2012 MAC Awards Set for March 29; Jason Graae to Host

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) is pleased to announce the 26th Annual MAC Awards Show. The event will be held on Thursday, March 29th, at the world-famous B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in NYC. The evening will feature many live performances as well as the live announcement of the winners of the 2012 MAC Awards. In addition, as MAC celebrates The Year of the Songwriter, five exceptional songwriters will receive special honors.

The Host of the evening will be the wildly talented and always entertaining Jason Graae. Scheduled to appear as performers or presenters are: Scott Barbarino, Kenny Bell, Anna Bergman, Liz Lark Brown, Mary Foster Conklin, Scott Coulter, Baby Jane Dexter, Natalie Douglas, Kevin Dozier, Bernie Furshpin, Terese Genecco, Sean Harkness, Thomas Honeck, Karen Mason, Sharon McNight, Julie Miller, Sidney Myer, Mark Nadler, Christine Pedi, Don Rebic, Julie Reyburn, Sarah Rice, Ricky Ritzel, Johnny Rodgers, Billy Stritch, KT Sullivan, Steven Ray Watkins, Lennie Watts, and Amy Wolk.

Awards in 23 categories will be presented, including two brand new categories: Benefit, and Show of the Year. The winners of the MAC Awards are not known in advance to anyone other than the accounting firm, which is sworn to strict secrecy. Immediately upon hearing their name announced from the podium, the winners in each of the performance categories will take to the stage and perform a song – showing everyone why they deserve the award they just received! Because even MAC does not know who the winners will be before the envelopes are opened on stage, every single nominee is rehearsed in advance so that they are prepared to take the stage and perform in the event they win the award that night. There is a wonderful electrical atmosphere in the venue to have an entertainer be surprised by a win, and then immediately go out on stage and perform. It’s an audience favorite!

Each year, MAC selects special honorees to be celebrated at the MAC Awards for their exemplary contributions to the cabaret community and beyond. This year, the theme of the MAC Awards show is The Year of the Songwriter. The honorees of the evening are all critically praised audience favorites, whose songs fill the cabaret venues every night of the year.
MAC will present two “Lifetime Achievement” awards at this year’s ceremony. The honorees this year are Ervin Drake and David Friedman, both of whom are highly acclaimed internationally known songwriters who have written material that has become a standard part of the American Songbook, such as Ervin Drake’s “It Was A Very Good Year” and “I Believe,” and David Friedman’s “Listen To My Heart” and “Help Is On The Way.”

The three “Board of Directors Award” songwriter honorees of the evening will be Francesca Blumenthal, John Bucchino, and Julie Gold. All three are being honored for their outstanding and continuing songwriting contributions that have been favorite material to the cabaret community and to audiences all across America.

The MAC Awards are being held in March this year as part of the celebration of MARCH IS CABARET MONTH. During the month of March, the community plans several special events to celebrate the art form of cabaret, and to expose the general public to cabaret and the unique intimate venues of this art form. This year, the festivities of March Is Cabaret Month get a jump start when Stu Hamstra’s Cabaret Hotline Online kicks off the month a day early with a special show featuring a wide slate of wonderful performers at the Laurie Beechman Theatre on Leap Day – February 29th. Many cabaret organizations throughout the country will have special presentations planned throughout the month. And it all leads up to the grand finale culmination of the celebration with the 26th Annual MAC Awards Show on March 29th.

MAC is a trade association with a large membership, including cabaret performers, jazz singers, standup comedy performers, technicians, directors, booking managers, audience members, and Club venues. MAC presents educational programs, networking opportunities, public outreach, and a nurturing environment to encourage the next generation of cabaret artist. MAC is probably best known by the general public for the annual presentation of the MAC Awards, in which its entire membership votes to select the best of the year in New York City cabaret, jazz and comedy live performance, live performance recordings, as well as songs and special musical material written for performance in cabaret settings.

The nominees for the 26th Annual MAC Awards will be announced on Thursday, March 1st, at noon, on MAC’s official website, www.macnyc.com

Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter-Keddy