CABARET THEATER REVIEWS

Musical comedy history roared to life when Klea Blackhurst brought the songs and sass and stories of Ethel Merman. The tables were full, the stage was filled with energy at Chelsea Table + Stage. She's coming back there with a survey of songwriter Vernon Duke on April 14 and Jerry Herman later this ...

MELBA MOORE: FROM BROADWAY WITH LOVE had its first performance March 15th at 54 Below. Ms. Moore’s show is a dynamic travelogue through her Broadway career with a few added treasures for good measure. There is one more nearly sold out show tonight at 7 pm; get your tickets while you can....

The 54 Sings in Trousers concert at 54 Below on March 12th had the same sense of anticipation and delight I felt listening to the In Trousers record for the first time and hearing the story that comes before Finn's FALSETTOS. The bouncy score to In Trousers is a gem on its own, and the 54 Below cast...

This reviewer was completely overwhelmed by Carole Bufford’s resounding voice at her YOU DON’T OWN ME - THE FEARLESS FEMALES OF THE 1960’s show on March 14, 2024....

Lovable Sally Mayes sings love songs and this and that in her 'Now and Then' series at The Green Room 42, with more shows to come in May and June. Sally Mayes entertains with ever-changing sets, chosen from material she's sung over the years. Read about her second chapter at BWW....

When Jeff Harnar Sings Cole Porter, 'in the still of the night,' it's 'true love' for cabaret-lovers. Want to know why? Read Rob Lester's review of the March 11th show...

FLYING HIGH kicked off women’s history month with a jazzy bang, honoring the great female jazz singers of the 40s and 50s at Birdland on March 9. The evening of song was based around an album produced by Jazz at the Ballroom, paying tribute to Rosemary Clooney, Doris Day, Billie Holiday and more....

The beloved concert series STANDARD TIME WITH MICHAEL FEINSTEIN continued on February 28th at Carnegie Hall’s intimate Zankel Hall stage. Whether you want a chance to hear American Songbook standards performed live by a true master, or you’re looking to dive deeper and learn more, Feinstein is m...

This reviewer was overwhelmed by Christine Andreas’s magical and bewitching voice. C’est magnifique!!...

Get yourself to Dizzy's at Columbus Circle this weekend if you want to catch the beauty of 'Finding Beauty' with Ann Hampton Callaway's originals and pop covers. The sublime singeris in residence at Dizzy's through Sunday, March 10....

Just because the show never got to Broadway doesn't mean it didn't have good songs. Proof of this is in the hearing. And they get a fair hearing at 54 Below with the BROADWAY BOUND series. Even if a project might crash and burn, there can be things worth salvaging from the ashes. Read about 'em in o...

Rian Keating's stories are very careful observations of what it means to be kind, strong, nurturing, independent, and free. It is a feminist show from a source you wouldn’t immediately expect. He tells stories about teachers, mentors, and family members that are vivid and empowering. We should all...

David Marino sings with heart and happy pizzazz. His Birdland night was invigorating and emotional and thoroughly engaging. If you want our critic's two cents about a singer with a million-dollar talent, whose show is a bargain of solid entertainment at almost any price, read the rave about David Ma...

The Hot Sardines bring pure entertainment with their polish and panache to Birdland with two shows a night through March 9. Their jazz is hot, but there’s nothing 'fishy' about the authentic sound they spin.  Their music is fun and accessible, sly, and frisky. ...

How do singer-songwriters get a head-start on their birthdays? Jordan Siwek threw himself a party show and threw himself into high-energy performances with the singer-songwriter's pop-rock songs and covers....

Umphress had the 54 Below audience in the palm of her hand this weekend with 15 STORIES....

A star-studded night honoring composer Alan Menken was exciting, energizing and sentimental as he received an award named for collaborator Howard Ashman. From 'The Little Mermaid' to 'Little Shop of Horrors,' Ashman left no small legacy in his work with Menken. The evening benefited GMHC's work for ...

Soul Picnic: The Songs and Legacy of Laura Nyro concludes its weekend embrace led by Judy Kuhn with one more show Monday night at 92NY in Manhattan. The songs of Laura Nyro are worth remembering and relishing. Judy Kuhn and company do that. The 92NY show is rewarding and illuminating....

It's a delight at Dizzy's where Paula West and band hold forth through Sunday with two more shows tonight and two tomorrow. The opening night was a delight....

The next generation of songwriters is busy working and took a night off to play and sing at The Green Room 42 on February 3rd. A full room of supportive music appreciators heard some new musical theatre-style material based on assignments like 'Imagine Blanche DuBois singing' or 'write a love song w...

THE TITANS OF MEDIA TRILOGY: MARTHA STEWART is a delight for the senses. From the moment Rafferty steps onto the Joe’s Pub stage, the atmosphere crackles. His infectious energy is a firecracker of joy and passion and once that fuse is lit, there’s no going back....

As Thomas Wolfe tells us, you can’t go home again. Thankfully, cabaret singer/songwriter Meg Flather has ignored Mr Wolfe’s sage advice.  Over the next few months, she is presenting a series of her most successful cabaret evenings in the Brick Room at Don’t Tell Mama which she has logically e...

If anyone on the modern scene is equipped to take on Mercury’s imposing legacy, it is singer/songwriter/actor Reeve Carney. He has cords of steel and a range similar to Freddie Mercury’s. Watching him sing is to marvel at what the human voice is capable of....

Unlike the characters she often plays on stage, this view of Stephanie J Block was sentimental, vulnerable, cozy, and very very warm. It was an evening filled with gratitude for the blessings of life that was brimming over with humor, mostly self-deprecating. The amazing thing is the picture of the ...

The intimate cabaret space at 54 Below was transformed into Berlin’s Grand Hotel on Monday night. The kick-off performance of GRAND HOTEL: THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST REUNION CONCERT on February 26th was exuberant, with much of the star-studded original cast reviving their roles....