Michael Marziliano: A New Day

Post author:Bart Greenberg
Post published:March 13, 2026
Reading time:2 mins read

Michael Marziliano

A New Day

Don’t Tell Mama, NYC, February 21, 2026

Reviewed by Bart Greenberg

When Michael Marziliano made his cabaret debut three years ago, he was a talented amateur who had not yet learned the rules of the game. Well, he obviously paid attention, learned what worked, and has emerged as a fine young addition to our community. He has a powerful baritone voice, a good sense of humor, and an ability to honestly interpret lyrics, and it is a pleasure to share an hour or so with him in a cabaret space such as Don’t Tell Mama. For him, it is indeed A New Day.

He established his credentials with his first number “Feeling Good” (Anthony Newley/Leslie Bricusse), returning it to its theatrical roots rather than embracing the jazz embellishments it has acquired. His close collaboration with music director/pianist Nathan Morrissey was evident from this beginning. Even more impressive was his take on “The Streets of Dublin” (Lynn Ahrens/Stephen Flaherty), with its lyric filled with poetic imagery that he brought to life. The following “New York State of Mind” (Billy Joel) he delivered with a sly smile and gave us the sense that a lot was going on in his head as he inhabited the lyrics.

For variety, Marziliano invited Leah Freeman to join him on stage for a duet on “It Takes Two” (Stephen Sondheim). She matched him well by blending her lovely voice with a fine comic sensibility. Together, they gave a full performance of the song rather than just singing it. She then delivered Jason Robert Brown’s “I’m Not Afraid of Anything” with great warmth and sensitivity. Hopefully, she’ll build a complete show for herself.

Marziliano showed off his impressive versatility when he delivered a beautifully acted and very funny “The King’s New Clothes” (Frank Loesser) and a heart-rending “Stars” (Claude-Michel Schonberg/Herbert Kretzmer). He also offered the unfairly obscure “I Was Here” (Ahrens/Flaherty) with great power. Given his great gains in presenting himself in a cabaret setting, his next challenge will be to create a show that is more than a collection of his favorite songs. It will be good to see what he comes up with.

Tags: Stars, Feeling Good, Clubs, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer, The Streets of Dublin, composer, It Takes Two, New York State of Mind, I’m Not Afraid of Anything, Bart Greenberg, Cabaret Reviews, I Was Here, American Songbook Association, ASA, Don’t Tell Mama, A New Day, Michael Marziliano, Nathan Morrissey, Leah Freeman, The King’s New Clothes, Reviews, Cabaret Scenes, Broadway, Cabaret, Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens, Broadway Musicals, Stephen Sondheim, Jason Robert Brown, Billy Joel, Frank Loesser, American Songbook, Lyricist, Anthony Newley, NYC, CD, Leslie Bricusse

Bart Greenberg

Bart Greenberg first discovered cabaret a few weeks after arriving in New York City by seeing Julie Wilson and William Roy performing Stephen Sondheim and Cole Porter outdoors at Rockefeller Center. It was instant love for both Ms. Wilson and the art form. Some years later, he was given the opportunity to create his own series of cabaret shows while working at Tower Records. "Any Wednesday" was born, a weekly half-hour performance by a singer promoting a new CD release. Ann Hampton Callaway launched the series. When Tower shut down, Bart was lucky to move the program across the street to Barnes & Noble, where it thrived under the generous support of the company. The series received both The MAC Board of Directors Award and The Bistro Award. Some of the performers who took part in "Any Wednesday" include Barbara Fasano and Eric Comstock, Tony Desare, Andrea Marcovicci, Carole Bufford, the Karens, Akers, Mason and Oberlin, and Julie Wilson. Privately, Greenberg is happily married to writer/photographer Mark Wallis, who as a performance artist in his native England gathered a major following as "I Am Cereal Killer."