WITH THE KINDNESS OF FRIENDS... MARIA GENTILE

Singer-Songwriter Maria Gentile took the stage at THE GREENROOM 42 Sunday night.

by Adrian Christian

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Maria Gentile delights the crowd at her first concert appearance in eight years. [Concert photo courtesy of The Green Room 42]

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MARIA GENTILE

THE NEXT RIGHT THING

Live at THE GREENROOM 42

570 10th Avenue, New York, NY

Sunday, May 27, 2025 at 9:30pm

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And just like that, on the weekend of her much celebrated birthday, cabaret artist and MAC Award winning singer Maria Gentile proclaimed that the one thing she wished to do was sing.

And sing she did. She opened with her renditions of “Summer Breeze” and “Can We Still Be Friends” in a gorgeous medley opener, backed by the stellar musical stylings of Greg Schottlauer on piano, Musical Director Lynn Portas on keyboards and Christopher Hines on drums. This musical quartet is lush, especially on ballads like the Carpenters’ “For All We Know.” What a magical night it was, even if it went too fast.

And she’s funny. When she addressed the vast livestream audience watching beyond the full house in attendance, she quipped, “We’re so glad you’re here. You have up to a week to watch. You know, sometimes you get drunk, you’re watching it, you gotta go to the bathroom, you gotta stop, somebody calls, I mean anything can happen, I mean it’s a good thing.” Glue Cheese will forever be remembered.

This was a gathering of friends. Long time friends. Some have been with Maria for years, as far back as those days during her stint on Tony And Tina’s Wedding.

The very essence of a good cabaret show is the artist’s ability to bring intimacy while taking you on a journey. You feel you’re her friend and she is yours, because you understand where she’s been. Because, if you’re lucky, you’ve been there too. It’s a world worth living in.

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From left to right: Greg Schlotthauer on piano, Maria Gentile, Lynn Portas on keyboards and Christopher Heinz on drums and percussion. [Photo by The Green Room 42]

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The very essence of a good cabaret show is the artist's ability to bring intimacy while taking you on a journey.

Which brings us to the premise of The Next Right Thing. Ms. Gentile explains how we can overcome a harsh world out there. We simply survive by moving forward.

In full musical mode, the stage comes alive with textures unexpected from a three-piece band, and it’s no wonder because she’s had the support of these seasoned musicians for three decades, as she has graced us with her talents behind the mic at Manhattan’s Duplex Cabaret, Brandy’s Piano Bar and the Stonewall Inn.

Special guest Judy Mesa (Yudenia Mesa-Dominguez) also sparkled while joining the rest on stage to sing the Guns N’ Roses cover, “Sweet Child O’ Mine.”

With selections from Maria Gentile's albums - So Many Pieces Of Me and That… Which Is Real (both available on MariaGentile.com), the singer-songwriter-guitarist shines on standouts “My Mother & The Red Sox,” “Sharon,” and perhaps her signature song, “Big Fish, Small Pond” (the theme from her weekly web talk series, What’s The Story With Maria).

Speaking of which, Ms. Gentile is also a great communicator, as in her song about immigration, “This Is My America.” When she takes on gems she co-wrote with Lynn Portas, such as “I Used To Be You,” she can melt the coldest world.

And that’s the point, isn’t it? Anytime you’re feeling the world is too much - as it has been as of late - run, don’t walk to the next cabaret bar and catch Maria Gentile.

-- AC

MARIA GENTILE's Official Website

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Art Design by Kenny Holcomb

In The Next Right Thing, Ms. Gentile explains how we can overcome a harsh world out there. We simply survive by moving forward.

Art Design by Kenny Holcomb