Rian Keating: When You Go Down To The Sea
Don't Tell Mama343 West 46th Street, New York 10036
Rian Keating brings When You Go Down To The Sea to Don’t Tell Mama as a solo cabaret performance built around “songs of wandering / songs of home.” Darryl Curry is the musical director for the new show; the billing does not specify the full accompaniment. Expect a program shaped as much by Keating’s storytelling as by the songs, with the title’s pull between departure and belonging providing the evening’s frame.
Keating grew up in an Irish-American family in New Hampshire before moving to New York, where NiteLife Exchange has called him “a master storyteller” of the cabaret scene. He received the 2022 MAC Award for Special Production for Time Stamps: Life Fragments in Story and Song and the 2023 MAC Award for Male Vocalist. Across his shows, he has worked with musical directors and pianists including Curry, Woody Reagan, and Jeff Cubeta, and with director Tanya Moberly. Before cabaret, he hosted the cable interview program Spotlight!, whose guests included Gwen Verdon, Kathy Bates, George Rose, and Bebe Neuwirth. Reviewers have noted his “immense warmth and quiet charm,” calling him a “natural-born storyteller”; one also observed that emotionally direct material particularly suits him.
Don't Tell Mama offers a distinctive cabaret experience with four separate spaces including a piano bar and two cabaret showrooms, where bartenders and servers often perform live music themselves. The venue features Mediterranean cuisine alongside a full bar, with a cash-only policy for food and drinks. Seating is limited and first come, first served, so arriving early is wise to secure a spot. Shows typically start in the evening with a 2-drink minimum and ticketed entry, often featuring multiple sets and a mix of seasoned headliners and rising talent. The room’s walls and layout create a close connection between performers and audience, making it a place to truly listen and engage with the music. Located on Restaurant Row in the Theater District, it blends dining and entertainment in a lively yet focused setting.