The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs announced the winners of the 2012 MAC Awards last night at the 26th Annual MAC Awards Show. The awards ceremony was held at B.B. King Blues Club, and the show was directed by Lennie Watts and produced by Julie Miller.
Awards in 23 categories were presented, including two brand new categories: Benefit, and Show of the Year. The winners of the MAC Awards were not known in advance to anyone other than the accounting firm, which is sworn to strict secrecy. Because even MAC does not know who the winners will be before the envelopes are opened on stage, every single nominee was rehearsed in advance so that they were prepared to take the stage and perform a song in the event they won an award.
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.
The winners are:
FEMALE VOCALIST
Janice Hall
MALE VOCALIST
Craig Pomranz
MAJOR ARTIST – MALE
Eric Michael Gillett
MAJOR ARTIST – FEMALE OR DUO
Terese Genecco
CELEBRITY ARTIST
Marilyn Maye
NEW YORK DEBUT – FEMALE
Lauren Fox
NEW YORK DEBUT – MALE
T. Oliver Reid
MUSICAL COMEDY PERFORMER / IMPERSONATION / CHARACTERIZATION
Joan Jaffe
DUO / GROUP
Tommy Femia & Rick Skye
VARIETY PRODUCTION / RECURRING SERIES
Wednesday Night at the Iguana
OPEN MIC
Salon
HOST – VARIETY SHOW / SERIES OR OPEN MIC
Dana Lorge
BENEFIT
Cabaret Cares
REVUE / SPECIAL PRODUCTION
Metrostar Talent Challenge
PIANO BAR / RESTAURANT SINGING ENTERTAINER
Alison Nusbaum
PIANO BAR / RESTAURANT INSTRUMENTALIST
Bill Zeffiro
MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Tracy Stark
DIRECTOR
Peter Napolitano
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Jean-Pierre Perreaux
SONG
He’s On His Way: Music by Robby Stamper, lyrics by Ariana Rose
SPECIAL MUSICAL MATERIAL
Universal Truth: Music and lyrics by Bill Zeffiro
RECORDING
H2 (Sean Harkness, Mike Herriott): Home For The Holidays
SHOW OF THE YEAR
Terese Genecco: Terese Genecco & Her Little Big Band – Iridium
In addition to the winners of the above awards, MAC awarded six special honors, including:
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD presented to Ervin Drake by Phil Ramone
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD presented to David Friedman by Lucie Arnaz
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AWARD presented to Francesca Blumenthal by Sidney Myer
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AWARD presented to John Bucchino by Julie Miller
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AWARD presented to Julie Gold by Thomas Honeck
HANSON AWARD presented to Rosemary Loar by Lennie Watts
For more information about the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs, please visit www.macnyc.com
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