Bennett Silverstein
Irving Berlin: American Immigrant
Don’t Tell Mama, NYC, April 20, 2026
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg
As has often been cited, the great American composer Jerome Kern once commented “Irving Berlin has no place in American music; he is American music.” And yes, this was quoted in Bennett Silverstein’s excellent cabaret show at Don’t Tell Mama, Irving Berlin: American Immigrant. He constantly returned to the idea that as patriotic as Berlin was to his adopted country, he never forgot he was an immigrant. Under the direction of Jennie Litt, the show wisely reinforced this theme while offering a host of numbers, both familiar and obscure.
Silverstein is a charming character. On first glance he seems to be more destined to play one of the guys in Guys in Dolls than a gender-bender Annie Oakley (yes, during the afternoon he did deliver “You Can’t Get a Man with a Gun” with slightly altered lyrics and a ten-gallon hat). But he has a good sense of humor and good acting skills, if a limited vocal range, and a sincerity that made the more dramatic moments quite powerful. It was a political show that acknowledged the current status of immigrants within our country that climaxed in a moving rendition of Berlin’s setting of the poem on the base of the Statue of Liberty, “Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor.” Other patriotic material included a singalong to “God Bless America” and “This Is the Army” merged with the more obscure “Misses the Army.”
The immigrant side of Berlin’s personality was reflected in “Russian Lullaby” (expertly blended with themes from Swan Lake by music director/pianist Matthew Martin Ward, who offered fine support throughout) and “Yiddisha Nightingale.” Even the unknown “I Paid My Income Tax Today” touched on the joys of being an American (and Silverstein’s acknowledgement that he was two weeks late in filing his income tax).
Other highlights included an at first seductive and then swinging “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” (in addition to Ward, Boots Maleson on bass and Don Kelly on drums really heated things up with this and other numbers), a lovely medley of “Plenty to Be Thankful For,” “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” and “Count Your Blessings.” Another medley served to pay tribute to Berlin’s favorite singer, Fred Astaire, and included “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails” and “Steppin’ Out with My Baby.” Given its wide variety of song choices and its underlying seriousness, this was a very satisfying tribute to one of the greatest of our songwriters.
