THE 2008 MAC AWARDS SHOW

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THE 2008 MAC AWARDS SHOW 

From Black to Blackhurst (special honoree comedian Lewis Black charging forth with sarcasm; the show’s host Klea Blackhurst charging $1 to anyone uttering the over-used word “community”)

There was Maureen and Maureen (Hanson Award winner Maureen Kelley Stewart feeling honored, to Lifetime Achievement Winner Maureen McGovern honoring us with “Feeling Groovy” and more)

There was Barbara and Barbara (Barbara Brussell who won as Major Artist and Barbara Fasano, who got a major share of song time doing two past MAC-winning songs - one in duet with Eric Comstock, with whom she has shared MAC honors and marital vows - and another Eric - Eric Michael Gillett won as Director.)

Cabaret’s friends were out in big numbers from Jamie deRoy and friends to “My Friend, the Cat.” (Revue/Special Production, a win for Phil Geoffrey Bond – the text is now a published book)

Even people with MAC in their names won MACs:  Jeanne MacDonald (Female Vocalist) and Karen Mack (sharing hers with longtime musical mayhem partner Michael Holland)   

The shortest, fastest, most convenient walk to stage center to accept an award came when the show’s musical director/onstage pianist Steven Ray Watkins simply had to get up from the piano and walk a few steps to accept the MAC for his year-long work as Musical Director.  David Colbert, who was doing on-mic voiceover announcements had to be found backstage when he won as Piano Bar Singer because he says he really didn’t expect to win as his work was in the clubs that had closed during the last year. 

Steve Ross won in the Male Celebrity Category but was not on hand and not on land.  He’s one of the entertainers aboard the cruise ship for the excursion Donald Smith runs, named “Cabaret At Sea.”  Klea Blackhurst cutely noted the aptness of the term.  (Christine Ebersole won in the Female celebrity category.)

Since cabaret is my beat, and preferred treat, I’m concentrating on that part of the show rather than the other genres honored: comedy and the world of jazz (the latter becoming more and more a close cousin of cabaret, with some nominees in jazz I think having a foot - or at least a couple of toes - in cabaret). 

This year’s show was directed by Lennie Watts, who told me, “These nights are always long. It can’t be helped. I just wanted to put together a night that I would want to sit through, using some of the people that I think deserve to be seen."  He knew that the length of the show meant a late start for his other priority event of the night - no, not collapsing and recovering after all the work - an after-the-show party at the club he books, The Metropolitan Room. It’s celebrating its second anniversary. One of its very first booked acts, Terese Genecco, who won this year’s award for the outstanding cabaret CD for her album of her tribute act to Frances Faye (Drunk With Love) which was recorded live at that venue.  We spoke there at the party.  “The most incredible thing about making the album is I didn’t know I was making it!”  Thanks go to the club’s JP Perreaux, who did her lights and sound (and just won his second MAC Award in a row for such work) and had the job of placing the mics for the very-unusual-for-cabaret full band and balancing it all - in the club’s barely tested early days. “JP said to me in that wonderful French accent, ‘Would you like me to record this for you?’ I had no idea they would be able to set up all those mics!  He captured the essence of the night.”  She brought the results back to California with her, and with the added work there, ta-da! - a debut album, a goal achieved - but she gives credit to two women: Frances Faye and her own mother, Sue Genecco. “My mom has always believed in me. From the time I was born, she wanted me to do whatever I wanted to do.”

The evening was a mix of those who have been working in cabaret a while and newer entries, like Male Vocalist winner Miles Phillips and Male Debut winner Jonathan Whitton (whom he is now directing) and Suzanne Carrico, winner for Female Debut.  (An upcoming feature will focus on these two debut talents - both performing within days of each other this month: Suzanne at the Metropolitan Room opening on May 26 and Jonathan on May 21 for the Any Wednesday series of free shows at Barnes and Noble (Lincoln Square) that won a special Board of Directors Award for its producer/creator, Bart Greenberg.  Miles, who has also performed in the series, commented about the show, “I had a fabulous time and I'm very grateful!  It's been an extraordinary year in cabaret.  So much talent, so many wonderful shows!  I felt truly honored just to make the short list in both categories.  Maureen McGovern hangs the moon as far as I'm concerned.  And people looked GREAT!  So, getting handed a MAC Award at the end of such a terrific night just put me over the top."

Tracy Stark, who won for Female Piano Bar Entertainer, told me, “I have had the thrill and honor of being nominated for a MAC award for the past 9 years, sometimes in multiple categories.  And every year, I have experienced that disappointment of hearing someone else's name.   This year I took a gig on the night of the awards.  Of course, this was the year my name was announced, and I still didn't get a chance to hear it!   It was a sweet irony.   I'm bummed that I wasn't there, but I'm deliriously happy to have shaken the Susan Lucci thing.”

Barbara Brussell also knows the feeling of multiple nominations and finally winning: “It’s a great feeling - after all this time and I’m very honored. Barbara laughed and added, referring to a perennial winner, "All I can say is that I'm grateful Karen Mason wasn't eligible to win this year!"  turning serious, she said, "I'm happy to be honored by my peers.  I love the world of the song."  Her recent show featured lyrics by women, “Out of the Mouths of Babes.” 

Particularly fun this year were the film segments featuring cabaret tips illustrated onscreen by Marilyn Maye, Baby Jane Dexter and KT Sullivan, and intoned by a mock-serious Kristine Zbornik, seen on screen with her friend the cat, “my kitty, Carlisle Hart.”  She later appeared in person after the Broadway show she’s in, A Catered Affair, got out.  She sang with longtime crowd favorite Jay Rogers and brought along her Broadway co-stars, Faith Prince and Tom Wopat (who sang “Cat’s in the Cradle” - no relation to Kristine’s pet). Other highlights included a potential future “Best Comedy Duo” - Sidney Myer and Maryann Lopinto - she was decked out in an outfit that literally lit things up with blinking lights, schlepping a shopping bag in which the award winners’ names were somehow misplaced.  All the while, the ever-semi-patient Sidney called her “Maryann dear” and asked her, to paraphrase the inevitable query:  “May I have the envelope please?”

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners, whose names can be found elsewhere on this site. I had a great time. Thank you to all!