Star-Studded List of Presenters and Recipients Highlight Upcoming Bistro Awards at Gotham Comedy Club

The lineup of people either receiving or presenting honors at the 27th Annual Bistro Awards on Monday, April 23 (at 6:30pm at the Gotham Comedy Club on 208 West 23rd Street) just keeps getting better. The Bistro's will be the place to be that evening because there won't be as much cabaret/nightlife talent in one room, well, since last month's MAC awards.

Where else will you be able to see one of the greatest newspaper entertainment gossip columnists of all time, Liz Smith, present a Lifetime Achievement Award to the incredible Kaye Ballard (the award in the name of Bob Harrington, who established the Bistro Award in 1985 in his "Bistro Bits" column in the trade weekly Back Stage)?

How about composer Marvin Hamlisch, who created more than 40 film scores ("The Way We Were," "Three Men and A Baby," "Ice Castles"), Broadway shows ("A Chorus Line," "They're Playing Our Song," "The Goodbye Girl," "Sweet Smell of Success") and is currently working on a new musical based on the iconic Jerry Lewis film "The Nutty Professor" presenting a new Bistro Award for Outstanding Contributions to American Popular Music to Melissa Manchester?

But the A-List doesn't stop there. Tony Award-winning choreographer George Faison will be on hand to present the Bistro for Ongoing Artistry in Jazz to the wonderful Dee Dee Bridgewater, while the legendary vocalist Annie Ross will present the Bistro for Ongoing Excellence as a Jazz Instrumentalist to Warren Vaché (with whom Ross appears weekly for her shows at the Metropolitan Room).

If that wasn't quite enough quality name-dropping, how about the award recipients selected by the Bistro Awards esteemed panel of writers, reviewers, and cabaret experts? People who had the cabaret/nightlife world abuzz with their talent this year include Rita Gardner, for her show "Try to Remember…" her look back at the early years of Off Broadway (Major Engagement); Joyce Breach, for her years sensitively interpreting the American Popular Songbook (Bistro Award for Ongoing Vocal Artistry), and the jazz violinist and entertainer Aaron Weinstein, who receives the Ira Eaker Special Achievement Award (named after Back Stage's co-founder, co-publisher and first cabaret critic), honoring an outstanding performer on the rise.

Other musical Bistros will honor Amy Beth Williams (Vocalist); Nicolas King (Vocalist); 2012 MAC Award-winner Lauren Fox (Debut), and Jon Weber (Musical Director). Parker Scott and accompanist/arranger Wells Hanley take the prize for their CD, "Selecting Souvenirs" (Recording). On the comedy side, Justin Sayre's "The Meeting" is recognized for Comedy Artistry, and Gary Adler, Bryan Scott Johnson and Jen Perry's "Max & Maxine: Together…AGAIN!" get the nod for Musical Comedy.

Terese Genecco (2012 MAC Awards for "Show of the Year" and "Major Artist-Female"), Shaynee Rainbolt, and Billy Stritch are being recognized for their tribute show at Iridium to the composer/arranger Russ Garcia on his 95th birthday, while Jean Brassard paid homage to Yves Montand at The Triad. Jennifer Ashley Tepper, Kevin Michael Murphy and musical director Caleb Hoyer are receiving a Musical Series Award for "If It Only Even Runs A Minute," and 2012 MAC nominee Billie Roe is taking a Bistro for Theme Show for her cabaret homage to film noir, "Dangerous Women."

This year's Bistro Awards will be produced by former Back Stage Editor Sherry Eaker, directed by Sara Louise Lazarus, and hosted by actor Jim David, with Lenny Babbish providing musical direction. Tickets are still available so go to www.bistroawards.com or call 917-239-5467.

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