Saving the Best for Last

Holiday parties, shopping for gifts, and travel preparations can make December an extremely busy month for New Yorkers. But don’t let it stop you from taking advantage of the many excellent offerings in the city’s clubs and cabarets.

Feinstein’s at the Loews Regency welcomes back its namesake, Michael Feinstein, with The Sinatra Holiday Project (December 2-30), which will feature a 17-piece band and guest vocalist Antonia Bennett (daughter of Tony) in a mix of songs made famous by the Chairman of the Board and seasonal favorites. Also on tap this month are appearances by Brandon Cutrell (December 1), Garrison Keillor (December 7,14, 21, and 28), and Broadway star John Treacy Egan (December 22).

At The Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel, the club’s star performer, Andrea Marcovicci has brought the marvelous Marcovicci Sings Movies II (through December 27), which is chock-full of cinema tunes such as “Cheek to Cheek,” “Swinging on a Star,” “It Might Be You,” and “When She Loved Me.” Meanwhile, over at the swanky Café Carlyle, the very popular Steve Tyrell continues to delight his fans with his now-annual holiday engagement (through December 31), which includes salutes to Burt Bacharach and Ray Charles.

Joe’s Pub continues its year-long 10th anniversary celebration with a host of theater favorites including Tony Award winner LaChanze (December 1-2), Norm Lewis (December 1), Kelli O’Hara and James Naughton (December 1), Billy Porter (December 7-8), Jackie Hoffman (December 8, 15, and 22), Jonathan Groff and cast members from Spring Awakening (December 15), Lea DeLaria and Jesse Tyler Ferguson in a salute to Comden & Green (December 16), and the inimitable Sandra Bernhard (December 26-31).

The always exciting happenings at Birdland include The Broadway Boys with special guests Julia Murney and Marva Hicks (December 1), country music favorite Victoria Shaw (December 8), GuyTunes (December 15), The Freddy Cole Quartet (December 17-20), Hilary Kole (December 25 and 31), and the Johnny Rodgers Band (December 29).

The ever-eclectic Zipper Factory will showcase Yana Chupenko (December 2), Tracy Bonham (December 4), Offensive Women: Talk Is Dangerous (December 5-6), Bridget Everett, Neal Medlyn, and Kenny Mellman in Our Hit Parade (December 7), Lea DeLaria with special guest Sandra Bernhard (December 8), Kate Pazakis (December 9), Murray Hill (December 13, 20, and 31), A New York Christmas featuring Sierra Boggess, Chester Gregory, Tyler Maynard, and Lauren Pritchard (December 15), Starsky + Cox (December 16), Mike Errico (December 18), Don’t Quit Your Night Job (December 18), Our Lady J (December 19), and the musical Striking 12 (December 27-31).

The Metropolitan Room continues to bring in first-rate acts including Laurie Krauz, Luba Mason, and Spider Saloff (December 1), the seasonal revue “Bout This Time Each Year (December 1, 8, 15), Kate Taylor (December 2), Jamie deRoy & Friends, with guests including Loni Ackerman, Julie Budd, and Lee Roy Reams (December 4), Eileen Fulton (December 5, 12), Miles Phillips and Karen Oberlin (December 6), Julie Reyburn (December 6, 13), Jack Donahue (December 8, 15), Sue Matsuki and Edd Clark (December 10), Uptown Express with special guests Christine Ebersole and Klea Blackhurst (December 11, 18), Marcus Simeone (December 14), Hedda Lettuce (December 19-20, 27-28), Daryl Glenn and JoLynn Burks play Nashville (December 20-21), Marieann Meringolo (December 21), Darren Williams (December 29-30), and Eric Michael Gillett (December 31).

The Laurie Beechman Theatre hosts Christine Pedi (December 1-30, various dates), Judy Barnett (December 2), John Jeffrey Martin (December 2), Molly Pope (December 8, 15), Alison Fraser & Mary Testa (December 11), Alysha Umphress (December 16), and Scot Albertson (December 30).

Elsewhere around town: the hilarious Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words continues its star-studded Monday night run at the Triad; This is Burlesque is still going strong at Corio; and the Cutting Room presents Mimi Imfurst (December 7, 21), Shequida (December 9, 10, 17), Joan Rivers (December 10), and Jackie Beat (December 12-14).