2012 BWW NYC Cabaret Awards Winners Announced - Callaway, Caruso and McHugh Take Two Awards Each!

By: Stephen Hanks

It's finally official! After almost two months of voting and the casting of more than 10,000 votes on BroadwayWorld.com, we can announce the winners in the 20 categories in the first-ever BroadwayWorld.com New York Cabaret Awards. The biggest of the winners are Ann Hampton Callaway, Jim Caruso and Colleen McHugh, each taking two awards.

Callaway copped the awards for Cabaret Show of the Year and Best Tribute Show for her show "The Streisand Songbook," which was performed at 54 Below. Caruso captured awards for Best Host of a Variety Show/Recurring Series or Open Mic for "Cast Party" at Birdland and "Cast Party," for which Caruso is the producer, also won for Best Variety Show/Recurring Series/Open Mic. McHugh was voted as the Best Female Vocalist, mainly off the strength of her "Calendar Girl" series of shows at the Duplex, and won for Best CD Release (Solo, Duo or Group) for "Pret-A-Porter," based on the Cole Porter tribute show she performed at Birdland last year.

Other notable winners include: Marilyn Maye, Michael Feinstein, Betty Buckley, Ben Vereen, Jason Robert Brown, Jane Monheit, and Billy Stritch.

Many of these fantastic entertainers will be performing at the BroadwayWorld.com 2012 Cabaret Awards Show, which will be held at the Metropolitan Room on February 21, 2013 from 6:30-9PM. For reservations, go to: http://metropolitanroom.com/show_right.cfm?id=87846&cart

The complete list of BroadwayWorld.com 2012 New York Cabaret Award Winners:

Cabaret Show of the Year (Male or Female):
Ann Hampton Callaway (photo)- The Streisand Songbook at 54 Below

Best Cabaret Show Revue:
KT Sullivan & Karen Kohler - Vienna to Weimer at The Triad

Best CD Release (Solo, Duo or Group):
Colleen McHugh - Pret-A-Porter

Best Director:
Collette Black - Jackie Kristel: A Girl You Should Know at Don't Tell Mama

Best Performance by a Duo/Group:
Marilyn Maye and Michael Feinstein - Swingin' The Night Away at Feinstein's

Best Female Celebrity Vocalist:
Betty Buckley - The Other Woman at Feinstein's

Best Female Debut Show:
Stacie Perlman - The Story Underneath at the Metropolitan Room

Best Female Vocalist:
Colleen McHugh - Calendar Girl at the Duplex

Best Host of Variety Show/Recurring Series or Open Mic:
Jim Caruso - Cast Party at Birdland

Best Instrumentalist (Non Piano):
Will Anderson (Clarinet/Saxophone) - Carole J. Bufford: speak easy. at the Metropolitan Room

Best Jazz Vocalist (Male or Female):
Jane Monheit - at the Blue Note

Best Male Celebrity Vocalist:
Ben Vereen - Steppin' Out at 54 Below

Best Male Debut Show:
Steve Doyle - Home to You at 54 Below

Best Male Vocalist:
William Blake - Echoes of Etta: Tribute to Etta James at Birdland

Best Musical Comedy Performance:
Alison Nusbaum - Ladies! A Raucous Homage to Mel Brooks Broads at Don't Tell Mama

Best Musical Director:
Billy Stritch - Marilyn Maye By Request at the Metropolitan Room

Best Original Song for a Cabaret Show:
Scott Evan Davis - Cautiously Optimistic: If We Say Goodbye at Don't Tell Mama

Best Singer/Songwriter Show--Original Material:
Jason Robert Brown - at 54 Below

Best Tribute Show (Male or Female):
Ann Hampton Callaway - The Streisand Songbook at 54 Below

Best Variety Show/Recurring Series/Open Mic:
Cast Party at Birdland (Jim Caruso, Producer)