Cabaret veteran Andrea Marcovicci, On the Town's Lea DeLaria and Tony Award winner Dee Dee Bridgewater will co-host the 8 PM event, which will feature the talents of Karen Akers, John Bucchino, Liz Callaway, Kristin Chenoweth, Ravi Coltrane, John Cullum, Tovah Feldshuh, Julie Halston, Robert Klein, Judy Kuhn, Ute Lemper, John McDaniel, Donna Murphy, James Naughton, Phylicia Rashad, Sonny Rollins, Stephen Schwartz, KT Sullivan, Lillias White, Julie Wilson, Tom Wopat and Peter Yarrow.
Lewis Black, Donna McKechnie and David Sanborn, who were originally scheduled to perform, have withdrawn due to scheduling conflicts. Jeff Cohen directs; although the song list is still in formation, a spokesperson for the event said that DeLaria will sing "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" and Marcovicci will offer a tune entitled "I Wish You."
The awards presentation will also include performances from several of the winners, and Living Legend Awards will be presented to famous entertainers in the worlds of cabaret, jazz and comedy. In a statement critic Scott Siegel said, "It is our particular intention to give New York City's nightlife — its clubs and performers — the same importance in the public mindset as Broadway. This is an award that will have immediate credibility and importance because it will be given by the broadest possible spectrum of this city's most influential authorities on cabaret, jazz, and comedy from those who see acts in the big rooms to those who cover the nightlife waterfront."
The Nightlife Awards are judged by members of the New York press, including The New York Times' Stephen Holden, The New York Observer's Rex Reed, Variety's Robert L. Daniels, Theatermania.com's Barbara and Scott Siegel and Cabaret Scenes Magazine's Keith Meritz. More than one-dozen judges will take part in the nominating-voting process.
* Andrea Marcovicci starred on Broadway in the short-lived musical Ambassador and in Frank D. Gilroy's Any Given Day. Her screen credits include roles in "The Front," "Someone to Love," "Jack the Bear," "Who Is Henry Jaglom?," "The Water Engine" and "Trapper John, M.D." It has been the cabaret stage, however, where she has received the most acclaim. The singer-actress has performed at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and in concert halls throughout the world, and she has spent over a decade performing at the Algonquin's Oak Room. Her solo albums are numerous and include "Marcovicci Loves Movies," "What Is Love?," "Just Kern," "December Songs," "New Words," "Live from London" and "Some Other Time."
Dee Dee Bridgewater won a Tony Award for her work as Glinda in The Wiz and also appeared on Broadway in The 1940's Radio Hour. Bridgewater also received two Grammy Awards for her recording "Dear Ella." Her TV/film credits include "The Wiz," "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh," "Another Life," "Night Partners" and "The Brother from Another Planet."
Lea DeLaria received an Obie and a Theater World Award for her work in the Public Theater's revival of On the Town. She also starred in the Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show and the City Center Encores! presentation of Li'l Abner. Her other theatrical credits include Chicago, The Boys From Syracuse, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told and As You Like It. An acclaimed stand-up comic, DeLaria is also an accomplished jazz singer, and her first solo recording, "Play It Cool," is available on Warner Bros. Records.
Tickets for the Nightlife Awards are priced at $25, $50 and $75 and are available at the Town Hall box office (123 W. 43rd Street) or by calling Ticket Master at (212) 307-4100. VIP tickets, priced at $125, are also available, as well as $50 party-only tickets. VIP and post-show party tickets are available by calling (212) 752-4119 or by e-mailing [email protected].
