Norm Lewis, Liz Callaway, More Earn MAC Award Nominations; Read the Full List | Playbill
Awards

Norm Lewis, Liz Callaway, More Earn MAC Award Nominations; Read the Full List

This year's NYC cabaret honors will be presented March 23 at Symphony Space.

March 03, 2026 By Logan Culwell-Block

Norm Lewis

Nominations for this year's MAC Awards, honoring the best in NYC cabaret performance, are out.

Several Broadway notables are included in this year's nominees, including Christine Pedi and Stephanie Pope for Major Female Artist; Liz Callaway, Christine Ebersole, and Norm Lewis for Celebrity Artist; and Laura Benanti (with mom, Linda) and Klea Blackhurst (with Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch) for Major Duo or Group.

Winners will be named at a March 23 ceremony set for Peter Norton Symphony Space. Lillias White and Karen Akers will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards at this year's honors as previously announced. Additional non-competitive honors include the Ruth Kurtzman Benefit Award to The Season: Goldie's Kids! and the NiteLife Exchange Barry Levitt Jazz Award to Vicki Burns and Joe Alterman.

Julie Miller is producing this year's awards, with Amy Wolk directing the ceremony. John Fischer will serve as music director.

Tickets are at SymphonySpace.org.

See the full list of nominees below.

Female Vocalist
Corinna Sowers Adler, All That Matters
Diane D'Angelo, Closing Credits
Ann Kittredge, Romantic Notions, When in Love, You Sleigh Me
Susan Mack, 'Tis Autumn, The Susan Mack Quartet
Linda Mironti, Perfectly Imperfect
Deborah Stone, String Theory
Evelyn Sullivan, The Ev Sullivan Show

Male Vocalist
Frank Dain, A Celebration 24 Years in the Making
Michael Kirk Lane, Right Where I Belong
Frank McDonough, Frank Sings Frank
John Mendiola, Are You Ready for Me?

Major Artist-Female
Marieann Meringolo, Shades of Love, You Must Believe in SpringA Century of Song: Celebrating Alan and Marilyn BergmanIn the Spirit: 2025
Christine Pedi, Snow Bizness/With a Little Help From My Friends
Stephanie Pope, Livin' It Up!Simple Joys

Major Artist-Male
Ari Axelrod, A Place For Us: A Celebration of Jewish BroadwayNow That That's Off My Chest
Sean Harkness, Just Me
Craig Pomranz, Berlin to Dylan to Simon and Garfunkel: It's All Kosher!It's All Kosher: Part 2!It's the Holidays!

New York Debut-Female
Billie Brouse, Thinking Out Loud
Terri Dannenberg, Everything!
Janice McCune, Let's Start Tomorrow Tonight!
Grace Peña, Heartstrings!
Debi Toni, Double Trouble

New York Debut-Male
Ethan Mathias, Outside the Lines
Macon Prickett, Macon: His Own Way

Celebrity Artist
Ann Hampton Callaway, The Best of Ann Hampton Callaway
Liz Callaway, Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz
Natalie Douglas, Sammy at 100Juneteenth Jubilee 2025 The Nat Pack: Sammy & Nat & Stevie & JoeTributes: The '70s
Christine Ebersole With Billy Stritch
Norm Lewis

Duo/Group
Maria Corsaro and Leslie Vincent, Jazz à Deux
Jennie Litt and Mirabelle Alpher, Relatively Singing!
Chrissy and Don Pardo
Dreams Don't Come True in PennsylvaniaChristmastide for Empire State RideWine Hour at the Hotel Edison
The Randy Andy's, Vintage ValentinesSpring SwingHoliday Spectacular

Major Duo/Group
Laura and Linda Benanti, Mother Knows Best
Jim Caruso, Billy Stritch, and Klea Blackhurst, A Swinging Birdland Christmas
Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano, Spring Swing20 for 20Painting the TownSo Nice to Come Home To

Recurring Series
The American Popular Song Society Series
Barbarino's Big Nite Out
Jim Caruso'a Cast Party
The Lineup
Scat School
Sondheim Unplugged
Spotlight on You Open Mic

Emcee
Jim Caruso, Jim Caruso's Cast Party
Goldie Dver, Sneak Peek
Lena Moy-Borgen, Mama's Next Big Act
Justin Dylan Nastro, Singnasium Game-a-PaloozaThe Season: Goldie's KidsBSP Holiday Playlist

Tribute Show
Lucille Carr-Kaffashan, 8 Days a Week—60 Years of Beatles Music
Dawn Derow, Sing Happy: The Wonderful Women of Kander and Ebb
Marnie Klar, Karen Carpenter Covers
Liora Michelle, Songbirds of the Silver Screen

Special Production
Joe Iconis and Family
Mama's Next Big Act
Penzance-ish
The Beat of a Wandering Heart: The Songs of Marty Silvestri and Joel Higgins

Director
James Beaman
Jeff Harnar
Barry Kleinbort
Lina Koutrakos
Tanya Moberly

Musical Director
Christopher Denny
Yasuhiko Fukuoka
Sean Harkness
Daryl Kojak
Alex Rybeck
Tracy Stark
Billy Stritch

Technical Director
Adam DeCarlo
Gian Raffaele DiCostanzo
Sheridan Glover
Amanda Raymond
Kelly Wohlford

Ensemble Instrumentalist
Steve Doyle, bass
Don Kelly, drums and percussion
Matt Scharfglass, bass
David Silliman, drums and percussion
Skip Ward, bass

Piano Bar Singing Entertainer-Uptown
Elaine Brier
Tara Martinez
Lauren Mufson
Jennifer Pace
Jon Satrom

Piano Bar Singing Entertainer-Downtown
Susan Campanaro
Yvette Monique Clark
Maria Gentile
Tyler Kent
Maddie McClouskey
Miles Whittaker

Piano Bar Instrumentalist-Uptown
Nate Buccieri
Gerry Dieffenbach
Dan Pardo
Bill Zeffiro

Piano Bar Instrumentalist-Downtown
Dan Daly
Brando(n) James Gwinn
Kenney Green-Tilford
Franca Vercelloni

Song
"A Song Place to Land," music by Ned Paul Ginsberg, lyrics by Hillary Rollins
"I Could Be a Hero," music by Peter Millrose, lyrics by Michael Colby
"I Used to Be You," music by Maria Gentile and Lynn Portas, lyrics by Maria Gentile
"It's Always Too Little, Too Late," music by Drew Paralic, lyrics by Bob Levy
"Missing a Screw," music and lyrics by Ava Nicole Frances
"Sweet Love's Embrace," music and lyrics by Paul Rolnick
"Two at a Time," music and lyrics by Marcus Goldhaber

Comedy/Novelty Song
"A Bull Call," music and lyrics by John Forster
"Autumn of my Life Blues," music and lyrics by Ted Georgaklis
"Heather," music and lyrics by Tom Toce
"It's Sunny," music by Amy Engelhardt, lyrics Seth Christenfeld
"Ode to a Code," music and lyrics by Marc Segan
"Too Much Love," music by Tracy Stark, lyrics by Mark Dundas Wood

Recording (LaMott Friedman Recording Award)
Maria Corsaro, Love Makes the Changes
Frank Dain, I've Had a Love
Brian De Lorenzo, Toast of the Town, Vol 1
Ava Nicole Frances, The Dream That I See
Bob Levy (featuring various artists), Live, Love & Laugh: The Ronny Whyte and Bob Levy Collaborations

Major Recording
D.C. Anderson, Songs Stay Sung
Ari Axelrod, A Place For Us: A Celebration of Jewish Broadway
Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano, Painting the Town
Chip Deffaa and Friends, Chip Deffaa and Friends: Down in Honkey Tonk Town
Phillip Officer, You Fascinate Me So—Phillip Officer Salutes Mabel Mercer