International concert artist Karen Akers, who starred on Broadway in Nine and Grand Hotel, will be honored with the 2002 Board of Directors Award from the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs. The 16th Annual MAC Awards, which will be distributed April 1 at New York's Town Hall, will also honor jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli with a Lifetime Achievement Award as well as the monthly publication Cabaret Scenes with a Board of Directors Award.

Akers, who recently kicked off a cabaret series at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center's new cabaret space, The Chase Room, has a host of upcoming East Coast performances scheduled. On April 5 and 6 the statuesque actress-singer will take to the stage of The Emelin Theatre in Mamaroneck, NY (153 Library Lane); reservations may be made by calling (914) 698-0098.

The contralto will perform at the Barns at Wolf Trap on April 27. Akers recorded her concert video, "Karen Akers: On Stage at Wolf Trap" — which also aired on PBS stations across the country — at the famed theatre in Vienna, VA, which is located at 1635 Trap Road (call 1 800-955-5566 for reservations). And, Akers will settle in for a month-long gig at The Algonquin Hotel's Oak Room, where she will sing from April 30 through May 25; call (212) 840-6800 for reservations.

Karen Akers made her Broadway debut in 1982 in the Tony-winning musical Nine, which was choreographed and directed by Tommy Tune. She earned a Tony nomination for her work in that musical and returned to The Great White Way in another Tune production, Grand Hotel. Akers has released seven solo recordings; her most recent is "Feels Like Home."

Tickets for this year's MAC Awards are available through Ticketmaster at 212-307-4100. —By Andrew Gans