Theater News

Fez Under Time Café to Close on March 17

New York City
Fez Under Time Café (380 Lafayette Street), the famed nightclub where some of downtown’s hottest acts have performed, will close its doors on March 17. The entire building will reportedly undergo a six-month renovation, and then a new restaurant or nightclub will open in the space.

Over the years, Fez has played host to an eclectic array of artists, from the mainstream to the avant-garde. The now legendary drag act Kiki & Herb was a fixture at the club. Theater stars who performed there include Charles Busch, Lea DeLaria, Gavin Creel, and Anthony Rapp, while Norah Jones, Jewel, Rufus Wainwright, Johnny Cash, Fiona Apple, Joni Mitchell, and Sheryl Crow are just a few of the famous singers who have played Fez.

Many of the club’s most popular performers will be on hand during its final weeks. Drag king Murray Hill and the Wau Wau Sisters will host Fez’s eighth annual Oscar Party on February 27; comedian Joan Rivers, who has been appearing there regularly for the past two years, will continue her Wednesday night gigs; and raconteur Jonathan Ames will be among the stars of Farewell My Lovely: A Tribute to Fez on March 11. Drag superstar Jackie Beat, who has played the club more than 200 times over the past seven years, will appear there in The Goodbye Girl on March 13 and 14. The club’s closing act will be the Mingus Big Band, which has played there nearly every Thursday since 1991.

For reservations, call 212-533-2680 or visit www.feznyc.com.