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 Barb Jungr (2014), Lauren Molina (2013), Ann Hampton Callaway (2012), and Karen Mason (2011). Winners then perform at They Write the Songs, a MAC event which highlights songwriters and their contributions to cabaret.
The Dottie Burman Award
2017 – Finalists: Larry Kerchner, Ilene Reid & Michael Heitzman
Winner: Michael Dansicker
2016- Finalists: Ben Schaechter & Dan Kael, Michael Dansicker, and Michael Colby & Paul Katz
2015 – Winner : Cathy Lombardi and Craig Baldwin
Finalists: Lisa DeSpain, Stuart McMeans
2014– Winner : Harriet Goldberg
Finalists: Michael Colby and Paul Katz, Nicholas Levin, Dennis Livingston
2013 – Winner: Amanda Yesnowitz and Deborah Abramson
Finalists: Harriet Goldberg and Elise Morris
2012– Winner: Sammy Buck and Dan Acquisto
Finalists: Derek Fox and Lois Morton
2011– Winner: Amy Englehart
Finalists: Krisanthi Pappas and Jay Zimmerman
2010 – Winner: Kenneth Jones and Gerald Stockstill
Finalists: Juliana Davis and Lois Morton
2009 – Winner: Brett Kristofferson
The John Wallowitch Award
2017 – Finalists: Alanya Bridge, Ryan Korell & Jonathan Keebler
Winner: Joel B. New
2016-Finalists: Blake Pfeil, Nora Terzo, and Will Van Dkye
2015- Winner: Patrick Dwyer
Finalists: Nadav Wiesel, Alexander Sage Oyen, Scott Evan Davis
2014– Winner: Sam Carner and Derek Gregor
Finalists: Scott Evan Davis, Daniel Mate, Rachel Peters
2013– Winner: Shaina Taub
Finalists: Scott Evan Davis and Jeff Thomson & Jordan Mann
2012 – Winner: Sam Willmott
Finalists: Patrick Dwyer and Alexander Sage Oyen
2011 – Winner: Drew Fornarola
Finalists: Kevin Fogarty, Amanda Yesnowitz and Brian Cimmet
2010 – Winner: Joe Iconis
Finalists: Joshua H. Cohen and Joey Contreras
2009 – Winner: Adam Gwon
