Blackhurst, McArdle, Prince, Wopat, et al. Set for MAC Awards

Danny Aiello, Luba Mason, Andrea McArdle John McDaniel, Faith Prince, Tom Wopat, and Julie Wilson will be among the presenters and performers at the 2008 MAC Awards, honoring the best in New York City cabaret, which will be held at 7:30pm on Tuesday, May 6 at BB King Blues Club. Klea Blackhurst will host the ceremony.

Other performers and presenters will be Steven Brinberg, Ron Corning, Patrick DeGennaro, Baby Jane Dexter, Leon Hall, Lina Koutrakos, Steven Lutvak, Joyce Randolph, KT Sullivan, Uptown Express, and Kristine Zbornik.

At the ceremony, MAC will bestow its Lifetime Achievement Award to singer Maureen McGovern; a special award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy to Lewis Black; a special award for Outstanding Achievement in Jazz to Gloria Lynn, and Board of Directors Awards to Linda Amiel Burns, founder of The Singing Experience, and Bart Greenberg, creator of Barnes & Noble’s popular Any Wednesday series.
Time Out New York will present its special achievement MAC Award to Kenny Mellman and Bridget Everett for At Least It’s Pink.

A complete list of nominees in the competitive categories follows:

Female Vocalist

Jenna Esposito
Terese Genecco
Jeanne MacDonald
Marieann Meringolo

Male Vocalist

Brandon Cutrell
Miles Phillips
Marcus Simoene

Female Jazz Vocalist

Mychelle Colleary
Linda Kosut
Laurie Krauz
Shaynee Rainbolt
Alysha Umphress

Male Jazz Vocalist

Scot Albertson
Jack Donohue
Cleve Douglass
Dane Vannatter
Julian Yeo

Major Artist

Barbara Brussell
Baby Jane Dexter
Christine Pedi
Lennie Watts

Major Jazz Artist

Judy Barnett
Natalie Douglas
Hilary Kole
Claire Martin
Sarah Partridge

Female Celebrity Artist

Lucie Arnaz
Betty Buckley
Liz Callaway
Diahann Carroll
Linda Carter
Christine Ebersole
Linda Eder
Penny Fuller
Eileen Fulton
Tammy Grimes
Andrea Marcovicci
Chita Rivera
KT Sullivan
Mary Wilson

Male/Duo Celebrity Artist

Ashford & Simpson
Michael Feinstein
Peter Gallagher
Galt MacDermott
Jackie Mason
Donny Osmond
Steve Ross
Ben Vereen
Tom Wopat

New York Debut — Female

Suzanne Carrico
Kathryne Langford
Susan Winter

New York Debut — Male

Lucio Fernandez
Jonathan Whitton
Vincent Wolfe

Stand-Up Comic

Peyton Clarkson
Becky Donohue
Marina Franklin
Poppi Kramer
Joe Larson
John Mulaney
Amy Schumer
Darlene Violette
Rick Younger

Major Stand-Up Comic – Male

Mike Birbiglia
Bill Burr
Louie C.K.
Jim David
Mitch Fatal
Greg Giraldo
Nick Griffin
Jim Norton
Gregg Rogell

Major Stand-Up Comic – Female

Michelle Balan
Sue Costello
Susie Essman
Karith Foster
Jessica Kirson
Lynne Koplitz
Lisa Landry
Kerri Louise
Janice Messitte

Musical Comedy/Impersonation

Steven Brinberg
Jimmy James
Ray Jessel

Duo or Group

Edd Clark & Sue Matsuki
Karen Mack & Michael Holland
Anthony Santelmo, Jr. & Valerie Di Lorenzo

Jazz Duo or Group

Mary Foster Conklin & Geroge Evans
Jesse Gelber & Kate Manning
The Daryl Kojak Trio
Alex Leonard Duo
The Barry Levitt Trio

Comedy/Improv Duo/Group

Better Than The Machine
Chicago City Limits
City Hall
The Kinsey Sicks
2 For The Show

Revue/Special Production

The Songs of Joe Iconis, created by Joe Iconis
My Friend, The Cat, created by Phil Geoffrey Bond
Rendezvous-An Evening With Piaf, Brel, Aznavour and Friends, created by Terry Michel Moyer

Variety Production/Recurring Series

The After Party, hosted by Brandon Cutrell and Alysha Umphress
Jamie deRoy & Friends, produced & hosted by Jamie de Roy
Jim Caruso’s Cast Party, hosted by Jim Caruso
New York Sheet Music Society Shows, produced by Linda Amiel Burns

Piano Bar/Restaurant Singing Entertainer – Male

David Colbert
Eric Pickering
George Sanders
Jonathan Tomaselli

Piano Bar/Restaurant Singing Entertainer – Female

Maria Gentile
Sarah Mucho
Anne Steele

Musical Director

Paul Greenwood
Rick Jensen
Daryl Kojak
Alex Rybeck
Steven Ray Watkins

Director

Phil Geoffrey Bond
Eric Michael Gillett
Miles Phillips

Technical Director

Michael Barbieri
Shane Mathews
Jean-Pierre Perreaux

Song

“Another Christmas,” Words and Music by Nicholas Levin
“Close to Heaven,” Words and Music by Patrick Dwyer
“Friend,” Words and Music by Patrick DeGennaro
“I Remember,” Words by Shaynee Rainbolt & Russell Garcia, Music by Russell Garcia
“This Time,” Words by Bob Levy, Music by Karen Jacobsen

Special Musical Material

I’m a Real New Yorker, Words by Jay Jeffries, Music by John McMahon
A Moral Quandary, Words and Music by Patrick Dwyer
One Stop Shopping, Words by Dan Page, Michele Page, Sue Matsuki and Gregory Toroian, Music by Sue Matsuki & Gregory Toroian
A Piano Bar Confession, Words and Music by David Auxier
Whacked, Words by Judy Barnett, Music by Ted Kooshian

Recording

Brandon Cutrell for Brandon Cutrell
Terese Genecco for Drunk With Love-Live (A Tribute to Frances Faye)
Ritt Henn for Timber
Marieann Meringolo for Here’s To The Ladies!
Jonathan Whitton for Perfect Finite-Live at the Laurie Beechman Theatre

Jazz Recording

Scot Albertson for Fate Revealed By Design
Joyce Breach for Remembering Mabel Mercer – Volume 3
John DeMarco for Pure and Simple
Linda Kosut for Long As You’re Living-The Songs & Poetry of Oscar Brown Jr.
Barbara Lea for Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?