Theater News

Oh, Oh, October!

New York’s cabaret scene includes appearances by Colm Wilkinson, Christine Andreas, Ann Hampton Callaway, Tommy Tune, Mary Cleere Haran, Lynda Carter, KT Sullivan, Paula West, Kelli O’Hara, Michael Arden, Jason Robert Brown, Deidre Goodwin, Euan Morton, Marni Nixon, and Lea DeLaria.

Tommy Tune
(© Joseph Marzullo/WENN)
Tommy Tune
(© Joseph Marzullo/WENN)

The city’s a wondrous toy for cabaret fans this month, as it features two annual must-go-to events: The Broadway Cabaret Festival at Town Hall, October 17-19, which includes a star-studded tribute to Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe; a concert by international singing star Colm Wilkinson, and the always popular Broadway Originals concert; and The Mabel Mercer Foundation’s 19th Annual Cabaret Convention, October 29-November 1 at Jazz at Lincoln Center, showcases dozens of the country’s biggest stars such as Karen Akers, Christine Andreas, Ann Hampton Callaway, Karen Mason, Tommy Tune, and Julie Wilson, to name a few.

Back on the club scene, Feinstein’s at the Loews Regency offers the cabaret debut of Nikki Blonsky, star of the film Hairspray (through October 4), the delicious Mary Cleere Haran in her new show Mad About Manhattan (October 8-17), the wonder-ful Lynda Carter (October 21-25), Rent star Adam Pascal (October 26-27), and Laura Bell Bundy. (October 30 and November 1).

The Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel serves up two of its most beloved performers: chanteuse KT Sullivan (September 23-October 11) and the always amazing jazz vocalist Paula West (October 14-November 8); while the swanky Café Carlyle presents the first couple of cabaret, John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey, in their delightful and critically acclaimed new show (through November 1).

Joe’s Pub continues its year-long 10th anniversary celebration with such top-notch acts as Isaac Mizrahi (October 5), a return performance by the extraordinary Judy Kuhn (October 6-7), its new Ghostlight series on Monday nights with such stars as Kelli O’Hara, Michael Winther, and The Petersons (October 6, 13, 20), its 10 for 10 series of free concerts (October 11-13), a concert version of the musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (October 13), and Michael Arden singing Joni Mitchell’s classic album Blue (October 28-30), among other events.

The always exciting happenings at Birdland include performances by Luba Mason (October 7), singer-songwriter Jason Robert Brown (October 13), composer Ron Abel (October 20), the singular Wing (October 20), and jazz singer Jane Monheit (October 21-25).

The ever-eclectic Zipper Factory will showcase Exposed: The Songs of Andrew Byrne with special guests including Deidre Goodwin (October 5), Kim Schultz’s solo show The F-Trip (October 7, 14, and 28), Karen Kohler’s solo piece Little Death (October 8, 15, 22, and 29); singer Adron (October 8), the monthly installment of the aerial show Above the Belt (October 12), Kathy Morath and Christopher Stephens in the musical Day Dreaming: Channeling Doris Day (October 13), singer Lauren Cregor (October 16), Brother Josephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra (October 17), Nice Jewish Girls Gone Hysterical (October 18), singer-songwriter Todd Almond (October 20), Jason St. Little’s Cabaret Voltaire (October 23 and 31), singer-songwriter Daniel Zaitchik (October 27), and the newest edition of the improvisational revue Don’t Quit Your Night Job (October 30).

The Metropolitan Room continues to impress with such cabaret favorites as Neile Adams (October 1-4), Gay Marshall (October 4, 11, and 18), Cynthia Crane (October 5 and 9), Tony Award nominee Euan Morton (October 5, 12, and 19), Tim DiPasqua (October 6, 13, 20, and 27), former Love Boat actress Jill Whelan (October 6, 13, 20, and 27), Marianne Challis (October 10-11), Miles Phillips and Karen Oberlin (October 12), Klea Blackhurst and Billy Stritch (October 14-17), Jeff Harnar (October 15-17, 23-26), Marilyn Maye (October 30), and Stacy Sullivan (October 31).

The Laurie Beechman Theatre hosts Jonathan Whitton (October 2 and 9), Christina Bianco (October 8 and 16), a concert performance of Elegies for Angels, Punks & Raging Queens (October 10, 11, and 17), Say Something: A Spoken Word Salon with special guests Marni Nixon, Christine Pedi, and Sarah Schulman (October 12), Living for Today: A Benefit Concert with Stephanie D’Abruzzo, Carly Jibson, Kate Reinders, and other guests, Andrea Burns (October 13), Alison Fraser and Mary Testa (October 20), Scot Albertson (October 23), Joe Iconis (October 26), Alexander Gemignani (October 27), Shawn Ryan (October 29-30), and Gabrielle Stravelli (October 30).

Elsewhere around town: Two hilarious shows, Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words and Political Idol, continue their runs at the Triad; This is Burlesque celebrates its first anniversary at Corio; the ever-elegant Barbara Fasano and Eric Comstock play the Neue Galerie’s Cafe Sabarsky (October 2); and the singular Lea DeLaria celebrates her new CD with a special concert at Smoke (October 6).