Cabaret Interviews

This Thursday, July 18th at 3 pm, NYU Skirball Center will honor the late Tony Award-winning composer Steven Lutvak (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder). The day marks what would have been Steven’s 65th birthday. The show will feature songs from A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder, Steven’s albums, and never-before heard works-in-progress....

Every year, many performers from NYC head to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Part of the process of getting ready for the month-long festival involves producing 'preview' shows in New York and other places. I spoke to Joyce Lao, creator of #40sandSingle, who just wrapped a preview show at Pangea and is gearing up another this Sunday at DTM....

Joe Iconis, one of the songwriters behind hit musical Be More Chill is returning to 54 Below. Joe Iconis & Family is back for a blow-out run that promises to be their biggest shows yet. Shows run nightly from July 30th through August 3rd. Expect to hear classic tunes from Joe’s musicals and works-in...

Ever since May, Lea DeLaria (Orange Is the New Black), has been hosting a brand new monthly brunch series at 54 Below. At each edition of Brunch Is Gay, DeLaria brings out a new stellar guest and sings a completely new setlist. August 11th's show will feature Tony winner Gabriel Ebert and center aro...

This Saturday, Broadway Babysitters, an arts-focused childcare company led by an ensemble of expert childcare professionals, will show off their talents. You may have seen them at the playground or even in your own living room, but never quite like this! The show features songs from The Sound of Mus...

Acclaimed singer Jeff Harnar recently revised his out-of-print Sammy Cahn album. The MAC and Bistro Award-winner will be celebrating the new album with shows at 54 Below on July 26th and 27th. The new album, published by PS Classics, is currently available for pre-order. Harnar's show spotlights Cah...

Every year, many performers from NYC head to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Part of the process of getting ready for the month-long festival involves producing 'preview' shows in New York and other places. I spoke to Joyce Lao, creator of #40sandSingle, who just wrapped a preview show at Pangea and ...

At the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, you might be the next BABY REINDEER or you could be performing to nobody. Big risk, big potential reward. If you've ever thought about putting on a Fringe show, or are just curious, NYC comedian Arielle Dundas shares some of her favorite festival tips ahead of her l...

On August 16th, producers Alyssa Kirchner and Michael D’Elia are bringing a benefit for The American Foundation For Suicide Prevention to 54 Below, shining light on a very important topic: mental health. The show will feature extraordinary performances by stars of stage and screen sharing songs of r...

Broadway star Nick Cartell, currently starring in the national tour of Les Misérables, is celebrating his upcoming album this Sunday. The 54 Below show features never-before-heard stories of Cartell's time on the road with Les Miz, Jesus Christ Superstar, Scandalous: The Musical, and Paramour, inter...

Beverly Baker is making her NYC debut in her upcoming one-woman show, HAG. Baker’s show, which she also wrote, will play one night only at the Green Room 42 tomorrow on Wednesday July 10th at 7 pm. It leans into the archetype of the “hag” and explores its many variations throughout folklore, fairyta...

Elena Bennett and Fred Barton will perform from their vast repertoire encompassing Hollywood, Broadway, and the Golden Age of swing. They’ll be joined, as always, by some of New York’s brightest stars who typically drop in to hear the show, and contribute to it with some songs of their own. The next...

Honey Cone, the timeless hit-making group and members of the Soul Music Hall of Fame, make their 54 Below debut in Honey Cone: Now, Then & Forever. Named the “Best Female Vocal Group” by the National Association of Television and Radio Announcers, Honey Cone will take the audience on a thrilling jou...

Allyson Briggs has created an eclectic cocktail of high-class music, topped with the glamour of a bygone era. This week, she’s celebrating her new Burt Bacharach album with a special album release party on July 9th. The album, titled Promises, Prayers, and Raindrops: Allyson Briggs Sings Burt Bachar...

Gianmarco Soresi can be seen on stages around the country performing standup comedy– but he got his start in musical theater. He’s exploring the special place of those childhood roles in a new show at Caveat called Theater Adult, where Soresi will dive into childhood roles of former theater kids. Hi...

Pop rock band Panic! At The Disco produced an enormous volume of hits over the course of their 19-year career. Producer/directors Jason Pallini, Luke Sullivan, and Alyssa Kirchner are celebrating the band’s iconic career with Panic! At The Green Room: A Night of Panic!’s Greatest Hits on June 28th a...

Analisa Bell is returning to the Don’t Tell Mama stage with Pass Me the Popcorn: Songs from the Movies. Bell’s new show, featuring an eclectic mix of movie musical classics, movie theme songs and songs from movie soundtracks, will be performed on Thursday, June 27 at 7 pm and Sunday, June 30 at 4 pm...

Ground-breaking showrunner and comedian Josh Thomas returns to live standup with the New York premiere of Let’s Tidy Up, running now through June 23. Josh’s television series Please Like Me was nominated for an International Emmy Award, GLAAD Media Award and GALECA Dorian Award. We spoke about his l...

Meg Flather, director Lennie Watts and music director by Tracy Stark have collaborated on seven shows together, each of which has received accolades, award nominations. Five of the shows led to awards for Meg. The Brick Room Tour, revisiting these shows, continues June 23 with OUTBOUND PLANE at Don'...

Music on the Inside's Juneteenth Jazz Jubilee Concert this Saturday at Adler Hall will feature formerly incarcerated jazz artists performing alongside Grammy-award winning musicians and other top artists. We interviewed MOTI's founder about the origins of MOTI and how the organization supports forme...

Mason Alexander Park (Netflix’s The Sandman, NBC’s Quantum Leap) is back at The Green Room 42. On June 14th at 9:30 pm, Park will play an intimate concert celebrating Pride month. Park will sing acoustic versions of some of their favorite queer songs, with help from frequent collaborator and Hedwig ...

Mark Mauriello + The Manson Family Band are hosting their second annual rock tribute to Lana Del Rey at Arlene's Grocery on Wednesday, June 12. Special guests this year include Off-Broadway and cabaret icon Natalie Walker, as well as Glam Award-winning drag star Reese Havoc. Mark and I spoke about t...

Drag queen Kiki Ball-Change is returning to Joe's Pub on September 4th with an all-new country cabaret, Hoe Down! Ball-Change will sing country favorites from Shania Twain to Dolly Parton in between 'entertaining anecdotes of her Southern upbringing in the Bible Belt of the Florida panhandle.' Read ...

Jimmy Tingle began his career as a comedian many years ago, busking in Harvard Square. Then he brought his first one-man show, Jimmy Tingle's Uncommon Sense, to the American Place Theater in the early 90's. I asked Jimmy some questions about his latest endeavor, now playing at the Soho Playhouse's H...

Acclaimed jazz band ARTEMIS will be making their Jazz at Lincoln Center debut this week. The band, which was recently awarded the 2024 Mid-Size Ensemble of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association, and also named 2023 Jazz Group of the Year by the 88th Annual DownBeat Reader’s Poll, will play th...

NIGHT OF A THOUSAND JUDYS, a Pride concert benefitting The Ali Forney Center written and hosted by Justin Elizabeth Sayre – will be performed at Joe’s Pub on Monday, June 3 at 7 pm, honoring the iconic Judy Garland with songs from her legendary career. Read our conversation with Justin Elizabeth Say...

Obie Award-winner James Jackson, Jr., most recently seen in Michael R. Jackson’s A Strange Loop and White Girl in Danger, is no newcomer to cabaret. However, on Saturday June 1st, 9:30 pm and Sunday June 2nd at 7 pm, the singer will be making his “debut” all over again in the satirical CABARET...DEB...

Mexican musical storyteller Jaime Lozano is “a force to be reckoned with in musical theater,” says Lin-Manuel Miranda. Lozano authentically portrays the challenges that many first and second-generation U.S. immigrants face. He's performing a one-night-only concert on May 30th at the Lucille Lortel T...

To kick off Pride Month, MAC & Bistro Award-winner James Beaman returns with his acclaimed one-man show on Saturday June 1, 7 pm at the Triad Theater on the UWS. Celebrating 34 years in showbiz—including a decade as one of cabaret's finest female impersonators—Jamie brings his unique and tartly crit...

Susie Mosher (Hairspray) and recording artist John Boswell star as Johnny Niagra and Pepper Cole in a special run of the critically acclaimed multimedia musical show at Birdland. Each Cashino starts with a short film about the lives of the singers as they strive to become internet entrepreneurs, fol...

This ‘Ol House: Stories of a City Bear, Country Queen is a collection of stories and songs detailing Rider's journey of discovery from an awkward, out-of-place, gay boy in the country to an out, openly fabulous queen in the city. Rider shares his story through the songs of Stuart Hamblen, Jerry Herm...

Carolyn Montgomery, multi-award winning star of the concert stage returns to 54 Below in girlSINGER, a celebration of Rosemary Clooney. With a world-class band featuring members of Clooney’s own musical ensemble, and Montgomery’s critically acclaimed powerhouse vocals belting out hits, audiences sin...

Hadestown star Reeve Carney has developed a loyal following in the cabaret scene with his solo shows at the Green Room 42. This Monday, May 13th, Carney will be doing two sets back to back at 7 pm and 9:30 pm, covering era-defining selections of Beatles music. We spoke about the upcoming show and th...

Award-winning singer Ann Kittredge's next CD, “Romantic Notions,' just came out this week on May 7th. On May 14th at Birdland, Ann will celebrate the CD's release by performing selections from it, including fresh, creative arrangements of classics by Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, and more. We spoke about t...

Cabaret singer Gloria Bangiola is trying her hand at something new this week – starting a production company. SALTED LEMON’s premiere production, the equity-approved Buzzer by Tracey Scott Wilson, will open at Court Square Theater in Queens on May 10th for a two week engagement.. We spoke about the ...

Theater artist Leslie Ayvazian is bringing her latest experiments in “mercurial minimalism” to Pangea. Starting May 7 and running through July 23 she boldly chronicles her coming of age in the ‘60s and ‘70s and the lingering legacies of genocide. We spoke with Ayvazian about the upcoming shows and t...

Grace McLean is currently appearing as President Woodrow Wilson in the Tony Award-nominated musical Suffs. She’s about to release her debut album, My Lovely Enemy, on May 10th. We spoke about her upcoming special album release show at Joe’s Pub, which you can catch on May 6th at 9:30 pm. Read our co...

On May 9th and 10th at 7 pm, award winning singer/producer/director Tanya Moberly will be putting celebrating her album release with live shows at Don't Tell Mama. Moberly’s live double album, I LOVE NEW YORK SONGWRITERS PART I and PART II, is a curated collection of 45 songs by NYC writers Tanya ha...

Moliere in the Park, helmed by Founding Artistic Director Lucie Tiberghien, brings accessible theater to Brooklyn. Their production of Moliere’s The Miser runs through May 19 in a limited engagement at Prospect Park’s LeFrak Center. We spoke to Tiberghien about the show and everything that Moliere i...

With special guests, laughter and music, Lea DeLaria is back! This time, she’s doing it at brunch! Catch the first of her new brunch series at 54 Below starting May 12th and June 2nd at 1 pm featuring guests Gabe Ebert (Matilda) and Alexis Michelle (RuPaul's Drag Race). Read a conversation with DeLa...

Donna Rubin and Josh Gladstone are bringing some music to the Hamptons this summer. If you’re around NYC on Tuesday May 7th at 6 pm, you can get a sampling of some of the all-star roster of names set to headline Hamptons Summer Songbook By the Sea, including Mark Nadler, KT Sullivan and Tovah Feldsu...

Cabaret singer Tammy Faye Starlite is bringing her show Nico Underground, exploring the subversive singer Nico perhaps best known for singing with the Velvet Underground. The show runs at Joe's Pub every Wednesday night at 9:30 pm from May 1 to May 22. We spoke with Tammy about the inspiration behin...