Time Out Award honoree Poor Baby Bree

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs, or MAC, has just released its slate of nominees for its 2009 awards, to be held on Monday, May 18, at B.B. King Blues Club and Grill. As usual, the nominees reflect a deep insularity on the part of the cabaret community: For example, the English singer Barb Jungr, who gave two of last year’s best performances, hasn’t been nominated, while many performers with deeper ties to the local scene have been lauded for lesser work.

That said, the MAC Awards have their place, which is to give recognition to smaller clubs and lesser-known performers, and the awards ceremony provides a useful chance to sample the wares of many performers at one admittedly long sitting.

Among the highlights of this year’s slate are two of its honorary MAC Award recipients: The marvelous Polly Bergen, who is to be recognized for lifetime achievement; and the unique Poor Baby Bree, who will received the Time Out New York Award, selected annually by yours truly. (Past recipients include Jackie Hoffman, Maude Maggart and Leslie Kritzer.) A copy of the full list of  nominees—not yet available on the MAC site—is after the jump.

2009 MAC AWARD NOMINEES

FEMALE VOCALIST
JENNA ESPOSITO (Takin’ a Chance on Love), Jenna Esposito at the River Room of Harlem, John’s Harvest Inn, Metropolitan Room, River Room of Harlem
TERESE GENECCO (Swingin in the City, Last Call) Metropolitan Room, Iridium, Rrazz Room,Peppermill, the M Bar, Angelica’s
RAISSA KATONA BENNETT (Putting Things Away)-Metropolitan Room
JULIE REYBURN (Julie Reyburn at the Metropolitan Room)- Metropolitan Room

MALE VOCALIST
MARCUS SIMEONE (The Heart)-Metropolitan Room
KIM SMITH (Johnny Come Lately)-Don’t Tell Mama, The Duo Theatre
JONATHAN WHITTON (Something Beautiful)-Laurie Beechman
MICHAEL WINTHER (New Love Songs)-Metropolitan Room

MAJOR ARTIST
KLEA BLACKHURST& BILLY STRITCH (Dreaming of a Song: The Music of Hoagy Carmichael)-Metropolitan Room
BABY JANE DEXTER (If)-Metropolitan room
ERIC MICHAEL GILLETT (Best of My Love)-Metropolitan Room, Gardenia
CHRISTINE PEDI (Christine Pedi’s Holly Jolly Christmas Folly)-Laurie Beechman, Now I Have Everything: Lyrics of Sheldon Harnick-Metropolitan Room:

CELEBRITY ARTIST
KAREN MASON (Right Here Right Now) – Metropolitan Room, Bradstan, Birdland, Davenport’s
MARILYN MAYE (Love on the Rocks) – Metropolitan Room
CHITA RIVERA – Feinstein’s
KT SULLIVAN - Algonquin

DEBUT FEMALE
DEB BERMAN (Such a Lot of Livin’)- Metropolitan Room
CHRISTINA BIANCO (Small Wonders)-Laurie Beechman
CAIT DOYLE (Hot Mess in Manhattan)-Duplex, Don’t Tell Mama

DEBUT MALE
BEN CHERRY (I Hate New York…a love story)-Metropolitan Room
KEVIN DOZIER (Introducing Kevin Dozier, Love-Wise)-Don’t Tell Mama
STEARNS MATTHEWS (I Was Here)-Don’t Tell Mama

MUSICAL COMEDY PERFORMER/ DUO/GROUP
BOOTH & PAT (Two Guys One Guitar, Slow Children Playing)-Don’t Tell Mama, The Duplex
HEDDA LETTUCE (Lettuce Rejoice 2008)-Metropolitan Room
SHAWN RYAN (Shawn Ryan Live)-Laurie Beechman

VOCAL DUO/GROUP
DAVID GURLAND & BRIAN FARLEY (Gurland&Farley Sing Rodgers &Hammerstein)-Laurie Beechman, Martini Beach
KAREN OBERLIN & MILES PHILLIPS (The Pleasure of Your Company)- Metropolitan Room
UPTOWN EXPRESS (Walk Like a Man, Cool Yule)-Metropolitan Room

REVUE/SPECIAL PRODUCTION
METRO STAR (Metropolitan Room & Lennie Watts)-Metropolitan Room
NASHVILLE (DARYL GLENN) - Metropolitan Room
WHAT”S THE POINT? (Hector Coris&Alan Cancelino)-Reprise Room,Laurie Beechman

VARIETY/RECURRING
CABARET CARES (JOSEPH MACCHIA)-Laurie Beechman
GRACE NOTES:SINGER’S SOIREE (GRACE COSGROVE)-Don’t Tell Mama
JAMIE deROY & FRIENDS- Metropolitan Room

OPEN MIC
AFTER PARTY (BRANDON CUTRELL)-Laurie Beechman
ALGONQUIN SALON (MARK JANAS)-Algonquin Hotel
JIM CARUSO’S CAST PARTY (JIM CARUSO)-Birdland

FEMALE PIANO BAR/RESTAURANT ENTERTAINER
MARIA GENTILE-Duplex
TRACY REYNOLDS-The Keys,Rita Mae’s
ANNE STEELE-Don’t Tell Mama, Brandy’s

MALE PIANO BAR/RESTAURANT ENTERTAINER
BOBBY BELFRY-Brandy’s
ERIC PICKERING-Don’t Tell Mama
GEORGE SANDERS-Don’t Tell Mama, The Keys
PIANO BAR/RESTURANT INSTRUMENTALIST
MICHAEL ISAACS-Brandy’s, Don’t Tell Mama
JOE REGAN-The Keys, Don’t Tell Mama
TRACY STARK-Don’t Tell Mama

MUSICAL DIRECTOR
DARYL KOJAK-Laurie Krauz at various, Scot Albertson at Laurie Beechman, Luba Mason at Metropolitan Room
DON REBIC-Grace Notes at Don’t Tell Mama
TRACY STARK-Karen Black at Metropolitan Room, Gurland & Farley at the Laurie Beechman, Karen Oberlin & Miles Phillips at the Metropolitan Room

DIRECTOR
PHIL GEOFFREY BOND- Concert For Hillary, NewYear’s Eve at the Beech. all at Laurie Beechman
ERIC MICHAEL GILLETT-KT Sullivan, Shera Ben-David, Karen Akers. all at Algonquin
MILES PHILLIPS-Christina Bianco, Jonathan Whitton, Jason Wynn. all at Beechman
LENNIE WATTS-2008 MAC Awards, Uptown Express and Judy Kreston at Metropolitan Room

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
MICHAEL BARBIERI-Andrea McArdle, Nashville,Tim DiPasqua. all at Metropolitan Room
DAVID COLBERT- Euan Morton, Julie Reyburn, Sarah Rice all at Metropolitan Room
JP PERRAUX- Baby Jane Dexter, Annie Ross, & Marilyn Maye at Metropolitan

JAZZ MALE VOCAL
SCOT ALBERTSON-Laurie Beechman
JACK DONAHUE-Birdland
PETER ELDRIDGE-Birdland
TONY MIDDLETON-Blue Note, Enzo’s at the Jolly Madison Hotel, Smalls
JULIAN YEO-TONY Lounge, River Room, Iridium

JAZZ FEMALE VOCAL
LAURA HULL-Metropolitan Room, River Room, McCloone’s
LAURIE KRAUZ-Enzo’s, Metropolitan, Laurie Beechman, The Kitano
SHAYNEE RAINBOLT-Highline Ballroom ,Iridium,River Room of Harlem,Jazz Bakery, Yoshi’s, Rrazz Room
JANE SCHECKTER-Broadway Baby Bistro
ALYSHA UMPHRESS-Iridium,Laurie Beechman

JAZZ DUO/SINGER/INSTRUMENTALIST
CHAMPION FULTON-Birdland
RUSS KASSOFF-Bahai Center, Knickerbocker Jazz Club, The Kitano
KATHLEEN LANDIS-Cafe Pierre, Steinway Hall, Knickerbocker Jazz Club
ALEX LEONARD DUO-Rothmann’s
DARYL SHERMAN-Cocktail Terrace(Waldorf Astoria),Dizzy’s Coca-Cola,Enzo’s, Shanghai Jazz

FEMALE STAND-UP
DENA BLIZZARD-Gotham
MICHELLE BUTEAU-Gotham*
MARY DIMINO-Don’t Tell Mama, Broadway Comedy Club
OPHIRA EISENBERG-Carolines, Don’t Tell Mama, Gotham, Comix*
MAUREEN LANGAN-Don’t Tell Mama

MALE STAND-UP
WALI COLLINS*-Broadway Comedy Club
JOE DEVITO-Gotham
JOE DeROSA-Gotham*
KYLE GROOMS-Gotham*
RICK YOUNGER-Broadway Comedy Club, Laurie Beechman

MAJOR MALE STAND-UP
MARIO CANTONE
JIM GAFFIGAN
GREG GIRALDO
TOM PAPA
LOUIS RAMEY

MAJOR FEMALE STAND-UP
SUSIE ESSMAN
JACKIE HOFFMAN
JESSICA KIRSON
LYNNE KOPLITZ

IMPROV/ COMEDY GROUP
CHICAGO CITY LIMITS
CALGARY WHALERS
COMEDY SPORTZ

RECORDING
HALLWAYS:THE SONGS OF CAROL HALL-Carol Hall
BARRY LLOYD LIVE-Barry Lloyd
KAREN MASON:RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW-Karen Mason
STARDUST & SWING-Todd Murray
IT’S A SMALL TOWN-Stacy Sullivan
WALK LIKE A MAN- Uptown Express

JAZZ RECORDING
SOMETHING STILL COOL-Elli Fordyce
A SONG ABOUT FOREVER-The Kurt Weill Project
CHARMED LIFE:SHAYNEE RAINBOLT SINGS RUSSELL GARCIA-S.Rainbolt
COLE PORTER LIVE AT MAXIM’S-Spider Saloff
UNUSUAL PASSAGE-Julian Yeo

SONG
RUNNING-Adam Gwon
CHANGE IN ME-Carol Hall
COME HOME-Mark Janas&Peter Napolitano
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW-Paul Rolnick& Jim Papoulis
LIVING WITHOUT LOVE-Jason Wynn

SPECIAL MATERIAL
THIS IS MY BIRTHDAY-Carol Hall
LEAKY CEILING-Sharon Kenny
THE OLIVES OF REGRET-Nicholas Levin
THE MESS-Ryan Scott Oliver
YOU MAY HAVE A PROBLEM-Dan Page,John Domurad&Michael Page

Board of Directors Award:
JOEY REYNOLDS AND MYRA CHANIN of the JOEY REYNOLDS SHOW, who consistantly promote Cabaret, Comedy and Jazz artists on their long running WOR Radio program.

Board of Directors Award:
EVA SWANN and VOCAL EASE, for bringing Broadway and Cabaret talent to hospitals,nursing homes and senior centers for over a decade.

Lifetime Achievement: POLLY BERGEN

Time Out New York Award: POOR BABY BREE