Ahead of the 37th Annual MAC Awards will be held on Tuesday, April 4 at 7:30 PM at Peter Norton Symphony Space, The Manhattan Association of Cabarets has announced the awards for Lifetime Achievement. They will go to actor-performer Ken Page and cabaret stalwart, Ricky Ritzel.
An outstanding performer on Broadway (and other stages), Ken Page performed his first cabaret act in 1976—and he hasn’t stopped since. Recently he was at the Eugene O’Neil Cabaret Conference and in the Mabel Mercer Foundation’s tribute to Nat King Cole. In 2022, Page appeared in a sold-out, engagement at 54 Below. His solo show, Page by Page, was recorded live and released on CD (LML Music). He made his Broadway debut in the all-Black revival of Guys and Dolls as Nicely-Nicely Johnson and went on to perform in Cats, Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Wiz and It Ain’t Nothin’ but the Blues, among others. In film, he’s well-known as the voice of Mr. Oogie Boogie in the popular Disney/Tim Burton animated film, The Nightmare Before Christmas. He has performed the score sung live at the Hollywood Bowl and at major venues around the world. Other film credits include Dreamgirls, Torch Song Trilogy and All Dogs Go to Heaven, in addition to a wealth of TV appearances.
Ricky Ritzel migght be considered synonymous with cabaret. He’s been on the nightclub and cabaret scene for over 40 years, especially known for his ongoing Ricky Ritzel’s Broadway, which received the 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 MAC Award for Outstanding Recurring Series. He has received a cabinet-full of cabaret awards, including 22 MACs in 11 different categories. In addition to being a solo and piano bar performer, Ritzel has also accompanied on the piano, the likes of Julie Wilson, Vivian Blaine, Varla Jean Merman and Spider Saloff, among others. He’s created several award-winning revues such as 1938, which was recorded on the Kopathetics label, Porgy & Bess: A Cabaret Concert and Ira and Others. Ricky is half of the The Loungeoleers, which has to its credit five CDs on the Emenar label. He is served as the first Artistic Director for cabaret at the premiere season of the Gettysburg Festival and is on the Advisory Board of Directors for the Manhattan Association of Cabarets, of which he was President from 2006-2009.
The 37th Annual MAC Awards on Tuesday, April 4 is produced and directed by Michael Kirk Lane and Amy Wolk. Nate Buccieri is music director.
Peter Norton Symphony Space is located at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street in New York City.
