(© Joseph Marzullo/WENN)
May I go to the cabaret in May? Of course you may, considering the number of must-see shows coming to New York this month.
Feinstein’s at the Loews Regency offers a quartet of big names as its main attractions: Barbara Cook (through May 2), Lesley Gore (May 5-9), Tyne Daly (May 12-16), and Freddie Jackson (May 19-30). Meanwhile, its recently instituted series of Actors’ Fund concerts will showcase Andrea Burns (May 4), the cast of [title of show] (May 11), and Julia Murney (May 18).
At the city’s two other major venues: The Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel is presenting the wonderful Maude Maggart (through May 23) followed by British jazz sensation Claire Martin with peerless Richard Rodney Bennett (May 26-June 6), and the swanky Café Carlyle offers the legendary Judy Collins (through May 30).
The always exciting goings-on at Birdland include appearances by three-time Grammy nominee Karyn Allison (through May 2), Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole (May 4), the annual Leading Men benefit (May 11), the hilarious Julie Halston (May 12 and 19), the fabulous Groovelily (May 18), and Carol Fredette and Bob Dorough (May 25).
The Metropolitan Room continues to bring in some of the cabaret world’s finest acts, including MAC Award winner Baby Jane Dexter (May 1-2), Broadway star Michael Winther (May 3), the multi-talented Valarie Pettiford (May 4, 11, 18, 25), jazz great Marlene VerPlanck (May 5, 12, 26), Philip Chaffin (May 6, 13, 20), Julie Reyburn (May 6), Shaynee Rainbolt (May 7), Billy Stritch (May 11), Annie Hughes (May 21), Uptown Express (May 27), and Spider Saloff (May 27-28).
Joe’s Pub‘s something-for-everyone offerings include singer-songwriter Gabriel Kahane (May 1), Upright Cabaret Takes Manhattan (May 1, 2, 4), monologist Mike Daisey (May 4), Rated RSO: The Lyrics of Ryan Scott Oliver (May 4), Mercedes Hall (May 8), Hazelle Goodman (May 9), The Broadway Boys (May 10), Broadway Loves the ’80s Vol. 5 (May 10), Steve Forbert (May 13), Janis Siegel (May 17), Billy Eichner (May 25), Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens (May 27), and Sharon Katz & The Peace with Pete Seeger (May 28).
The West Bank Cafe’s Laurie Beechman Theatre has a slew of top-notch talent on tap: Nancy Anderson (May 3), Liz Canavan (May 4), Maxine Lineham (May 7, 14, 21, 28), Anthony Santelmo, Jr. (May 8, 22), Tim Sullivan (May 9), Donna Lynne Champlin (May 11), Joan Rivers (May 12, 13, 19, 20), Steven Lutvak (May 15), Cabaret Cares (May 17), Lauren Kennedy (May 29), Jim Van Slyke (May 31), and Mary Bond Davis (May 31).
Finally, at the Triad, there’s the popular revue Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (May 1-3, 8-10, 15-17, 22-24, 29-31), Lee Summers (May 11), and a new revue Going Through A Stage: Broadway’s Best Sing the Songs of Charles Bloom featuring such stars as Mara Davi, Aaron Lazar, Kerry O’Malley, and Brad Oscar (May 18, 25).
