54 SINGS Series Named Show of the Year at 2015 MAC Awards; All the Winners!

At a ceremony held last night in New York, the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs announced the winners of the 2015 MAC Awards. The show was hosted by Karen Mason, with musical direction by Barry Levitt, and was produced by Julie Miller and directed by Lennie Watts.

Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Baby Jane Dexter and Steve Ross. Also honored with Board of Directors Awards were David Kenney of WBAI FM Radio, and the Winter Rhythms Series at Urban Stages, and Meg Flather received the Hanson Award.

The 2015 MAC Award Winners are:

(Winners names are in BOLD with ***)

FEMALE VOCALIST

PEGGY EASON, As I See It; I'll Show Them All
Stage 72, Don't Tell Mama

SHANA FARR, In the Still of the Night
Laurie Beechman

KIM GROGG, Go Where the Love Is
Don't Tell Mama

MAXINE LINEHAN, Beautiful Songs
Metropolitan Room

GABRIELLE STRAVELLI***
Metropolitan Room

SUSAN WINTER, A Woman For All Seasons
The Metropolitan Room

MALE VOCALIST

RICHARD HOLBROOK, The Untapped Fred Astaire Revisited, Christmas in New York
Don't Tell Mama

STEARNS MATTHEWS, Sneak Peek; Spark***
The Duplex

ADAM B. SHAPIRO, Nothing Normal; My Favorite Things
54 Below, Metropolitan Room, Urban Stages; Hooverwood Fireplace Lounge (Indianapolis)

JIM SPEAKE, I'm a Brass Band - Jim Speake Sings Cy Coleman
The Duplex

MAJOR ARTIST

ERIC MICHAEL GILLETT, Man About Town
Laurie Beechman

MARISSA MULDER, Living Standards
Metropolitan Room, Urban Stages

STACY SULLIVAN, On the Air: Songs for Marian McPartland***
The Greene Space, York Theatre Company, Don't Tell Mama

CELEBRITY ARTIST

CHARLES BUSCH, Untitled show; Charles Busch on NYE
54 Below

BARB JUNGR, Hard Rain
59E59 Theaters

SHARON MCNIGHT, Red Hot Mama - The Sophie Tucker Farewell Tour
Metropolitan Room, Rrazz Room

MARK NADLER, Runnin' Wild: Songs and Scandals of the Roaring 20's***
54 Below

NEW YORK DEBUT - FEMALE

CELIA BERK, You Can't Rush Spring***
Metropolitan Room

RAIN COLLAZO, The Artist Formerly Known As
Don't Tell Mama

JAMIE HARTMANN, Dreams and Schemes
Metropolitan Room, Don't Tell Mama

LAUREN STANFORD, I'm a Stranger Here Myself
Metropolitan Room

NEW YORK DEBUT - MALE

JOSHUA DIXON, Fly Up!
The Duplex

BERNARD DOTSON, Live at the Metropolitan Room
Metropolitan Room

KRISTOFFER LOWE, Waiting For The Light To Shine***
Don't Tell Mama

MUSICAL COMEDY PERFORMER

IVAN FARKAS, Prisoner of Love***
Don't Tell Mama

NIKKI MACCALLUM, Familiar Things
The Duplex, 54 Below

RICHARD PRYOR, JR, Life, Love and a Little Laughter
Metropolitan Room

IMPERSONATION/CHARACTERIZATION/DRAG ARTIST

DOROTHY BISHOP, Dozen Divas
Metropolitan Room

HEDDA LETTUCE, Christmas Special
Metropolitan Room

REV ROGER ANTHONY YOLANDA MAPES, Be The Love***
The Duplex, Fresh Fruit Festival

JINKX MONSOON, The Inevitable Concert
Laurie Beechman

DUO/GROUP

ERIC COMSTOCK AND BARBARA FASANO
Birdland, Metropolitan Room, Jazz at Kitano, Café Sabarsky

TED STAFFORD AND LORINDA LISITZA, The Ted and Lo Show: This May Hurt a Bit***
Don't Tell Mama

KT SULLIVAN AND JEFF HARNAR, Our Time: Sullivan and Harnar Sing Sondheim
Laurie Beechman

REVUE

DIRTY LITTLE SONGS, Produced by Carolyn Montgomery-Forant and Eric Michael Gillett
54 Below, Laurie Beechman

REVOLUTION, Produced by and starring Dawn Derow and Kathleen France, musical direction and arrangements by Andrew David Sotomayor, Directed by Lennie Watts***
The Duplex

SHOWS TO GO YA AND OTHER SONGS BY BOBBIE HOROWITZ, Produced by Nicori Studios, directed by Corinna Sowers Adler, songs written or co-written by Bobbie Horowitz
Stage 72, Metropolitan Room

RECURRING SERIES

THE DANA LORGE VARIETY SHOW, Produced by Dana Lorge
Metropolitan Room

NY SHEET MUSIC SOCIETY PROGRAMS, Produced by Linda Amiel Burns
Local 802 Musicians Hall

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

SPECIAL PRODUCTION

DANCING WITH DEATH, Produced by Thomas Honeck and Lisa Moss, directed by Lisa Moss, starring Thomas Honeck***
The Duplex

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

THIS IS YOUR NIGHT, Produced by Bernie Furshpan
Metropolitan Room

EMCEE - RECURRING SERIES/SPECIAL PRODUCTION

BERNIE FURSHPAN, This is Your Night; Bernie's Sing Your Heart Out
Metropolitan Room

TOM GAMBLIN, MetroStar Talent Challenge***
Metropolitan Room

DANA LORGE, The Dana Lorge Variety Show
Metropolitan Room

ENSEMBLE INSTRUMENTALIST

PETER CALO, Guitar

TOM HUBBARD, Bass***

DONNA KELLY, Drums and percussion

RAY MARCHICA, Drums

MATT SCHARFGLASS, Bass

WARREN VACHÉ, Cornet

PIANO BAR INSTRUMENTALIST

NATE BUCCIERI***
Don't Tell Mama, The Duplex

GERRY DIEFFENBACH
Don't Tell Mama, The Duplex

WILLIAM TN HALL
Don't Tell Mama, The Duplex

BRIAN NASH
The Duplex

JOE REGAN
Don't Tell Mama

RESTAURANT/HOTEL LOUNGE INSTRUMENTALIST

MATT BAKER
Le Cirque Café

CHRIS BARRETT
La Rivista

CLAIRE COOPER
Don't Tell Mama Happy Hour

STEVEN LOWENTHAL
La Rivista, Town House, Room 53

BILL ZEFFIRO***
La Mediterranée

PIANO BAR/RESTAURANT SINGING ENTERTAINER - FEMALE

ELAINE BRIER***
Don't Tell Mama

MARIA GENTILE
The Duplex

LAUREN MUFSON
Brandy's

LAURA PAVLES
Don't Tell Mama

HEIDI WEYHMUELLER
Don't Tell Mama, Brandy's

PIANO BAR/RESTAURANT SINGING ENTERTAINER - MALE

JOE ARDIZZONE
Brandy's

BOBBY BELFRY***
Brandy's

ADAM CHANDLER
The Duplex

TOMMY J. DOSE
Don't Tell Mama

JON SATROM
Don't Tell Mama

MUSICAL DIRECTOR

RICK JENSEN
Man About Town/Eric Michael Gillett (Laurie Beechman), Doris Dean's Gurl Talk/Raymond DeForest (Stage 72), Sarah Kimball (The Duplex), Dorian Woodruff (Metropolitan Room), Kai Williams (Don't Tell Mama)

BARRY LEVITT
Dana Lorge Variety Show (Metropolitan Room), Susan Jeffries (Metropolitan Room), Sunny Leigh (Metropolitan Room), Joey Infante (Metropolitan Room), Winter Rhythms: "Barry's Girls" (Urban Stages)

TRACY STARK***
Barb Jungr (59E59 Theaters), Marcus Simeone (Don't Tell Mama), MetroStar Talent Challenge (Metropolitan Room), The Meeting* (Joe's Pub), Bret Shuford (Don't Tell Mama)

STEVEN RAY WATKINS
Joshua Dixon (The Duplex), Rain Collazo (Don't Tell Mama), Kim Grogg (Don't Tell Mama), Carly Ozard (The Duplex, Stage 72, Feinstein's at the Nikko), Jim Speake (The Duplex)

DIRECTOR

ERIC MICHAEL GILLETT***
A Tribute to Adolph Green (54 Below), Mandy Gonzalez (54 Below), Marieann Meringolo (Metropolitan Room), Lauren Stanford (Metropolitan Room), The Amanda McBroom Project (Laurie Beechman)

LISA MOSS
Dancing With Death/Thomas Honeck (The Duplex), 2014 Duplex Gala (The Duplex), From Book to Broadway (The Duplex), Joe Baccan (The Duplex), Mark Steven Wellen (The Duplex)

PETER NAPOLITANO
Adam B. Shapiro (54 Below, Metropolitan Room), Minda Larsen (Metropolitan Room), Remembering Elaine Stritch (Metropolitan Room), Winter Rhythms Holiday/Disney Closing Concert (Urban Stages)

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

ADAM DeCARLO
Bret Shuford/Charming: A Tale of an American Prince, Angela Shultz/Reality Check, Richard Holbrook/Untapped Fred Astaire (Don't Tell Mama)

JASON ELLIS
Amy Beth Williams/Crazy to Love You, Marnie Klar,/Home, Kim Sutton/Anchors Away (Don't Tell Mama)

JEAN-PIERRE PERREAUX***
Sharon McNight/Sophie Tucker's Farewell Tour, Stacy Sullivan/Peggy's Back, Marilyn Maye/Marilyn by Request (Metropolitan Room)

TED STAFFORD
Chrysten Peddie/Too Darn Tall (Metropolitan Room), Marieann Meringolo/Crazy Love (Metropolitan Room), Joyce Breach/Moments Like This (Don't Tell Mama)

K.J. HARDY (lights), AMANDA RAYMOND (sound)
Mark Nadler/Runnin' Wild: Songs of the Roaring Twenties, Marilyn Maye/Marilyn Salutes Johnny Carson, Paulo Szot (54 Below)

RECORDING (LaMott Friedman Award)

CELIA BERK
You Can't Rush Spring

MAXINE LINEHAN
An American Journey

KAREN OBERLIN AND SEAN HARKNESS
A Wish

STEARNS MATTHEWS***
Spark

BOB MUNDY
Something Beautiful

SONG

ADVICE TO A YOUNG FIREFLY
Music by Derek Gregor, lyrics by Sam Carner

CENTRAL PARK IN SPRING
Music by William TN Hall, lyrics by Patrick Gallagher

SAVE ME THE ROSE
Music and lyrics by Scott Evan Davis

SIMPLY***
Music and lyrics by Bruce Kimmel

A SONG TO COME HOME TO
Music and lyrics by Major Scales (Richard Andriessen)

COMEDY/NOVELTY SONG

THE BRIT SONG***
Music and lyrics by Amy Wolk and William TN Hall

DON'T TURN 13
Music and lyrics by Drew Fornarola

JUST A WORD
Music and lyrics by Scott Evan Davis

SAVIN' IT
Music by Derek Gregor, lyrics by Sam Carner

SHE TELLS ME
Music by Doug Katsaros, lyrics by Amanda Yesnowitz

SHOW OF THE YEAR

The 54 SINGS Series, Created by Phil Geoffrey Bond, produced by 54 Below***
54 Below

RED HOT MAMA - THE SOPHIE TUCKER FAREWELL TOUR, Conceived by and starring Sharon McNight, musical direction by Ian Herman
Metropolitan Room, Rrazz Room

RUNNIN' WILD: SONGS AND SCANDALS OF THE ROARING 20'S, Created by and starring Mark Nadler
54 Below

SHADES OF BLUE, Created by Carole J. Bufford and Scott Siegel, starring Carole J. Bufford, musical direction by Ian Herman
54 Below, Metropolitan Room

THE SKIVVIES, Created by and starring Nick Cearley and Lauren Molina
54 Below