Kathy, A Cabaret
Joe's Pub425 Lafayette Street, New York 10003
Kathy, A Cabaret brings Mike Kelton and Barrett Wilbert Weed to Joe’s Pub for a mostly true theatrical cabaret about Kelton’s mother, Kathy. Directed by Tim Murray, with music direction by Eric Gersen, the evening traces the life of a woman described as both a force of nature and a suburban legend. It is presented as a high-energy show, built around Kathy’s story rather than a conventional band set.
The show is a theatrical cabaret, with Kelton and Weed starring in its telling. The available material identifies Kelton’s personal connection to its subject, but does not give a hometown or further background for the performers, nor does it name collaborators beyond Murray and Gersen. It also does not specify the show’s musical style or include critics’ assessments. What is clear is its premise: a staged, personal portrait of Kathy, shaped into a cabaret by its two featured performers and creative team.
The stage is set in a converted library space with a striped bar and photos of legends like Leonard Cohen and Amy Winehouse lining the walls. You'll find yourself seated on velvet couches or at candle-lit tables, close enough to hear every note from the back. The sound, engineered by technicians who've worked with John Legend and The Notorious B.I.G., is consistently ranked among the best in New York. Three shows a day, dinner and drinks served throughout, and a menu ranging from Italian small plates to craft cocktails; it's a place where music and conversation flow together, and where both rising stars and legends have made their U.S. debuts.