2025 MAC Award Nominees Announced + Charles Busch to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award

THE MANHATTAN ASSOCIATION OF CABARETS
announces the 39^th Annual MAC Awards

 CHARLES BUSCH to receive LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

 The Manhattan Association of Cabarets (MAC) is pleased to announce the upcoming 39th Annual MAC Awards. The awards presentation and show will take place on Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 7:00 pm, at Peter Norton Symphony Space at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street in New York City.

The MAC Awards will honor excellence in NYC nightlife during the 2024 calendar year. In addition to live musical performances at the show, competitive awards will be presented in multiple categories to performers, songwriters, directors, musical directors, piano bar performers, behind-the-scenes technical experts, and more, as well as the presentation of special honoree awards. The envelopes will be opened and the winners will be announced live at the MAC Awards show.

At the event, MAC will present a Lifetime Achievement Award to theater and cabaret legend CHARLES BUSCH.  

CHARLES BUSCH is the author and star of such plays as Psycho Beach Party, Die Mommie Die, The Divine Sister, and Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, one of the longes- running plays in Off-Broadway history. His comedy The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife ran nearly two years on Broadway and received a Tony nomination for Best Play. In 2024, he was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. As a cabaret entertainer, Mr. Busch has appeared in many cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and in concert in New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series.

The MAC Awards show is produced by JULIE MILLER and directed by AMY WOLK. The musical director and leader of the MAC Awards Band will be JOHN BRONSTON.

Tickets are available at https://www.symphonyspace.org/events/vp-the-39th-annual-mac-awards

For more information, visit www.macnyc.com

THE 2025 MAC AWARD NOMINEES ARE:

 FEMALE VOCALIST

SARAH CARSON
Strange Magic – A Musical Journey Through the Unconscious Mind
Don’t Tell Mama

NATASHA CASTILLO
That’s My Music: Growing Up with the Carpenters
Don’t Tell Mama

MARGARET CURRY
The Space In-Between
The Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Green Room 42

SUSAN MACK
No More Blues, The Susan Mack Quintet
Birdland, Jazz on Main, Maureen’s Jazz Cellar

JOSEPHINE SANGES
How My Heart Sings
Pangea, Hewitt/Woodmere Public Library

AMY BETH WILLIAMS
In Reverse
Don’t Tell Mama

MALE VOCALIST

CHRISTOPHER CASWELL
Listen to My Heart
The Laurie Beechman Theatre, Arts Project of Cherry Grove

TIM CONNELL
Tis the Season, It’s the Joy in Your Heart
The Green Room 42, Pangea

RIAN KEATING
Songs from My Trunk
Don’t Tell Mama

WOODY REGAN
From There to Here
Don’t Tell Mama

MAJOR ARTIST – FEMALE

CAROLE J. BUFFORD
You Don’t Own Me, Come Together, Yuletide Carole
54 Below, Birdland

MARIEANN MERINGOLO
The Birthday Show: Vintage 1964, 25 Years of Musical Magic, In the Spirit 2024
The Green Room 42, Chelsea Table + Stage

TANYA MOBERLY
Standards
Don’t Tell Mama

NICOLE ZURAITIS
Birdland

MAJOR ARTIST – MALE

ARI AXELROD
A Place for Us, Self-Portrait
Birdland, Bay Street Theater

NICOLAS KING
Various
Post Office PTown, 54 Below, Davenport’s, Crooners

CRAIG POMRANZ
Berlin to Dylan to Simon and Garfunkel: It’s All Kosher
Don’t Tell Mama, The Gardenia

CRAIG RUBANO
Take the Moment
The Laurie Beechman Theatre, UU Congregation of Monmouth County

KIM DAVID SMITH
Kim Sings Kylie (You Hear it and You Know), More Mostly Marlene, A Wery Weimar Christmas, Death of Classical’s “Tiergarten”
Bard Spiegeltent, Post Office Ptown, Club Cumming, Great Hall at St Mary’s Church, Joe’s Pub

NEW YORK DEBUT – FEMALE

JENN BORNSTEIN
Diary of a Pizza Bagel’s Daughter
Don’t Tell Mama

LaRAISHA DiEVELYN DIONNE
Journey to the Center
Don’t Tell Mama

AVERY NUSBAUM
It’s A Girl
Don’t Tell Mama

SHEREE SANO
Tension and Release – The Cole Porter I Know and Love
Salmagundi Art Room, Winchester Garden, The Ellington Room

NEW YORK DEBUT – MALE

MICHAEL RIDER
This ‘Ol House: Stories of a City Bear, Country Queen
Chelsea Table + Stage, The Green Room 42

MATTHEW MARTIN WARD
What I Love
Don’t Tell Mama

M. CAN YASAR
Turkish Rhapsody
Don’t Tell Mama

CELEBRITY ARTIST

ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY
Finding Beauty
54 Below

ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY AND LIZ CALLAWAY
NY State of Mind
54 Below

BETH LEAVEL
Beth Leavel, Beth Leavel Sings Sondheim
54 Below

NORM LEWIS
Summertime, The Best of Christmas
54 Below

SALLY MAYES
Now and Then
The Green Room 42

GABRIELLE STRAVELLI
Birdland

BILLY STRITCH
Birdland

ICON

TONY DANZA
Standards and Stories
54 Below

ANDRE DeSHIELDS
André DeShields Celebrates The 40th Anniversary of Harlem Nocturne
54 Below

JENNIFER HOLLIDAY
An Intimate Evening
Red Eye NY, Catalina Jazz Club, Café Carlyle

ADAM PASCAL AND ANTHONY RAPP
Celebrating Friendship and History
54 Below

IMPERSONATION/CHARACTERIZATION/DRAG ARTIST

KIKI BALL-CHANGE
Hoe Down!
Red Eye NY, Joe’s Pub, Crown and Anchor

CHEO BOURNE
The Bucket List
Don’t Tell Mama

SHANNON DALEY
Love And Let Die: Confessions of a Bond Girl
Don’t Tell Mama

VARLA JEAN MERMAN
The Errors Tour
Red Eye NY, Crown and Anchor

 MUSICAL COMEDY PERFORMER

LILA DAY
More of the Same
Pangea, Don’t Tell Mama

BECCA KIDWELL
If You Hadn’t But You Did: songs of love, sex, and murder
Don’t Tell Mama, Club Café Boston

LENA MOY-BORGEN
A Very Jewish Christmas Story
Don’t Tell Mama

AMY WOLK
Amy Has Some Things to Wolk On
Don’t Tell Mama

DUO/GROUP

ERIC COMSTOCK AND BARBARA FASANO
Birdland

KAREN MACK AND ELLIOT ROTH

Twofer Tuesday, Live at The Sands, Elliot & Karen’s 3rd Ever Holiday Thing
Pangea, Crown and Anchor, The Triad

SETH SIKES AND NICOLAS KING
The New Belters Sing MGM
Mansion at Saratoga, The Red Room, 54 Below

REVUE

FIND THE ROAD – A JOHN M. COOK ANTHOLOGY
Created and written by John M. Cook
Don’t Tell Mama

HOLIDAY REGARDS
Created and written by Michael Colby
Urban Stages

JOE ICONIS AND FAMILY
Created, written, and directed by Joe Iconis
54 Below, The Laurie Beechman Theatre

 RECURRING SERIES

THE AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY SERIES
Created, produced, and hosted by Linda Amiel Burns
Don’t Tell Mama

JIM CARUSO’S CAST PARTY
Created, produced, and hosted by Jim Caruso
Birdland

THE LINEUP
Created and hosted by Susie Mosher, produced by Hope Royaltey
Birdland

SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED
Created by Phil Geoffrey Bond, produced by Lucia Spina and Rob Maitner
54 Below

SPOTLIGHT ON YOU OPEN MIC
Produced and hosted by Natasha Castillo, co-created with John Koprowski
53 Above

EMCEE

JIM CARUSO
Cast Party
Birdland

GOLDIE DVER
Sneak Peek
Don’t Tell Mama

SUSIE MOSHER
The Lineup
Birdland

TRIBUTE SHOW

GOLDIE DVER
What A Man! Goldie Dver Sings Anthony Newley
Don’t Tell Mama, Salmagundi Club

RENEE KATZ
Renee Katz Sings Irving Berlin: Lost in His Arms
Don’t Tell Mama

CAROLYN MONTGOMERY
girlSINGER, A Celebration of Rosemary Clooney
Birdland, 54 Below

KATI NEIHEISEL
London by Night (Julie London)
Pangea

DEBORAH ZECHER AND JOSHUA ZECHER-ROSS
Family Matters: A Celebration of all Things Rodgers, Rodgers, and Guettel (Richard, Mary, and Adam)
Don’t Tell Mama

SPECIAL PRODUCTION

DON’T CRY FOR ME – MY YESHIVA
Written, produced, and performed by Joe Fox, directed by Lennie Watts, musical direction by Dan Furman
Don’t Tell Mama

GRAND HOTEL: THE 35^TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION
Produced by Walter Willison, musical director Alex Rybeck
54 Below

JOE ICONIS CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA
Created and written by Joe Iconis, produced by Jennifer Ashley Tepper, directed by John Simpkins
54 Below

           MAMA’S NEXT BIG ACT
Produced by Don’t Tell Mama and Lennie Watts, created by Lennie Watts, musical direction by Yasuhiko Fukuoka
Don’t Tell Mama

 DIRECTOR

JEFF HARNAR
Craig Rubano/Take the Moment (The Laurie Beechman Theatre), Celia Berk/A Dream and a Song (54 Below),
Renee Katz/Lost in His Arms (Don’t Tell Mama), Josephine Sanges/How My Heart Sings (Pangea)
Richard Holbrook/Twenty+Four in 2024 (54 Below)

BARRY KLEINBORT
Lorna Dallas/Snapshots (Chelsea Table + Stage), Karen Mason/Just in Styne (Birdland)
Jason Henderson/Getting to Noël You (Don’t Tell Mama)
Jeff Harnar (54 Below, Birdland), Ann Kittredge/Romantic Notions (Chelsea Table + Stage)

LINA KOUTRAKOS
Margaret Curry/The Space In-Between (The Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Green Room 42)
Kati Neiheisel/London by Night (Pangea), Susan Mack/No More Blues (Birdland)
Marieann Meringolo/The Birthday Show, Vintage 1964 (The Green Room 42), Dawn Derow/Woman’s Work (The Cutting Room)

TANYA MOBERLY
Amy Beth Williams/In Reverse (Don’t Tell Mama), Marnie Klar/Karen Carpenter Covers (Don’t Tell Mama),
Woody Regan/From There to Here (Don’t Tell Mama), Rian Keating/Songs from My Trunk (Don’t Tell Mama)
Dan Thaler/These are the Days (Don’t Tell Mama)

LENNIE WATTS
Sarah Carson/Strange Magic—A Musical Journey Through the Unconscious Mind (Don’t Tell Mama); M. Can Yasar/Turkish Rhapsody (Don’t Tell Mama)
Deborah Zecher and Joshua Zecher-Ross/Family Matters: A Celebration of All Things Rodgers, Rodgers, and Guettel (Richard, Mary, and Adam) (Don’t Tell Mama)
Shannon Daley/Love and Let Die: Confessions of a Bond Girl (Don’t Tell Mama); Joe Fox/Don’t Cry for Me—My Yeshiva (Don’t Tell Mama)

MUSICAL DIRECTOR

TEDD FIRTH
Susan Mack/No More Blues (Birdland), Carolyn Montgomery/girlSINGER, A Celebration of Rosemary Clooney (54 Below)
Melissa Errico/A Manhattan Valentine (Birdland), Marilyn Maye/By Request (54 Below)
Sally Mayes/Now and Then (The Green Room 42)

TRACY STARK
Kim David Smith/Various (Joe’s Pub, Club Cumming), Brenda Braxton/Stars Tonight! (54 Below), Meg Flather/The Brick Room Tour (Don’t Tell Mama)
M. Can Yasar/Turkish Rhapsody (Don’t Tell Mama), Jeanne McDonald live at the Eldred Preserve (The Eldred Preserve)

BILLY STRITCH
Jim Caruso’s Cast Party (Birdland), Gabrielle Stravelli (Birdland), David Marino (Birdland), Tribute to Fred Ebb (Birdland)

GREGORY TOROIAN
Margaret Curry/The Space In-Between (The Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Green Room 42)
Kati Neiheisel/London by Night (Pangea)
Maria Corsaro and Leslie Vincent/An Evening of Jazz (Don’t Tell Mama)
Sue Matsuki and Gregory Toroian/Reservations for Two (Don’t Tell Mama)

DARNELL WHITE
BoyOnBillBoard (54 Below), Melba Moore/To Broadway with Love (54 Below), Diva LaMarr, Darnell White/Just the Two Of Us (Pangea)
Michael Ray Fisher Does Marilyn Maye (54 Below), The Garfunkles (Café Carlyle)

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

ADAM DeCARLO
Deborah Zecher & Joshua Zecher-Ross/Family Matters: A Celebration of All Things Rodgers, Rodgers, and Guettel (Richard, Mary, and Adam) (Don’t Tell Mama)
Meg Flather/The Brick Room Tour (Don’t Tell Mama); Claudine Cassan-Jellison/Memory Laps (Don’t Tell Mama)
Sarah Carson/Strange Magic—A Musical Journey Through the Unconscious Mind  (Don’t Tell Mama)
Marjorie Sanua’s Secrets of Life (Don’t Tell Mama); Shannon Daley/Love and Let Die: Confessions of a Bond Girl (Don’t Tell Mama)

GIAN DiCOSTANZO
Fidelity Theatricals/Selections from Hair (Don’t Tell Mama); Joe Fox/Don’t Cry For Me—My Yeshiva (Don’t Tell Mama)
Eden Casteel/Kahn Artist (Don’t Tell Mama); Jay Daniels/Jay Walking (Don’t Tell Mama); Hope Levy/The Connie Converse Universe (Don’t Tell Mama)

SHERIDAN GLOVER
Leslie Carrara-Rudolph/Moonlight Madness (The Green Room 42); Reeve Carney Performs the Music of Prince (The Green Room 42)
Ava Nicole Francis/The Dream That I See (The Green Room 42); Madeline Dalton/Swingin’ with Sara (The Green Room 42)
Natalie Joy Johnson/Songs from the Bunker (The Green Room 42)

AMANDA RAYMOND/BECKY MORRIS
Marilyn Maye/By Request (54 Below); The Callaways/New York State of Mind (54 Below)
Lee Roy Reams/Uncensored! (54 Below); Grand Hotel Cast Reunion Concert (54 Below)

KELLY WOHLFORD
Renee Katz/Lost in His Arms: Renee Katz Sings Irving Berlin (Don’t Tell Mama); Andrea Marcovicci/Beyond Compare (Don’t Tell Mama)
American Popular Songbook Society (Don’t Tell Mama); Yael Rasooly and Daniel Rein/Hymn to Love—A Cabaret with Piaf (Don’t Tell Mama)
Goldie Dver/What a Man!—The Songs of Anthony Newley (Don’t Tell Mama)

ENSEMBLE INSTRUMENTALIST

DON KELLY, drums/percussion
M. Can Yaser/Turkish Rhapsody (Don’t Tell Mama); Eve Eaton/Back to Billy (Don’t Tell Mama); Marnie Klar/Karen Carpenter Covers (Don’t Tell Mama)
Natasha Castillo/Growing Up with the Carpenters (Don’t Tell Mama); Sarah Carson/Strange Magic—A Musical Journey Through the Unconscious Mind (Don’t Tell Mama)

MATT SCHARFGLASS, bass
M. Can Yasar/A Turkish Rhapsody (Don’t Tell Mama); Carolyn Montgomery/girlSINGER, A Celebration of Rosemary Clooney (54 Below)
Jenn Bornstein/Diary of a Pizza Bagel’s Daughter (Don’t Tell Mama); Marnie Klar/Karen Carpenter Covers (Don’t Tell Mama)
Tanya Moberly/I Love New York Songwriters (Don’t Tell Mama)

RITT HENN, bass
Amanda McBroom/Wintersong (Birdland); Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway/New York State of Mind (54 Below)
Jeff Harnar/It’s Delovely (Birdland); Renee Katz/Lost in His Arms: Renee Katz Sing Irving Berlin (Don’t Tell Mama); Tanya Moberly/Standards (Don’t Tell Mama)

SKIP WARD, bass
Brenda Braxton/Stars Tonight! (54 Below); Kati Neiheisel/London by Night (Pangea)
Leslie Vincent and Maria Corsaro/An Evening of Jazz with Leslie Vincent and Maria Corsaro (Don’t Tell Mama)
Margaret Curry/The Space In-Between (The Laurie Beechman Theatre)
Michael Rider/This ‘Ol House: Stories of a City Bear, Country Queen (Chelsea Table + Stage)

PIANO BAR SINGING ENTERTAINER – UPTOWN

ANNA ANDERSON
Don’t Tell Mama, Brandy’s

ELAINE BRIER
Don’t Tell Mama

ANDRE JORDAN
Don’t Tell Mama

TARA MARTINEZ
Don’t Tell Mama

JENNIFER PACE
Brandy’s

JON SATROM
Don’t Tell Mama, Brandy’s

PIANO BAR SINGING ENTERTAINER – DOWNTOWN

ALANA DIAZ
Stonewall, The Duplex

SUSAN CAMPANARO
Stonewall

MARIA GENTILE
The Duplex, Stonewall

MILES WHITTAKER
Stonewall

PIANO BAR INSTRUMENTALIST – UPTOWN

NATE BUCCIERI
Don’t Tell Mama, Brandy’s

GERRY DEIFFENBACH
Don’t Tell Mama

ALEXANDRA FREDERICK
The Townhouse, Don’t Tell Mama, Da Marino

WILL TN HALL
Don’t Tell Mama, Brandy’s

JOE REGAN
Don’t Tell Mama

BILL ZEFFIRO
Le Rivage, Tudor City Steakhouse, Da Marino

 PIANO BAR INSTRUMENTALIST – DOWNTOWN

KENNEY GREEN-TILFORD
Marie’s Crisis

BRANDON JAMES GWINN
Marie’s Crisis

DAN PARDO
Stonewall

DARNELL WHITE
The Nines, Soho Grand Club Room

SONG

ABOUT LOVE
Music and Lyrics by Bob Levy

BETTER PLACE
Music and Lyrics by Tracy Stark

BIG DREAMS
Music by Teresa Eggertsen Cooke, Lyrics by Andy Jackson

LITTLE DID I KNOW
Music and Lyrics by Ava Nicole Frances

LOOKING BACK
Music by Michael Leonard, Lyrics by Jane Scheckter and Roger Schore

THE MOON IS A KITE
Music and Lyrics by Ann Hampton Callaway

WAIT
Music and Lyrics by Drew Fornarola

COMEDY/NOVELTY SONG

THE BAGEL’S IN MY SOUL
Music and Lyrics by Daniel Cainer

LUV SCHMUV
Music by David Alpher, Lyrics by Jennie Litt

OL’ SANTA FELL IN LOVE WITH A HOT KNISH
Music and Lyrics by John A. Todras

SHE LIKES ME
Music by Tom Toce, Lyrics by Bob Levy and Tom Toce

SOMEONE WHO CAN STAND YOU
Music and Lyrics by John Forster

THE TEACHERS I REMEMBER
Music by Matthew Martin Ward, Lyrics by Peter Napolitano

RECORDING (LaMott Friedman Recording Award)

D.C. ANDERSON
Believe, Breathe and Sing

RICK BOGART
Rick Bogart Sings Mr. Paganini

BOB LEVY
All About Love: The Dane Vannatter Recordings Volume II

KAREN MACK
Catch & Keep

SHEREE SANO
Tension and Release – The Cole Porter I Know and Love

MAJOR RECORDING

NATALIE DOUGLAS
Back to the Garden

ROSEMARY LOAR
Curaçāo Vagabundo – Vagabond Heart

TANYA MOBERLY
I Love New York Songwriters

JANE SCHECKTER
I’ll Take Romance

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Chip Deffaa’s Rare and Unrecorded Irving Berlin Songs

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