Amy Steinberg

Amy Steinberg in New York

Don’t Tell Mama, NYC, July 26, 2026

Reviewed by Bart Greenberg

Amy Steinberg is a force of nature. She arrived at Don’t Tell Mama for her newest show, Amy Steinberg in New York, ready to delight and inspire. The brassy, enthusiastic singer-songwriter, who is a spiritual minister with a Jewish mother, an out lesbian with a history of drug and alcohol issues (“I’ve been up and down so many 12 steps I never have to go to the gym”) who quickly warned the audience “if you can’t take a joke, you’re not going to like me!” All of this positive energy, paired with impressive skills as a songwriter, pianist, and vocalist, made her totally irresistible.

Declaring herself a “spiritual slut,” she kicked off her songs, all written by her, with “Let’s Make Love.” Not of the erotic kind, but the spiritual type. In fact, most of her song titles are simple, straightforward declarations: “Purpose,” “Power,” and “Exactly.” Subtlety was not her strongpoint. But positivity definitely was and she encouraged everyone to howl at the moon. Instead of making a “to-do” list, Steinberg recommended a “to-be” list. This was certainly a novel idea among the many in this show.

Steinberg’s vocals occasionally seemed inspired by Lainie Kazan, and when she spoke, she often seemed to be channeling Brenda Vacarro (not a bad thing at all). But her outlook on life and spirituality was uniquely her own. As she wrote and sang in “Flying on Faith,” “You could hurry full of worry let the fear take you out, imagining the worst, overcome with doubt. There’s no way to know, knowing is the only way, today. I’m flying on faith.”