The Manhattan Association of Cabarets (MAC) is pleased to announce the 2024 MAC Award nominees. The nominees were determined by votes cast by the active MAC membership—except for the song, comedy/novelty song, recording and major recording categories, which were determined by special committees. The winners will be revealed as the envelopes are opened live at the 38th Annual MAC Awards on Monday, April 15 at 7:00 PM at Peter Norton Symphony Space.
As previously announced, VIVIAN REED, LEE ROY REAMS, and JEAN-PIERRE PERREAUX will each receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, MAC is delighted to announce that MARCIA RONEY has been selected to receive MAC’s Hanson Award, which is a Board of Directors Award that recognizes on-going excellence in performance of someone who has never been nominated for a MAC Award.
The 2024 MAC Award Nominees are:
FEMALE VOCALIST
LUCILLE CARR-KAFFASHAN
Three Seasons of Singer/Songwriters: Diamonds and Rust (female singer/songwriters of the ’70s); Unwritten (21st century female singer/songwriters); How the Light Gets In (male singer/songwriters)
Don’t Tell Mama
GOLDIE DVER
Bridges
Don’t Tell Mama
MARNIE KLAR
Marnie Klar Sings Carly Simon
Don’t Tell Mama
SUSAN MACK
Yesterdays; The Susan Mack Quintet
Chelsea Table + Stage, Birdland, Jazz on Main (Mount Kisco)
MARDIE MILLIT
Sorry-Grateful: One Sondheim Story in Letters and Song
Laurie Beechman, Don’t Tell Mama, Crown and Anchor
AMY BETH WILLIAMS
Amy Beth Williams Sings Leiber and Stoller
Don’t Tell Mama
MALE VOCALIST
JOHN BURNS
Sock It To Me!
Don’t Tell Mama
JASON HENDERSON
Getting to Noël You
Don’t Tell Mama
JUSTIN DYLAN NASTRO
The Magic of Me
Don’t Tell Mama
BOB O’HARE
Walk Through the World: The Songs of Leslie Bricusse
Don’t Tell Mama
MAJOR ARTIST – FEMALE
MARY FOSTER CONKLIN
These Precious Days
Soapbox Gallery, Mezzrow, North Square
MEG FLATHER
Hold On Tight…A Love Story; Carefully Taught; The Meg and John Reunion Show
Don’t Tell Mama, The Tank, Crown and Anchor
ROSEMARY LOAR
Close Enough for Love (Laurie Beechman, Don’t Tell Mama); Everything’s Coming Up Rosie (Theater at East Meadow Library)
MARIEANN MERINGOLO
A Lot of Livin’ To Do!; In the Spirit
Chelsea Table + Stage
MAJOR ARTIST – MALE
ERIC COMSTOCK
Birdland
KIM DAVID SMITH
Mostly Marlene, Halo-Wien (Halloween concert), Mostly Marlene & Friends
Neue Galerie, Club Cumming, Post Office Café and Cabaret (P’town)
NEW YORK DEBUT – FEMALE
EDEN CASTEEL
Kahn Artist: Madeline and Me
Don’t Tell Mama
CAMILLE DIAMOND
Over The Moon…on Pluto Transit
Don’t Tell Mama
NICOLE SPANO
Family Ties
Don’t Tell Mama
ELVIRA TORTORA
The Bookmaker’s Daughter
Don’t Tell Mama
NEW YORK DEBUT – MALE
RENE PFISTER
What I Learned from All My Ex-Boyfriends…If Anything
Don’t Tell Mama
JOHN PHILIP
Oceans of Love and Life
Don’t Tell Mama
WOODY REGAN
Those Wonderful Songs
Don’t Tell Mama
CELEBRITY ARTIST
ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY
Ann Hampton Callaway Sings the 70’s
54 Below
LIZ CALLAWAY
Screen Gems
54 Below
GABRIELLE STRAVELLI
Birdland
BILLY STRITCH
Birdland
IMPERSONATION/CHARACTERIZATION/DRAG ARTIST
AMANDA RECKONWITH (David Sabella)
Residential Care
Pangea
DAME EDNA’S HONORARY UNDERSTUDY (Scott F. Mason)
The Dame’s Sassy Saturdays, One Dame Christmahanukwanzaka
Don’t Tell Mama, Pangea
LADY BUNNY
Don’t Bring the Kids
Green Room 42
SIMPLY BARBRA (Steven Brinberg)
Yentl, Simply Barbra 40th Anniversary
Chelsea Table + Stage, Eldred Preserve, Crazy Coqs, 54 Below
MUSICAL COMEDY PERFORMER
LENA MOY-BORGEN
A Man’s World: Gender Studies…But With Showtunes
Don’t Tell Mama
LYNDA RODOLITZ
Lynda Rodolitz Makes Art
Don’t Tell Mama
MAJOR DUO/GROUP
ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY AND LIZ CALLAWAY
Yuletide Revelry
54 Below
JIM CARUSO AND BILLY STRITCH
Bemelmans Bar in the Carlyle Hotel
CLEARLY NOW (Sean Harkness, Lina Koutrakos, Marcus Simeone)
With a Little Help From My Friends
Laurie Beechman, St. George Theatre, Chelsea Table + Stage
ERIC COMSTOCK AND BARBARA FASANO
Birdland
TRACY STARK AND MARCUS SIMEONE
Twilight Canopy: (Some of) The Songs of Jimmy Webb
Urban Stages, St. George Theatre, Don’t Tell Mama
REVUE
FORBIDDEN SONDHEIM: MERRILY WE STOLE A SONG
Parody lyrics and direction by Gerard Alessandrini, musical direction by Fred Barton, produced by Playkill 11 Productions, John Freedson, Harriet Yellin, Gerard Alessandrini, Christine Pedi
Don’t Tell Mama, Green Room 42
GIT AHT: A LOVING TRIBUTE TO PITTSBURGH
Created and performed by Aaron Lee Battle, Ricky Ritzel, Mary Ellen Ryan; directed by Jim Luzar
Don’t Tell Mama
THE SOULFUL SOUNDS OF MOTOWN
Produced by Marcus Simeone, directed by Emilie Surtees, performed by the Stage Revolution Band Players featuring Marcus Simeone and Emilie Surtees
Cafe Wha?, Groove
A SWINGING BIRDLAND CHRISTMAS
Created and performed by Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso, and Billy Stritch
Birdland
RECURRING SERIES
JIM CARUSO’S CAST PARTY
Created, produced, and hosted by Jim Caruso
Birdland
THE LINEUP WITH SUSIE MOSHER
Produced by Susie Mosher and Hope Royalte
Birdland
SALON
Founder, Artistic Director, Host: Mark Janas; Executive Producer: Tanya Moberly
Don’t Tell Mama
EMCEE
JIM CARUSO
Jim Caruso’s Cast Party
Birdland
NATASHA CASTILLO
Spotlight on You Open Mic
53 Above
SUSIE MOSHER
The Lineup
Birdland
SPECIAL PRODUCTION
THE JOE ICONIS CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR
Written by Joe Iconis, directed by John Simpkins, produced by Jennifer Ashley Tepper
54 Below
RIAN KEATING: WOMAN SONGS
Don’t Tell Mama
MAMA’S NEXT BIG ACT
Produced by Don’t Tell Mama and Lennie Watts
Don’t Tell Mama
PIPPIN: THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION
Produced and directed by Walter Willison, musical directed by Michael Lavine
54 Below
DIRECTOR
JEFF HARNAR
Becca Kidwell/If You Hadn’t But You Did (Don’t Tell Mama), John Forster/Too Clever by 20% (Don’t Tell Mama), Richard Holbrook/20th Anniversary Show (54 Below). Judi Mark/Merely Marvelous–The Songs of Gwen Verdon (Don’t Tell Mama), Rene Pfister/What I Learned from All My Ex-Boyfriends…If Anything (Don’t Tell Mama)
LINA KOUTRAKOS
Sue Matsuki/But Beautiful: A Tribute to Julie Wilson (54 Below), Diane D’Angelo/Destination Moon (Laurie Beechman, Green Room 42), Patti Bottino-Bravo/Act 3 (Laurie Beechman, Urban Stages), Elvira Tortora/The Bookmaker’s Daughter (Don’t Tell Mama), Dorian Woodruff/The Lyrics of Alan and Marilyn Bergman (Pangea)
TANYA MOBERLY
Amy Beth Williams/Amy Beth Williams Sings Leiber and Stoller (Don’t Tell Mama), Woody Regan/Those Wonderful Songs (Don’t Tell Mama), Margo Brown/Forever Me With Love (Don’t Tell Mama), Rian Keating/Woman Songs (Don’t Tell Mama), Scott F. Mason/One Dame Christmahanukwanzaka—A Holiday Tribute to Dame Edna by Her Honorary Understudy (Pangea)
MUSICAL DIRECTOR
YASUHIKO (YAZ) FUKUOKA
Todd Murray and Stacy Sullivan/The Musical Romance of Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee (Weill Recital Hall), Lisa Viggiano/Lisa Viggiano Sings the Jane Olivor Songbook (Laurie Beechman), Robert Bannon/Pride Playlist (54 Below), Christmas Playlist (Chelsea Table + Stage), Robbie Rozelle/Bring Me Giants (Birdland), Mama’s Next Big Act (Don’t Tell Mama)
TRACY STARK
Meg Flather/Carefully Taught (Don’t Tell Mama, Crown & Anchor in P’town, Eldred Preserve in Sullivan County, NY), Brenda Braxton/Stars Tonight! (54 Below, Green Room 42), Jeanne MacDonald/Heart and Soul (Chelsea Table + Stage), Sean Patrick Murtagh/Beautiful Girls: A Tribute to Sondheim Divas (Laurie Beechman, Crown & Anchor). Kim David Smith/various shows (Club Cumming, Neue Gallery, Post Office Café and Cabaret in P’town)
BILLY STRITCH
Jim Caruso’s Cast Party (Birdland), Linda Eder (54 Below) Ann Hampton Callaway (54 Below), Norm Lewis (92nd Street Y), Max von Essen (Paradise Club at the Times Square Edition Hotel)
GREGORY TOROIAN
Sue Matsuki/But Beautiful: A Tribute to Julie Wilson (54 Below), Diane D’Angelo/Destination Moon (Laurie Beechman, Green Room 42), Patti Bottino-Bravo/Act 3 (Laurie Beechman, Urban Stages), Elvira Tortora/The Bookmaker’s Daughter (Don’t Tell Mama), Maria Corsaro/I Could Get Used to This! (Chelsea Table + Stage)
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
ADAM DECARLO
(All at Don’t Tell Mama)
Meg Flather/Carefully Taught; Justin Dylan Nastro/The Magic of Me; Nicole Spano/Family Ties; Bob O’Hare/Walk Through the World; Jason Henderson/Getting to Noël You.
ALISON NUSBAUM
(All at Don’t Tell Mama)
Ricky Ritzel, Aaron Lee Battle, Mary Ellen Ryan/Git Aht: A Loving Tribute to Pittsburgh; Mardie Millet/Sorry-Grateful: One Sondheim Story in Letters and Song; Rian Keating/Woman Songs; Woody Regan/Those Wonderful Songs; Debra Vogel/It’s a Jungle Out There
KELLY WOHLFORD
(All at Don’t Tell Mama)
Amy Beth Williams/Amy Beth Williams Sings Leiber and Stoller; Goldie Dver/Bridges; Tanya Moberly/Moberly at Mama’s, New York Songwriters Parts 1 and 2; Lucille Carr-Kaffashan/Three Seasons of Singer-Songwriters; American Popular Song Society Monthly Series
ENSEMBLE INSTRUMENTALIST
STEVE DOYLE, bass
Jim Caruso’s Cast Party (Birdland), A Swinging Birdland Christmas (Birdland)
DON KELLY, drums/percussion
Lynda Rodolitz/Lynda Rodolitz Makes Art (Don’t Tell Mama), Camille Diamond/Over the Moon,,,on Pluto Transit (Don’t Tell Mama), Ronni Faust/Ella, Minnie & Me (Don’t Tell Mama), Bruce Clough/From Out of the Blues (Don’t Tell Mama)
MATT SCHARFGLASS, bass
Tanya Moberly/I Love NY Songwriters—Parts I and II (Don’t Tell Mama), Camille Diamond/Over the Moon…on Pluto Transit (Don’t Tell Mama), Farah Alvin/On Vinyl (Green Room 42), James Beaman/Lived Experience (Triad Theater)
SKIP WARD, bass
Margaret Curry (Laurie Beechman), Sue Matsuki (54 Below), Brenda Braxton (54 Below), Elizabeth Passero (Urban Stages)
PIANO BAR SINGING ENTERTAINER–UPTOWN
ELAINE BRIER
Don’t Tell Mama
ANDRE JORDAN
Don’t Tell Mama
TARA MARTINEZ
Don’t Tell Mama
ALISON NUSBAUM
Brandy’s, Don’t Tell Mama
JENNIFER PACE
Brandy’s
JON SATROM
Don’t Tell Mama, Brandy’s
PIANO BAR SINGING ENTERTAINER–DOWNTOWN
SUSAN CAMPANERO
Stonewall
MARIA GENTILE
Stonewall, The Duplex, Brandy’s
MADDIE MCCLOUSKEY
Marie’s Crisis
T-REX
Stonewall, The Duplex
MILES WHITTAKER
Stonewall
PIANO BAR INSTRUMENTALIST–UPTOWN
JOHN BRONSTON
Brandy’s, Stonewall
NATE BUCCIERI
Don’t Tell Mama, Brandy’s
JOE REGAN
Don’t Tell Mama
STEVEN WENSLAWSKI
Don’t Tell Mama, The Townhouse
BILL ZEFFIRO
Le Rivage, Tudor City Steakhouse
PIANO BAR INSTRUMENTALIST–DOWNTOWN
GERRY DIEFFENBACH
The Duplex, Stonewall, Don’t Tell Mama
KENNEY GREEN-TILFORD
Marie’s Crisis
BRANDON JAMES GWINN
Marie’s Crisis, The Duplex, Don’t Tell Mama
MARK OLESZKO
Stonewall
DAN PARDO
Stonewall, Marie’s Crisis
FRANCA VERCELLONI
Marie’s Crisis
SONG
ANNIE
Music by Michelle Brourman, Lyrics by Hillary Rollins
IT’S ONLY A FIRST DATE
Music by Douglas J. Cohen, Lyrics by Douglas J. Cohen and Dan Elish
PASSING THROUGH A DREAM
Music and Lyrics by Steven Wenslawski
RAINING MEMORIES
Music by Kelly Park and Russ Lorenson, Lyrics by Russ Lorenson
YOU BRING OUT THE JAZZ IN ME
Music and Lyrics by Tom Toce
COMEDY/NOVELTY SONG
AT THE SAME TIME
Music by Mary Rodgers, Lyrics by John Forster
FRONT ROW
Music and Lyrics by Billy Recce
I’M READY
Music and Lyrics by Kevin Winebold
THERE’S A SONG IN THAT
Music and Lyrics by Daniel Cainer
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ROSH HASHANAH EVE?
Music by Eden Casteel, Lyrics by Dan Chaika and Eden Casteel
RECORDING (LaMott Friedman Recording Award)
BOB LEVY Featuring DANE VANNATTER
Ever Since We Met: The Dane Vannatter Recordings
RUSS LORENSON
Standard Time: Live in New York
MARGOT SERGENT
Douce France, Sweet France
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Chip Deffaa’s The George M. Cohan Revue: The Cast Album
KEVIN WINEBOLD
Return to the Heart
MAJOR RECORDING
FARAH ALVIN
On Vinyl
ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY
Finding Beauty: Originals Volume 1
MARY FOSTER CONKLIN
These Precious Days
JEFF HARNAR
A Collective Cy: Jeff Harnar Sings Cy Coleman
ALYSHA UMPHRESS
Alysha Umphress and things…like this
MAC Award tickets are available at https://www.symphonyspace.org/events/vp-the-38th-annual-mac-awards. For additional information, visit www.MACnyc.com.
