Stephen Hanks News

Hanks will bring together a group of 16 women “Blue Wavers”—all fabulous female cabaret performers—along with Award-Winning Music Director Tracy Stark, to present BLUE WAVE 2024: NEW YORK CAN SAVE OUR DEMOCRACY FUNDRAISER on Friday, May 24, 7 PM at Don't Tell Mama

When Dawn Derow and Sean Harkness first teamed up in 2011 to perform a duo cabaret show called Music 4 Two, she was a relative unknown on the NY cabaret scene, while he was a rising star musician having just been named “Outstanding Instrumentalist” by the Bistro Awards.

The popular political fundraiser plays The Laurie Beechman Theatre and Helane Blumfield is there to capture it for Broadway World Cabaret.

On Friday, May 27, producer Stephen Hanks and the performers of the series' CABARET CAMPAIGNS: BLUE WAVE 2018 and THE VOTING RIGHTS SHOW 2020, will reunite at the Laurie Beechman Theater at 6:30 PM. The evening is hosted by Hanks, with music director Tracy Stark.

Seven months prior to the 2018 Midterm Elections, Cabaret Show Producer, Publicist, and Performer Stephen Hanks launched a series of five variety shows as fundraisers for Democratic Senate, Congress, and State Legislature candidates.

Bistro and MAC-award winner Dawn Derow is debuting her latest cabaret performance, GYPSY IN MY SOUL: Dawn Derow Sings Eydie Gormé on Sunday, May 23rd at The Bijou Theatre.

So what is the show, you may ask - the show is Mark. He is the show, the show is him and SONGS AND SCANDALS OF THE 1920S is merely the vehicle to deliver Mark to his adoring audience - an audience that goes with him wherever he plays. Mark is an unparalleled musician and singer whose piano playing is a true phenom and his vocals are some of the finest, smoothest, and richest you will here in our Cabaret's these (or any other) days.

STEPHEN HANKS' CABARET ALL-STARS FIGHT CANCER, a fundraiser dedicated to the late cabaret performer Charlotte Patton, will be presented on March 10, 2020 at 7 pm at Hidden Cabaret (at The Secret Room), Behind the Cooper Door at 707 8th Avenue, between 44th and 45th Streets. Featuring Musical Theater Composer Michael Roberts at the piano, the roster of All-Stars include: Sandra Bargman, Remy Block, Lane Bradbury, Bruce Clough, Meg Flather, Laurie Krauz, Erica Linn, Jeff Macauley, Marissa Mulder, Craig Pomranz, Scott Raneri, Julie Reyburn, Sarah Rice, Billie Roe and Tom Toce. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Melanoma Research Foundation. Main table tickets are $20 and can be purchased at www.hiddencabaret.com/march-10th.

Since immersing himself into the world of New York Cabaret in late 2010, Stephen Hanks has been a reviewer, editor, performer, producer, publicist, and promoter. Now he's diving head first into helping a new cabaret club get off the ground. The former lead New York cabaret reviewer/section editor for BroadwayWorld.com (between 2012-2016) has joined the producing team at HIDDEN CABARET, which is now 'in residence' on Monday nights (and select other weekdays) at the Secret Room on 707 8th Avenue (behind 'The Copper Door' between 44th and 45th Street) in Manhattan.

The HIDDEN CABARET is no longer a SECRET. Since starting its Monday night residency at the Secret Room on Eighth Avenue in Hell's Kitchen in November, the Hidden Cabaret has staged two sold-out Variety shows, as well as a recently critically acclaimed solo show featuring American Idol finalist Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon.

In early 2015, Stephen Hanks decided to transition from being a cabaret show reviewer (first for Cabaret Scenes Magazine and then as the Cabaret Editor and lead reviewer for BroadwayWorld.com) into producing and promoting shows. Having been inside the world of New York cabaret for just four years at the point, Hanks would hear stories about award-winning or highly-praised shows of the past that he'd wished he'd seen. By August, a new variety show series was born at the late Metropolitan Room in Chelsea called NEW YORK CABARET'S GREATEST HITS.

Seven months prior to the 2018 Midterm Elections, Cabaret Show Producer, Publicist, and Performer Stephen Hanks launched a variety show series as fundraisers for Democratic Senate, Congress, and State Legislature candidates. The critically acclaimed CABARET CAMPAIGNS: RIDE THE BLUE WAVE 2018! at Don't Tell Mama featured 28 different performers and raised more than $6,000 divided among 30 candidates. Election Day 2018 was indeed a a?oeBlue Wave,a?? as the Democrats flipped 40 seats in Congress.

When Actor/Singer Scott Raneri was pondering a theme for his New York Solo Cabaret Debut Show, he decided to go back to his rootsa?"literally.

Continuing its 35th Anniversary season, Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director) proudly announces the line-up for a brand-new festival patterned after its award-winning series WINTER RHYTHMS. SUMMER MELODIES 2019 will begin Thursday, June 20 featuring some of New York's best musical performances through Saturday, June 29, 2019 at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th Street, just East of 8th Avenue). Tickets are $30 ($45 for two shows in one day), for tickets and full schedule please visit www.urbanstages.org or call (866) 811-4111.

Continuing its 35th Anniversary season, Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director) proudly announces the line-up for a brand-new festival patterned after its award-winning series WINTER RHYTHMS. SUMMER MELODIES 2019 will begin Thursday, June 20 featuring some of New York's best musical performances through Saturday, June 29, 2019 at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th Street, just East of 8th Avenue).

Cabaret show producer Stephen Hanks sits down with Eugene Ebner to talk about his two upcoming CABARET CAMPAIGNS: RIDE THE BLUE WAVE 2018 victory shows.

Dawn Derow, the 2018 MAC Award-Winner for 'Best Female Vocalist,' will display her great vocal range and outgoing performing personality at New York's Beach Cafe (1326 2nd Avenue, corner of 70th Street) with THE DAWN DEROW BIRTHDAY PARTY SHOW on Saturday, November 24 at 9:30 pm (Dinner seating at 8:00 pm). Directed by Lina Koutrakos and featuring Music Director Mark Janas on piano and Sean Harkness on guitar, Derow's Birthday Party Show will offer an eclectic mix of songs, including favorites from Legit and her 2011-2014 show with Harkness, Music 4 Two. Helping Dawn celebrate her birthday will be special guest vocalists, including multiple award-winning cabaret performer Celia Berk (who was a guest singer in Legit), MAC Award-nominee and concert performer Suzanne Fiore (also a Boston Conservatory graduate), and Jason Reiff, who has starred as 'Marius' in the national tour of Les Miserables. Fiore and Reiff will join Derow on songs by Heart, Brandi Carlyle, The Indigo Girls, and Sara Bareilles.

Last December, with the 2018 Midterm elections on the horizon, New York-based Cabaret producer, performer, promoter, and former reviewer Stephen Hanks decided he needed to combine his passion for cabaret and politics and channel that energy into action on behalf of the Democratic and Progressive candidates running for the US Senate, the US Congress, and some state offices this November. To help him with his “Campaigning,” Hanks has recruited All-Star Casts of Cabaret performers who are equally passionate about motivating people to “Ride the Blue Wave” in 2018. On Hanks' Birthday, October 13, 7 pm, CABARET CAMPAIGNS: RIDE THE BLUE WAVE 2018! (with Michael Roberts, who wrote the Series theme song “The Great Blue Wave” as Musical Director) will feature the 4th All-Female Cast, featuring 2018 Two-Time MAC Award-Winner Natalie Douglas (representing Florida Governor Candidate Andrew Gillum).

Musical theater actor and Award-winning New York Cabaret performer Rosemary Loar is bringing her original musical SPOOLIE GIRL to the Actors Temple Theatre (339 W 47th St, New York) for a nine-show run from October 17-27. Loar, who wrote the music and lyrics, and co-wrote the book with her late husband Robert Atwood, calls the show “a family-friendly fractured rock fairy tale.” SPOOLIE GIRL is a suddenly orphaned eco-friendly teenager from Kenya who comes to New York City. Wearing magical curlers called “spoolies” in her hair, she is able to read people's thoughts as songs, while navigating a world consisting of her narcissistic, fashionista Aunt, a Fairy Godmother (but way hipper), and a quirky neighbor who walks an invisible dog. And that's her support group. Along with Loar, the cast features Loar, Claire Lilley, and Michiko Sasaki.

Sierra Rein launched her much-anticipated debut solo cabaret show RUNNING IN PLACE at The Laurie Beechman Theater in April and May and earned raves for a performance that weaved together American Songbook gems, contemporary Broadway and pop, and new cabaret classics, in an inspiring rundown on dreaming against all odds. Directed by James Beaman with Musical Direction by Bill Zeffiro (with Matt Scharfglass on Bass and Rex Benincasa on Drums), RUNNING IN PLACE features compositions by Stephen Sondheim, Dave Frishberg, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Zina Goldrich & Marcy Heisler, Kander & Ebb, and more. Such terrific notices merited a return engagement so Sierra will be reprising RUNNING IN PLACE on Saturday, September 22 at 2 pm and Wednesday, September 26 at 9:30 pm at The Laurie Beechman Theatre (407 West 42nd Street, Downstairs at the West Back Café, 212-695-6909).