Jenifer Lewis, James Wesley, and Seth Rudetsky to be Honored With MAC Awards

This year's Manhattan Association of Cabarets (MAC) presents Tony nominee Jenifer Lewis with its 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award at the 35th Annual MAC Awards.

Additionally, James Wesley and Seth Rudetsky will be honored for their creation of Stars in the House.

The ceremony will be held virtually Thursday, May 13 at 7:00. Tickets are free, but reservations are needed. For those who can, donations will be used to continue the Dottie Burman Award Fund, which provides a financial award to emerging songwriters.

Viewing Reservations may be made at www.MACnyc.com

Check out the full list of honorees below!

Jenifer Lewis (Lifetime Achievement Award) is an actress, singer, author and activist. With more than 500 appearances in film and television, Jenifer currently stars as the outspoken grandmother, "Ruby," on the Emmy-nominated hit show Black-ish. A third spin-off from Black-ish, entitled Old-ish, is currently in development at ABC, and stars Jenifer alongside Laurence Fishburne. Jenifer's bestselling memoir, The Mother of Black Hollywood, was hailed for its honesty and humor and she is currently writing her second book. Jenifer has successfully combined her art with her passion for social justice through numerous viral political songs including "Get Your Ass Out and Vote," "All Hands on Deck, Take Your Knee Off Our Necks," and "In These Streets" with Brandy and Roz Ryan. During 2021, Jenifer will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (Photo: Tyler Iacona)

Tom D'Angora, Michael D'Angora, and Tim Guinee (Board of Directors Award) for their work on the Cabaret Telethons.

Tom D'Angora is a three-time Drama Desk nominee and an Off-Broadway Alliance Award Winner for NEWSical The Musical, the third longest running musical revue in history and has been the recipient of Proclamations from the Mayor, the Senate, and the Speaker of the NY City Council. Currently serving as a co-producer for the upcoming Broadway revival of Caroline or Change Off-Broadway Credits include: A Musical About Star Wars (produced/directed/co-wrote), The Marvelous Wonderettes (produced/directed), Naked Boys Singing (produced/directed), Love Quirks (produced), ICONS (produced/directed/conceived), Back in Pictures (produced/directed/conceived), A Broadway Diva Christmas (produced/directed/conceived), and the first family musical about disability and inclusion Addy & Uno. In 2003 D'Angora produced, wrote, and starred in his multi award-winning solo show Divas I've Done (which played sold out runs Off-Broadway, LA, Boston, and Provincetown). Film: Co-Producer The Big Gay Musical, Executive Producer Mangus. Recordings: NEWSical: Full Spin Ahead! (original cast recording), A Musical About Star Wars (original cast recording), Ellen Greene In His Eyes. Most recently, Tom wrote and served as executive producer on the new series, "Mélange," starring Morgan Fairchild, which was presented on LOGO TV's digital platforms this past spring.

Michael D'Angora is thrilled to be making his Broadway debut as a co-producer on the upcoming Caroline, or Change revival. Off-Broadway credits include proudly working as a director alongside his husband, Tom D'Angora, on A Musical About Star Wars, The Marvelous Wonderettes, A Broadway Diva Christmas and Naked Boys Singing! Other directing credits include 'Til Sunday (Hollywood Fringe Festival), A Kid Like Jake (YOLO! Productions), You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Debbie Does Dallas The Musical, and Ptown's hit drag show ICONS. As a video director and editor, he has loved working with Christine Pedi on her Liza Minnelli and "Hello Dolly Audition" videos, Kenn Boisinger's streaming series, several music videos with Maya Days, and as editor on Mélange. For Real. Check out my website www.MichaelDangora.com you know...for fun.

Tim Guinee has acted in over 100 plays (including SubUrbia at Lincoln Center and Richard II and Twelfth Night for Shakespeare in the Park), and an additional 200 films, MOW's and episodes of television (Including 99 Homes, Iron Man I & II, The Good Wife, Hell on Wheels, Sweet Land, and the recently released I). He can be seen soon on Netflix Inventing Anna. He is deeply invested in the struggle to address the climate crisis, and, as such, is the founder of the Climate Actors (climateactors.org) and a member of the Climate Reality Project. In 2020 he was presented the auspicious Alfredo Sirkis Green Ring Award by former Vice-President Al Gore.

Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley (Board of Directors Award) for their creation of Stars in the House.

Stars in the House, which officially kicked off on March 16, 2020 is a daily series that features stars of stage and screen singing or performing plays live (from home!) to promote support for charitable services for those most vulnerable to the effects of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Joining Seth and James for the shows is Dr. Jon LaPook, chief medical correspondent for CBS News. Visit starsinthehouse.com to donate to The Actors Fund, watch previous episodes, learn about upcoming guests and more.

Since the first show, Stars in the House has raised more than $818,920 to benefit The Actors Fund, and over $203,337 for other charities including the NAACP LDF, Trevor Project, Humane Society of New York, and more - and continues to do so thanks to a generous donation from the Berlanti Family Foundation.

Seth Rudetsky began working on Broadway as a pianist for shows like Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera. He soon connected with Hearts and Voices, an organization that brings live weekly performances to hospitalized people with AIDS and began volunteering for them in 1992.

In 2001, he produced and conducted Dreamgirls starring Heather Headley, Audra McDonald, and Lillias White, the first fall concert for The Actors Fund, and raised almost $1 Million! He has been working with The Fund ever since.

He is the afternoon Broadway host on SiriusXM Radio and co-wrote and co-starred in Disaster! on Broadway, which was co-produced by his husband, James. Seth and James produced the all-star Broadway for Orlando recording of "What the World Needs Now Is Love," featuring Carole King, Sara Bareilles, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Billy Porter, and more. It charted on the Billboard Hot 100, reached #1 on iTunes, and raised over $100,000 for the GLBT Center of Orlando. Seth and James also organized the group to sing at the Democratic National Convention in 2016.

Seth and James teamed up with Broadway superstar Audra McDonald, director Schele Williams, and Broadway Inspirational Voices' Joseph Joubert and Michael McElroy to release a very special recording and music video of the beloved song "Georgia On My Mind" to help to raise funds and awareness for Stacey Abrams' Fair Fight organization in early 2021.

Most recently, they collaborated with Williams on a special video celebrating the Inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, which aired during the January 20 special. Over 35 stars joined from the safety of their own homes to belt out two iconic Broadway songs: "Season of Love" from RENT, and "Let the Sunshine In" from HAIR.

James Wesley. In addition to conceiving the idea for Broadway for Orlando, James created (and co-produced with Seth) Voices for the Voiceless on Broadway in 2015, which shined a spotlight on foster care in a unique and entertaining way, combining celebrity, music, and everyday people sharing their stories. The concert raised $500,000 for You Gotta Believe! and the Council on Adoptable Children.

The now-annual benefit concert for You Gotta Believe had its sixth edition in February 2020 at The Town Hall in New York City, starring Laurie Metcalf, Kelli O'Hara, Andrea Martin, and Brian Stokes Mitchell, among many others.

In response to concerns that marginalized people would suffer after 2016's presidential election, James co-produced and co- hosted a concert series called Concert for America with his husband, the first one held in NYC in January 2017. Over the course of the series (13 in all), entertainment's biggest stars generously lent their voices to raise money for national organizations dedicated to protecting civil rights, women's health, and environmental protection.

As a writer, he wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed off-Broadway play, Unbroken Circle, starring Eve Plumb and Tony nominees Anika Larsen and Jennifer Simard. He also wrote Art and Science, a comedy-drama dealing with the generational differences between two gay men, starring Tony nominees Tony Sheldon and John Tartaglia.

James was also proud to be one of the lead producers on Broadway of his husband's musical, Disaster!

James and Seth are the proud recipients of the National Leadership Award from the LGBTQ Task Force for their work on Broadway for Orlando's "What the World Needs Now Is Love." For their work on Stars in the House, they have received the Gotham Icon Award from the Museum of the City of New York, the Founders Award for Resilience from the Cancer Support Community, and a Drama Desk Award.

Dave Goodside (MAC Humanitarian Award) for his work feeding First Responders at The Beach Café. Dave Goodside is the owner of The Beach Café, the iconic Upper East Side restaurant that has been a neighborhood institution for over 50 years, and which is also the home of one of New York's most beloved cabaret venues. When the coronavirus crisis first emerged and hit New York City so hard, Dave felt an irrepressible need to do something meaningful for all of the neighborhood first responders. With several of New York's major hospitals located in the immediate vicinity of The Beach Café, Dave witnessed on their way to work the brave and selfless medical workforce that was shouldering such a heavy burden during the darkest of times. These doctors, nurses, administrators, security officers, maintenance workers, those who clean, those who deliver, those who stock the shelves, were doing the heavy lifting for all of us. Dave knew that he had to do something to give back and sustain these hardworking first responders. He started doing what he knows best - feeding people. The Beach Café matched donations with an additional equal amount in food. They provided free Beach burgers and fries lunches to a multitude of healthcare first responders. He set up a Grab and Go meal service for hospital staff to pick up a free lunch as they walked past on their way to work or on their way back home. This was his way of saying thank you to the people who we can never thank enough. https://www.gofundme.com/f/feed-the-hospital-staff-fund