Fall Cabaret, Cabaret Convention and More
Alas, the heat of the summer will soon come to a close as Fall descends along with multi-colored leaves that will start to fall – Autumn in New York . . . But, as always, we can rely upon the many venues and performers to bring their own kind of heat to cabaret-land.
As many of you know, there will be an interruption at the Metropolitan Room that will close at the end of September, with performers booked for October shows performing at The Triad. The ever-energetic Bernie Furshpan, and his lovely wife Joanne, along with the powers that be are in negotiations with a new, larger space in the district that will encompass two performance spaces, a restaurant and piano bar. Look for that in early 2018. Meanwhile, the show must and does goes on!
The 28th New York Cabaret Convention takes place October 16 thru 19, presented by the Mabel Mercer Foundation, at Rose Theatre at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Tickets are now on sale at www.mabelmercer.org or call: 212 980-3026
Mark Nadler has a new series that gets sold out crowds at The Beach Café 1326 Second Ave. (cor. 70 St) featuring the best of cabaret. Featured have been Mark Nadler, Jeff Harnar, T. Oliver Reid, Heather Mac Rae, Karen Akers. Scheduled in Sept. are Rex Reed, Stacy Sullivan, Karen Akers (redux), Christine Andreas as we eagerly await the new Fall season. www.TheBeachCafe.com Nice menu, easy pricing.
Here’s a short list of some of the shows coming up. Check the club calendars for complete listings and for schedule changes.
Sierra Boggess
Feinstein’s/54 Below 254 West 54 St. (cellar), 646 476-3551 www.54Below.com Gourmet menu! (Sept) 54 Sings Series, Harvard-Yale Cantata, Sierra Boggess, Norbert Leo Butz, Christine Ebersole, Lindsay Mendez, Rachel Tucker (Oct) Lee Roy Reams, Storm Large, Andrea McArdle, Broadways Greatest Hits, Charles Busch, Broadway Bound, Robbie Rozelle, Jay Armstrong Johnson (many more).
Herb Alpert/Lani Hall
The Café Carlyle 35 East 76 St. (Madison Ave.) 212 744-1600 www.thecarlyle.com – the fall season opens with Herb Alpert/Lani Hall followed by Duncan Sheik, Rita Wilson and Mandy Gonzalez. Bemelmens Bar is in full swing with Earl Rose, Rob Mosci, Chris Gillespie, David Budway.
*Metropolitan Room 34 W. 22nd Street (bet. 5/6 Aves) 212 206-0440 www.metropolitanroom.com (food menu) – From Cabaret to Comedy to Drag –Annie Ross on Tuesday eves – Sunday Piano Bar – Open Mic Sundays with Deb Berman * *Metro Star Winners: Emily Ellet 1st Place – Anthony Alfaro 1st Runner Up – Joan Crowe 2d Runner Up
(Sept) Charlie Romo, Adrienne Haan, Richard Holbrook, Donny Most, Joan Vasquez, Bobbie Horowitz ‘Its Just a Number, Walter Willison, Andrea Wolff, Margo Brown, Aziza Miller, The Finkel Bros., Joseph Macchia’s Cabaret Cares 12, Lee Squared. October marks the beginning of the temporary transition of acts to The Triad including John Minnock, The Bobs, Aaron Paul, Dorothy Bishop, Linda Purl and more! Check their calendar!
Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Café 407 West 42 St. (bet. 9/10 Aves.), 212 695-6909 www.thewestbankcafe.com (dinner menu) – (Sept) Richard Skipper Celebrates, Power over Potus, Jinkx Sings, KT Sullivan, Trixie Mattel, Dawn Derow, Bob Mundy,Broadway Sessions, Le Scandal Cabaret (Oct) Carole Demas & Sarah Rice, Sharon Needles, Marta Sanders, Sidney Myer, Dan Ruth, many more!
Don’t Tell Mama 343 W. 46 St. 212 757- 0788 www.donttellmamanyc.com – featuring the best piano bar in NYC, a sumptuous restaurant, and two cabaret rooms – (Sept) Marcus Simeone/Sean Harkness, Tommy Nichols, Jody Mullen, *Renee Katz, Marcia Sander, *Jillian Laurain, Tamara Paselk, Meg Flather, Elaine Brier/John McMahon, Simply Barbra, Steve Bustamante, Nancy Witter, J.Michael Reeds, Debra Vogel, Lane Bradbury, Ricky Ritzel Broadway, Ira Lee Collings (Oct) Wendy Scherl, Lisa Yaeger, Tanya Moberly, Amy Engelhardt, Ritt Henn, Stephen Hanks, Marci Kraft, Barbara Brussell, Daryl Sherman, *Carol Shedlin, Steve Zumbo, George Dixon (see calendar for much more)
The Triad 158 W. 72 St, 212 362-2590 www.stage72.com –Home of Award Winning Celebrity Autobiography and Me The People – – (Sept) Randie Levine Miller-Showstopper Divas/Divos, The ManOPause Boys, The Gerber Girls(see calendar for more) (Oct) see calendar for more!
Veronica Swift
Birdland Jazz 315 West 44 St. (bet. 8/9 Aves) 212 581-3080 www.birdlandjazz.com (dinner menu) – Jim Caruso’s Cast Party Monday evenings (Sept) Veronica Swift, Christina Bianco/Brad Simmons, Melissa Manchester, Jessica Molaskey/John Pizzasrelli Trio, Gabrielle Stravelli, Natalie Douglas (Oct) Santino Fontana (Oct) Eric Comstock/Sean Smith, Coco Peru, Steve Ross, Lea DeLaria,Ann Hampton Callaway, many more!
The Duplex, 61 Christopher St./7th Ave, 212 255-5438 www.theduplex.com piano bar and cabaret theater – (Sept) Robert Frost, Justin Williams, Mike & Wells, Ben Rimalower, Christina Pena, Deanne Smith (Oct) Gary Reynolds, Bob Malone/Arthur Migliazza, Guilty Pleasures, Patrick Dwyer, many more. See calendar.
Dizzys Club Coca Cola www.jazz.org – Jazz at Lincoln Center Top Jazz Artists – see calendar!
Pangea – 178 2nd Ave (btw 11th & 12th Sts) 212 995 0900 www.pangeanyc.com (dinner menu) –see calendar.
Iridium Jazz Club Broadway at West 51 St., 212 582-2121 www.iridiumjazzclub.com (dinner menu) – (check calendar for much more).
The Cutting Room, 44 E. 32 St, 212 691-9000 www.thecuttingroomnyc.com See calendar.
The Town Hall – 123 W. 43 St., 212 840-2824 www.the-townhall.org – (Sept) David Bromberg/Betty LaVette. See calendar.
The DJango in NYC– 2 Avenue of the Americas, Tickets: Shaken Not Stirred – music of James Bond begins Sept. 10 with Broadway performers a band.
92Y/Lyrics & Lyricists – 1395 Lexington Ave. 212 415-5500 –www.92Y.org see Lyrics & Lyricists Series.
Merkin Concert Hall – 129 W. 67 St. (212.501-1330 www.kaufmanmusiccenter.org
Broadway Close-Up Series
Broadway Sings at the West End Lounge 955 West End Ave. (107th St./West End Ave.) 212.531.4759 www.thewestendlounge.com Open Mic Nites, Bound for Broadway,Comedy, more!
Salon – Multiple Award Winning weekly Open Mic Event, different themes, different performers, created and hosted by Mark Janas with Tanya Moberly-Etcetera, Etcetera – 352 West 44th Street, NYC – Sundays www.markjanasthesalon.com
Midtown Jazz at Midday at St. Peter’s Church, Lexington Ave/54 St. Wednesdays, 12:30 pm 212 935-2200 – www.saintpeters.org (Ronny Whyte presents)
Sandi Durell is Publisher/Editor of www.theaterpizzazz.com/
and has been writing, reviewing, producing, having a voice in the theater, cabaret and entertainment communities for over 25+ years. She is a Voting Member of the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards; member of the American Theatre Critics Association.
Sandi is a producer of Broadway & Hollywood Live! Revues (www.ShaRellProductions.com); has produced numerous Songwriter Events for the American Popular Song Society (APSS – formerly New York Sheet Music Society on which she is a Board member); the benefit CD “Our Heart Sings;” is a producer on the Award winning film “Broadway the Golden Age” (with Rick McKay) and has produced a variety of entertainment events for most of her career.
She is a member of the League of Professional Theatre Women, Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU – Advisory Board),100+ year old Dutch Treat Club, The Lambs; an occasional theater “angel” and has had a career as a vocalist-performer.
Her column can also be found at www.theaterlife.com
