Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs held its 30th annual awards gala March 29 at BB King’s Blues Club in Times Square.
Several consistent favorites were among the winners, including Karen Mason, Molly Pope and Stacy Sullivan. As previously announced, a Lifetime Achievement Award went to songwriter Amanda McBroom,he Board of Directors Award was given to photographer Maryann Lopinto and the Ruth Kurtzman Benefit Award was presented to The Actors Fund: Jamie deRoy and Friends Cabaret Initiative.
Here is a list of the 2016 nominees, with the winners in bold and preceded with an asterisk (*):
Musical Comedy Performer
Bill Dyszel
* Barbara Malley (tie)
Charlotte Patton
* Molly Pope (tie)
Impersonation/Characterization/Drag Artist
Dorothy Bishop
* Doris Dear
Jinkx Monsoon
Duo/Group
Raissa Katona Bennett And Kenneth Gartman
Savannah Brown & Chase O'Donnell
* Kim Grogg And Kim Sutton
Major Duo/Group
* Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano
Barb Jungr And John McDaniel
Tracy Stark And Marcus Simeone
Revue
* Another Hundred People
Somewhere In This Song: The Music And Lyrics Of Nicholas Levin
Turn The Beat Around
Recurring Series
It's Just A Number
Open Mic @ The Met
* Ricky Ritzel's Broadway
Salon
Special Production
* Mama's Next Big Act
Metrostar Talent Challenge
Reinhagen Redux
Stingchronicity
Emcee
Tom Gamblin, Metrostar Talent Challenge
* Bobbie Horowitz, It's Just A Number
Dana Lorge, The Dana Lorge Variety Show
Susan Winter & Deb Berman, Open Mic @ The Met
Ensemble Instrumentalist
Peter Calo, Guitar
Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf, Cello
* Sean Harkness, Guitar
Tom Hubbard, Bass
Matt Scharfglass, Bass
Warren Vaché, Cornet
Piano Bar Instrumentalist
* Nate Buccieri
Patrick Degennaro
Gerry Dieffenbach
William TN Hall
Brian Nash
Restaurant/Hotel Lounge Instrumentalist
Matt Baker
Claire Cooper
Lana Reign
* Sheree Sano
Bill Zeffiro
Piano Bar Singing Entertainer – Female
Elaine Brier
Michelle Dowdy
Tara Martinez
* Jennifer Pace
Laura Pavles
Heidi Weyhmueller
Piano Bar Singing Entertainer – Male
Joe Ardizzone
William Blake
Adam Chandler
* Tommy J. Dose
Gregg Goodbrod
Jon Satrom
Musical Director
Rick Jensen
Daryl Kojak
Tracy Stark
* Steven Ray Watkins
Director
Eric Michael Gillett
Lina Koutrakos
Tanya Moberly
* Lennie Watts
Technical Director
* Collette Black (Don't Tell Mama)
Adam Decarlo (Don't Tell Mama)
K.J. Hardy & Amanda Raymond (Feinstein's/54 Below)
Abby Judd (Laurie Beechman Theater)
Jonathan Mercado (Metropolitan Room)
Recording (Lamott Friedman Award)
Maxine Linehan Beautiful Songs
Myriam Phiro V Oyages
* Jim Speake Sweet Life
Major Recording
Annaleigh Ashford Lost In The Stars
* Barbara Fasano Busy Being Free
Marcus Simeone And Tracy St Ark Marcus Simeone Alone... With Tracy Stark
Song
Another Time
* Hold On Tight
In My Head
Somebody In Love
Soon As You Let Me Go
Comedy/Novelty Song
The Big Apple Lingo
The Book Group
* The Egg Nog Song (tie)
* The Mermaid And The Whale (tie)
Way, Way Back
Show Of The Year
Another Hundred People (Kt Sullivan And Jeff Harnar)
Charlie Rosen's Broadway Big Band
Judy And Liza! Together Again (Tommy Femia And Rick Skye)
Guinness World Records Official Attempt – The Longest Variety Show Ever
* Mason At Mama's In March (Karen Mason)
Other winners:
Female Vocalist
* Tanya Moberly Songs I Feel Like Singing at Don’t Tell Mama
Male Vocalist
* Kristoffer Lowe You’re Getting to Be a Habit with Me at the Metropolitan Room
Major Artist
* Stacy Sullivan Since You've Asked at the Metropolitan Room
Celebrity Artist
* Karen Mason Mason at Mama’s in March; Love Secrets of the Ancient Divas; Next to Norma; Christmas! Christmas! Christmas! at Don’t Tell Mama, Rrazz Room (New Hope), Rrazz Room at the Prince (Philadelphia), Kennedy Center, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
New York Debut – Female
* Natalie Arneson Mama Drama at The Duplex
New York Debut – Male
* Charles Baran Recipes for Disaster! at the Metropolitan Room
Nominees are voted anonymously by the general membership.
The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) was founded in 1983, primarily as an organization for cabaret owners, managers and booking agents to meet and exchange ideas. The organization started accepting performers in 1985. MAC’s mission is "to advance the art and business of live entertainment, heighten public awareness of the field’s contributions and vitality, to honor its creativity, to build its current and future audiences, and to speak out as an influential voice on behalf of MAC members and the industry at large." The MAC Awards Gala will be held at BB King’s Blues Club and Grill, 237 W. 42 St., between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. Tickets start at $50. For additional information on MAC, to become a member, or to order tickets to the event, visit Macnyc.com.
