Interview: Dan & Chrissy Pardo Back at Chelsea Table With a Show About Dreaming Big

On Wednesday October 22, 2025 at 7 pm, New York's next Power Couple, Dan and Chrissy Pardo, will perform Dreams Don’t Come True in Pennsylvania at Midtown Manhattan’s Chelsea Table + Stage. The show celebrates the artists, songs, and stories from their native Greater Philly area to ask "are you willing to leave a place you love to pursue a dream that may not come true?"

After performing together in multiple musical projects, including John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch (Netflix), the weekly artists-in-residence at the famed Hotel Edison are excited to bring back their sold-out NYC debut to Chelsea Table + Stage! Under the skillful direction of MAC and Bistro Award Winner James Beaman, Chrissy and Dan will not only dazzle you with powerful vocals and athletic piano chops; they will imbue you with a sense of a pride, humor, and nostalgia for a place that doesn't often get a second look—even after winning the damn Super Bowl!

Read a conversation with the couple below about this encore performance.

How would you pitch this show to someone unfamiliar with you?

Chrissy Pardo: This is a show about underdogs and excellence. Our cabaret shares our story of coming to NYC by celebrating the songs and artists of our native Pennsylvania, which we love. We think you'll love it, too. We have a great band, two background singers, dancing, and a few other surprises. It's a party!

How did your first performance of this show in March go?

Dan Pardo: Our debut was a huge success. We sold out Chelsea Table + Stage, were livestreamed by an additional 50 households, and received a terrific review in NiteLife Exchange by Sue Matsuki, a pillar of the NYC Cabaret community. That meant a lot. There seemed to be a buzz in town, with lots of folks, including our contacts at the venue, asking us when we're bringing the show back. Well, we have an answer: Wednesday, October 22nd at 7 pm.

Have you retooled or tweaked anything based on that show?

DP: Yes, a few things! A lot of people knew me as a pianist, but not so much as a singer. I was encouraged to do a solo, in addition to our duets and some background vocals, and I will be! We also have a couple small personnel changes to the band, which affected some of the patter.

CP: We also talk about Taylor Swift, for example, in our show. So with recent news, certain jokes needed to be punched up and updated.

What new insights have you gained from getting the chance to revisit this show?

CP: The end of our show takes a slightly serious turn, talking about growing up in the Lehigh Valley, after the shutdown of Bethlehem Steel. Since our performance in March, the hospital where my Dad has been working as an Emergency Room doctor actually closed, and dozens of people have been laid off. So that message is hitting even closer to home. He's going to "help us out" on one of the songs, too.

DP: That's right: Dr. Jim McHugh, making his NYC Cabaret debut! Another insight I have, wearing my producer's hat, is that we can't depend on as many friends and family to come see it this time around. So, I have been trying to reach out to more folks in the industry, and people in the greater cabaret community who might not know us, personally.

Aside from this, what have you been working on since March?

DP: A few other cabarets, including two alongside our director James Beaman. I also did a production of The Threepenny Opera in Seattle, and a reading of a new musical called Discovery, which I'm proud to be a part of.

CP: We actually took a little working vacation to Maine over the summer for a writing retreat with the creative team. I was asked to sing through some of their new material, while Dan worked with them from behind the piano. Then we'd relax and have some drinks on a boat or eat some fresh lobster or something. Ten out of ten, would do it again. We were also up in Provincetown with one of Dan's colleagues, Richard Skipper. He performed two of his cabarets at The Art House there, and I opened for him each night with a short musical theatre set.

Do you have any other upcoming projects you'd like to share with us?

CP: Yes, the night before our cabaret, October 21st, we are performing in a star-studded Concert Staging of a new show called True Crime Frankenstein by Eli Bolin and Matt cox, at 54 Below. I participated in a workshop earlier this year, and now I'll be singing alongside Tony Award Winners Bonnie Milligan and Nikki M. James, among others. Paula Pell's doing a song; it's gonna be awesome.

DP: Eli has been a loyal friend and collaborator for almost 20 years now, and I have had the honor of serving as music director and arranger for most of his projects during that time. This piece was commissioned by Concord Theatricals, and we had a pilot production in June with students from Penn State. This concert will likely be the only time you can see it with professional actors, before it's licensed to high schools and colleges, later this year.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

DP: Thanks again, Rebecca, for taking the time to chat with us! Tickets are on sale now. The show will also be livestreamed, and available to view within 24 hours. We're up against both the New York Cabaret Convention and the NAMT Festival of New Musicals, so if you're otherwise engaged, just buy a livestream ticket. The folks at Chelsea Table + Stage do a great job for everyone watching at home.

Learn more about Dan Pardo online at www.danpardo.com. Learn more about Chrissy Pardo at www.chrissypardo.com