Go Inside Cabaret's Biggest Night at the MAC Awards!

Hi, it's Eugene Ebner with Broadway World

I'm at the beautiful and historic Sony Hall for the 33rd Annual MAC Awards

I've had the chance to talk to a few of the honorees and the artists nominated

for Manhattan's Cabaret Biggest Night. We are so thrilled to be here, like super elated and so, so grateful

So good, it's our first time going to the MAC Awards, so it's an honor to be part of this tradition

Doing a show and doing something eight times a week is what I dreamed of doing as a kid

And then it's like between Broadway gigs, getting to still share music and get to know an audience more intimately through the cabaret world is really special

And Broadway Princess Party has become just something so dear to our hearts

We kind of co-created it four years ago. It was supposed to be a one-off thing and audiences fell in love with it

We fell in love with it and each other. And it's just grown into something so beautiful. We were touring the country all last year

And yeah, it's really special to get to connect to an audience in the cabaret setting

So this is my first time being nominated I came last year It just really an exciting way to celebrate the art of cabaret There so much talent and so many creative things that are happening in

this community and it's just something that I really embrace and I just love being here

I feel like I've always been doing cabaret and it's where I put my heart and soul and

where it's my language, you know, so it's, it just, it means so much and to be recognized

for what I do. It's truly really special. Spotlight on You was a second generation of what used to be

the Singers Forum Open Mic, which was found originally produced by John Kaprowski, who was

a Mac treasurer who passed away. And we created Spotlight on You together with the intention

of featuring artists and giving them a place to perform and to try out different music directors

that's where Spotlight on You opened mic. As I get to know people, it's incredibly supportive

loving it celebrating everyone unique form of art everyone viewpoint everyone individuality I love the fact that we all coming together tonight to celebrate our work I more about the honor and thrill of being nominated than I am actually winning

so I'm just thrilled to be here with a wonderful community I'm getting to know. There are people who are welcoming and open and value what it is that we do as cabaret performers

So it's been nice to be welcomed with open arms and to also be able to explore all the different types of cabaret

Everybody's own unique voice and also how does mine fit into this world and where does it best suit the entertainment and where do I fit in in this cabaret world

And it's happening. So finding my voice. That's what it's about. It's a very special group. It's a very small group here in New York and amazingly talented people

I mean, my Christmas shows are more like an old-fashioned 50s variety show. And when I sit

there and I have all these guests come into my rumpus room I so amazed at the amount of talent we have and that want to come in my show and share it And I just so honored and blessed to have them want to come in and be on stage with me It such an honor And

we, there's just so much talent and it's so great. And it's a tight knit community. And especially

this week, it's really shown me how much love there is between us all and support. And, you know

you can't get through life without the support of friends. And especially when your family's gone

And your friends and my husband are literally everything. And they've given me so much love over the past couple of days

So it's very special. You can quit many, many times throughout your entire life

You can quit so many times throughout your career. But if you are really wanting to be a singer or a performer or an artist

or give back to the community in some creative way, you can always un-quit

Like so many actors are like, I'm not doing this anymore. and then a week later they're at an audition again

and they're trying it out again and they're loving the process as much as the rewards or the awards

It doesn't matter