Big Night at 30th Annual MAC Awards!
Visit The Three Tomatoes’s profile on Pinterest.
The 30th annual MAC Awards celebrating outstanding achievements in cabaret, comedy, and jazz took place on Tuesday, March 29th at the historic B.B. King’s Blues Club in Times Square. The best of New York’s nightlife entertainers filled the Music Room for a long but entertaining evening. Theater Pizzazz was onsite to cover the event and also take part in the ceremony.
Eric Michael Gillett, Karen Mason, Maryann Lopinto, David Friedman, Anita Gillette
Theater Pizzazz’s editor and founder, Sandi Durell, co-presented with WBAI’s David Kenney, the first two awards of the evening for outstanding Revue and Special Production. A major highlight of the show was the presentation of the Board of Directors Award to photographer and frequent Theater Pizzazz contributor Maryann Lopinto. Maryann’s touching and funny speech hit upon the major theme of many of the acceptance speeches: a deep appreciation for the tight-knit cabaret community. Congratulations Maryann! (and even though dressed to the nines, Maryann was still photographing all evening long, backstage and front).
Amanda McBroom, Karen Mason
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Amanda McBroom; the Ruth Kurtzman Benefit Award to The Actors Fund: Jamie deRoy & Friends Cabaret Initiative; the Hanson Award to Sally Darling. The evening was directed by Lennie Watts, produced by Julie Miller with Matt Baker as musical director.
Below find the list of Winners in All Categories:
Female Vocalist
Tanya Moberly, Songs I Feel Like Singing, Don’t Tell Mama
Male Vocalist
Kristoffer Lowe, You’re Getting to Be a Habit with Me, Metropolitan Room
Major Artist
Stacy Sullivan. Since You’ve Asked, Metropolitan Room
Celebrity Artist
Karen Mason, Mason at Mama’s in March; Love Secrets of the Ancient Divas; Next to Norma; Christmas! Christmas! Christmas!, 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, The Duplex
New York Debut – Male
Charles Baran, Recipes for Disaster!, Metropolitan Room
Musical Comedy Performer
TIE
Barbara Malley, Eat! Drink! Be Merry!, Don’t Tell Mama
and
Molly Pope, Molly Pope Likes Your Status, The Duplex
Impersonation/Characterization/Drag Artist
Doris Dear, Doris Dear’s Gurl Talk: Unplugged; Doris Dear’s Gurl Talk: The Rumpus Room Edition, Don’t Tell Mama
Duo/Group
Kim Grogg and Kim Sutton, Whenever I Call You Friend, Don’t Tell Mama
Major Duo/Group
Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano, Shoulder Season; Something to Live For: The Strayhorn Centennial; others
Metropolitan Room, National Jazz Museum in Harlem, Birdland, Jazz at Kitano, others
Revue
Jeff Harnar, Sondra Lee, KT Sullivan
Another Hundred People, Performed by KT Sullivan and Jeff Harnar, directed by Sondra Lee, musical direction by Jon Weber
Laurie Beechman
Recurring Series
Ricky Ritzel’s Broadway, Created and produced by Ricky Ritzel, staged by Jay Rogers and Aaron Morishita, Don’t Tell Mama, Urban Stages
Special Production
Mama’s Next Big Act, Created and hosted by Lennie Watts, produced by Limor Shekhter and Lennie Watt, Don’t Tell Mama
Emcee
Bobbie Horowitz, It’s Just a Number, Metropolitan Room
Ensemble Instrumentalist
Sean Harkness, Guitar
Piano Bar Instrumentalist
Nate Buccieri, Brandy’s, Don’t Tell Mama
Restaurant/Hotel Lounge Instrumentalist
Sheree Sano, Don’t Tell Mama Happy Hour
Piano Bar Singing Entertainer – Female
Jennifer Pace, Brandy’s
Piano Bar Singing Entertainer – Male
Tommy J. Dose, Don’t Tell Mama
Musical Director
Steven Ray Watkins, Lennie Watts (Don’t Tell Mama), Tanya Moberly (Don’t Tell Mama), Eve Eaton (Don’t Tell Mama), Heather Villaescusa (Don’t Tell Mama), Wendy Russell (Don’t Tell Mama)
Director
Lennie Watts, Kristoffer Lowe (Metropolitan Room), Eve Eaton (Don’t Tell Mama), Kim Grogg & Kim Sutton (Don’t Tell Mama), Raissa Katona Bennett & Kenneth Gartman (Laurie Beechman)
Technical Director
Collette Black, Karen Kohler, William Ludwig, and Sebastian Stert: In This Town: The Songs of Marlene Dietrich & Hildegard Knef; Wendy A. Russell: Where Have I Been All My Life?; Helen Glassman: Confessions of a Native New Yorker: Jerry Phelps: Can’t Have It All, Don’t Tell Mama
Recording (Lamott Friedman Award)
Jim Speake, Sweet Life
Major Recording
Barbara Fasano, Busy Being Free
Song
Hold On Tight, Music by Meg Flather and John Mettam, Lyrics by Meg Flather
Comedy/Novelty Song
TIE
The Egg Nog Song, Music by Derek Gregor, Lyrics by Sam Carner
and
The Mermaid and The Whale, Music by Carolyn Montgomery-Forant and Jeff Cubeta, lyrics by Carolyn Montgomery-Forant
Show Of The Year
Mason at Mama’s In March, Performed by Karen Mason, musical direction by Christopher Denny, directed by Barry Kleinbort
Don’t Tell Mama
*All Photos: Maryann Lopinto
Sandi Durell is Publisher/Editor of www.theaterpizzazz.com/
and has been writing, reviewing, producing, having a voice in the theater, cabaret and entertainment communities for over 25+ years. She is a Voting Member of the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards; member of the American Theatre Critics Association.
Sandi is a producer of Broadway & Hollywood Live! Revues (www.ShaRellProductions.com); has produced numerous Songwriter Events for the American Popular Song Society (APSS – formerly New York Sheet Music Society on which she is a Board member); the benefit CD “Our Heart Sings;” is a producer on the Award winning film “Broadway the Golden Age” (with Rick McKay) and has produced a variety of entertainment events for most of her career.
She is a member of the League of Professional Theatre Women, Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU – Advisory Board),100+ year old Dutch Treat Club, The Lambs; an occasional theater “angel” and has had a career as a vocalist-performer.
Her column can also be found at www.theaterlife.com
