David Brian Colbert And Brando(n) James Gwinn Named 2025 MAC Songwriting Award Winners

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets (MAC) has announced the 2025 recipients of its annual songwriting awards. David Brian Colbert has been named the winner of the Dottie Burman Award, while Brando(n) James Gwinn has been named the winner of the John Wallowitch Award. Each award comes with a $500 prize.

The Dottie Burman Award honors songwriters aged 40 and over who have not yet received significant recognition for their work. This year’s finalists included David Brian Colbert, Kip Dennis, Beth Falcone, and Steve Sieck. The John Wallowitch Award honors songwriters under 40 and recognized Brando(n) James Gwinn from a finalist group that also included Priya Roy and Simon Scheuer.

Both awards were established to celebrate the legacies of beloved cabaret songwriters. Burman’s estate endowed the original competition in her name, and MAC created the Wallowitch Award as a parallel honor for younger artists.

Klea Blackhurst served as the celebrity judge for the Burman Award, while Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer selected the Wallowitch Award winner. Committees of MAC members, chaired by Natasha Castillo, reviewed submissions and narrowed them to the final groups of nominees.

About the Winners

David Brian Colbert is a Nightlife and MAC Award-winning entertainer. His musical Eltinge received a first-look reading at the Woodstock Fringe, and his play C.O.A.L. (Confessions of a Liar) was produced Off-Broadway at 59E59 Theatres. He has earned acclaim for his performances in Hedwig and the Angry Inch across the country, winning numerous regional awards including the Barrymore Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical.

Brando(n) James Gwinn is a composer-lyricist, producer, and piano bar entertainer. His work includes the Edinburgh Fringe musical Midnight at The Palace and the Richard Rodgers Award-winning TL;DR: Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix. He co-wrote Small Town Story and Matchmaker Matchmaker, I’(M) Willing to Settle and produced and performed on Trixie Mattel’s chart-topping albums Two Birds and One Stone. Gwinn has released two solo albums and has won four BroadwayWorld Awards for his piano bar and cabaret work.

About MAC

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets (MAC) is a nonprofit organization founded in the early 1980s to support, promote, and celebrate the cabaret community. MAC provides resources, networking, and recognition for artists, fosters appreciation of cabaret as a vital part of New York City’s cultural landscape, and honors excellence through awards and showcases.