Audra McDonald—the actress-singer who helped put Joe's Pub on the map as a Manhattan cabaret destination and who will return to the nitespot later this month—will sing at a May 18 benefit for the club. Also set for the benefit is the Kronos Quartet, which will premiere a new arrangement of a composition by Sigur Ros. The group will also perform Steve Reich’s "Triple Quartet" and selections from their new album, Nuevo.

McDonald will focus on songs written by her preferred corral of "new theatre music" composers, including Larry O’Keefe, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Adam Guettel, Jason Robert Brown and Michael John LaChiusa. Ted Sperling provides musical direction.

Tickets are $150. With the price comes a chance to meet the artists and a ticket to Twelfth Night in Central Park this summer. Tickets can be purchased in person at The Public Theater box office, located at 425 Lafayette Street (between East 4th Street and Astor Place) Tuesday-Saturday from 1 PM to 7:30 PM, Sunday and Monday from 1 PM to 6 PM or via Tele-charge, (212)239-6200 or online at www.telecharge.com.