ANNOUNCING THE
2022 MAC AWARD NOMINEES
The Manhattan Association of Cabarets (MAC) is pleased to announce the 2022 MAC Award nominees. The nominees were determined by votes cast by the active MAC membership, except for the song and recording categories, which were determined by special committees.
As previously announced, CHITA RIVERA and MARTA SANDERS each receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. The MABEL MERCER FOUNDATION and LENNIE WATTS each receive a MAC Board of Directors Award. AARON LEE BATTLE is the Hanson Award winner, and CABARET ON THE COUCH receives the Ruth Kurtzman Benefit Series Award. JIM CARUSO’S CAST PARTY/PAJAMA CAST PARTY receives the Show of the Year Award
The winners will be revealed as the envelopes are opened live at the 36th Annual MAC Awards on Tuesday, April 12 at 7:00 pm at Peter Norton Symphony Space in New York City.
The MAC Awards ceremony is produced by MICHAEL KIRK LANE and directed by LENNIE WATTS, with musical direction by YAZUHIKO FUKUOKA. The event is open to the public. Tickets are available at www.symphonyspace.org/events/vp-36th-mac-awards. For additional information, visit www.MACnyc.com.
FEMALE VOCALIST
SUSAN MACK Music in the Air Birdland Theater
AMY BETH WILLIAMS Beautiful Mystery: The Songs of Leonard Cohen;
A Thousand Beautiful Things Don’t Tell Mama
DEBORAH ZECHER Jewish Caroling: The Music of Carole King, Carole Bayer Sager, and Carolyn Leigh Don’t Tell Mama
MALE VOCALIST
SEAN PATRICK MURTAGH Summer Sunday Soiree; Holiday Test Drive IX
West Bank Cafe;The Green at Lincoln Center; Martuni’s Piano Bar (SF)
KIM DAVID SMITH Mostly Marlene; A Wery Weimar Christmas
Club Cumming (NYC); Club Cumming on the Coast (Kennebunkport, ME); Adelaide Cabaret Festival
DORIAN WOODRUFF Studio Musician: The Music of Manilow Pangea
MAJOR ARTIST – FEMALE
MEG FLATHER Rodgers and Hammerstein 2021 Don’t Tell Mama
TANYA MOBERLY I Love New York Songwriters Part II Don’t Tell Mama
GABRIELLE STRAVELLI Various different shows Birdland; West Bank Cafe
MAJOR ARTIST – MALE
PETER CINCOTTI Birdland
JASON KRAVITS Off the Top Birdland
CRAIG POMRANZ Welcome Back; We’re Back Again with a Holiday Show
Pangea
DAVID SABELLA 25Chicago25, Pandemic Relief Feinstein’s/54 Below, Pangea
NEW YORK DEBUT
RODERICK FERGUSON Man Overboard!!! Don’t Tell Mama
CAROLYN GERMAN Unsolicited Advice Don’t Tell Mama, The Duplex
BRUCE SABATH Searching for Tevye Don’t Tell Mama
CELEBRITY ARTIST
NATALIE DOUGLAS Best of Tributes: The Women (Nina, Dolly, Roberta); Best of Tributes: The Men (Nat, Sammy, Elvis); Tributes: James Taylor; To Nina: Tribute to Nina Simone; Four Women, Four Decades Birdland Theater; Birdland Jazz Club; Feinstein’s at the Nikko (S.F.); Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael (Indiana); Gulfshore Playhouse (Naples, FL)
ANDRÉ De SHIELDS Black by Popular Demand Feinstein’s/54 Below
NORM LEWIS (There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays
Feinstein’s/54 Below
BILLY STRITCH Billy’s Place Birdland
LILLIAS WHITE The Green Room 42
IMPERSONATION/CHARACTERIZATION/DRAG ARTIST
FLOTILLA DeBARGE Corona and FLO; Shots & Shrieks with Nurse Fatass;
Do They Flo It’s Christmas? Pangea
JINKX MONSOON AND BenDeLaCreme The Return of the Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Show Town Hall; Lincoln Theatre (Washington, D.C.)
CISSY WALKEN Hammered Drag Brunch; The Invasion; The Simsinz; Completely The Rusty Nail; Stonewall Inn; Caveat; Rockbar NYC
MUSICAL COMEDY PERFORMER
LEANNE BORGHESI Borghesi’s Back Don’t Tell Mama
ANDREA BELL WOLFF Adventures in Vegas Don’t Tell Mama
DUO/GROUP
ELENA BENNETT and FRED BARTON Bennett and Barton: Back in the Swing of Things! West Bank Cafe
MICHAEL GARIN and MARDIE MILLIT The Michael and Mardie Show
West Bank Cafe
DARNELL WHITE and DAVID LaMARR Fully Vaccinated Don’t Tell Mama
MAJOR DUO/GROUP
JIM CARUSO and BILLY STRITCH Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel
CLEARLY NOW (Sean Harkness, Lina Koutrakos, Marcus Simeone)
Clearly Now, Season 3 Don’t Tell Mama; Pangea
ERIC COMSTOCK and BARBARA FASANO Birdland
PIANO BAR INSTRUMENTALIST
NATE BUCCIERI Don’t Tell Mama; Brandy’s; The Duplex
GERRY DIEFFENBACH Don’t Tell Mama; The Duplex, Stonewall Inn
WILLIAM TN HALL Don’t Tell Mama; Brandy’s
MICHAEL McASSEY Pangea
DARNELL WHITE Brandy’s; Stonewall Inn
PIANO BAR/RESTAURANT SINGING ENTERTAINER – FEMALE
ELAINE BRIER Don’t Tell Mama
MARIA GENTILE Brandy’s; Stonewall Inn; The Duplex
TARA MARTINEZ Don’t Tell Mama
ALISON NUSBAUM Don’t Tell Mama; Brandy’s
PIANO BAR/RESTAURANT SINGING ENTERTAINER – MALE
JONATHAN HOOVER Don’t Tell Mama
BRIAN KALINOWSKI Don’t Tell Mama
PAUL PILCZ Don’t Tell Mama
JON SATROM Don’t Tell Mama; Brandy’s
RESTAURANT/HOTEL LOUNGE/HAPPY HOUR ENTERTAINER
YAZ FUKUOKA Don’t Tell Mama
ERIC YVES GARCIA West Bank Cafe
RICKY RITZEL Don’t Tell Mama
SHEREE SANO Chez Josephine
ENSEMBLE INSTRUMENTALIST
STEVE DOYLE, Bass Cast Party (Birdland); A Swinging Birdland Christmas (Birdland); Karen Oberlin and Bewitched: The Life and Lyrics of Lorenz Hart (Birdland)
MATT SCHARFGLASS, Bass Tanya Moberly/I Love New York Songwriters Part II (Don’t Tell Mama); Marnie Klar/A Woman’s Prerogative (Don’t Tell Mama); Debbie Zecher/Jewish Caroling (Don’t Tell Mama); Scott Coulter & Friends/From Dolly Parton to David Bowie (Feinstein’s/54 Below)
SKIP WARD, Bass Sue Matsuki & Gregory Toroian: Sunday Open Mic & Jazz Brunch (Pangea); Brenda Braxton/After Hours! (Feinstein’s/54 Below); Maria Corsaro/You Taught My Heart to Sing (Pangea); Kati Neiheisel/Yesterday… Once More (Pangea); Sidney Myer (Pangea)
RECURRING SERIES
THE LINEUP WITH SUSIE MOSHER Produced by Susie Mosher and Hope Royaltey; music direction by Brad Simmons Birdland Theater
RICKY RITZEL’S BROADWAY Created and produced by Ricky Ritzel; staged and choreographed by Jay Rogers and Aaron Morishita Don’t Tell Mama
SALON Founder, Artistic Director, Host: Mark Janas; Executive Director: Tanya Moberly Don’t Tell Mama
REVUE OR SPECIAL PRODUCTION
RITA HAYWORTH – THE HEAT IS ON! Starring Quinn Lemley, written and directed by Carter Inskeep, produced by Paul Horton, musical director Tom Wilson, costume designer Wendall Going Don’t Tell Mama
A SWINGING BIRDLAND CHRISTMAS Created by and starring Billy Stritch, Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso Birdland
RIAN KEATING: TIME STAMPS – LIFE FRAGMENTS IN STORY AND SONG
Written and performed by Rian Keating; directed by Tanya Moberly; musical direction by Woody Regan Don’t Tell Mama
VIRTUAL PRESENTATION
CABARET CONVERSATIONS Conceived, curated, and hosted by Michael Kirk Lane; produced by 92Y School of Music 92Y web site
MARDIE MILLIT: LIVE FROM LOCKDOWN! Mardie Millit: producer, writer, director, videographer, and star; Michael Garin: pianist, arranger, occasional singer Facebook
OPEN MAC LIVE! Hosted by and principal performer: Michael McAssey, produced by Peter Nictakis Facebook; YouTube
WEEKLY VIRTUAL SPOTLIGHT ON YOU OPEN MIC Produced and emceed by Natasha Castillo Facebook; YouTube
EMCEE
JIM CARUSO Jim Caruso’s Cast Party Birdland
SUSIE MOSHER The Lineup with Susie Mosher Birdland Theater
DIRECTOR
BARRY KLEINBORT Claudine Cassan-Jellison/ Hey Frenchy: Stories and Songs from the Pantry (Don’t Tell Mama); Anita Gillette and Penny Fuller/Sin Twisters (Feinstein’s/54 Below); Karen Mason/Christmas! Christmas! Christmas! (Laurie Beechman Theatre); Haley Swindal/Back in Business (Feinstein’s/54 Below)
LINA KOUTRAKOS Dorian Woodruff/Studio Musician: The Music of Manilow (Pangea); Kati Neiheisel/Yesterday…Once More (Pangea); Susan Mack/Music in the Air (Birdland)
TANYA MOBERLY Amy Beth Williams/Beautiful Mystery – The Songs of Leonard Cohen (Don’t Tell Mama); Rian Keating/Time Stamps – Life Fragments in Story and Song (Don’t Tell Mama); Bruce Sabath/Searching for Tevye (Don’t Tell Mama); Marnie Klar/A Woman’s Prerogative (Don’t Tell Mama); Frank McDonough/Legends of Las Vegas (Don’t Tell Mama)
MUSICAL DIRECTOR
DARYL KOJAK Celia Berk/Porch Performances (Music at the Mansion); Collection of Solos and Duets from the Great American Songbook/Beloved Songs from Stage and Screen (Old Dutch Church, Kingston, NY); Tulis McCall/Tulis Talks and Sings (Don’t Tell Mama); ASA/Cabaret Scenes Magazine’s 25th Anniversary (Green Room 42)
TRACY STARK Sidney Myer/Sidney Myer at Pangea (Pangea); Meg Flather/Rodgers and Hammerstein 2021 (Don’t Tell Mama); Kim David Smith/Mostly Marlene (Club Cumming); Brenda Braxton/After Hours (Feinstein’s/54 Below); Alice Ripley/Alice Ripley in Concert (The Green Room 42)
BILLY STRITCH Cast Party (Birdland); Marilyn Maye (Birdland); Linda Eder/Feinstein’s/54 Below; LuAnn DeLessups (Feinstein’s/54 Below)
GREGORY TOROIAN Sue Matsuki/This Broad’s Way (Pangea); Maria Corsaro/You Taught My Heart to Sing (Pangea); Kati Neiheisel/Yesterday… Once More (Pangea); Dorian Woodruff/Studio Musician—The Music of Manilow (Pangea); Jackie Draper/Spreadin’ Rhythm Around (Laurie Beechman Theatre)
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
ADAM DeCARLO Meg Flather/Rodgers and Hammerstein 2021; Angela Bacari/One Night Only; Claudine Cassan-Jellison/ Hey Frenchy: Stories and Songs from the Pantry; Deborah Zecher/Jewish Caroling; Ricky Ritzel’s Broadway (all at Don’t Tell Mama)
KJ HARDY (LIGHTS) and AMANDA RAYMOND (SOUND) Marilyn Maye’s 93rd Birthday Celebration; André De Shields/Black by Popular Demand; Jason Danieley/Reflections; Kelli O’Hara/Diamond Series; Paulo Szot/An Enchanted Evening (all at Feinstein’s/54 Below)
ROCKY NOEL Leanne Borghesi/Borghesi’s Back (Don’t Tell Mama); Our Sinatra (Birdland Theater); Quinn Lemley/The Heat Is On (Don’t Tell Mama); Marnie Klar/A Woman’s Prerogative (Don’t Tell Mama); Claudine Cassan-Jellison/ Hey Frenchy: Stories and Songs from the Pantry (Don’t Tell Mama)
ALISON NUSBAUM Rian Keating/Time Stamps; Bruce Sabath/Searching for Tevye; David LaMarr and Darnell White/Fully Vaccinated; Timothy Quinlan/All My Stupid Jobs; Andrea Bell Wolff/Showgirl (all at Don’t Tell Mama)
KELLY WOHLFORD Tanya Moberly/I Love NY Songwriters Part II; Amy Beth Williams/A Thousand Beautiful Things; American Popular Song Society; Cathy Taylor/Life Hack Unabridged; Jill Senter/La Soirée (all at Don’t Tell Mama)
SONG
INSIDE Music and Lyrics by Meg Flather
JUST SAY GOODBYE Music by John Forster, Lyrics by John Forster and Harriet Goldberg
LET THE MUSIC PLAY Music and Lyrics by Paul Rolnick and David Friedman
WARP AND WEAVE Music and Lyrics by John Forster
WHILE I’M STILL HERE Music and Lyrics by Bob Levy
COMEDY/NOVELTY SONG
BOO HOO Music by John Forster, Lyrics by John Forster, Hillary Rollins, Tom Toce
HELIUM Music and Lyrics by John Forster
I SURVIVED YOU Music and Lyrics by Bob Levy
THOSE YEAR-END HOT KISSES Music and Lyrics by John A. Todras
YOU CAN KEEP THE WINGS Music and Lyrics by Carolyn German
RECORDING (LaMott Friedman Award)
TINA BURNER Maybe This Time
CHIP DEFFAA / VARIOUS ARTISTS Chip Deffaa’s Irving Berlin: Love Songs and Such
DAWN DEROW My Ship, Songs from 1941
BOB LEVY While I’m Still Here
MARYA ZIMMET On the Road to Love
MAJOR RECORDING
PHIL GEOFFREY BOND / VARIOUS ARTISTS Sondheim Unplugged: The NYC Sessions Vol 1
CLEARLY NOW (Sean Harkness, Lina Koutrakos, Marcus Simeone) Clearly Now
GAY MARSHALL Back on Boogie Street – The Songs of Leonard Cohen
KAREN MASON Let the Music Play
DAVID SABELLA Time Heals
