At MAC's annual meeting on Oct. 16, at the Metropolitan Room, Iconis was given the John Wallowitch Award, recognizing talent under the age of 40. Jones and Stockstill, a songwriting team, were given the Dottie Burman Award for writers 40 and older.
Iconis, a Long Island native and a graduate of the NYU/Tisch Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program was Drama Desk-nominated for his music and book to the musical Bloodsong of Love, for which he also wrote lyrics. He is the recipient of a 2007 Ed Kleban Award and a 2006 Jonathan Larson Award. His musicals include The Black Suits, ReWrite, The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks. Things to Ruin: The Songs of Joe Iconis, a theatrical concert, is heard on a two-disc Ghostlight Records recording. The Joe Iconis Rock and Roll Jamboree, evening of Iconis songs new and old, has been seen at venues in Manhattan.
Jones and Stockstill met in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. Their musical comedy Naughty/Nice, which features four adult actors playing a multitude of misfit kids desperately writing letters to Santa Claus, has been presented in expanded benefit concert versions and in developmental readings in Manhattan. A song from the show is heard on the anthology album "New York City Christmas," on the Sh-K-Boom label. Their songs have been heard at the Players Theatre, Joe's Pub, the Laurie Beechman Theatre, the Zipper Theatre and elsewhere.
Stockstill's musical Food on the Aisle, with lyricist-librettist Donna Kaz, was recently seen in the 2010 New York Musical Theatre Festival's developmental reading series. Too Good to be True, his musical with lyricist/co-librettist Amy Coady, was presented in the Kansas City Crossroads Musical Theater Festival. Jones is the lyricist-librettist of Voice of the City (with music by Elaine Chelton), an O. Henry-inspired musical that had a developmental reading by York Theatre Company and a workshop by Human Race Theatre Company. He has written songs with Roger Anderson, Sam Davis, Brad Ross and others. He is managing editor of Playbill.com.
The awards came with a cash prize of $250 and a certificate from MAC. At the MAC gathering, Iconis performed two numbers at the piano. Cindy Marchionda sang two Jones & Stockstill numbers, with Stockstill at the piano. The 2010 award selection committee included Adam Gwon (Fred Ebb Award & 2009 John Wallowitch Award winner), Brett Kristofferson (MAC, Bistro and 2009 Dottie Burman Award winner), reviewer and journalist Rob Lester, Thomas Honeck (MAC Award winner/booking manager of the Duplex) and special guest panelist Rick Jensen (five-time MAC Award winner, two-time Bistro Award winner).
For more information about MAC and its activities, visit macnyc.com.
