The winners have been announced for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Cabaret Awards, honoring the best in Cabaret performances in NYC presented between October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022. Winners were chosen by public nomination and voting. The results are as follows:
• Best Debut Show – One Night Only
Winner: Ava Nicole Frances, Charlo Crossley – MUTUAL ADMIRATION – 54 Below
Runners-Up: Sam Gravitte – SONGS THAT RAISED ME – Birdland, Tyler Houchins – DOWN A YELLOW BRICK ROAD: THE MUSIC OF Judy Garland – Don’t Tell Mama, Ben Jones – LOVE SONGS – 54 Below
• Best Debut Show – Run of Shows
Winner: Brandon James Gwinn, Dylan Hartwell & Greg Sullivan – THREE MEN AND A BABY GRAND – Laurie Beechman Theatre
Runners-Up: Ann Talman – THE SHADOW OF HER SMILE – 54 Below, Therese Lee – RIDING THE BUS TO THE RED CARPET – The Triad, Don’t Tell Mama, Danny Bolero – THEY CALL ME CUBAN PETE – Don’t Tell Mama
• Best Director
Winner: Jeff Harnar – TOGETHER INSIDE, SAY YES, RIDING THE RED CARPET, YOU’RE NOTHING WITHOUT ME, THE FUNNY GIRL IN ME, OFF THE CHARTS – Don’t Tell Mama, Laurie Beechman Theatre, Triad, 54 Below, The Green Room 42
Runners-Up: Richard Jay-Alexander – HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS – 54 Below, Lennie Watts – ANYBODY HAVE A MAP?, ENGLAND & AMERICA: A TRANSATLANTIC LOVE STORY, IF Joe Allen’S WALLS COULD SING AND OTHER HIDDEN GEMS, JEWISH CAROLING: THE MUSIC OF Carole King, Carole Bayer Sager & Carolyn Leigh, ME AND BOBBY P, RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN 2021+ – Don’t Tell Mama, Frank Silletti – MUTUAL ADMIRATION – 54 Below
• Best Drag Artist or Impersonator
Winner: Jackie Cox – JACKIEVISION: THE TOUR – The Green Room 42
Runners-Up: Alexis Michelle – IN CONCERT – 54 Below, Scott F. Mason – ONE DAME FUNNY NIGHT – Don’t Tell Mama, MargOH! Channing – SIMPLY MARGOH! – Pangea
• Best Duo Show
Winner: Margo Brown & Lisa Delarossa – YOU’RE NOTHING WITHOUT ME – Don’t Tell Mama
Runners-Up: Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch – SUNDAYS – Bemelmans at The Carlyle Hotel, Melissa Errico & Billy Stritch – SWING LESSONS – 54 Below, Austin Pendleton & Barbara Bleier – AUSTIN & BARBARA SING STEVE & OSCAR – Don’t Tell Mama, Pangea
• Best Ensemble Soloist
Winner: Ryan Umbarila – SPOTLIGHT KIDZ CABARET – Laurie Beechman Theatre
Runners-Up: Chloe Cahill – ALONE, MUSICAL IN CONCERT – 54 Below, Virginia Alonso-Luis – ALONE, MUSICAL IN CONCERT – 54 Below, Thea Sten – SPOTLIGHT KIDZ CABARET – Laurie Beechman Theatre
• Best Group Show
Winner: Sean Harkness, Marcus Simeone and Lina Koutrakis – CLEARLY NOW – Birdland Theater
Runners-Up: Amanda Green – Amanda Green & FRIENDS – Birdland, Gunhild Carling – Gunhild Carling – Birdland Theater, Jamie deRoy – Jamie deRoy & FRIENDS – Birdland
• Best Host or Emcee
Winner: Jim Caruso – Jim Caruso’S CAST PARTY – Birdland
Runners-Up: Susie Mosher – THE LINEUP WITH Susie Mosher – Birdland Theater, Ben Cameron – Ben Cameron’S BROADWAY SESSIONS – The Laurie Beechman Theatre/The Green Room 42, Jaime Lozano – SONGS BY AN IMMIGRANT, ¡VIVA LA VIDA! – Lincoln Center
• Best Jazz Show, Instrumental
Winner: Julia Groetsky – GUILTY PLEASURES CABARET – The Duplex, Branded Saloon, Pasta Eater, Kraine Theater
Runners-Up: Emmet Cohen – EMMET COHEN – Birdland, Birdland Theater Marissa Licata – STRINGS ON FIRE – Birdland Theater
• Best Jazz Show, Vocal
Winner: Billy Stritch – BIG BIRDLAND BIRTHDAY BASH – Birdland Theater
Runners-Up: Gabrielle Stravelli – THE Gabrielle Stravelli TRIO – Birdland, Nicole Zuraitis – NICOLE ZURAITIS – Birdland, Sheila Jordan – BIRTHDAY SHOW – Birdland Theater
* Best Musical Comedy Cabaret/Revue
Winner: Jim Caruso, Billy Stritch & Klea Blackhurst – A SWINGING BIRDLAND CHRISTMAS – Birdland
Runners-Up: The Kinsey Sicks – DRAGAPELLA! – Birdland, Ann Morrison – MERRILY FROM CENTER STAGE – 54 Below, Roderick Ferguson – MAN OVERBOARD – Don’t Tell Mama
• Best Musical Director
Winner: Billy Stritch – A SWINGING BIRDLAND CHRISTMAS, CAST PARTY, SWING LESSONS – Birdland
Runners-Up: Alex Rybeck – THE SHADOW OF HER SMILE – 54 Below, Brandon James Gwinn – Mark Mackillop’S DUETS, …& FRIENDS SING THE MOVIES, THREE MEN AND A BABY GRAND – Chelsea Table + Stage, Birdland, Laurie Beechman Theatre, Tracy Stark – NIGHT OF A THOUSAND JUDYS, THE VOICES IN MY HEAD, RETIRE? WHOSE GOT TIME?, JEWISH CAROLING, LATE BLOOMER, RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN 2021+, MY MAYBE WORLD, SIMPLY MARGOH!, Sidney Myer, Brenda Braxton – Joe’s Pub, Don’t Tell Mama, Laurie Beechman, Pangea
• Best Open-Mic, Variety or Recurring Show
Winner: Jim Caruso – Jim Caruso’S CAST PARTY – Birdland
Runners-Up: Susie Mosher – THE LINEUP WITH Susie Mosher – Birdland Theater, Ben Cameron – BROADWAY SESSIONS – The Laurie Beechman Theatre/The Green Room 42, Ricky Ritzel – Ricky Ritzel’S BROADWAY – Don’t Tell Mama
* Best Original Song
Winner: Three Men And A Baby Grand by Brandon James Gwinn / Dylan Hartwell – THREE MEN AND A BABY GRAND – Laurie Beechman Theatre
Runners-Up: You Should Have Been Kind by Tracy Stark/Bob Levy – YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN KIND – Laurie Beechman, Don’t Tell Mama, Gemini by Jacob Khalil – Jacob Khalil AND FRIENDS – Birdland, Wings by Jaime Lozano – SONGS BY AN IMMIGRANT, ¡VIVA LA VIDA! – Lincoln Center
• Best Piano Bar Entertainer, Musician
Winner: Brandom James Gwinn – PIANO BAR – Marie’s Crisis
Runners-Up: Jacob Khalil – PIANO BAR – Mimi’s, William TN Hall – PIANO BAR – Don’t Tell Mama, Brandy’s, Mimi’s, Patrick DeGennaro – PIANO BAR – The Duplex
• Best Piano Bar Entertainer, Vocalist
Winner: Jennifer Pace – PIANO BAR – Marie’s Crisis
Runners-Up: Tara Martinez – PIANO BAR – Don’t Tell Mama, Maddie McClouskey – PIANO BAR – Marie’s Crisis, Michael McAssey – OPEN MAC – Pangea
• Best Record Producer
Winner: Wayne Haun – THE SUNDAY SET, BILLY’S PLACE, HAND IN HAND, AFTER THE BALL, CHRISTMAS AT BIRDLAND DELUXE EDITION – Club44 Records
Runners-Up: Brandon James Gwinn – PLACE & TIME: SONGS BY EllaRose Chary & Brandon James Gwinn – 4th Dimension Records, Bart Migal – I KNOW THINGS NOW : MY LIFE IN SONDHEIM’S WORDS – PS Classics, Jacki Thrapp & Cameron Smithson – MIRACLE ON 9TH AVENUE – Bar Nine
• Best Recording, Commercial
Winner: Julie Benko & Jason Yeager – HAND IN HAND – Club44 Records
Runners-Up: Jeff Harnar – I KNOW THINGS NOW : MY LIFE IN SONDHEIM’S WORDS – PS Classics, Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch – THE SUNDAY SET – Club44 Records, Christine Ebersole – AFTER THE BALL – Club44 Records
• Best Recording, Independent
Winner: Debbie Wileman – I’M STILL HERE – The Stander Group
Runners-Up: Celia Berk – NOW THAT I HAVE EVERYTHING – Gramercy Nightingale Music Company, Brandon James Gwinn & EllaRose Chary – PLACE & TIME: SONGS BY EllaRose Chary & Brandon James Gwinn – 4th Dimension Records, Nori Hung & Erica Molfetto – YURI & ERICA LAUGH AGAIN! – Don’t Tell Mama
• Best Show
Winner: Jeff Harnar – I KNOW THINGS NOW : MY LIFE IN SONDHEIM’S WORDS – 54 Below, Laurie Beechman Theatre
Runners-Up: Robert Bannon – REWIND – The Green Room 42, 54 Below, Christina Bianco – A LOT TO UNPACK – Birdland Theater, Jaime Lozano – Jaime Lozano’S SONGS BY AN IMMIGRANT – Lincoln Center, 54 Below
• Best Show Musician, Non-Musical Director
Winner: Steve Doyle – Bassist – Birdland
Runners-Up: Daniel Glass – Drummer – Birdland, Sean Harkness – Guitarist – Birdland Theatre, Matt Scharfglass – Bassist – Don’t Tell Mama
• Best Show, Celebrity
Winner: Liz Callaway – TO STEVE WITH LOVE: Liz Callaway CELEBRATES SONDHEIM – 54 Below
Runners-Up: Marilyn Maye – 94, OF COURSE THERE’S MORE – 54 Below, Norm Lewis – HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS – 54 Below, Ann Hampton Callaway – FEVER! THE Peggy Lee CENTURY – 54 Below
• Best Special Event, Multiple
Winner: Seth Sikes – Seth Sikes AND FRIENDS: Judy Garland’S 100TH BIRTHDAY – 54 Below
Runners-Up: Urban Stages: Producer – THE FUTURE OF CABARET AND THEATER PART 2 – Urban Stages, Jaime Lozano – ¡VIVA LA VIDA! FRIDA, THE MUSICAL IN CONCERT – Lincoln Center, Justin Elizabeth Sayre – NIGHT OF 1000 JUDYS – Joe’s Pub
• Best Special Event, Solo
Winner: Debbie Wileman – HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY, Judy Garland! – Carnegie Hall
Runners-Up: Linda Purl – SONGS FOR JUMPING BACK INTO LIFE – Birdland Theater, Ari Axelrod – ARI’S ARIAS – Birdland Theater, Corinna Sowers Adler – SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL – Laurie Beechman Theatre
• Best Spoken Word Cabaret Show (May feature up to four songs but no more)
Winner: Jason Kravits – OFF THE TOP – Birdland, Birdland Theater
Runners-Up: Will Nolan – LEOLA’S LADYLAND LOUNGE – The Green Room 42, David Dean Bottrell – David Dean Bottrell MAKES LOVE: A ONE-MAN SHOW – The Triad, POETRY/CABARET – The Green Room 42
• Best Tribute Show
Winner: Josephine Sanges – THE FUNNY GIRL IN ME – Laurie Beechman Theatre
Runners-Up: Deborah Zecher – JEWISH CAROLING: THE MUSIC OF Carole King, Carole Bayer Sager & Carolyn Leigh – Don’t Tell Mama, Kimberly Faye Greenberg – FABULOUS FANNY: THE SONGS & STORIES OF Fanny Brice – The Green Room 42, Lisa Dennett – I’LL HAVE TO SAY I LOVE YOU IN A SONG – Don’t Tell Mama
• Best Vocalist
Winner: Jeff Harnar – I KNOW THINGS NOW : MY LIFE IN SONDHEIM’S WORDS – 54 Below, Laurie Beechman Theatre
Runners-Up: Tim Connell – LUCKY ME!, DREAMIN’ AGAIN… – Pangea, Nicolas King – Nicolas King AT GREEN ROOM 42, Seth Sikes Judy Garland 100TH, THE LINEUP, CAST PARTY, SONGBOOK SUNDAYS – The Green Room 42, Birdland, 54 Below, Robert Bannon – REWIND – The Green Room 42
