Honorees of the MAC Awards have included Liza Minnelli,[2] Barry Manilow,[3] Rosemary Clooney,[4] Stephen Schwartz,[5] The Manhattan Transfer,[6] Keely Smith,[7] Betty Buckley,[8] Maureen McGovern,[9][10] Polly Bergen,[11] and BenDeLaCreme.
The Board of Directors began bestowing its MAC Awards in 1986 to those they deemed "had made a contribution to live entertainment, whether a business person, local performer, dedicated critic, or cabaret luminary."
Currently, the Awards are voted on by the MAC membership and honor cabaret, comedy, and jazz performers, as well as behind- the-scenes professionals.
Other MAC presidents have included Jamie deRoy, Michael Estwanick, Barry Levitt, Judy Barnett, Scott Barbarino and Ricky Ritzel.
According to the organization's website, "MAC’s mission is to advance the art and business of live entertainment ... its activities are designed to heighten public awareness of the field’s contributions and vitality, to honor its creativity, to build its current and future audiences, and to speak out as an influential voice on behalf of MAC members and the industry at large.