Tony Award-winning composer/lyricist Jason Robert Brown has a very fun anecdote about Stephen Sondheim, who once commented on Brown’s song “I Love Betsy.”

Brown sang that song in his performance at the Cabaret on November 3, but, in an evening that included many stories, he didn’t share that one.

And is not sharing it was actually a very positive sign for me.

It made clear that, unlike some scripted cabaret performers, Brown doesn’t just recite the same prepped banter at every show. As popular as his concert shows are, he isn’t resorting to rote. And while being spontaneous can be a detriment to some cabaret performers, Brown is comfortable enough on stage to go with the flow between songs, entertaining both via his carefully constructed numbers and through on-the-fly moments. 

At its best, cabaret has that “You are here and this isn’t going to happen again” feeling. This show had it.

Brown opened quietly, with a humble, conversational song about trying to navigate life in uncertain times. It was one of a handful of songs not rooted in one of his shows. The majority of tunes, though, came from Brown’s musicals, past and future.

He and powerhouse vocalist Bonnie Milligan (taking a weekend off from her Tony-winning role in Broadway’s “Kimberly Akimbo”) offered selections from Brown’s “The Last Five Years,” “Parade,” and even “Urban Cowboy,” a show he was comfortable playfully trashing here. Solo, Brown sang nostalgically and passionately about a theater camp he – and, much later, his daughter – attended, and offered a tribute to mentor Hal Prince, who directed Brown’s breakout, “Parade.”

When he last performed at The Cabaret (when it was in earlier digs at the Columbia Club), Brown’s set included previews of songs from two then-upcoming musicals, “Honeymoon in Vegas” and “The Bridges of Madison County.” This time, he shared songs from both of those now-in-the-past productions but also gave a sneak-listen to songs from three – count ‘em – three new musicals that are about to see the light of day. Of them, the strongest was a swampy, piano-banging crowd pleaser from “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” 

While a number of his songs included extensive and intense piano solos, Brown’s accompanying trio had plenty of opportunities to shine as well. All veterans of past productions, none gave any sense of being jaded by repeatedly playing the material. Their obvious pleasure in the work increased ours in the audience.

There’s something inherently cocky about a composer/lyricist who is also a dynamic performer. Even with a powerhouse trio of musicians in support, the message can come across as “Look what I’ve done and what I can do,” with an emphasis on the “I.” So even with the occassional self-depricating comments, there’s a smugness about Brown’s persona that isn’t really shakable.

The good thing is, in Brown’s case, it’s well earned. He’s one of a very small group of theater composer/lyricists who are steadily working at his level today and who has such a strong, expansive catalog now to draw from.

Others operating as consistantly in a post-Sondheim world? Of the post-Sondheim/Schwartz/Finn set, Lin-Manuel Miranda may be the most successful, but that’s based on two shows. Michael John LaChiusa keeps scoring projects but is relatively hit-free. Adam Guettel’s got “Days of Wine and Roses” coming up but its been a long time since “The LIght in the Piazza.” Shaini Taub (“Twefth Night,” “Suffs”) is in the on-deck circle. And we’ll see if Anais Mitchell “Hadestown”) and Sara Bareilles (“Waitress”) have more stage musicals to come. 

Of other in Brown’s league, there’s Jeanine Tesori (“Violet”/”Fun Home”/”Kimberly Akimbo”) David Yasbeck (“The Full Monty”/”Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”/”The Band’s Visit”) and, well, not many others.

All of which is a long way to say that Jason Robert Brown is nearly in a class by himself. And, on top of it, he’s a dynamic personality on stage.

I look forward to his return to the Cabaret, perhaps when “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” and his other new shows are in the rearview mirror.

Then, a likely highlight will be Brown showing us what he’s creating for the next round of his amazing career.