By Brian Scott Lipton . . .
On Monday, October 4, Tony Award winner Betty Buckley received the American Songbook Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award at their annual gala, held at Merkin Concert Hall at the Kaufman Music Center. The three-hour gala, co-sponsored by Cabaret Scenes Magazine, was hosted by Seth Rudetsky, who received the 2023 Bill Sensenbrenner Dream Maker Award.
The show featured spoken tributes and performances by a host of stars including Ellen Burstyn, Marsha Mason, Stephen Schwartz, Jessie Mueller, Carolee Carmello, Orfeh, Ken Page, Jennifer Simard, Scott Schwartz, Paul Hecht, Bryan Batt, Christine Pedi, Bonnie Milligan Rupert Holmes, Sharon Catherine Brown, Elizabeth Davis, Howard McGillin, Sandra Bernhard, Veanne Cox, Mario Cantone, Kurt Peterson and Michael Wilson.
After accepting her award, Buckley sang Stephen Schwartz’s “Chanson” and Jason Robert Brown’s “Hope,” with Brown accompanying her on the piano.
Photos: Maryann Lopinto
