Cabaret Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations Page 5

Review: Cheyenne Jackson's SIGNS OF LIFE at 54 Below Is Utter Perfection
by Rebecca Kaplan - September 25, 2024

Cheyenne Jackson is laying himself bare on stage at 54 Below, nightly through Sunday September 29 with his hilarious new show Signs of Life. Jackson weaves stories and confessions about his life in between songs. At each show, he'll be joined by a different guest. The rest of the run is almost sold ...

Review: AN EVENING WITH BROADWAY LEGEND LACHANZE Pure Magic at 54 Below
by Stephen Mosher - September 25, 2024

In a benefit concert for the non-profit 54B, LaChanze demonstrates the value of cabaret....

Review: Roberto Araujo's Heartfelt I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW at The Green Room 42
by Maya Gengozian - September 24, 2024

Roberto Araujo made a triumphant return to the Green Room 42 on September 20th with an encore of his Bistro Award-winning autobiographical cabaret, I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW. From the second he stood center stage, his energy filled the room. He has the stage presence and voice of a truly seasoned pe...

Review: Alec Mapa Has No! Filter! During HA! PENIS! at The Laurie Beechman Theatre
by Stephen Mosher - September 24, 2024

This is what stand-up comedy is all about....

Review: JIMMY FALLON'S TONIGHTMARES at Rockefeller Center Is Thrilling
by Nathan Johnson - September 20, 2024

See what our critic thought of TONIGHTMARES. Walking through Tonightmares is like stepping through one perfectly crafted horror movie after another. Even if you’re not the screaming type, the sheer majesty of what’s been created in the heart of New York will blow your mind. And if, like me, you’re a...

Review: Tony Danza Honors His Hero in SINATRA & STORIES at Café Carlyle
by Rebecca Kaplan - September 20, 2024

TV star Tony Danza honors his hero Frank Sinatra nightly through September 22nd with SINATRA AND STORIES. Danza is packed to the gills with charm, much like his hero Sinatra. Mesmerizing to watch, he shows off his many talents throughout the night. The run is completely sold out, but you can join th...

Review: I FEEL THE EARTH SWING at Green Room 42 Puts a Jazzy Twist on Carole King
by Lydia Singer - September 17, 2024

Madeline Dalton’s show at Green Room 42, I Feel the Earth Swing, is delightful both in concept and execution: Carole King's music, but jazz. Featuring a full band and many guest vocalists, she performs some of the singer-songwriter's greatest hits, a strong concept executed without a hitch. The show...

Review: Klea Blackhurst & Billy Stritch Toast Hoagy Carmichael at Chelsea Table + Stage
by Ricky Pope - September 18, 2024

In show business, there are very few sure things. But Klea Blackhurst and Billy Stritch singing songs by Hoagy Carmichael is about as close as it gets. The September 15th show was perfection....

Review: BROADWAY BOUND Belongs at 54 Below
by Stephen Mosher - September 15, 2024

For one of 54 Below's essential series, three musical theater mavens look at the shows that never came into the city....

Review: THE BRYCE EDWARDS FRIVOLITY HOUR Packs Birdland
by Stephen Mosher - September 15, 2024

A wise man once said that everything old is new again. Thank goodness for Bryce Edwards and the people who flock to his shows....

Review: Matthew Martin Ward Makes His Solo Cabaret Debut at Don't Tell Mama
by Analisa Bell - September 16, 2024

Matthew Martin Ward has made a name for himself as an accomplished Musical Director for many of New York’s cabaret performers, and now, he has taken center stage with his debut solo cabaret “What I Love” on Saturday September 14. When delivering patter, Ward’s distinctive wit was evident, with his d...

Review: Tom Kitt Puts THE TRUNK SONGS Center Stage at 54 Below
by Stephen Mosher - September 15, 2024

There is reason for all to hope that more 54B, more Tom Kitt, and more of this type of material will come our collective ways....

Review: Santino Fontana's BY REQUEST at 54 Below Is Off-the-Walls Fun
by Rebecca Kaplan - September 13, 2024

Broadway's Santino Fontana (FROZEN, TOOTSIE) is supremely charming. Tonight and tomorrow, catch him in his craziest venture yet, BY REQUEST, where he performs setlists composed entirely from audience requests. Fontana wowed the audience with his singing, comedic chops and even some Shakespeare, plus...

Review: Everything Is on the Menu at Lea DeLaria's BRUNCH IS GAY at 54 Below
by Rebecca Kaplan - September 11, 2024

Every second Sunday at 1 pm, singer/actor/comedian triple threat Lea DeLaria invites you to celebrate the “Gay high holiday” of brunch at 54 Below with her new show, Brunch Is Gay. DeLaria is a wonderful host: brash, laugh-out-loud funny and wickedly charming. The 9/8 show featured guest Lilli Coope...

Review: A TRIBUTE TO DAME EDNA: OVERDRESSED FOR THE APOCALYPSE at Triad Theater
by Lydia Singer - September 13, 2024

Michael J. Walters, an award-winning actor and singer, brings his considerable talent to the Triad Theater with his latest show, entitled A Tribute to Dame Edna: Overdressed for the Apocalypse. He straddles several styles, from stand-up comedy to song to impressions, to create a memorable evening. C...

Review: HUGH PANARO: THE MAN WITHOUT THE MASK, Crazy Coqs
by Mica Blackwell - September 09, 2024

Possessing a booming yet silky tenor voice and a natural charm, it’s clear why Panaro’s career has been so successful. Even when accustomed to performing in thousand-seater theatres and working with heavyweights like Barbra Streisand and Elton John, his humbleness shines in this concert as he regale...

Review: MURDER FOR BREAKFAST at Joe's Pub Is “Chef's Kiss”
by Nathan Johnson - September 09, 2024

Sayre’s genius isn’t just in tapping perfectly into the noir world that inspired him. He crafts bold, over-the-top characters who, despite their outrageousness, feel completely believable in this heightened reality. The script is loaded with sharp one-liners, brilliant turns of phrase, and expertly ...

Review: 007: A NIGHT OF BOND Stirs Up The Green Room 42
by Sharon Ellman - September 06, 2024

This reviewer was taken aback by these stunning voices. A night of James Bond songs on September did not disappoint this James Bond fan. Many of the performers are as amazing as the seasoned performers who originated the tunes over the years. ...

Review: KIKI BALL-CHANGE: HOE DOWN at Joe's Pub
by Nathan Johnson - September 05, 2024

Kiki is brilliant in every way. I walked in expecting campy Dolly drag, but what I got was parody perfection, endless belly laughs, and a deeply moving experience. This is a must-see show for anyone who loves drag and queer comedy....

Review: The Groovy Sounds of the 60's and 70's Resound at 54 Below
by Sharon Ellman - September 05, 2024

This reviewer was thrilled with Carole J. Bufford's groovy and fabulous trip back through the years! If only the walls could talk they would tell of all they heard on this cool evening of September 4, 2024 at the famed 54 Below. Bufford joyously took the audience on a trip down memory lane with her ...

Monthly BIRTHDAY SALUTE to a Major Cabaret Figure
by Rob Lester - September 01, 2024

A major, long-time cabaret figure gets our monthly birthday Tribute. How many hints will you need to know who it is?...

Review: Ann Hampton Callaway Gives Beauty and Love at 54 Below
by Sharon Ellman - August 22, 2024

This reviewer was thrilled as song after song showcased her ability to command her voice to not only “hit the back of the room” but to literally envelope the famed venue with her reverberating crooning!...

Review: Rosemary Loar Commands with CORAÇĀO VAGABUNDO at Green Room 42
by Lydia Singer - August 10, 2024

Rosemary Loar, celebrating the release of her ninth CD, commanded the room at Green Room 42 on August 6th. Her new show, CORAÇĀO VAGABUNDO, shares the name of her new album. Loar shows off her versatility in this show, going from musical theater to standards to original compositions. No matter the s...

Review: Joe Fox Tells His Story In DON'T CRY FOR ME MY YESHIVA at Don't Tell Mama
by Analisa Bell - August 01, 2024

As it says on his promotional material, Joe Fox traveled to Maine in 2009 where he made a documentary on same sex marriage. While scenes from the documentary play during the performance, it is Fox’s story that is the feature of this fascinating show, which is less cabaret and more of a theatrical pi...

Review: Jeff Harnar's SAMMY CAHN THE SECOND TIME AROUND Delights at 54 Below
by Rebecca Kaplan - August 01, 2024

Jeff Harnar's Sammy Cahn show was a delightful escape into another era of music performed by a master and his very talented friends (Clint Holmes, MOIPEl and Grammy winner Nicole Zuraitis). Harnar's new Cahn album is out now from PS Classics....