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Coordinates: 40°43′31″N 73°59′00″W / 40.7254°N 73.9834°W / 40.7254; -73.9834
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Club Cumming
Neon sign with Club Cumming's logo
Bar under red lighting
The club's bar area, June 2021
Club Cumming is located in Lower Manhattan
Club Cumming
Club Cumming
Location within Lower Manhattan
Address505 East 6th Street
LocationEast Village, Manhattan, New York, US
Coordinates40°43′31″N 73°59′00″W / 40.7254°N 73.9834°W / 40.7254; -73.9834
Public transit
OwnerAlan Cumming
Daniel Nardicio
Darren Dryden
Ben Maisani
Type
Capacity100[1]
OpenedSeptember 16, 2017 (2017-09-16)[2]
Website
clubcummingnyc.com

Club Cumming is a gay bar and nightclub in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It frequently hosts cabaret events, Broadway-style shows, dance parties and drag performances. Celebrities, especially Broadway actors, often make pop-up appearances there. The club opened in 2017 and is co-owned by actor Alan Cumming and promoter Daniel Nardicio, who founded it with the owners of the space's previous establishment. The bar was ordered to temporarily halt its shows in 2018, when it was discovered that its liquor license did not include a provision for live entertainment. The matter was resolved swiftly and with community support. The club was shuttered in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it continued to host cabaret and comedy shows via live stream for most of the year. The venue reintroduced on-site outdoor events in December 2020 and reopened at full indoor capacity in May 2021. Club Cumming has generally been well received by critics, who cite its eclectic entertainment repertoire, its inclusivity and the spontaneity of its atmosphere.

Description

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The line-up is ... eclectic and edgy with weekly stand-up comedy (Wednesday’s Cabernet Cabaret), sexy 'boylesque,' drag revues, and plenty of surprise guests. On any given night, the entire company of Cats might waltz in and perform.

–GrandLife.com, on the club's atmosphere[3]

Club Cumming's facade is made of black painted wood, and it is not marked by any signage on the street.[4] The interior is more lavish, containing chandeliers, velvet drapes, and murals painted by the husband of Alan Cumming, who is the venue's namesake and one of its owners.[4][5] One of the murals features Nashom Wooden, a longtime staple of the New York City queer nightlife scene, alongside Daniel Nardicio, a local promoter who is also co-owner of the bar.[6] Of Club Cumming's clientele, The New York Times said, "On a recent Saturday night, the crowd was a tightly packed mix of neighborhood gay men in vintage T-shirts brushing up against Becky types in black and gender-non-conforming millennials wearing glittery tanks, colorful scarves and the occasional boa. It was sometimes hard to tell where the show ends and the audience begins."[4] Gothamist describes the club as "a genuine hybrid of disco dance party and live music performance cabaret".[7]

Every night features at least one event,[8] among the most common of which are live music, DJ sets, lounge acts, drag shows, go-go dancing and "raunchy readings".[7][9][10] On occasion, the venue also hosts classical music performances and Broadway acts, including some off-off-Broadway musicals.[4][11] In addition to live entertainment, the bar used to host a weekly knitting circle called "Stitch and Bitch".[12][13][14] It also holds book clubs, piano nights and a "gender-fluid dance party" called "Femme".[15] Cumming lives nearby and stops in frequently; he is known to perform, tend bar, DJ, and mingle with the crowd when he does.[9][16] While mobile devices are not prohibited inside, he discourages their use "to make people talk to each other instead of looking at their phones".[7] Club Cumming is a popular stop for celebrities who visit New York City, and Broadway actors frequent the venue on Mondays, when their plays typically do not run.[9][10][17]

History

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Background and opening

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Alan Cumming at New York Fashion Week in 2011
Alan Cumming founded Club Cumming in his Broadway dressing room.

While appearing in Cabaret on Broadway in 2014, Cumming ran a makeshift nightclub called Club Cumming in his dressing room.[4][16] In early 2017, he and Nardicio bought out the owners of an existing bar, the Eastern Bloc, in Manhattan's East Village.[17][18] They partnered with that venue's proprietors, Darren Dryden and Ben Maisani, to renovate the space and open a new establishment.[4][17][19] Cumming's vision was for it to be a brick-and-mortar version of Club Cumming; he said he wanted it to be "a home for everyone of all ages, all genders, all sexualities, who all enjoy letting go and making some mischief. No judgments, no attitude, no rules, except kindness, acceptance and fun."[20][21] Due to Cumming's high profile, Club Cumming began attracting press months before its debut.[19][20][22] The week it opened in September 2017, Paul McCartney, Emma Stone and Cumming gave an impromptu performance of "Part of Your World" while spending an evening there.[14][17][23] Since then, figures including Justin Vivian Bond, Billie Jean King, Adele, Jennifer Lawrence and Vanessa Williams have also made appearances.[10][24]

Licensing incident

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In February 2018, it came to light that Club Cumming had not acquired permission to host live events, and it was ordered to halt its shows.[13] This was due to what Nardicio called "a rookie mistake": when he and Cumming had applied for the bar's liquor license, they had done so as an establishment without live entertainment.[13][25] The state liquor authority received complaints from the local community board, and the authority charged Club Cumming with failure to conform.[25] Cumming and Nardicio suspended the club's non-compliant events, and they asked fans and the bar's neighbors to show support by signing a petition, e-mailing the community board, or attending a board meeting.[13][25] On April 9, members of the community came out "in droves" to one such meeting; Bedford+Bowery reported that more than a dozen people spoke on Club Cumming's behalf and that the room was so crowded that people were asked to wait outside the building.[26] After hearing this testimony, the community board voted unanimously to extend the bar's licensing to cover live events, with the stipulation that such events not be ticketed or charge cover fees.[27]

COVID-19 pandemic and George Floyd protests

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Bar seating area and wall mural under red lighting
Indoor seating area beside the club's murals, June 2021

Club Cumming ceased operation in March 2020, when all New York City nightlife venues were ordered to shutter due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[28] The same month, the club's weekly standup comedy show, Cabernet Cabaret, moved online.[3][29] The first installment featured comedians Bowen Yang, Pat Regan, Mitra Jouhari, Sydnee Washington, Rachel Sennott and Joel Kim Booster.[29] In April, Alan Cumming organized the Club Cumming Community Chest to support staff and performers out of work during the pandemic.[28] The Community Chest was a fundraiser in which celebrities gave memorabilia or a Zoom call to the highest bidder, and the proceeds went to Club Cumming employees.[28][30]

During the June 2020 George Floyd protests in New York City, the venue operated as a safe haven for Black Lives Matter protestors, providing shelter, first aid, and supplies like water and personal protective equipment.[31][32] Cumming donated a portion of the Community Chest's funds to Black Lives Matter, and the club, which was not in the direct path of any protests, also stored supplies for demonstrators.[28] The bar's manager, Samuel Benedict, said, "We've always had signs that say 'resist,' so us opening up our lobby for protests made sense for a lot of the patrons that our establishment attracts."[28]

In August 2020, the club, still closed, debuted a live-streamed cabaret series.[33][34] The seminal event was a two-night variety show hosted by Cumming; it featured performances by Kim David Smith, Catherine Cohen, Michael Musto, Alexis Michelle, Detox and Jill Sobule.[34] The series' schedule through the fall included artists like Sharon Needles, Judy Gold and Ute Lemper.[35][36][37] On New Year's Eve, Club Cumming held a socially distanced outdoor dinner celebration. Hosted by Kareem McJagger, the party featured entertainment by Dirty Martini, Emma Craig, Militia Vox and other local talent.[38][39] Following this, the club began to host more on-site, outdoor events, including a party to commemorate the Inauguration of Joe Biden.[40] Its Valentine's Day celebration featured Nicky Doll.[41] Since reopening at full capacity in May 2021, the venue has required proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for entry.[42]

Reception

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The tradition of downtown nightclub performance is rich but endangered, and Club Cumming is the East Village's best new addition in years: an oasis of creativity and community that draws from traditions of the past but is resolutely planted in the present.

–Adam Feldman, Time Out[10]

Club Cumming has been well received by both the public and the nightlife industry. In 2019, it won the title of Best Bar at the Glam Awards, an annual ceremony à la the Oscars for queer entertainers, promoters and venues in New York City.[43] The club ranked first on Time Out's 2022 list of "the 24 best gay bars in NYC".[44] Gothamist wrote that the establishment "fills a niche that has been slowly eaten away by rising rents and sanitized street corners. Club Cumming attempts to fill the gap with a bit of imagination, served up with just the right amount of polish/un-polish."[7] The New Yorker praised the bar for its inclusivity, stating that "[t]he tiny space welcomes a far broader spectrum of the queer community [than most queer nightlife venues] and overflows with a sense of inclusive camaraderie."[45] That publication also noted a selection of events that had recently occurred at the club and complimented the spontaneity they injected into its atmosphere.[45] Caroline Framke of Variety said, "The East Village bar reflects its owner's wonderfully bizarre taste."[16] A GrandLife.com review reads, "No matter the night's curation, you're sure to have a wild time."[3] ShermansTravel lists Club Cumming among "the best gay and queer bars in Manhattan".[46]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Club Cumming". BizBash. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  2. ^ Tuder, Stefanie (September 13, 2017). "Club Cumming Unleashes Its Erotic Vibes on East Village This Week". Eater. Vox Media. Archived from the original on April 16, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "Club Cumming". GrandLife. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Sloan, Brian (October 11, 2017). "Alan Cumming Brings His Cabaret to the East Village". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  5. ^ Ellwood, Mark. "Club Cumming". Condé Nast Traveler. Archived from the original on May 18, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  6. ^ Kelly, Mary Louise (April 30, 2020). "Coronavirus Victims: Drag Queen Nashom Wooden". npr.org. NPR. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d Amar, Sarah (September 25, 2017). "Photos: Club Cumming Celebrates The Gritty & The Glam". Gothamist. Archived from the original on May 26, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  8. ^ "Club Cumming". nycgo.com. NYC & Company. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  9. ^ a b c Kilgannon, Corey (September 20, 2018). "Life Is a Cabaret (and Alan Cumming Is Tending Bar)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d Feldman, Adam (September 21, 2018). "Club Cumming". Time Out. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  11. ^ "Club Cumming in Cabaret Show Listings – All the Theater". BroadwayWorld. Wisdom Digital Media. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  12. ^ Drohan, Freya (October 3, 2017). "Alan Cumming's new venue combines debauchery and knitting in NYC". Lonely Planet. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d Kacala, Alexander (July 3, 2018). "NYC's Club Cumming Needs Your Help to Bring Live Performances Back to Its East Village Stage". Hornet. Archived from the original on May 26, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  14. ^ a b Avery, Dan (September 22, 2017). "Paul McCartney And Emma Stone Jam At Alan Cumming's New Gay Cabaret Club". NewNowNext. Logo TV. Archived from the original on November 21, 2019. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  15. ^ Bennett, Bailey (August 7, 2017). "Alan Cumming Is Opening a Fabulous New Nightclub in NYC". Tasting Table. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  16. ^ a b c Framke, Caroline (October 2, 2018). "Alan Cumming Knows More About Manhattan Nightlife Than You Do". Variety. Archived from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  17. ^ a b c d Kacala, Alexander (September 22, 2017). "Paul McCartney, Emma Stone and Alan Cumming Gave a Surprise Performance of 'Part of Your World' in NYC". Hornet. Archived from the original on May 26, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  18. ^ OutBuzz Staff (August 10, 2017). "Alan Cumming & Anderson Cooper's Beau to Open Bar in East Village". OutBuzz. Archived from the original on May 26, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  19. ^ a b Rodriguez, Krystal (April 13, 2017). "Actor Alan Cumming is Opening a New York Club Called Club Cumming". Vice. Archived from the original on May 26, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  20. ^ a b Przedborski, Natasha (April 17, 2017). "Club Cumming: Alan's New Nightlife Venture". Guest of a Guest. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  21. ^ Metro (April 15, 2017). "Party like Alan Cumming every night at Club Cumming". Metro New York. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  22. ^ Sullivan, Lindsey (April 11, 2017). "Tony Winner Alan Cumming to Open Club Cumming in New York City". Broadway.com. John Gore Organization. Archived from the original on April 13, 2017. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  23. ^ Goldberg, David (September 22, 2017). "Emma Stone and Paul McCartney sang Disney songs at an East Village club last night". Time Out. Archived from the original on May 26, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  24. ^ Lewin, Katherine. "Club Cumming". The Infatuation. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  25. ^ a b c McCarthy, Ciara (March 23, 2018). "Alan Cumming's Club Investigated For Live Performances". Patch. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  26. ^ Graves, Cassidy Dawn (April 10, 2018). "CB Lets Club Cumming Sing Again, With Some Restrictions". Bedford+Bowery. Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. Archived from the original on November 3, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  27. ^ BrooklynVegan Staff (April 11, 2018). "Live music returning to Club Cumming, but with restrictions". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on November 6, 2019. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  28. ^ a b c d e Ehrlich, Brenna (June 12, 2020). "Music Venues, Shut Down Over COVID-19, Are Now Havens for Protesters". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 11, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  29. ^ a b Goldfine, Jane (March 16, 2020). "Livestream This: Cabernet Cabaret With Cat Cohen and Bowen Yang". Paper. Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  30. ^ Roche, Eddie (April 23, 2020). "The Clever Way Alan Cumming Is Raising Funds for His Club Cumming Staff and Talent". Daily Front Row. Archived from the original on April 30, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  31. ^ McPhee, Ryan (June 7, 2020). "Off-Broadway Spaces Open Their Lobbies to Support Black Lives Matter Protesters". Playbill. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  32. ^ Moynihan, Caitlin (June 3, 2020). "New York City Theaters Open Doors as Safe Space for Protestors". Broadway.com. John Gore Organization. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  33. ^ BWW News Desk (August 7, 2020). "Alan Cumming's Club Cumming Will Launch Series of Virtual Variety Shows". BroadwayWorld. Wisdom Digital Media. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  34. ^ a b Miller, Deb (August 12, 2020). "Enjoy a wild night (or two) with Club Cumming". DC Metro Theater Arts. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  35. ^ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (October 21, 2020). "Theater to Stream: Cabaret Lives Online and Zombies Walk the Stage". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  36. ^ "Club Cumming Launches Streaming Cabaret Series on Stellar". The Broadway Blog. Passport Magazine. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  37. ^ BWW News Desk (October 20, 2020). "Club Cumming Productions' Cabaret Series to Feature Sharon Needles, Judy Gold and More". BroadwayWorld. Wisdom Digital Media. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  38. ^ Horn, Olivia; Gardner, Elysa; Russonello, Giovanni (December 30, 2020). "How to Stream New Year's Eve: 25 Shows From Pop, Jazz and Beyond". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 31, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  39. ^ "Club Cumming's NYE Blowout". Time Out. Archived from the original on December 31, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  40. ^ Weaver, Shaye (January 20, 2021). "Here's how to celebrate inauguration day in NYC". Time Out. Archived from the original on January 20, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  41. ^ BWW News Desk (January 20, 2021). "Celebrate Valentine's Day With Club Cumming". BroadwayWorld. Wisdom Digital Media. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  42. ^ Lyon, Cody (May 26, 2021). "Op-Ed: New York's LGBTQ Bars Deserve Credit for Requiring Proof of Vaccination". Gay City News. Archived from the original on May 31, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  43. ^ "Glam Awards 20 Wrap-up". Daisy Does It. January 15, 2019. Archived from the original on October 15, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  44. ^ Goldman, Adam; Goldberg, David (March 3, 2022). "The 24 best gay bars in NYC". Time Out. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  45. ^ a b Wilentz, H. C. (October 27, 2017). "Queer Camaraderie at Club Cumming". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  46. ^ DeGaetano, Jaymie (June 25, 2021). "A Comprehensive List of New York City's Gay & Queer Bars". ShermansTravel. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
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