FIFTY WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR FORTIES to Return for Encore at Pangea
Jeff Harnar directs the cabaret show, with Jon Weber and Ritt Henn joining Kidwell onstage at Pangea.
After a sold-out premiere in May, singer-songwriter and storyteller Becca Kidwell will bring Fifty Ways to Leave Your Forties back to New York for an encore performance on Friday, September 11 at 7:00 PM at Pangea.
Originally created to celebrate Kidwell's 50th birthday and the release of her debut album, What You Don't See, Fifty Ways to Leave Your Forties takes a funny, candid, and deeply personal look at surviving a midlife crisis—and discovering that reinvention doesn't come with an expiration date.
With her signature blend of storytelling, snark, and heart, Kidwell hilariously unpacks the upheavals of midlife and the unexpected turns that brought her to 50. The show combines original songs from What You Don't See with carefully chosen covers, creating a journey through resilience, self-discovery, reinvention, and the wonderfully messy business of becoming who you are.
The program features music by Rachel Bloom, Jerry Bock, Sammy Fain, Zina Goldrich, Sheldon Harnick, Marcy Heisler, Christine Lavin, Jerry Lynne, Paul Simon, Susan Werner, Jack Yellen, and more, alongside Kidwell's original songwriting.
The sold-out premiere earned an enthusiastic response. Lavender After Dark called Fifty Ways to Leave Your Forties “fresh, fun, flamboyant, and fabulous,” while NiteLife Exchange wrote, “Vocalist and cabaret performer Becca Kidwell can be counted on to offer unique and personal shows.”
The show also drew praise from leading theatre performers. West End star and Bistro Award winner Lorna Dallas praised its “great wit, intelligence, original music… and downright awesome joy and revelation,” calling Kidwell “an original beyond any other original I know.” Broadway veteran, recording artist, and MAC Award winner Rosemary Loar called it a “first-rate inspiring show,” adding, “I was so overjoyed to see you go farther and funnier than you ever have before.”
A BroadwayWorld Cabaret Award winner and two-time MAC Award nominee, Kidwell has created eight solo shows since 2017. Her performances blend humor, emotional honesty, original music, and personal storytelling. Her debut album, What You Don't See, released May 1, expands that voice through original songs exploring reinvention, resilience, relationships, and finding joy in unexpected places.
Fifty Ways to Leave Your Forties is directed by Jeff Harnar, a Bistro and MAC Award winner, with musical direction by acclaimed jazz pianist Jon Weber. Kidwell will be joined by Weber on piano and Ritt Henn on bass.
The encore will be presented at Pangea, 178 Second Avenue, New York City, on Friday, September 11, 2026 at 7:00 PM. The house opens at 6:00 PM for food and beverage service.
Advance tickets are $20 online and $25 at the door, if available. Pangea has a $20 food and/or beverage minimum per person. Seating is communal, and door sales are cash only.
Photo Credit: cake: by Matt Baker Photography; show photos: Hannah Jane Photography Becca Kidwell, Storyteller, Singer-Songwriter
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