Rebecca Kaplan is a writer and standup comedian living in New York. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @rebeccatkaplan and find more of her upcoming shows and projects at https://linktr.ee/rebeccatkaplan
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First Show:
My parents took me to see a production of CATS when I was 4 or 5 and I hated it. Discriminating taste, even at a tender age.
Favorite Show:
I've seen too many shows to pick just one favorite but the Encores revival of the Apple Tree was really, really special. Kristin Chenoweth in a Harnick & Bock musical?? Heaven.
Lizzy & the Triggermen, a 10-piece jazz band helmed by Lizzy Shapiro, delights in infusing swing era music with a modern sound – “Duke Ellington meets Amy Winehouse,” as Shapiro describes it. They’ll be making a stop at Joe’s Pub for a double-header on April 6th. Shapiro and I spoke about the upcoming show, the origins of the band, and more.
Singer Christine Lavin is known for bringing the funny, and that's exactly what she's planning to do at Birdland on April 2nd. Lavin, Julie Gold, and their coterie of funny pals are teaming up to present an unforgettable night of musical comedy in their annual April Fool's show.
Karen Mason was transcendent in JUST IN STYNE: KAREN SINGS JULE at Birdland Jazz Club. The versatile singer rocked the house last night, on Monday March 25th with a gorgeous selection of Jule Styne classics.
Looking for some fun cabaret shows and other unique events to see this week in NYC and not sure where to start? Whether you’re looking for jazz, some classic fun and showtunes, comedy, or something that defies genre, we have you covered! There’s an overwhelming amount of live events in NYC, but we’ve narrowed it down to a few top picks.
Leslie Uggams has 'one of the most entertaining and enjoyable shows to play a nightclub this year or any other!' She soared this week on the opening night of SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUE at 54 Below. The show is back for one more performance tomorrow on Saturday March 23rd. See photos from the March 20th show.
Soprano Rebecca L. Hargrove will be starring as Angelina (The Plaintiff) in the upcoming production of Trial By Jury, a rarely produced Gilbert & Sullivan show, on April 6th and 7th at the Kaye Playhouse in Manhattan. We spoke about her role in the upcoming show, her experiences with NYGASP so far, and what’s coming up next for her.
On Monday March 25th at 9:30 p.m., Alyssa Kirchner and Michael D'Elia are co-producing and co-directing a fun cabaret show at 54 Below, Broadway’s Supper Club, that promises to take you around the world through song, with showtunes set around the globe. We spoke about the upcoming show, where the idea came from, and more.
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Orfeh (LEGALLY is making her Café Carlyle debut with a residency on March 21, 22, and 23. Orfeh will be singing “the music of divas that influenced her life, career and singular voice.” This will be Orfeh’s most intimate concert yet, in the historic Café Carlyle on 35 East 76th Street at Madison Avenue.
Drag queens Kiki Ball-Change and Castrata are doing their first ever fully live-sung duo show at the Green Room 42 on April 11th at 7 pm. The show is a culmination of their years of friendship, and most of all, it’s bound to be a night of pure fun and entertainment. We spoke about the path that led to putting this night together and more.
On April 6 and 7, in NYGASP's double header of Trial By Jury and The Sorcerer, Amy Maude Helfer will be playing a role traditionally played by a male baritone, the first time a woman has taken the role in a major production of the show. We spoke about Helfer’s growing role with NYGASP, the process of graduating from the 'maiden' role, and more.
Linda Purl has had a long, storied career, playing iconic roles on Happy Days, Matlock and The Office. On Monday April 1, she’s back at Birdland Jazz Club with a one-night only concert called BIG BAND ROMANCE. The show will pay tribute to the big band greats with hit songs including “Pick Yourself Up” and “Come Rain or Come Shine.”
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 did it justice.
Though shaken by a recent battle with cancer, the husband-and-wife duo are prepared to put on a show March 23rd where you can park your worries at the door and just enjoy some classic standards and song and dance. (They’ll be getting on their tap shoes, and songs from Singin’ in the Rain will make an appearance.)
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.
Errico is reimagining and reinterpreting Sondheim classics, as well as some hidden gems. See her at the Green Room 42 on 3/22, and another SONDHEIM IN THE CITY concert at 54 Below in May to celebrate the vinyl release of her new album. We spoke about Sondheim, the inspiration behind the album, and what she's doing to keep each concert fresh.
Comedian, actor and singer Lea DeLaria (Orange is the New Black) is known for her distinctive cabaret covers. On March 31st, she’s turning her attention to Easter with A VERY LEA EASTER at Joe’s Pub, with shows at 6 pm and 8:30 pm, “a hilarious fun filled Easter Extravaganza chock full of her trademark wild comedy and musical prowess.”
Humorist and singer extraordinaire Ben Jones wowed the crowd at 54 Below on Sunday night. His show, LET ME BE FRANK, played on March 10th to an appreciative audience at Broadway's Supper Club. Photographer Conor Weiss snapped some shots of the night.
Award-winning songwriter Shaw – who's written hits for the likes of Ricky Martin, Garth Brooks and Kristin Chenoweth - is bringing her acclaimed UNDER THE COVERS series back to Birdland on March 18 at 7:00 PM with a stacked lineup of songwriters prepared to play their hits and tell the stories behind them in this intimate concert.
Indie-pop band Sky-Pony, led by married couple Lauren Worsham (Tony-nominated actress for Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder) and Kyle Jarrow (Tony-nominated writer for SpongeBob SquarePants the Musical) is returning to Mercury Lounge on March 14th for their very first show in four years with opener LAKES.