Long a multi-talented fixture in the cabaret world, a two-time MAC Award winner, and recipient of a BroadwayWorld Cabaret Award, Michael Kirk Lane, has found a new niche as Director of Cabaret Programs for 92NY School of Music.
He’s the host of Cabaret Conversations, director of Cabaret Performance workshops, and founder of the 92NY Summer Cabaret Conference. He’s also been a presence in children’s media, serving as an Associate Artist and Associate Producer for No Strings Productions, a nonprofit that makes educational puppet films for children in troubled areas of the world.
Among Lane’s programs at 92NY is Cabaret Performance: Connecting to Your Lyric, October 6-November 17. To register for the multi-week workshop, click here.
NiteLife Exchange (NLE) asks Michael Kirk Lane (MKL) Six Questions:
NLE: As host of 92NY’s Cabaret Conversations, you recently moved from virtual interviews to a live, in-person conversation with actress Lindsay Mendez. Can we expect additional in-person conversations?
MKL: Yes! This series has been so fulfilling to host, and moving it to a live, in-person event for our 40th edition was truly special. The energy in the room was spectacular, and I can’t wait for our next edition. 92NY will be making an official announcement soon, so all I can say is that the 41st edition will be in early 2027, and I’m super excited about who my guest is.
NLE: Drawing on your Cabaret Conversations interviews and your experience managing two renowned cabaret venues, how would you describe the state of cabaret in NYC today?
MKL: We have a lot to do to continue to get the word out about the art form. Most of the press that exists is only being read by folks who already know and love cabaret. I do think both 54 Below and The Laurie Beechman Theatre are doing a great job of getting the next generation of performers into the rooms or to watch live streams and letting them see what is possible. This new generation of performers finding these clubs and cabaret is leading to an upswing for the genre. We are also trying to get younger performers interested in our classes at 92NY to explore all this art form has to offer.
NLE: In addition to your multi-week Cabaret Performance classes at 92NY, you offer two-day intensive workshops (the current one being with Karen Mason, October 2–3). What can participants expect in these intensives?
MKL: I’m thrilled to have the incomparable Karen Mason join us for our workshop weekend, our 7th since this series began. Previously, we’ve held weekends with Faith Prince, Lillias White, Melissa Errico, Joe Iconis, Lindsay Mendez and Nikki M. James. These intensive weekends help artists explore the art form of cabaret and fine-tune their interpretation skills to find their own personal versions of the songs they bring in. We also offer auditing spots for those who don’t feel ready to work but who want to learn from observing the weekend. These weekends, along with our annual week-long 92NY Summer Cabaret Conference, also offer scholarships, provided in part through a collaboration between 92NY and the American Songbook Association.
NLE: Beyond your cabaret teaching, you are deeply involved in children’s media—from voice acting on The Flying Tent to producing puppet films for No Strings Productions. What first drew you to this world, and were there specific TV shows from your own childhood that inspired you?
MKL: I’ve often said I’m one of the luckiest muppet geeks around. I grew up loving Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and all things Muppets. Now I get the privilege of working alongside some of the people responsible for creating those shows. Last year I had the great privilege of lending archival support for a new museum exhibit at the Bermuda National Gallery celebrating the artwork of the legendary Michael K. Frith. The former VP of the Jim Henson Company who, as creative director, designed so many of the characters I grew up loving, like Fozzie Bear and the Fraggles. Getting to call him a friend now is a real “pinch me” moment. I do hope the exhibit gets to come to the States so Muppet fans here can see it.
NLE: Tell us more about your early background. What led you to the creative and professional life you live today?
MKL: My mother has home movies, blackmail VHS, to prove I was headed for a life in the arts early on. I also fell in love with the American songbook very early, as my grandfather was a barber-shopper and my grandmother sang in Sweet Adelines. Every weekend, Lawrence Welk reruns were on in their house, and their radio always played music from the likes of Tony Bennet or Frank Sinatra. I found the world of cabaret in my first year in NYC when a friend told me about a bar they thought I’d like. They took me into Don’t Tell Mama, and the rest is history…
NLE: You wear so many hats as an award-winning performer, director and educator. With such a busy schedule, do you have a new solo cabaret show in the works? And where can audiences see you perform next?
MKL: Well, not a solo show…but a duo show! I’ll be sharing the stage with one of my oldest friends, world-renowned American soprano Leah Crocetto, for our new show, Together Again. Leah has played every major opera house around the world, but we met in college pursuing our musical theatre degrees at Siena Heights University. Now, 25 years later, we will be sharing the stage at 54 Below on Thursday, March 4 at 7 PM. We’ll be joined by our fellow Siena Heights alum, Amanda Raymond, who is 54 Below’s Production Manager and Head of Audio. Our musical director for the evening, Todd Schreiber, was actually the musical director for a production of the Pippin that Leah and I performed in back in 2002.
