The 2004 MAC AWARDS Show

This year's MAC AWARDS show was held at SYMPHONY SPACE (Broadway at 95th Street - 212-864-1414) on Monday, May 17th. The following is a report of that show, written by CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE Editor-in-Chief, Stu Hamstra.

When writing articles and items on the computer, one of the basic techniques one uses is called "cut & paste." This allows you to "borrow" sentences and paragraphs from other articles, or even move sentences and paragraphs around within an article. It is quick, it is efficient, and when done well, the result is invisible to the reader. But if done in a hurry, you end up with mismatches, words out of place, double words, and eventually a real mess (a few paragraphs in my newsletter turn out that way occasionally). The 18th ANNUAL MAC AWARDS Show, held on Monday night, May 17th at the PETER NORTON SYMPHONY SPACE (Broadway at 95th Street - 212-864-1414) at 7:30 pm appeared to me to be a sometimes-sloppy "cut & paste" affair.

For example, the very creative and clever opening number had three of NYC's top technical directors (the guys who run the light and sound systems), Bobby Kneeland, Tom Honeck and Michael Barbieri, aligned on stage as a trio, and reciting the rules about cell phones, flash photography and recording devices. A mini-combo with Bobby Peaco at the piano, Marc Bellair on drums, and Dan Martin on bass vamped in the background. Great way to open! But then out of the blue, "cut & paste" four top NYC female vocalists, Karen Mack, Audrey Lavine, Kristine Zbornik and Julie Reyburn singing a "strong women" medley. Huh? Were "tough women" to be the theme of the evening?

Incidentally, there was no MC this year, and instead MAC opted for an "offstage voice," originally to be provided by Sidney Myer, but spoken instead by last-minute replacement Frank Fontana (who was amazing!).

Next, MAC President Barry Levitt was introduced by the "offstage voice" to officially welcome everyone, and he announced that ALL the songs and ALL the performers in the evening's show would be MAC Award winners. Then he read part of a proclamation from the Mayor of NYC declaring that MAY was Cabaret Month in NYC. MAY? That's what it said. OK, that's not "cut & paste," it's called "search & replace."

The very first awards of the evening were presented by the unflappable Baby Jane Dexter - for Musical Comedy and Musical Comedy Duo/Group. This "cut & paste" was necessary because one of the nominees was appearing in a show at DON'T TELL MAMA at 9:00 pm. Winner of the first award was Eric Pickering, for his show "Ode to Attention Seekers," performed at THE DUPLEX. Eric had taken along a small card so that he wouldn't miss anyone to thank. Usually this means a long acceptance speech, but it was probably a good idea. By including everyone (even former lovers, if necessary) one avoids the possibility of a loud and ugly altercation at the after-party. The "Duo/Group" award was given to Tommy Femia and Steven Brinberg for their "Judy and Barbra, Live!" show, performed at DON'T TELL MAMA.

Ricky Ritzel (who made his debut about 40 years ago) and Margaret Motley, owner of LE CHAT NOIR (715 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA - 504-581-5812 - http://www.cabaretlechatnoir.com/ ) stepped to the podium and presented the Male & Female Vocal Debut awards to Amy Wolk (DON'T TELL MAMA & MAMA ROSE'S) and Steven Ray Watkins (MAMA ROSE'S). Interestingly, Steven was also musical director for Amy's show.

Jackie Hoffman was recipient of this year's TIME OUT NEW YORK Special Achievement Award. While the MAC show was to honor performances in 2003, presenter Adam Feldman admitted that Ms. Hoffman actually never performed the show in 2003 - she started her record-breaking run at JOE'S PUB in January 2004. So much for playing by the rules. But Jackie did treat us to a 5-minute sample from her show - it was a riot, and one of the few high spots in an otherwise mediocre evening.

Someone named Kurt Hanson from something called AccuRadio appeared to present the CD awards. Apparently he runs a web radio station called Cabaretdio.com. I wouldn't know for sure, since I own a MAC and it is only currently available on PC machines. The Solo Artist CD award went to Marieann Meringolo ("Imagine ... If We Only Have Love") and the Group/Compilation CD Award was given (after a bit of fumbling) to Jamie deRoy ("Volume 5 - Animal Tracks").

Late night radio talk show host Joey Reynolds and MAC award winning vocalist Goldie Dver stepped to the podium to present the Revue Award, given to KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler's "Come On & Hear" show (MAMA ROSE'S). The Ron Poole was announced as winner for Special Production/Variety Production/Series for his show "Poole Party" (DON'T TELL MAMA).

MAC Award winning vocalist Lennie Watts stepped to center stage to perform Julie Gold's "Heaven," which tied with Ann Hampton Callaway's "Where Does Love Go?" in 1996 for Song of the Year.

There was no Hanson Award last year - for reasons never actually explained, but Roy Sander was introduced to present this year's Hanson Award Winner, Teri Lynn Paul. The exact qualifications for the award have changed over the years. Originally given by Peter & Mildred Hanson to a newcomer who was overlooked by the nominating process in the given year, the awardee is now chosen by committee, and the only qualification seems to be a very deserving performer who has never received an award. No one could be more deserving than Teri Lynn Paul.

Both jazz and comedy have been given short shrift lately in the MAC award system - at one time there were awards given for Male & Female Jazz Artists as well as Major Male & Female Jazz Artists, plus Jazz Instrumentalists, and even a Jazz CD award. Now there is just one award for the jazz field - Jazz Vocalist. The lady who has possibly won more MAC jazz awards than anyone, Judy Barnett, stepped forward to present the awards, naturally, for Technical Director and Musical Director. Huh? Thomas Honeck (THE DUPLEX) graciously accepted the Tech award and the Musical Director Award went to piano genius Dick Gallagher (accepted on his behalf by Lina Koutrakos).

In 1998, Tom Andersen's poignant ballad "Yard Sale" won the MAC for Song of the Year. For a reason I will not understand, the song was performed next by the very talented musical comic and director Jim Luzar (After the show, I found out that Tom, a 5-time MAC Award winner, was never informed that his song was going to be performed at the MAC Awards, nor was he even asked to sing his own signature song - huh?).

Darius deHaas was next to hand out the awards for Jazz Vocalist and Vocal Duo/Group. Natalie Douglas (THE DUPLEX), who won the award last year, accepted the single jazz award for the evening, and that wild duo, Karen Mack and Michael Holland (DUPLEX, MAMA ROSE'S) accepted their annual MAC award as well (I wonder how long they "partied on" afterwards?).

Well, star vocalist Baby Jane Dexter gave out the Musical Comedy awards, so why not have musical comedy genius Georga Osborne give out the Piano Bar Entertainer and Singer/Songwriter awards? They were presented to Jerry Scott (DANNY'S) and John Bucchino (THE DUPLEX) respectively.

Singer/songwriter winner John Bucchino didn't have to walk very far, just to the podium, to present the 2004 Song of Year Award to a very excited, exuberant and deserving Maria Gentile and Caren Cole ("Kindness Makes Me Cry). Now that's a logical choice for presenter (and presented) as was the next match: Comedy songwriter George Winters presenting the Special Musical Material award to Mary Liz McNamara for her song "Bacon."

George stayed at the mike to present the next performance, Helen Baldassare singing his song "The Girl Who Put the Sin in Cincinnati" which won for Special Musical Material in 1993. This was the second high point of the evening - and it was "half-time" (at around 9:15 pm) and time for an intermission.

Intermission was fun - first time in my life I was hissed at by a publicist!

The second act began with another "group performance" featuring Bobby Belfry, Phyllis Pastore and Eric Pickering singing another George Winters creation "Piano Bar Hell." Wasn't the piano bar award given in the first act? And didn't "Piano Bar Hell" lose to David Friedman's "My Simple Christmas Wish" in 1995 for Special Musical Material? Never mind - it's a funny song. But I can't help but wondering if the also very funny "Simple Wish" might have fit in better anyway, since the next person to receive an award had nothing to do with piano bar.

The unstoppable Mario Cantone was the next presenter, and delivered the award for Impersonation/Characterization to Peggy Lee impressionist Chuck Sweeney (DON'T TELL MAMA). And Mario next presented the Stand Up Comedy Award to the delightful Nancy Witter (DON'T TELL MAMA). Now if Nancy hooked up with Karen & Michael after the show to celebrate their victories, I knew there would be headlines in the papers on Tuesday!

Barry Levitt next returned for the presentation to Peter Howard of the 2004 MAC Board of Directors Award. Peter graciously accepted and the stepped to the piano to give a brief anecdote or two from the show CHICAGO, including performances of "10 Percent" (which he called "The Agent Song" and was eventually cut from the show) and "Hot Honey Rag," an instrumental number that he wrote using the melody of a Kander & Ebb tune already in the show.

MAC newest Board Member, Brent Winborn, took the podium to present the next award, for Director, to Lina Koutrakos (who included Lennie Watts in her list of thank-yous, since Lennie did not submit his name in nomination this year).

Lina didn't need to leave the stage either after her acceptance speech, since she was up next to perform Carol Hall's "I Dream in Technicolor" which won for Song of the Year in 2003. The third high point of the evening.

Naturally, songwriter John Wallowitch was chosen to present the Major Vocalist award (didn't there used to be a Major Male Award and a Major Female Award?). Winner was Karen Mason (KING KONG ROOM), who won this same award last year. Ms. Mason was in Florida in a show, so her husband, Paul Rolnick, accepted the award.

A quick change of costume during John's presentations and Lina was back to introduce the presenter of the next award, Ahmet Ertegun (one of the founders of ATLANTIC RECORDS) who in turn introduced and presented the MAC 2004 Special Achievement Award to the vocal group MANHATTAN TRANSFER. I've mentioned elsewhere that I have never heard this group perform live, and I risk the anger of their many fans by saying I thank my lucky stars for that fact. They are lovely people, with lovely harmonies and lovely arrangements and probably made dozens of lovely records and CDs, but sitting through five numbers of people singing loud and fast was more than enough loveliness for me. To sit through a one-hour cabaret show or concert would have been noise overload for me. They indeed sang five songs, and I can only recall one short lyric: "I Love Coffee, I Love Tea," whatever that means.

She plays a vixen on TV, but one of the loveliest and most charming ladies in cabaret, Eileen Fulton, stepped to the mike to present the Female Vocalist Award. The award went to the "Susan Lucci" of cabaret, the amazing, exciting and wonderful Jeanne MacDonald (THE DUPLEX). Brava! At long last the recognition Ms. McDonald has deserved since receiving the MAC Hanson Award in 1998.

But wait, there's more. Impressionist Marilyn Michaels was announced. Her job was to present the final award of the evening - Male Vocalist. Huh? But first she wanted to do a little of her Atlantic City act. But the crowd, anxious to see the evening end, would have none of it. "Anyone hear what Barbra said the other day?" Audience response: "Groan." So she retreated and presented the Male Vocalist Award to Marcus Simeone (DUPLEX - DANNY'S).

Appearing magically was the golden voiced Frank Fontana, our "off stage" announcer, on stage at last, to give some thank yous and an invitation to the after-show party a few blocks away.

Finally, as an afterthought perhaps, since they seemed to have had little time to rehearse, Lennie Watts, Helen Baldassare, Jim Luzar and Phyllis Pastore took the stage to sing Rick Jensen's "In Passing Years" (which never was nominated and therefore never won for MAC Song of the Year - Huh?).

A look at my new $10 watch and I found that this year's scaled down show, directed by Gerry Geddes, lasted virtually the same amount of time as last year's show. How could that be? No MC this year - should have speeded things up. Fewer "big extravagant numbers" this year (or should I say, no "big numbers, period" this year?). Smaller cast (by far). Fewer celebrity presenters (no celebrity presenters?). Yet, the same high-ticket prices (for at least the half the audience that actually paid to get in). Didn't anyone realize that last year's show, directed by Lennie Watts, with all the whiz-bag, bells and whistles, multi-media and big production numbers, actually turned a profit? Didn't anyone remember that the audience left that show joyfully proclaiming that they got more than their money's worth?

And that is just about the way it was.

Hugs & Stuff,

STU

For my Journal describing before and after show events, see THE JOURNAL - Entry dated May 18, 2004

2004 MAC AWARD WINNERS

2004 MAC AWARD NOMINEES

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