exploring African music’s influence in the Americas, from gospel to Brazilian and Latin. Over her multi-decade career she’s collaborated with the likes of Philip Glass and the Kronos Quartet to Peter Gabriel, Alicia Keys, Dr. John, and Branford Marsalis. Her latest album, Hope!! is dedicated to her late mother, and features contributions from Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers, Ayra Starr, Quavo, and The Gap Band’s Charlie Wilson. DJ Freshy K, a Nigerian Afrobeats specialist based in NYC who has opened for the likes of Jidenna, Flavour, Olamide, Davido, and Wizkid, opens the show with a DJ set. Additional artists to be announced.
Free. No RSVP necessary.
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Flame: The Songs of Brady & Browne 54 Below (8/23-8/23) |
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DiGangi With A “G” The Green Room 42 (8/18-8/18) |
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Let's Get Schooled: The Broadway Community Returns to the Classroom Green Room 42 (8/26-8/26) |
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Troy: Crooner to the Stars The Green Room 42 (8/21-8/21) |
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Will Kelley: For the Record Laurie Beechman Theatre (8/29-8/29) |
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Rachel Bay Jones 54 Below (10/16-10/16) |
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Broadway Gone Bad! 54 Below (8/28-8/28) |
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Claybourne Elder 54 Below (9/09-9/09) |
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Carroll County: Bright Lights Edition! 54 Below (10/18-10/18) |
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Litusical the Musical by Adam Azrieli and Payton Daly 54 Below (9/20-9/20) |