Cabaret Roundup: September 7-13 – Charles Busch, Tony Danza, & 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 memorial for the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the opening of Justin Vivian Bond’s new Joe’s Pub residency show, cabaret star Jeff Harnar, and more.
CITIZEN ARTS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 2026 in Astoria Park
Monday Sept. 7, 12:30 to 3:30 pm
Discover a citywide program of multidisciplinary works by local and International Artists. All performances are free and open to the public. Together, these works activate public space through joy, creative exchange, and civic connection.
There will be an ASL interpreter on stage.
Free. RSVP here for a reminder.
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.
Justin Vivian Bond: Madame Stanley at Joe’s Pub
Sept. 9 to 20
Recently returned from a magical four months in France awaiting her “passeport talent,” our Mx Viv once again takes the stage at Joe’s Pub to talk about control: passport control, birth control, dead naming, no shaming. Explore the world through the uniquely gimleted eye or our resident genius and gender ideologist and find out how, exactly, she landed herself in a clap clinic in Paris being addressed as “Madame Stanley.” Glamour is Resistance!
Tickets: Tickets are $75 (inclusive of advance phone/web service fee). There is a 2 drink or 1 food item minimum per person.
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.
American Symphony Orchestra: New York Resounds
Fri. September 11, 7 pm in Bryant Park &
Sun. Sept. 13, 3 pm at the Kupferberg Center for the Arts in Queens
The American Symphony Orchestra (ASO) will open the Orchestra’s 65th season with a free concert on September 11 at 7 pm as part of the Picnic Performances series at Bryant Park. Conducted by Music Director Leon Botstein, the performance occurs on the 25th anniversary of September 11 and offers a memorial program with music by Copland, Walker, Ives, Haydn, and Mahler. The free concert will be repeated at the Kupferberg Center for the Arts in Queens on September 13.
Free. No RSVP necessary. Info for Friday, September 11, 2026, at 7:00 PM, Bryant Park and Sunday, September 13, 2026, at 3:00 PM, Kupferberg Center.
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The Beat Goes On Don't Tell Mama (10/08-10/08) |
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The Bryce Edwards Frivolity Hour BIRDLAND (9/14-9/14) |
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Timeless: A Tribute to Bernadette Peters Don't Tell Mama (10/04-10/04) |
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54 Celebrates Hanukkah: A Festival of Writers 54 Below (12/06-12/06) |
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Ann Hampton Callaway: Here's To Life 54 Below (11/14-11/14) |
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New Year’s Eve with Liz Callaway 54 Below (12/31-12/31) |
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Plant Of The People: A Viper Vaudeville Production Joe's Pub (9/17-9/17) |
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Leon & Lewis Joe's Pub (11/27-11/27) |
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Marilyn Maye 54 Below (11/24-11/24) |
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Macbeth: Sound and Fury - A New Musical 54 Below (10/27-10/27) |