Stritch, Mitchell and Others Amongst 2006 Nightlife Award Winners

Twenty-seven critics and experts voted on the best performances they saw this past year in the clubs of New York City. The results of their voting (below) leave no doubt that this year's Nightlife Awards at Town Hall on Monday, February 6th.

The 2006 Nightlife Awards is the only "All-Performance" awards show. There are no acceptance speeches! Celebrity presenters introduce the winners who then perform to show why they were chosen. It's bang-bang entertainment by the greatest entertainers in New York City, which is to say, in the world!

As in the past, all of the winners are invited to perform at Town Hall. Last year, fifteen of the sixteen honorees returned, the sole exception being an Australian. Winners are in the process of being contacted now. We cannot say yet who will or won't perform at the 2006 Nightlife Awards but we can promise an extraordinary show. As always, many of our celebrity presenters will perform in addition to the winners. And then there is Eartha Kitt, our Nightlife Legend winner, who has already confirmed that she will perform!

Last year's Nightlife Awards show featured such luminaries as Karen Akers, Joy Behar, Andy Bey, Liz and Ann Hampton Callaway, Barbara Carroll, Kate Clinton, Tony Danza, Joe Lovano Quartet, Patti LuPone, Andrea McArdle, Mark Murphy, Patrice O'Neal, Alice Ripley, Keely Smith, Bruce Vilanch and more. This year's show is fast shaping up to equal or surpass last year's extravaganza.

While New York's theater has a multitude of awards to honor its best, until just recently there was no broad-based award with total credibility to honor the performers in New York's night clubs. Then came The Nightlife Awards conceived and created by critic/author Scott Siegel. Since then, he has quickly built the Nightlife Awards into an authentic critical standard for excellence in cabaret, comedy and jazz. Entertainers like Betty Buckley, Maureen McGovern, Keely Smith, Andrea Marcovicci, Paula West and others have flown in to New York City to perform at this major event.

The 2006 Nightlife Awards is produced by Scott Siegel who also created the critically acclaimed Broadway by the Year series at Town Hall, as well as Broadway Unplugged and the Broadway Cabaret Festival. The 2006 Nightlife Awards is sponsored by Edythe Kenner, TheaterMania.com, Thoroughbred Records, Trattoria Dopo Teatro, Jill & Irwin Cohen, Edythe & Ervin Drake, Joe Corcoran, and Peter and Barbara Leavy.

Tickets are $25, $50 and $75 and can be purchased at the Town Hall box office (123 West 43rd Street), at TicketMaster: 212-307-4100, or through the Nightlife Awards website at TheaterMania.com.

This year's winners (and finalists) are:

Outstanding Cabaret Female Vocalist in a Major Engagement:
Elaine Stritch
Finalists: Chita Rivera and Rebecca Luker

Outstanding Cabaret Male Vocalist in a Major Engagement:
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Finalists: Jack Jones and Michael Feinstein

Outstanding Duo/Group Cabaret Performance in a Major Engagement:
SANDY STEWART & BILL CHARLAP
Finalists: John Pizzarelli/Bucky Pizzarelli & Jimmy Webb/Glen Campbell

Outstanding Cabaret Male Vocalist:
Tom Andersen
Finalists: Colm Reilly & Miles Phillips

Outstanding Cabaret Female Vocalist:
Karen Mason
Finalists: Lumirie Tubo & Ludmilla Ilieva

Outstanding Cabaret Musical Comedy/Characterization Performance:
Jason Graae
Finalists: BJ Ward & Jimmy James

Outstanding Cabaret Revue/Group/Variety Performance:
A LITTE TRAVELING MUSIC
Finalists: The Fabulous Pink Flamingoes and The Farley Brothers

Outstanding Cabaret Piano Bar Performance:
A.J. IRVIN
Finalists: Elaine Brier and David Colbert

Unique Cabaret Performance:
KABARETT KOLLECTIF

Outstanding Female Standup Comedian:
KRISTEN SCHAALl
Finalists: Judy Gold & Heather Lawless

Outstanding Male Standup Comedian:
BILL BURR
Finalists: Greg Giraldo & Demetri Martin

Unique Comedy Performance:
tie: CREATION NATION
TJ & DAVE
finalist: Andres du Bouchet

Outstanding Jazz Soloist:
Hank Jones
Finalists: Bill Charlap & Eric Alexander

Outstanding Jazz Combo Performance:
Harry Allen & JOE COHN QUARTET
Finalists: Lee Konitz Nonet & Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra with Arturo O'Farrilll

Outstandng Female Jazz Vocalist:
PAULA WEST
Finalists: Annie Ross & Sheila Jordan

Outstanding Male Jazz Vocalist:
FREDDY COLE
Finalists: John Pizzarelli & Allan Harris

NIGHTLIFE LEGEND HONOREE: Eartha Kitt