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What is more theatrical than an awards show? There’s that suspense of “Who will win?” There’s the dramatic pause between the rattling off of nominees’ names and the envelope-opening and then the winner is announced. The cast of characters is colorful and charismatic --- the bright, new talents and the not-so-rusty ‘n’ dusty old-timers. The “acting,” a cynic (not I!) might say, involves: winners acting humble and acting surprised and the other nominees; going home empty-handed and maybe feeling empty; acting gracious and gallant and grateful to have been nominated. Add to this the scripting involved in fashioning the perfect acceptance speech.
And, speaking of fashion--- oh, the wardrobe department! In the case of the annual awards show for MAC, the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs, it is very much a show --- a thankfully entertainment-heavy night. What made it unique this year was having all the nominees in singing categories prepared and rehearsed to go on and SING after accepting the prize, rather than the usual mix of entertainers between award presentations. It gave the night more drive and focus. The trade-off was that it made the evening resemble the other two cabaret awards shows with critics-selected pre-announced winners singing’ and indeed, several winners were the same folks. But, on its own, the MAC night was strong, with that added element of surprise and wondering about who’d win, even though some heavily expected to win did indeed win.
With many presenters and performers and plenty of pizzazz, it’s a night that’s long, but long on talent. Music filled the air and so did some normal tension that comes from competition and the vagaries of a live show where only the sworn-to-secrecy vote-tabulating accountants knew who’d be coming on next to the large stage at the packed B.B. King venue on West 42 Street in the heart of the Broadway area.
To this longtime observer of cabaret’s MAC Awards, and one involved as an invited committee member for eligibility and categorization of those submitted for consideration --- as well as a journalist who votes on the other two annual honor rolls in this field of dreams, the Nightlife Awards and the Bistro Awards --- it was, as we reviewers say, “A HIT!!!!” I’d seen full shows of all the winners except one (and he was absent), so there was no sense of discovery and surprise for me, and I was rarely surprised at who won. So, gasping in shock or wonder or unanticipated delight was not my reaction, but I still felt entertained, engaged and “endless” it did not seem. Running smoothly and well-shaped, with nary a dud or “thud!” moment, only a couple of speeches that went on long enough for me to wonder if all-bases-covered, smart and sensible producer Julie Miller was checking on the availability of a hook. Like in all good theater, an exit is part of good timing. Ain’t nothin’ worse than not bein’ terse, especially in prepared remarks.
What made this particular show particularly effective was the sense of history --- cabaret history and MAC history --- which was its theme and, hallelujah, they stuck to it. Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the MAC Awards, the organization reveled in its legacy and honored the past. It felt right. It felt real. It felt real nice. It also gave the evening a sense of a warm embrace rather than just the pats on the backs awards shows can be. The appreciation and pleasure trip down Memory Lane seemed widely appreciated, not just for those who went back that far, but by some newer kids on the cabaret block I spoke with. It didn’t feel too “inside” or exclusionary. With elements of a family reunion, the “kids” could be in on the fun of the old scrapbook as much as cabaret’s grandparents who were there back in the day. Erv Raible, who does go back that far, came up with some of the wittiest lines of the night, looking back at cabaret, this man who owned various clubs and had hired many in the room quipped, “It’s all my fault.” And there were comments about the headaches and egos and gal singers “unleashing cleavage on unsuspecting audiences.”
Nothing reminds us of the passage of time than film clips of the past or reminders of those no longer with us. Intermittent clips from the very first MAC Awards show showed us younger versions of some familiar, still-active personalities with more or darker hair and appearances by some who are gone and much missed. A separate segment with Rick Jensen singing and playing his own touching song, “In Passing Years,” with passing on-screen images of many who have gone, was followed by a special trio of tributes to performers recently lost in a short period of time. Klea Blackurst, with class and insight, honored the late cabaret star Mary Cleere Haran with Rodgers & Hart’s “This Funny World” from their Broadway score to Betsy. And Johnny Rodgers movingly sang and played piano for himself with a graceful “Moonlight in Vermont,” as a salute to the icon and great cabaret nurturer, Margaret Whiting. (“Not a single rhyme!” he reminded me after the show, referring to that unusual aspect of its lyric.) And at the top of this article, the first photo is of the vocal group Uptown Express who suddenly and unexpectedly lost tenor member David Gurland, well before his time, a singer who also did solo and duo shows over the years. The group performed “Seasons of Love” from the musical Rent, and that was when I reached for a nearby napkin as tears welled.
This next photo shows two of the many presenters, who are no strangers to receiving awards themselves. Songwriter Julie Gold (who also has that award called a Grammy for “From a Distance”), and who’d also hosted MAC’s showcase at The Duplex for nominated songs heard in cabaret this past year, returned to hand out the awards to the winners. She’s seen here backstage with Baby Jane Dexter, who presented the first of the evening’s awards, along with a singer whose name sounds the same as the organization’s: Karen Mack.
And here is Nate Buccieri, winner for his long nights in piano bars behind the keyboard with sometimes
noisy patrons; he made one of the most memorably grateful comments, thanking those who made what could be “an incredible chore” instead “an incredible pleasure.”
And could that be Judy and Liza?
Well, sort of : it’s Tommy Femia, longtime Garland channeler and, as Liza Minnelli, the evening’s superb host, Christine Pedi, currently starring in the ever-updated-by-its-very-
Here’s Marianne Challis.
Marianne won the Hanson Award, selected not by the MAC membership but by a committee of cabaret observers of which I am honored to be a member. The classy Marianne performed “The Journey” by the aforementioned Julie Gold and her personal journey, which included not being able to sing at all for years, was discussed in a loving if lengthy introduction by her director, Scott Barnes. It did give a deeper context to the song and the recipient who’d triumphed and can get deep into a lyric.
Liz Lark Brown, winning for her solo debut show after years as a piano bar singer, is seen here, alone and with one of the members of her band (and everybody’s band, it seems), Sean Harkness, who also won for stepping out for his own solo debut show. Liz’s show was a result of her winning the Metropolitan Room’s MetroStar Talent Challenge competition. She brings back this exciting show, this time to Don’t Tell Mama, on May 24. Sean will be there, too --- and everywhere 
you look. Liz becomes one of a club whose members you can count on the fingers of one hand: those who have, in the same year, won the triple crown of cabaret awards: MAC, Nightlife, Bistro. Another member of that club (and our writing staff), Daryl Glenn, was included in this year’s Awards show opening number, “One Voice."
Lennie Watts, MAC’s President, again directed the evening and did a bang-up job, even adding feathers to his cap, our fine-feathered friend of cabaret already having many. Caps off to him for not only smooth direction without battle pay, but for winning two awards himself (Director, and as one-third of a vocal trio show with Scott Coulter and longtime collaborator Steven Ray Watkins, the night’s musical director, ready at the drop of Lennie’s or anyone’s cap to jump in when a singing winner had to burst into song. Lennie was also a hoot in his speech, dismissing the idea of cabaret as being some dying art as the scene’s equivalent of pessimistic doctors and morticians claimed since pre-MAC days: Lennie quipped, “Cabaret ain’t goin’ nowhere. If we need to do it in the frozen food aisle of Gristede’s, we’d still do it.” Ritt Henn ambled onstage to join him for an original song about the way-too-many postcards and e-mailed invitations and “gentle reminders” one is bombarded with from cabaret artists hawking their shows. What a laugh riot! A real highlight it was.
Speaking of original songs, Mary Liz McNamara, a sometime Henn collaborator, won for 
her special material and is seen below with her muse of choice, Sharon McNight, a presenter and past host.
Also in the musical category, Alex Rybeck won for musical direction and one singer he worked with, Kevin Dozier, won in the Male Vocalist category. Here they are together:
Kevin sang a medley of two songs that could possibly sum up the love people have for cabaret and how its community’s interpersonal conflicts and the disappointments might ease during the 25 years and beyond: Irving Berlin’s “Always” and “Time Heals Everything” from the Broadway musical Mack and Mabel.
The Female Vocalist category, always a tough, talented, crowded field, 
brought Sarah Rice to the stage as winner. First noted by many as the original ingénue in Broadway’s Sweeney Todd (pre-MAC Awards!), she’s recently moved into cabaret.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Annie Ross, still performing weekly at the Metropolitan Room. She performed, as did her presenter, modern-day jazz star Jane Monheit. These were highlights in a night of many.
Marilyn Maye again won in the Celebrity category, but was out of town with a show she brings into New York at Feinstein’s at Loews Regency in a matter of days. All winners and more info on MAC can be found at their website, www.macnyc.com
As the show ended around 11 pm, some lingered, some went to after-parties. Here’s a shot of the staff at Don’t Tell Mama, at their party open to all, with some of their own winners and nominees.
Don't Tell Mama staff celebrates the MAC Awards at a party and congratulates the indicated nominees and winners from their cabaret family. LEFT TO RIGHT: Randy Lester (nominee), Jon Satrom, Liz Lark Brown (winner), Bobby Peaco (presenter), Laura Pavles, Michael Kirk Lane (nominee), Soli Pabon (presenter), Clare Cooper, Nate Buccieri (winner), Jessica Bailey, Heidi Weyhmueller (performer).
Congratulations are in order – not just to those honored with nominations and wins, but to those who put together such a successful evening and made us look back warmly --- and happy to look forward.
Cheers! (and I mean that literally)
Catch-Up on Cabaret is presented through the generosity of Jamie deRoy and friends.
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