Some of our top picks for live cabaret shows and events to see in NYC this week
Are you trying to plan your entertainment for the week or looking for a fun show to see this weekend? We have you covered with a few top picks for jazz, cabaret, comedy, and more! NYC has so many incredible events, but here are a few top picks to consider this week including a Karen Akers solo show, pride kickoff events, Lyrics & Lyricists celebrating Sheldon Harnick and more.
Tonight, Tuesday May 28th, Wednesday May 29th, Friday May 31st, and Saturday June 1
7 pm – Tony Danza: STANDARDS & STORIES at 54 Below
For: Fans of Tony Danza and the great American standards
Back by popular demand! Tony Danza (Taxi, Who’s the Boss) and his four-piece band return to 54 Below with his hit live show, Standards & Stories. Combining timeless music with wit, charm, storytelling, and a dash of soft shoe and ukulele performances, Danza performs a selection of his favorite songs while interweaving stories about his life and personal connection to the music.
Price: Tickets start at $84 (including fees) plus a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum.
Thursday May 30th
7 pm – THE WICKED STAGE: SONGS ABOUT SHOW BUSINESS, HOSTED BY Christine Pedi at 54 Below
For: Fans of musical theater, high-powered singing and comedy
Christine Pedi, musical theatre comedienne & Sirius XM’s On Broadway channel daily presenter will host and perform an evening of songs celebrating show business itself, with classics and hidden gems like “The Glamorous Life,” “Life Upon the Wicked Stage,” “Lullaby of Broadway,” and many more from jukebox musicals, backstage shows, the silver screen, the “boob tube” and maybe even the YouTube. The all-star cast includes singers like Karen Akers, Karen Mason and Marc Kudisch.
Price: Tickets start at $51 (including fees) plus a $25 Food & Beverage Minimum.
Saturday June 1
4 pm – Lynn Henderson: THERE'S STILL A LITTLE STARCH LEFT! at Don't Tell Mama
For: Fans of lyrics and storytelling through song
Singer Lynn Henderson, who BroadwayWorld’s Stephen Mosher calls “captivating,” is back at Don’t Tell Mama for a return engagement of her show with “reflections on aging, downsizing... and mascara.” The 4 pm time makes this the perfect show to catch if you want to get a little something extra in before an evening show.
Price: Tickets are $15 plus a $20 minimum (cash only, and must include two drinks)
7 pm – Lyrics & Lyricists: WONDER OF WONDERS: CELEBRATING Sheldon Harnick at The 92nd Street Y, New York
For: Fans of Sheldon Harnick and deconstructing lyric writing
Ted Sperling leads this loving look at Harnick’s remarkable body of work, with music from Fiddler, his Pulitzer Prize-winning Fiorello!, She Loves Me, and more, with songs including “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Miracle of Miracles,” “Tonight at Eight,” “When Did I Fall in Love” and others. Coupled with reflections on Harnick’s wondrous life in musical theater, it’s the kind of tribute you’ll only find at Lyrics & Lyricists.
Price: Tickets start at $40
7 pm – James Beaman: LIVED EXPERIENCE at the Triad Theater
For: Anyone interested in a pride kickoff show examining gay history from the point of view of “one of cabaret’s finest female impersonators”
After a 20-year absence from the cabaret stage, MAC & Bistro Award winner James Beaman returns: older, wiser, with a song in his heart and his filter decidedly off. Celebrating 33 years in show biz, Jamie brings his unique and tartly critical point of view on the cultural zeitgeist. BWW’s Stephen Mosher called a previous performance of Lived Experience “one hundred percent authentic.” (Read more about the upcoming show in a Q&A with Beaman.)
Price: Tickets are $25 plus $4 in fees, plus a 2 drink minimum.
Saturday June 1 (9:30 pm) and Sunday June 2 (7 pm)
James Jackson, Jr: CABARET...DEBUT at Pangea
For: A pride kickoff show by a former STRANGE LOOP cast member that examines whose stories get told
Last year, James Jackson, Jr. (STRANGE LOOP, WHITE GIRL IN DANGER) got nominated for a cabaret debut award. The actor and singer, who has performed on cabaret stages for the past 15 years, knew he had to make something to explore the complicated feelings of being recognized for his work but treated as a newcomer. The resulting cabaret is a satirical show that examines whose stories get to be told, and whose stories are acknowledged. (Read a Q&A with Jackson for more about this show.)
Price: Tickets online are $20. Tickets at the door, if available, are $25 (Cash Only). There is a $20 minimum per person (food or beverage).
Sunday June 2nd
1 pm – SWINGIN’ ON A STAR - Marissa Mulder SINGS Jimmy Van Heusen at The Cutting Room
For: Fans of classic Broadway
Marissa Mulder brings the magic of Jimmy Van Heusen’s music to The Cutting Room in her acclaimed tribute to the four-time Oscar winning songwriter. One of the most prolific composers of the Great American Songbook, Jimmy Van Heusen was also one of the most colorful. He test-piloted fighter planes while creating timeless classics such as “Love and Marriage,” “All The Way,” “High Hopes,” “Come Fly With Me,” “The Second Time Around” and “Call Me Irresponsible.” Marissa Mulder is a three-time MAC Award winner and recipient of the Julie Wilson and Noel Coward awards.
Price: Tickets are $32.99 including fees plus a $25 food & drink minimum per person
Videos