John Wallowitch and Dottie Burman were beloved songwriters in the cabaret community. When Dottie Burman passed away, her estate bequeathed $5,000 dollars to MAC to set up a songwriting competition in her name that would award a cash prize to songwriters/composers over the age of 40 who have not yet received recognition for their writing talents. The MAC Board passed a motion to create a matching award in John Wallowitch’s name to honor songwriters under 40. Songwriters’ submissions are accepted in the fall, and finalists are chosen by a panel of judges. The final decision is made by a celebrity judge from the world of cabaret. Past judges include Julie Gold (2023) Nikki M. James (2022), Joe Iconis (2021), John McDaniel (2021), Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich (2020), Sharon McNight (2017) Barb Jungr (2014), Lauren Molina (2013), Ann Hampton Callaway (2012), and Karen Mason (2011).
Annual Finalist & Winners
Winners in Bold
2023 Dottie Burman Award
Kevin Kelso and Hillary Rollins
Diana Lawrence
Ethan Tarasov
2023 John Wallowitch Award
Alanya Bridge
Sonya Hayden
Billy Reece
2022 Dottie Burman Award
D.C. Anderson and Steven Landau
John Cook
John Forster
2021 Dottie Burman Award
Bob Levy
Alyce Finell
Jeff Thomson and Jordan Mann
2020 Dottie Burman Award
Daniel Cainer
Lara Cody and Mark Vogel
Larry Kerchner
Hillary Rollins and Matthew Levine
2022 John Wallowitch Award
Jordan Friend
Nicole Zuriatis
Anson Jones
2021 John Wallowitch Award
Alex Goldie Golden
Billy Recce
Adam Wachter
2020 John Wallowitch Award
Danny Bernstein
Danny Ursetti and Jared Corak
JJ Warshaw and Nicholas Parker
2017 Dottie Burman Award
Michael Dansicker
Larry Kerchner
Ilene Reid & Michael Heitzman
2017 John Wallowitch Award
Alanya Bridge
Ryan Korell & Jonathan Keebler
Joel B. New
2016 Dottie Burman Award
Ben Schaechter & Dan Kael
Michael Dansicker
Michael Colby & Paul Katz
Peter Saxe
2016 John Wallowitch Award
Blake Pfeil
Nora Terzo
Will Van Dkye
Ben Roseberry & Chip Klose
2015 Dottie Burman Award
Cathy Lombardi and Craig Baldwin
Lisa DeSpain
Stuart McMeans
2015 John Wallowitch Award
Patrick Dwyer
Nadav Wiesel
Alexander Sage Oyen
Scott Evan Davis
2014 Dottie Burman Award
Harriet Goldberg
Michael Colby and Paul Katz
Nicholas Levin
Dennis Livingston
2014 John Wallowitch Award
Sam Carner and Derek Gregor
Scott Evan Davis
Daniel Mate
Rachel Peters
2013 Dottie Burman Award
Amanda Yesnowitz and Deborah Abramson
Harriet Goldberg and Elise Morris
2013 John Wallowitch Award
Shaina Taub
Scott Evan Davis
Jeff Thomson & Jordan Mann
2012 Dottie Burman Award
Sammy Buck and Dan Acquisto
Derek Fox and Lois Morton
2012 John Wallowitch Award
Sam Willmott
Patrick Dwyer and Alexander Sage Oyen
2011 Dottie Burman Award
Amy Englehart
Krisanthi Pappas and Jay Zimmerman
2011 John Wallowitch Award
Drew Fornarola
Kevin Fogarty
Amanda Yesnowitz and Brian Cimmet
2010 Dottie Burman Award
Kenneth Jones and Gerald Stockstill
Juliana Davis and Lois Morton
2010 John Wallowitch Award
Joe Iconis
Joshua H. Cohen and Joey Contreras
2009 Dottie Burman Award
Brett Kristofferson
2009 John Wallowitch Award
Adam Gwon