Review: GIGI'S NYC 3RD ANNUAL BROADWAY CABARET at The Green Room 42
In Celebration of World Down Syndrome Day, GiGi's Playhouse gets a fundraiser.
GiGi’s Playhouse is an organization with headquarters in Illinois with a mission to serve the members of the Down Syndrome community through assistance and education, and by changing the way the world views Down Syndrome. They have 62 locations, and one of them is right here in New York City on 3rd Avenue. Every year for three years there has been a New York City cabaret to raise funding for the worthwhile concern, and the 2026 event played The Green Room 42 on March 28th. Standing just inside the door of the wonderful Midtown Manhattan cabaret room, I noticed Tracy Stark as she breezed into the club. She noticed me, too, because she stopped and did a double take - honest to goodness, a double take - and she said to me, “What are you doing here?” Apparently, I was the only member of the press on hand. I told her the truth: there was no other place for me to be that night. World Down Syndrome Day was March 21st, and GIGI’S NYC BROADWAY CABARET was scheduled seven days later, in honor of the day, and of GiGi’s and of a couple of special guests. For me, as I explained to Tracy, there was no other show playing in New York City that night.
GiGi’s Playhouse is an important organization, vital to the community it serves, but also vital to those citizens of the world who care about individuals with Down Syndrome, who want to see them have the opportunity to live their best lives. World Down Syndrome Day is as important as the other annual milestones that get talked about, written about, and celebrated in the cabaret rooms. We’ve just finished Women’s History Month (March), and the month just before it was Black History Month (February), and in two months we will have Gay Pride (June). All of these are celebrated with cabaret shows that BroadwayWorld Cabaret reviews and photographs. In September we have National Deaf Awareness month, and this writer has covered many deaf cabarets. November is Trans Awareness month, and we at BroadwayWorld are always ready to celebrate and illuminate our Trans citizens. So, even though World Down Syndrome Day has passed, dear readers, let us all write it down: October is National Down Syndrome Awareness month. Let us all do our part to learn, to educate, the celebrate, and the elevate our citizens living with Down Syndrome, for they are beautiful.
That beauty was brilliantly placed in the spotlight at The Green Room 42 as Misty Coy Snyder hosted exciting talents from the Broadway stage and beyond in the benefit concert for GiGi’s Playhouse. The evening created by Venessa Diaz offered a set list of songs most musical theater aficionados would recognize, exciting compositions germane to joy and living life in the light, like an electrifying “The Wizard and I” by Randall Scott Carpenter and a vivacious “Cabaret” by Rosanne Sorrentino, but before any of that could happen Kimberly Marable had to sing “The Human Heart” before taking a quick bow and rushing off to do a performance of The Lion King on Broadway. What a fun way to start such a special night, and it cast a light on what was to follow. With Tracy Stark lifting everyone up through her exquisite skills at the piano, the crowd was treated to seventy minutes of ovation-worthy musical performances from the likes of Andrea Rosa Guzman, Marisol Medina and Allyson Hernandez, and even Snyder herself got in on the action with a right proper rendition of the classic “The Man That Got Away” that this writer believes would have impressed the woman who originated the song some seventy-two years ago. Musically speaking, it was an evening beyond reproach. All of the artists who donated their time and talents did themselves and GiGi’s Playhouse proud.
Speaking from the heart, though, there were significant feels that came from some noteworthy guests from the Down community. Denise Kiernan, the 2026 GiGi’s NYC ambassador, has had a lot of experience singing in public, and on this occasion she delivered a rousing performance of “Jesus Take The Wheel” that led to a standing ovation. The karaoke devotee was all smiles as she soaked in the crowd's appreciation. Later in the program Mia Noelle Rodriguez was welcomed to the stage to perform “One Perfect Moment” moments before being bestowed with the Honoree Award. To double down on the joy, Mia’s mama, Natalie Rodriguez, was then given the Mother of the Year Award. As mother and daughter were presented with their trophies, their entire family joined them on the stage for photos, including Mia’s voice teacher Queade Norah, who stayed behind after the presentation to show that those who teach also can. Her performance of “Masterpiece” was beyond magnificent. This was an entire evening filled with top of the line musical performances, touchingly heartfelt moments, and a bounty of valuable information about GiGi’s Playhouse and the community it serves. This was their third year doing the GIGI’S NYC BROADWAY CABARET and, cabaret gods willing, there will be many more years of this programming to come. Next year, I want to see all our readers there - it’s a concert not to be missed.
Find great shows to see on the Green Room 42 website HERE.
Learn more about GiGi's Playhouse and you might support them on the GiGi's Playhouse website HERE.
Photos by Stephen Mosher
Reader Reviews
Videos