The 2008 Nightlife Awards

Traditionally, when writing up the annual Nightlife Awards, I simply list the highlights of the program. It makes sense: the ceremony is one performance after another by the best in the biz, so the dull spots are few and far between. Last night's ceremony, however, was probably the best so far: fast(er), fun(nier) and full(er) of the best entertainment New York's  cabaret, jazz and comedy communities have to offer.

Listing the highlights would be pointless. The entire evening was a blast from beginning to end. Instead, here is a breakdown of what happened at Town Hall on Monday night. It's the Nightlife Awards… and You! Are! There!

• Phoebe Snow (opened the show with a ballad, which was somewhat surprising. Most concerts and musicals begin with uptempo songs to get the energy up from the get-go. But Ms. Snow's rendition of Bryan Adams' "I Do It For You" was soulful and emotional enough to make the audience forget they were hearing a Bryan Adams song.

• Nightlife Award creator Scott Siegel announced that scheduled host Bruce Vilanch would not, in fact, be hosting, due to an injury. Instead, those notorious Vampire Lesbians of Sodom Julie Halston and Charles Busch took up the mantle, and ran with it. If no one has been scheduled for next year's ceremony, at least we know who should be offered the gig first.

• Husband-and-Wife team John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey (Outstanding Cabaret Duo or Group in a Major Engagement) performed two medleys that exemplified their blending (as they have put it) of 42^nd Street and 52^nd Street. The "Baby" medley combined "Baby, Baby All the Time" with "Yes, Sir, That's My Baby," and the "Bell" medley combined "If I Were a Bell" with "Ring-A-Ding-Ding." Whenever they perform together, the couple plays effortlessly with energy, giving and taking it as needed. When one has a solo moment, the other steps back to let him or her have the spotlight. They'll be returning to the Carlyle in fall, so start saving your pennies now. Seeing them perform is worth any price. This couple is the very definition of "Harmony."

• Jim David, still recovering from a broken shoulder, was saddled with the unenviable task of following that dynamic duo when he introduced John Mulaney, the evening's Outstanding Comedian. Fortunately, both men were in prime comic shape, with Mr. David imagining the life of LIRR conductors and Mr. Mulaney criticizing rude drag queens.

• Mother-and-son act Bill Charlap and Sandy Stewart (finalists for Outstanding Cabaret Duo or Group in a Major Engagement) performed a haunting and plaintive "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes."

• CBS reporter Cindy Hsu held her young daughter Rosie as she shared a touching story about Allan Harris (Outstanding Jazz Vocalist) making little Rosie smile for the first time when she arrived in America after her adoption. Harris, quite appropriately, followed that story with a swingy and fun rendition of "L-O-V-E" that must have made Nat "King" Cole very proud.

• After a hilarious introduction by Halston, popular comedy and music group Modern Man (Outstanding Cabaret Duo or Group) announced that "this evening is full of class and elegance and talent. You can kiss that shit goodbye!" They then launched into a brilliant Beach Boys parody, "Channel Surfin'," that lovingly poked fun at retirees and took the show into intermission.

• Sandy Duncan opened the second half of the ceremony with a cheerful introduction to Outstanding Cabaret Vocalist Barb Jungr ripped into a fierce rendition of "When do the Bells Ring for Me?" that should make her as popular in New York as she is throughout Europe.

• Lari White, who will performing at the Oak Room this month, sang a hilarious yet surprisingly emotional "Why Do Lovers Leave?" that nicely demonstrated the depth of her comedy. Expertly combining pathos and humor is a rare skill, and Ms. White does it beautifully.

• Anat Cohen and the Anzic Orchestra (Outstanding Jazz Combo) floated dreamily through a thrilling "Cry Me a River." Ms. Cohen, originally from Tel Aviv, played the clarinet like a saxophone (no surprised—she's also a saxophonist), producing an uncommonly rich sound that blended beautifully with the rest of her ensemble (Gilad Hekselman, Johe Martin and Daniel Freedman).

• Hilary Kole, the youngest performer ever to grace the stage of the Rainbow Room, sang a lovely "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" as a tribute to the late, great Oscar Peterson.

• Ms. Halston shared a hilarious story about stalking Bill Irwin before the Tony winner arrived to introduce the Outstanding Jazz Vocalist in a Major Engagement, Carol Sloane. Ms. Sloane sang a gentle and lovely medley of "All Too Soon" and "Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'."

• Outstanding Piano Bar Entertainer Natalie Douglas was joined by a choir (Mark Hartman, Mike Cruz, Carmen Keels, Tanya Holy Patricio Witis and Brian Nash, who got to be a singer instead of a pianist for a night) to sing a rousing and powerful "The Human Heart."

• Christine Pedi (Outstanding Cabaret Comedy or Characterization) performed one of her best-beloved bits, singing a song that every musical theatre diva wants to sing, but so rarely get the chance to do (at least in context.) But thanks to Ms. Pedi, we finally know what it would sound like if Judy Garland, Joan Rivers, Ethel Merman, Katherine Hepburn, Carol Channing, Christine Ebersole (as Little Edie!), Bernadette Peters, Julie Andrews and Rosie O'Donnell sang "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going." (Many thanks to Michael Dale for keeping track. I was too busy laughing to write.)

• After "realizing" that she wasn't, in fact, a Nightlife Award Winner, Lucie Arnaz introduced the Outstanding Cabaret Vocalist in a Major Engagement Marilyn Maye, who sang a gorgeous blend of "You're Gonna Hear From Me" and "On A Wonderful Day Like Today" before launching into the song she has described as her mantra: "It's Today."

Until next year's awards, kids…

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