All stories by Michael Barbieri on BroadwayStars

Sunday, November 11, 2018

Cynthia Crane, Much More than a “Saloon Singer” by Michael Barbieri

At one point in Cynthia Crane’s most recent turn at Don’t Tell Mama, she reminded us that she’s a saloon singer. And while she is certainly one of the best interpreters of those smoky …

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 10:58AM
Thursday, November 8, 2018

Meg Flather’s “Back When We Were Beautiful” Was Full of Beautiful Honesty by Michael Barbieri

I’ve been a fan of Meg Flather for many years. I first encountered her as part of a duo called Leather & Flather, where she sang with singer/pianist Christian Daizey. During my days as a…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 03:16PM
Saturday, November 3, 2018

Ira Lee Collings’ “Naked from the Neck Up” Is Superlative by Michael Barbieri

I caught Ira Lee Collings’ show Naked From the Neck Up recently at Don’t Tell Mama. What can I say? There really aren’t superlatives superlative enough to describe this wonderful sho…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 12:45PM
Sunday, October 28, 2018

Gilda Wabbit’s Big Gay Opera Show Hits All the Right Notes by Michael Barbieri

The music rose up! The lights began to flash and strobe! We heard the thunderous sounds of “Ride of the Valkyries” from Die Walküre, the second of the four operas in Richard Wagner’s …

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 06:23PM
Monday, October 22, 2018

Rita Harvey’s “Heart Like a Wheel” Would Make Linda Ronstadt Proud by Michael Barbieri

For those of us of a certain generation, the songs of Linda Ronstadt burn brightly in our memories. In her show Heart Like a Wheel: A Tribute to the Music of Linda Ronstadt, the wonderful Ri…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 11:46AM
Thursday, October 18, 2018

Sierra Rein—Think. Believe. Dream. Dare. by Michael Barbieri

Running in Place, the title of Sierra Rein’s show at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, might very well be a misnomer, because from what I saw and heard, she is a charming, energetic performer w…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 01:20PM
Monday, October 15, 2018

Steven Brinberg: He IS Simply Barbra! by Michael Barbieri

With his infamous offstage sigh, Steven Brinberg’s Simply Barbra hit the stage at The Green Room 42 and proved that his loving, yet often wicked impersonation of Ms. Streisand has as much …

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 06:30PM
Saturday, September 22, 2018

This Adult Performer Is a Necessary Procedure! by Michael Barbieri

Look! Up on the stage! He’s a singer! He’s a drag queen! He’s a fabulous, former gay porn star! With so much talent on display, Anita Procedure’s breakout show “Adult Performer,…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 10:54AM
Thursday, August 16, 2018

Marieann Meringolo Aces the Songs of Alan and Marilyn Bergman by Michael Barbieri

There are very few singers in cabaret as good at interpreting the songs of Alan and Marilyn Bergman as Marieann Meringolo; her show Between Yesterday and Tomorrow at the Beach Cafe was proof…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 11:24AM
Monday, August 13, 2018

Peter and Will Anderson’s Songbook Summit by Michael Barbieri

C’mon and hear! C’mon and hear the music of Irving Berlin. And Jerome Kern! And Hoagie Carmichael! And Jimmy Van Heusen! Peter and Will Anderson’s fantastic Songbook Summit series…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 12:05PM
Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Spencer Day Is a Hip Modern-Day Crooner by Michael Barbieri

Spencer Day is a multi-faceted gem of a performer. When I went to see his show at The Green Room 42, I was expecting an evening of jazz. What I discovered was a charming singer-songwriter,…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 10:40AM
Thursday, August 2, 2018

Barb Jungr and John McDaniel’s “1968—Let The Sun Shine In” Is Hip and Trippy by Michael Barbieri

Barb Jungr and John McDaniel’s show 1968 – Let the Sun Shine In at Joe’s Pub, was a hip and trippy tribute to that momentous year. But Jungr and McDaniel were the perfect guides, so t…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 10:39AM
Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Tell Me Lies, Tell Me Sweet Little Lies! I Only Have Lies For You by Michael Barbieri

What do you get when you bring together MAC Award winner Amy Wolk and panelists from the worlds of Broadway, cabaret and television, telling outrageous and often hilarious stories about thei…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 05:13PM
Sunday, July 22, 2018

TV’s “Pose:” Billy Porter and the Cabaret Connection Is a Personal One by Michael Barbieri

One of the most talked-about new TV series to hit the airwaves this season is “Pose,” the fierce, flamboyant and unabashedly honest drama set in the world of the Harlem drag balls of the…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 12:10PM
Friday, July 13, 2018

Witches, Bitches and Divas Are the Most Fun! by Michael Barbieri

Who doesn’t love a witch, a bitch or a diva?! Let’s face it—when it comes to stage, screen and music, we all love the bad girls and the flamboyant, over-the-top superstars, because th…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 11:24AM
Monday, June 25, 2018

Get ME! Dr. Bradley Jones Dreams and Re-Dreams Review by Michael Barbieri

What happens when a young boy chases his Broadway dream relentlessly and attains that dream, only to see the dream go sour? Why, he becomes a psychotherapist, of course! This is the true…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 12:46PM
Thursday, June 14, 2018

Michael Kirk Lane’s “Glass Half Full” Was a Needed Tonic by Michael Barbieri

Glass Half Full, Michael Kirk Lane’s recent show at Don’t Tell Mama was a needed tonic for the angst and upset that have affected many of us in the last couple of years, especially since…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 11:14AM
Saturday, June 9, 2018

Drag Me Through Hell BenDeLaCreme’s Inferno A Go-Go at the Laurie Beechman Theatre by Michael Barbieri

Oh my God! Who’s that shadowy figure warning us “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here?!” Is it an apostate of Hell?! No! It’s just the terminally delightful BenDeLaCreme! Looking…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 10:52AM
Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Dinner and Jazz at Birdland by Michael Barbieri

Opened in 1949, and named for alto saxophonist Charlie “Yardbird” Parker, the original Birdland was located on Broadway near 52nd Street. The iconic club was home to jazz legends like M…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 12:45PM

Natalie Douglas—A Delicious Ella Fitzgerald Tribute at Birdland by Michael Barbieri

At the start of her Ella Fitzgerald tribute, Natalie Douglas told us Ella had delicious taste in music. And Natalie sang that music deliciously! Natalie Douglas is a two-time Backstage Bist…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 12:45PM
Monday, May 21, 2018

Brie Cassil in, “The Shape of Me,” Shows Serious Chops by Michael Barbieri

Celine Dion-meets Rocker Chick-meets Broadway Baby! Brie Cassil is all that and more! This woman has some serious chops and in her show, The Shape of Me, at The Green Room 42, she showed t…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 10:35AM
Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Funk & Falsettos—Brad Simmons & Lennie Watts: Blue Eyed Soul at Don’t Tell Mama by Michael Barbieri

Play that funky music, white boys! Well, at Don’t Tell Mama, Brad Simmons and Lennie Watts did just that in their wonderful show, Blue Eyed Soul. Performing popular hits from the 60s, 70…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 10:40AM
Thursday, May 10, 2018

Sally Darling Sings…Beatrice Lillie at Don’t Tell Mama by Michael Barbieri

I’m sure it’s been said before, but Sally Darling is just that—Darling! Onstage, she projects a natural, friendly demeanor and you can’t help but like her. Beyond her natural charm,…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 10:02AM
Thursday, April 12, 2018

The MAC Awards–This Time It’s Personal by Michael Barbieri

Last month, the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC) held the 32nd annual MAC Awards, honoring the best in cabaret and live entertainment. This was my first MAC Awards in nearly…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 12:31AM
Thursday, March 1, 2018

The Green Room 42—Tasty Food and TASTiSKANK by Michael Barbieri

Tastiskank is not your typical cabaret act, but then The Green Room 42 is not your typical cabaret venue! On a chilly Monday evening, my partner and I checked out this new club and not only …

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 03:25AM
Monday, October 27, 2014

Queen of the Night at The Diamond Horseshoe by Michael Barbieri

Once upon a time, in the faraway land of Las Vegas, I took part in a delightful social experiment known as Rose.Rabbit.Lie, a venue setup to feel like a sleek, modern mansion, where customer…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 05:47PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards