Twenty-seven years of continuous running makes this the closest thing downtown has to an institution, and the Slipper Room's balconied Orchard Street room is where a great deal of contemporary American burlesque was rebuilt. Acts rotate constantly, so no two nights are the same bill. If you want a Lower East Side night that is neither a bar nor a club nor a theatre but somehow all three, this is it.
What to expect
A two-level room with a small stage, a balcony that hangs over it and standing room wherever people fit. Multiple showtimes run through the evening with different acts in each, so arriving later still gets you a full show. The tone runs from genuinely skilled burlesque to deliberate absurdity, often in consecutive acts.
Good to know
- Take the F to Delancey Street or the J/M/Z to Essex Street; Orchard Street is a couple of blocks north.
- Admission is general with no drink minimum, unlike most cabaret rooms in the city.
- Multiple showtimes run through the night, so a later arrival still catches a complete set of acts.
- This is 21 and over with adult content; it is not a family outing.
- The balcony gets you a view over the stage if the floor is packed.
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Common questions
How long has this show been running?
It is billed as New York City's longest running variety show, on since 1999.
Is there a drink minimum?
No. Admission is general with no drink minimum, which is unusual for a downtown variety room.
What kind of acts perform?
A rotating mix of burlesque, comedy, music and neo-vaudeville, with a different bill each showtime.
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