Bill Zeffiro News

Seven outstanding vocalists, songwriters, and musicians born in 1915 will be honored at Weill Recital Hall on Tuesday, June 9th, at 7:30 p.m., when The Mabel Mercer Foundation presents the annual concert, "It Was A Very Good Year." Cohosted by the Foundation's artistic director KT Sullivan and the distinguished critic Rex Reed, the one-night-only event celebrates the centennial birthdays of (alphabetically) Alice Faye, Billie Holiday, Bart Howard, Edith Piaf, Frank Sinatra, Billy Strayhorn, and Cy Walter.

Songwriter, performer, producer, and now activist, Bobby Horowitz, has put yet another spin on the series/variety show, with her refreshing take on the subject of 'ageism' in America. Called It's Just a Number (starting with six dates running from April to October at The Metropolitan Room), Horowitz's show theme champions the notion that age truly is just a number. Featuring a different group of cabaret's best performers for each show, the series honors a person who after the age of 50 either began a new career, resumed a career, is attempting to attain knowledge in a new field, or established a new organization with the purpose of helping people. This past Saturday afternoon, Alice Fisher, who presently serves as Director of Community Outreach in the Office of NYS Senator, Liz Krueger, was the first honoree.

From the Oscars to the Tonys, the Grammys to Emmys, awards ceremonies are always a hit-or-miss situation. Either the event is absolutely excellent or ends with spectators saying, 'Well, they'll do a better job with it next year.' The 2015 MAC Awards, presented by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs, and held once again this year at BB King's on West 42nd Street, absolutely fell into the former category. It was a splendid affair (albeit it's usual 3-plus hours) that was expertly directed by MAC President Lennie Watts.

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.

At a ceremony held Thursday 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. BroadwayWorld brings you photos of the evening below!

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs will present the 29th Annual MAC Awards on Thursday, March 26st, at 7:30pm, at B.B King Blues Club & Grill in New York City.

In just three years since the inception of the BroadwayWorld New York Cabaret Awards, the ceremony has evolved into one of the community's most-anticipated events. And this year's festivities, the second one at Joe's Pub, proved to be the most glittering and energetic assemblage to date. In fact, there couldn't have been a more promising start to the annual cabaret awards season, which continues with the Bistro Awards at Gotham Comedy Club on March 4, and culminates with the MAC Awards (Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs) at BB King's on March 26. The 3rd Annual BWW Awards Show was just the right spark to get this season's prizes off to a veritable fireworks display.

This past Thursday night, a group of die-hard music enthusiasts, vocalists, and musicians packed a private home in Chelsea for the latest iteration of Will Friedwald's Clip Joint. The monthly series, which was launched in the summer of 2013 by the Wall Street Journal columnist, night crawler, and music historian who has authored of eight books on music and popular culture, screens highly curated musical performance on film and video with every third session promoted as an “extravaganza,” additionally featuring live performers.

The month of December has always been an emotional time of the year, especially for our military families; a period to deeply reflect on family and country. Over the past few months in New York cabaret, a few performers have offered up musical testimony on wars, patriotism, and US military veterans. Recently, two singers fairly new to the cabaret scene--Anna Marie Sell and Kim Sutton--staged shows saluting the brave men and women who serve our country now and in the past.

Harry Lillis 'Bing' Crosby, Jr., who died in 1977 at age 74, was one of the most popular American singers and actors of the first half of the 20th-century, garnering millions of fans with recordings, radio, film, and live performance. The artist used his microphone as a route to intimacy, rather than volume, and was known for phrasing shaped to lyrical intention. Crosby's seemingly casual, bass/baritone style has often been imitated but never duplicated. On the same night that PBS was premiering a new American Masters documentary on the iconic singer, Bing Crosby Rediscovered, the venerable Urban Stages opened its 6th Annual and widely varied Winter Rhythms series with A Tribute to Bing Crosby, curated, hosted, and mostly performed by Musical Director Bill Zeffiro.

t may not be like getting a gift on each of the 12 Days of Christmas, but for cabaret and musical theater lovers, the 6th Annual Urban Stages Winter Rhythms series--presented over a dozen nights at the not-for-profit Off-Broadway theatre on 259 West 30th Street--could be the closest thing to opening a daily present by the tree. From December 2-14 (no shows on Dec. 9), more than 100 singers, musicians, and songwriters will perform in an eclectic mix of 20 shows including one-night-only group shows, excerpts from new musicals, solo shows, open mics, late night spotlights, and family matinees, with all the proceeds from ticket sales dedicated to the Urban Stages On Tour Outreach Program that brings more than 200 free multicultural theater and music programs to elementary and middle school age children and their families in libraries and schools throughout NYC five boroughs.

Bobbie Horowitz has been at the top of the cabaret game for nearly 30 years--as composer, producer, performer and fan--and the recent variety show tribute to her at the Metropolitan Room proved why and was richly deserved.

Urban Stages, in association with producer/director/lyricist and Director of Musical Programming Peter Napolitano, today announced that Tony Award Nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo will join the line-up for their sixth series of musical evenings entitled WINTER RHYTHMS 2014, beginning Tuesday, December 2nd and continuing through Sunday, December 14th at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th Street, just East of 8th Avenue).

Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director), in association with producer/director/lyricist and Director of Musical Programming Peter Napolitano, today announced the line-up for their sixth series of musical evenings entitled WINTER RHYTHMS 2014, beginning Tuesday, December 2nd and continuing through Sunday, December 14th at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th Street, just East of 8th Avenue).

Last Monday, October 27, the Midtown International Theater Festival presented the awards for its 15th anniversary season. Meshelle, 'The Indie-Mom of Comedy,' hosted this New York independent theatre tradition which celebrates the outstanding work of the festivals and productions found in the Midtown International Theatre Festival, Midwinter Madness Fest, Commercial Division, Children's Theatre Program, Cabaret Showcase, Staged Reading Series, and the Short Play Lab. BroadwayWorld brings the results and pictures from the evening below!

Corinna Sowers-Adler will star in 'By Request - New York Moments' at The Metropolitan Room tonight, September 27, 2014 at 4pm. Corinna continues the 'By Request' series with a very special show including songs and the memories and special moments behind why that song has been inspirational or life changing, all containing the theme of New York City.

Karen Mason ('Mamma Mia!') and Giuseppe Bausilio ('Newsies'), as well as award-winning singers Tom Andersen and Marissa Mulder, will headline 'A Few of My Favorite Folks' tonight, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd St., New York City.

Karen Mason ('Mamma Mia!') and Giuseppe Bausilio ('Newsies'), as well as award-winning singers Tom Andersen and Marissa Mulder, will headline 'A Few of My Favorite Folks' on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd St., New York City.

Karen Mason ('Mamma Mia!') and Giuseppe Bausilio ('Newsies'), as well as award-winning singers Tom Andersen and Marissa Mulder, will headline 'A Few of My Favorite Folks' on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd St., New York City.