Natalie Douglas, Joe Iconis, Molly Pope, SPAMILTON and More Among 2017 MAC Award Nominees

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) has announced the 2017 MAC Award nominees.

The nominees, in a majority of the categories, were determined by votes cast by the active MAC membership. The MAC Board of Directors selected the nominees for Show of the Year. Special committees selected the nominees in the Ensemble Instrumentalist, Piano Bar Instrumentalist, Piano Bar Singing Entertainer (Female; Male), Recording (LaMott Friedman), Major Recording, Restaurant/Lounge Entertainer, Technical Director, Song and Comedy/Novelty Song categories.

The names of the songwriters in the Song and Comedy/Novelty Song categories are being withheld during the voting period, but will be announced publicly as soon as the voting period concludes.

The Hanson Award, presented by the Board of Directors to a performer who has done excellent work over a sustained period of time and has not yet been recognized with a MAC Award nomination, will be awarded to Ira Lee COLLINGS. As previously announced, Michele Lee will receive the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award, Ken Starrett will receive the 2017 Board of Directors Award, and Joseph Macchia/CABARET CARES will receive the 2017 Ruth Kurtzman Benefit Series Award.

The winners will be revealed as the envelopes are opened live at the 31st Annual MAC Awards on Tuesday, March 28 at 7:00 pm at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City. Until that moment, only the independent accountants know who the winners are. The winners in certain categories will perform live at the show. All nominees in those categories are rehearsed in advance so they are prepared to perform in the event they are the winner.

The MAC Awards ceremony is produced by Julie Miller and directed by Lennie Watts, with musical direction by Tracy Stark. The event is open to the public. Tickets are available at www.macnyc.com or at www.brownpapertickets.com.

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The 2017 MAC Award Nominees:

FEMALE VOCALIST

Celia Berk
Manhattan Serenade
Metropolitan Room

Sally Darling
Totally Noël
Don't Tell Mama

Meg Flather
Portraits; Carly and Me
Don't Tell Mama

Josephine Sanges
Haven't We Met?; To Ann, with Love
Metropolitan Room, Don't Tell Mama

Lisa Viggiano
Night in the City
Don't Tell Mama, Laurie Beechman

MALE VOCALIST

Bob Diamond
The Gift of Love
Don't Tell Mama

Richard Holbrook
Richard Sings Rodgers with a Lot of Heart; Always December: A Holiday Musical Celebration
Metropolitan Room, Don't Tell Mama

JEFF MACAULEY
Mwah! The Dinah Shore Show; It Was Me; Le Grand Tour
Metropolitan Room

Stearns Matthews
Me and the Gersh-twins
Laurie Beechman, Metropolitan Room

Jim Speake
Sweet Life, the Show
Don't Tell Mama, Laurie Beechman

MAJOR ARTIST

Natalie Douglas
Human Heart; Stevie Songs; Freedom Songs 2016; A Very Natalie New Year; others
Birdland; Duplex, others

Sidney Myer
Live at the Beechman
Laurie Beechman

Stacy Sullivan
A Night at the Troubadour
Metropolitan Room

CELEBRITY

Christine Andreas
Feinstein's/54 Below

Michael Feinstein
Feinstein's/54 Below

Donna McKechnie
Feinstein's/54 Below

Mark Nadler
Does This Room Make My Act Look Big?
Pangea

Carol Woods
Ain't We Got Fun: The Music of Richard Whiting
Metropolitan Room

NEW YORK DEBUT - FEMALE

AMORIKA AMOROSO
The Whore Next Door
Don't Tell Mama

Hanna Burke
Why Is Everyone Laughing? A Tribute to Madeline Kahn
Don't Tell Mama, Metropolitan Room, Duplex

MARY SUE DANIELS
Straight Outta 'Conda
Don't Tell Mama

SALLIE JO HADLEY
Bustin' Loose: The Liberation of Sallie Jo Hadley
Don't Tell Mama

NEW YORK DEBUT - MALE

MATT DiPASQUALE
Neither Here nor There
Duplex

Tommy J. Dose
by.the.book
Don't Tell Mama

Charlie Romo (a.k.a. CHARLIE POVOROMO)
Metropolitan Room

SPOKEN WORD ARTIST

Karen Finley
Unicorn Gratitude Mystery
Laurie Beechman

Shawn Moninger
Because I Can 2: Second Addiction
Metropolitan Room

IMPERSONATION/CHARACTERIZATION/DRAG ARTIST

MARGOH! CHANNING
MargOH! Channing Is Uncorked; MargOH! Channing Is Hung
Pangea

Lady Bunny
Trans Jester
Stonewall Inn

Rick Skye
Liza Live!
Don't Tell Mama

MUSICAL COMEDY PERFORMER

LYNDA RODOLITZ
Lynda Rodolitz Is Off Her Rocker
Don't Tell Mama

Billie Roe
Monopoly
Metropolitan Room

Aaron Weinstein
Violinspiration
Pangea

DUO/GROUP

Anita Gillette & Penny Fuller
Sin Twisters Too
Feinstein's/54 Below, Metropolitan Room

Sally Mayes & Jeff Harnar
Double Take
Laurie Beechman

THOSE GIRLS (Eve Eaton, Rachel Hanser, Karen Mack, Wendy A. Russell)
Those Girls at the Beechman
Laurie Beechman

REVUE

ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE: AN EVENING OF Alan Jay Lerner
Performed by KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler, directed by Mark Nadler
Laurie Beechman

BROADWAY BOOZY BRUNCH
Created by Manuel Araujo and Patrick DeGennaro, produced by Don't Tell Mama
Don't Tell Mama

RODGERS, HART, AND HAMMERSTEIN
Created and written by Marcus Simeone
Don't Tell Mama, Metropolitan Room

RECURRING SERIES

IT'S JUST A NUMBER
Created, produced, and directed by Bobbie Horowitz
Metropolitan Room

Ricky Ritzel'S BROADWAY
Created and produced by Ricky Ritzel; staged and choreographed by Jay Rogers and Aaron Morishita
Don't Tell Mama

SALON
Mark Janas, founder, artistic director, host; Tanya Moberly, executive producer
Etcetera Etcetera

EMCEE

Bernie Furshpan
This Is Your Night
Metropolitan Room

Tom Gamblin
MetroStar Talent Challenge
Metropolitan Room

Bobbie Horowitz
It's Just a Number
Metropolitan Room

Nancy Witter
Nancy Witter's Comedy Variety Series
Don't Tell Mama

SPECIAL PRODUCTION

THE Joe Iconis CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR
Written and created by Joe Iconis, produced by Jennifer Ashley Tepper, directed by John Simpkins
Feinstein's/54 Below

MAMA'S NEXT BIG ACT
Produced by Don't Tell Mama and Lennie Watts
Don't Tell Mama

METROSTAR TALENT CHALLENGE
Produced by Joseph Macchia, Tom Gamblin, Beck Lee, Bernie Furshpan
Metropolitan Room

MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Rick Jensen
Doris Dear's Christmas Special (Feinstein's/54 Below), Mary Sue Daniels (Don't Tell Mama), Bob Diamond (Don't Tell Mama), Susan Winter (Metropolitan Room)

Daryl Kojak
Laurie Krauz and Daryl Kojak Celebrate 25 Years (Metropolitan Room), Amy Beth Williams (Don't Tell Mama), 2016 Bistro Awards (Gotham Comedy Club), Leslie Orofino (Metropolitan Room), Rob Davis (Metropolitan Room)

Tracy Stark
Sidney Myer (Laurie Beechman), Kim David Smith (Pangea), Sarah Dash (Iridium, Rrazz Room-Philadelphia), Eric Millegan (Don't Tell Mama), MargOH! Channing (Pangea)

Steven Ray Watkins
Amorika Amoroso (Don't Tell Mama), Billie Roe (Metropolitan Room), Those Girls (Laurie Beechman), Lynda Rodolitz (Don't Tell Mama), Tanya Moberly (Tanya Moberly Sings Loggins, Don't Tell Mama)

DIRECTOR

Barry Kleinbort
Anita Gillette & Penny Fuller (Feinstein's/54 Below, Metropolitan Room), Paula Dione Ingram (Metropolitan Room), Adrienne Haan (Adrienne Haan Sings Kurt Weill, Metropolitan Room), Claudine Cassan-Jellison (Don't Tell Mama), Madelaine Warren (Don't Tell Mama)

Lina Koutrakos
Doris Dear (Feinstein's/54 Below), Mary Sue Daniels (Don't Tell Mama), Dawn Derow (Winter Songs, Laurie Beechman), Rick Jensen's Birthday Bash (Don't Tell Mama), Patti Bottino Bravo (Metropolitan Room, Don't Tell Mama)

Mark Nadler
Stacy Sullivan (Metropolitan Room), Billie Roe (Metropolitan Room), Mark Nadler & KT Sullivan (Almost Like Being in Love, Laurie Beechman)

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Collette Black
Bob Diamond, The Gift of Love, Don't Tell Mama
Rick Skye, Liza Live!, Don't Tell Mama
Susan Neuffer, Apocalypse Wow, Don't Tell Mama
Tommy Femia & Rick Skye, Judy & Liza Together Again, Don't Tell Mama

Armando Bravi
Alvin Ing, Got a Lot of Livin' to Do, Duplex
John McDaniel & Lennie Watts, Celebrate Me Home, Don't Tell Mama
Natalie Joy Johnson & Brian Nash, Natalie Joy Johnson at The Duplex, Duplex
Tim Di Pasqua, Beach in the Blinding Sun Concert, Don't Tell Mama
Tanya Moberly, Tanya Moberly Sings Kenny Loggins with Steven Ray Watkins, Don't Tell Mama

ADAM DeCARLO
Tommy J. Dose, by.the.book., Don't Tell Mama
Midnight at the Never Get (musical, with Sam Bolen & Mark Sonnenblick), Don't Tell Mama
Amorika Amoroso, The Whore Next Door, Don't Tell Mama
Lynda Rodolitz, Lynda Rodolitz Is Off Her Rocker, Don't Tell Mama

Jason Ellis
Groovin' on a Sunday (Woody Regan and Ann McCormack), Don't Tell Mama
Amy Beth Williams, Carried Away, Don't Tell Mama
Ricky Ritzel's Broadway Halloween, Don't Tell Mama
Tanya Moberly, Tanya Moberly Sings Amy Ani Ricky Joni with Ritt Henn, Don't Tell Mama
Billy Lykken, Sacred Monster, Don't Tell Mama

Abby Judd
Sidney Myer, Live at the Beechman, Laurie Beechman
KT Sullivan & Mark Nadler, Almost Like Being in Love, Laurie Beechman
Eric Michael Gillett, The Songwriter Projects, Laurie Beechman
Those Girls (Eve Eaton, Rachel Hanser, Karen Mack, Wendy Russell), Laurie Beechman

ENSEMBLE INSTRUMENTALIST

Donna Kelly, drums/percussion
Lennie Watts, Manilow '73-'83, Laurie Beechman
Those Girls, Those Girls at the Beechman, Laurie Beechman
Amorika Amoroso, The Whore Next Door, Don't Tell Mama
Lynda Rodolitz, Lynda Rodolitz Is Off Her Rocker, Don't Tell Mama

Tom Hubbard, bass
Marilyn Maye, Dizzy's at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Carole J. Bufford, ROAR! Music of the 1920's and Beyond, Feinstein's/54 Below
Paulo Szot, Feinstein's/54 Below

Matt Scharfglass, bass
Jim Speake, Sweet Life, Laurie Beechman
Lennie Watts, Manilow '73-'83, Laurie Beechman
Lisa Viggiano, Night in the City, Don't Tell Mama
Those Girls, Those Girls at the Beechman, Laurie Beechman

KENJI TAJIMA, drums/percussion
Tim Di Pasqua, Beach in the Blinding Sun Concert Series, Don't Tell Mama
Tim Di Pasqua, The Music and Lyrics Project: Chapter Six, Don't Tell Mama
Lisa Viggiano, Night in the City, Laurie Beechman, Don't Tell Mama

PIANO BAR/RESTAURANT SINGING ENTERTAINER - MALE

Paul Pilcz, Don't Tell Mama

Tommy J. Dose, Don't Tell Mama

Adam Chandler, Duplex

JOE ARDIZZONE, Brandy's

Bobby Belfry, Brandy's

PIANO BAR/RESTAURANT SINGING ENTERTAINER - FEMALE

TARA Martinez, Don't Tell Mama

Michelle Dowdy, Don't Tell Mama

Lauren Mufson, Brandy's

HEIDI WEYHMUELLER, Brandy's

LAURA PAVLES, Don't Tell Mama

PIANO BAR INSTRUMENTALIST

Michael IsaacS, Duplex, Brandy's, Don't Tell Mama

William TN Hall, Don't Tell Mama, Duplex

Brian Nash, Duplex

DARIUS FROWNER, Duplex

Rick Jensen, Brandy's

RESTAURANT/LOUNGE ENTERTAINER

Bill Zeffiro, La Rivista

Clare Cooper, Don't Tell Mama Happy Hour

Patrick DeGennaro, Duplex Happy Hour

RECORDING (LaMott Friedman Award)

Celia Berk: "Manhattan Serenade"

Scott Evan Davis: "Next"

GINGER MINJ: "Sweet T"

MAJOR RECORDING

Mary Foster Conklin: "Photographs"

Natalie Douglas: "Human Heart"

Tracy Stark: "Shades of Beautiful - The Tracy Stark Songbook"

SONG

BEFORE I FORGET

FILLING SPACE

MORE THAN FINE

THIRTY-FIVE YEARS

WAITING

COMEDY/NOVELTY SONG

THE CHRISTMAS TREE BLUES

THE MOM SONG

SELFIE

SITTING AT THE PIANO

SO MANY REASONS

SHOW OF THE YEAR

MARILYN IN FRAGMENTS
Laurie Beechman, Metropolitan Room
Starring Marissa Mulder; Directed by Sondra Lee; Musical Direction by Jon Weber

Molly Pope IN A STAR IS BORN
Feinstein's/54 Below
Starring Molly Pope; musical direction by Brian Nash; choreographed by Ben Cameron; conceived by Will Nunziata, staged by Molly Pope

MIDNIGHT AT THE NEVER GET
Don't Tell Mama, 42West
Conceived & Performed by Sam Bolen and Mark Sonnenblick; book, music, and lyrics by Mark Sonnenblick; directed by Max Friedman; production at 42West produced by Michael Chase Gosselin

THE Joe Iconis CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR
Feinstein's/54 Below
Written by Joe Iconis; directed by John Simpkins; produced by Jennifer Ashley Tepper; choreographed by Christine O'Grady and Jennifer Werner

SPAMILTON
The Triad
Created, written, and directed by Gerard Alessandrini; musical arrangements by Fred Barton and Richard Danley; choreography by Gerry McIntyre; produced by Lush Budget Productions, John Freedson, Christine Pedi, and David Zippel, and Gerard Alessandrini