Eric Comstock News

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs has just announced the 2016 MAC Award nominees and complete list of honorees for the 30th Annual MAC Awards.

Following a short winter hiatus, Catskill's Bridge Street Theatre is now ready to spring back into action. With a new marquee providing greater visibility to travelers along the West Bridge Street corridor and continuing improvements to its interior spaces, 2016 promises to be even more seriously entertaining at what one reviewer has called "the ballsiest theater in the region."

Breaking News! The fourth annual BroadwayWorld New York Cabaret Awards results are official and for 2015 some bold-faced Broadway names, long-time cabaret stars, and some exciting newcomers were the people's choices this year. More than 32,000 votes were cast for performers and shows in 14 categories. 

With just two weeks remaining in the voting for the 2015 BroadwayWorld New York Cabaret Awards, three performers are leading in two different categories, while two Broadway stars--Alan Cumming and Betty Buckley-- are winning the vote in their respective "celebrity categories.' Voting for the awards ends on New Year's Eve, December 31.

Urban Stages Founder and Artistic Director Frances Hill and Producer Peter Napolitano last night officially launched the 2015 'Winter Rhythms,' a 20-shows-in 11-days festival featuring more than 100 star cabaret performers and musicians. The opening night show was ANY WEDNESDAY SINGS AGAIN, an homage to the old cabaret series favorite, ANY WEDNESDAY, which was a popular CD release concert series from June 2005 (the first show featured Ann Hampton Callaway) to late 2011 and was staged at Tower Records and then Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Center. 

On Thanksgiving Day, BroadwayWorld announced the nominees in 14 categories for the 2015 BWW New York Cabaret Awards. BroadwayWorld's cabaret editors and reviewers congratulate all the deserving nominees and everyone who performs in the great art of cabaret in New York. But today, as you munch on the leftovers from last night's dinner, it's time to actually vote for that one performer who you think is the absolute best in each category. Voting ends on December 31 and after a review of the ballots, winners will be announced officially early the week of January 4, 2016. (Note: There will not be a BWW Awards Show this year.)

Happy Thanksgiving Day, Cabaret Fans! Here's some breaking news you can discuss and debate in between courses at tonight's dinner: It's the final nominees for the 2015 BroadwayWorld New York Cabaret Awards. This year, the cabaret editors and writers at BWW have cited 116 nominees (including duos and variety show/recurring series producers) in 14 categories. In addition, this year six performers or musicians have been cited for special “Editor's Choice Awards,” led by veteran New York cabaret stars Karen Mason and Mark Nadler who have been named “Performers of the Year.”

OUR SINATRA: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION, the critically acclaimed musical saluting and honoring the music of Frank Sinatra, will mark its 15th Anniversary (2000-2015) and celebrate the Centennial (1915-2015) of one of our greatest American vocalists in a return engagement of the award-winning production.

Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director, Peter Napolitano, Producer/Director of Musical Programming) today announced the line-up for this year's Award-Winning Musical event WINTER RHYTHMS 2015, which will begin Wednesday, December 2 and will feature some of New York's best musical performances through December 13, 2015 at Urban Stages Theatre. WINTER RHYTHMS 2015 marks the seventh year that Urban Stages has brought noted musical artists to its stage during the holiday period. The mission of Winter Rhythms is to bring the talents of known and unknown singers, musicians, lyricists and composers to the attention of the New York theater community while performing at Urban Stages Theater. Winner of the 2015 Ruth Kurtzman Benefit Series MAC Award, WINTER RHYTHMS benefits Urban Stages' acclaimed Outreach Program, which brings more than 200 free "arts in education" presentations to libraries and schools throughout the five boroughs. This year's event features 20 shows and more than 100 artists.

Urban Stages announces the line-up for this year's Award Winning Musical event WINTER RHYTHMS 2015, which will begin Wednesday, December 2and will feature some of New York's best musical performances through December 13, 2015 at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30thStreet, just East of 8th Avenue). Tickets are $25 per show and may be purchased by visiting urbanstages.org or by calling (866) 811-4111. For complete schedule information, visit urbanstages.org.

On the second night of this year's 26th Annual Cabaret Convention, Jeff Harnar and Andrea Marcovicci hosted A Sentimental Journey: World War II Songs, inspired by Marcovicci's memorable Oak Room at The Algonquin show, I'll Be Seeing You--Love Songs of World War II. (The CD is highly recommended.) As always with this pair's Convention contribution, the show was a treat in part because of its singular glamour. Much of our audience was exceptionally familiar with and nostalgic about these songs. A few had to be politely quieted for singing along, more than a few took each other's hands. It seems I've heard that song before . . . the co-hosts begin, warming the room.

OUR SINATRA: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION, the critically acclaimed musical saluting and honoring the music of Frank Sinatra, will mark its 15th Anniversary (2000-2015) and celebrate the Centennial (1915-2015) of one of our greatest American vocalists in a return engagement of the award-winning production.

Jeff Harnar & Andrea Marcovicci hosted the second day of the Mabel Mercer Foundation's New York Cabaret Convention.  The Donald Smith Award was presented to Jeff by managing director Rick Meadows and Debbi Bush Whiting presented Celia Berk with The Margaret Whiting Award. Performing in the evenings concert were: Karen Akers, Danny Bacher, Julie Budd, Carole J. Bufford, Eric Comstock, Natalie Douglas, barbara Fasano, Jeff Harnar, Nicolas King, Karen Kohler, Andrea Mardovicci, Marissa Mulder, Todd Murray, Josephine Sanges, Jennifer Sheehan and Iris Williams.?

Sunday night, Mark Walter topped off a year of Herculean accomplishment in preserving his father's legacy with a concert at the Cutting Room that went off like fireworks. Somewhere, composer /lyricist/arranger/pianist Cy Walter (right in Lloyd Diaz photo), was beaming. In 2015, Mark completed his father's discography filed with The Library of Congress, created a spanking new website, established The Cy Walter Foundation, and put out a two CD package of pre-1950's music with Harbinger Records. The Sunday concert, with expert Musical Direction by the inimitable Tedd Firth, was an opportunity not only to salute a multifaceted talent, but also for many, including Mark (photo below left), to hear songs that haven't been performed for 60 or 70 years.

It's time to go MAC to School! The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) is pleased to announce our first-ever Cabaret Bootcamp weekend. It's a two-day cabaret event filled with workshops, classes, seminars, mingling, food, drink, and MAC swag!

It's time to go MAC to School! The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) is pleased to announce our first-ever Cabaret Bootcamp weekend. It's a two-day cabaret event filled with workshops, classes, seminars, mingling, food, drink, and MAC swag!

It's an undeniable, outstanding, and extraordinary musical milestone, to be sure: 2015 marks the thirtieth anniversary of The Mabel Mercer Foundation! Not only has the organization survived the ongoing and vastly fluctuating public tastes in music, lyrics, and performers, it has proliferated and burgeoned in its three decades of commitment to the classic, "Great Popular Songbook" -- both past and present.

Joanne Tatham reunited with long-time collaborator Eli Brueggemann, composer/musical director of Saturday Night Live (making a rare club appearance.) at Cafe Noctambulo last night and BroadwayWorld was there.

The Colony Hotel, which is widely recognized as the Palm Beach Home of the Great American Songbook, is promising guests and fans "Intimate Evenings" on Saturdays this summer from 7 to 10:30 pm. The Colony's world famous Royal Room has been transformed into a refined Manhattan-style nightclub, now offering elegant dining and dancing on Saturday nights.

The Colony Hotel – the center of Palm Beach Society since 1947 – celebrated a $9-million “re-imagining” by internationally renowned decorator Carleton Varney less than a year ago. This week, the landmark boutique hotel is launching the next phase of its extraordinary property-wide re-do focused on The Colony's Pavilion ballroom and meeting space, three luxury penthouses and seven charming two-bedroom villas.