Along with New York’s Drama Desk and Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Awards, the Carbonell Awards are among the nation’s senior regional arts awards and predate others including Washington, D.C.’s Helen Hayes Awards. The Carbonell Awards fosters the artistic growth of professional theater in South Florida by celebrating the diversity of our theater artists, providing educational scholarships, and building audience appreciation and civic pride by highlighting achievements of our theater community. Named after Manuel Carbonell, an internationally-renowned sculptor, who designed the original solid bronze and marble award in 1976, each season volunteer panelists and judges choose nominees and recipients from hundreds of shows produced on stages throughout the tri-county area. For more information, visit www.carbonellawards.org.
Four productions that spanned the tri-county area, The Caretaker at Zoetic Stage; The Secret Garden at Slow Burn Theatre Company; Sunday in the Park with George at Zoetic Stage; and Sweeney Todd at Palm Beach Dramaworks; tied with six nominations each when the nominations were announced for the 42nd annual Carbonell Awards, which honors excellence in theater in South Florida.
Zoetic Stage in Miami led with 17 nominations for their productions of The Caretaker, Fuacata, Sunday in the Park with George and Top Dog/Underdog. Miami-Dade theaters earned 42 nominations, Palm Beach County earned 38 nominations and Broward County earned 20 nominations. Nominations were spread over 44 shows from theaters stretching from Coral Gables north to Jupiter.
For the first time in the awards history, the nomination are being announced live simultaneously by The Morning Lounge with Jill and Rich on Legends Radio100.3FM along with the Carbonell Awards FacebookLive simulcast from 6am-10am today.
The awards will be handed out at the Carbonell Awards ceremony, which will be held Monday, April 2, 2018, at 7:30 p.m., at Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale.
In addition to recognizing the stars of today, the Carbonell Awards’ core mission is to award scholarships to the talent of tomorrow. Applications for the Jack Zink Memorial Carbonell Awards Scholarships are currently being accepted. Full info at http://carbonellawards.org/scholarships/ The deadline to apply is February 5.
The Carbonell Awards is a not-for-profit organization and is funded by tax-deductible donations and award sponsorships. This season’s sponsors include South Florida Cultural Consortium, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Rita and Jerry Cohen, Kerry and Scott Shiller, South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, Mary Ellen and Michael Peyton, Tony Finstrom the Palm Beach Cultural Council and the South Florida Theatre League. Opportunities to sponsor an award category and appear on stage to announce the winner are still available. Email carbonellhotline@gmail.com for more information.
“South Florida’s regional theaters continue to excel, making the job of evaluating shows more difficult each year,” said Jody Leshinsky, president of the Carbonell Awards Board of Directors. “Last year the Carbonell Award’s 100 nominations were spread over 36 shows. This year 44 shows have been honored with nominations. That alone shows the upward trend of quality South Florida theater audiences.”
The ceremony will take place Monday, April 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 S.W. 5th Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets for Nominees and Groups will be available starting January 18 with order forms due by March 5. Visit CarbonellAwards.org and click the TICKETS link for full details. All tickets are priced at $25 plus service fee will go on sale to the public on March 9 and can be purchased at the Broward Center’s Box Office by calling 954-462-0222 or visiting www.browardcenter.org. Day of show tickets will be available for $35 plus service fee.
A complete list of the 2017 nominations and a breakdown of nominations by county, theater and production follows.
Carbonell Award Nominations, 2017
Best New Work (play or musical)
Broken Snow by Ben Andron, JCAT – The J’s Cultural Arts Theatre
The Camp by Michael McKeever, West Boca Theatre Company
Finding Mona Lisa by Michael McKeever, Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
¡FUÁCATA! by Elena Maria Garcia and Stuart Meltzer, Zoetic Stage
The Goldberg Variations by Stuart Meltzer, Island City Stage
Best Production of a Play
Arcadia, Palm Beach Dramaworks
The Caretaker, Zoetic Stage
The Humans, GableStage
Kings of Harlem, M Ensemble
Topdog/Underdog, Zoetic Stage
Best Director/Play
Joseph Adler, The Humans, GableStage
Layon Gray, Kings of Harlem, M Ensemble
J. Barry Lewis, Arcadia, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Stuart Meltzer, The Caretaker, Zoetic Stage
John Rodaz, An Octaroon, Area Stage Company
Best Actor/Play
Clay Cartland, The Legend of Georgia McBride, GableStage
Marckenson Charles, Topdog/Underdog, Zoetic Stage
David Kwiat, The Caretaker, Zoetic Stage
Nicholas Richberg, Billy and Me, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Gregg Weiner, The Good Thief, Ground Up & Rising
Best Actress/Play
Anne-Marie Cusson, Collected Stories, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Niki Fridh, Grounded, Thinking Cap Theatre
Elena Maria Garcia, ¡FUÁCATA!, Zoetic Stage
Rita Joe, Brothers of the Dust, M Ensemble
Karen Stephens, Motherland, Theatre Lab
Best Supporting Actor/Play
Sean Patrick Doyle, The Legend of Georgia McBride, GableStage
Andre L. Gainey, Kings of Harlem, M Ensemble
John Manzelli, The Goldberg Variations, Island City Stage
Kevin Reilley, Twelfth Night, New City Players
Tom Wahl, The Legend of Georgia McBride, GableStage
Best Supporting Actress/Play
Meredith Bartmon, The Humans, GableStage
Elizabeth Dimon, The Humans, GableStage
Niki Fridh, Most Wanted, Theatre Lab
Jeni Hacker, The Camp, West Boca Theatre Company
Carolyn Johnson, Flyin’ West, M Ensemble
Best Production of a Musical
The Drowsy Chaperone, The Wick Theatre
Gypsy, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Newsies, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Sunday in the Park with George, Zoetic Stage
Sweeney Todd, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Best Director/Musical
Clive Cholerton, Sweeney Todd, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Patrick Fitzwater, The Secret Garden, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Stuart Meltzer, Sunday in the Park with George, Zoetic Stage
Dom Ruggiero, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Wick Theatre
Marcos Santana, Newsies, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Best Actor/Musical
Cooper Grodin, Sunday in the Park with George, Zoetic Stage
Bruce Linser, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Wick Theatre
Shane Tanner, Sweeney Todd, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Michael Ursua, La Cage Aux Folles, MNM Productions
Michael Ursua, The Secret Garden, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Best Actress/Musical
Sarah Gracel, Dreamgirls, Broward Stage Door Theatre
Julie Kleiner, She Loves Me, The Wick Theatre
Vicki Lewis, Gypsy, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Mallory Newbrough, Beauty and the Beast, The Wick Theatre
Cindy Pearce, It Shoulda Been You, Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
Best Supporting Actor/Musical
Jim Ballard, Little Shop of Horrors, MNM Productions
Jim Ballard, Sweeney Todd, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Andrew Shultz, Spamalot, MNM Productions
Conor Walton, It Shoulda Been You, Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
Elijah Word, Dreamgirls, Broward Stage Door Theatre
Best Supporting Actress/Musical
Amy Miller Brennan, Aida, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Anne Chamberlain, The Secret Garden, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Kat Gold, Nine, Broward Stage Door Theatre
Laura Hodos, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Wick Theatre
Mallory Newbrough, Beehive, The Wick Theatre
Musical Direction/Musical
Eric Alsford, Sunday in the Park with George, Zoetic Stage
Caryl Fantel, Beehive, The Wick Theatre
Emmanuel Schvartzmann, Sweeney Todd, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Brad Simmons, The Secret Garden, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Andrew David Sotomayor, Newsies, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Choreography/Musical
Al Blackstone, Newsies, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Ron Hutchins, Evita, Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Gypsy, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Lindsey Bell, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Wick Theatre
Shea Sullivan, The Producers, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Best Scenic Design/play or musical
Kent Barrett, Motherland, Theatre Lab
Mitchelll Ost, Kings of Harlem, M Ensemble
J.C. Rodriguez, An Octaroon, Area Stage Company
Anne Mundell, Born Yesterday, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Michael McClain, The Caretaker, Zoetic Stage
Best Lighting Design/play or musical
Rebecca Montero, The Caretaker, Zoetic Stage
Rebecca Montero, Sunday in the Park with George, Zoetic Stage
Thomas Shorrock, The Secret Garden, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Thomas Shorrock, Titanic, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Donald Edmund Thomas, Arcadia, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Best Costume Design/play or musical
Angela Esposito, Sunday in the Park with George, Zoetic Stage
Brian O’Keefe, Sweeney Todd, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Rick Pena, The Secret Garden, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Nicole Stodard, Lizzie: The Musical, Thinking Cap Theatre
Ellis Tillman, The Legend of Georgia McBride, GableStage
Best Sound Design/play or musical
Anton Church, ¡FUÁCATA!, Zoetic Stage
Matt Corey, Collected Stories, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Matt Corey, The Legend of Georgia McBride, GableStage
Stuart Meltzer, The Caretaker, Zoetic Stage
Nicole Stodard, Grounded, Thinking Cap Theatre
Best Ensemble (play or musical)
Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties, Thinking Cap Theatre
Finding Mona Lisa, Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
Kings of Harlem, M Ensemble
Lizzie: The Musical, Thinking Cap Theatre
Straight White Men, Thinking Cap Theatre
2017 Carbonell Award Nominations, By County
Miami-Dade 42 nominations
Broward 20 nominations
Palm Beach 38 nominations
2017 Carbonell Award Nominations, By Theater
Miami-Dade – 42 nominations
17 Zoetic Stage
9 GableStage
7 M Ensemble
5 Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
2 Area Stage Company
1 Ground Up & Rising
1 JCAT
Palm Beach – 38 nominations
12 Palm Beach Dramaworks
9 Maltz Jupiter Theatre
9 The Wick Theatre
3 MNM Productions
3 Theatre Lab
2 West Boca Theatre
Broward: 20 nominations
8 Slow Burn Theatre Company
6 Thinking Cap Theatre
3 Broward Stage Door Theatre
2 Island City Stage
1 New City Players
2017 Carbonell Award Nominations, By Production
6 The Caretaker, Zoetic Stage
6 The Secret Garden, Slow Burn Theatre Company
6 Sunday in the Park with George, Zoetic Stage
6 Sweeney Todd, Palm Beach Dramaworks
5 The Drowsy Chaperone, The Wick Theatre
5 Kings of Harlem, M Ensemble
5 The Legend of Georgia McBride. GableStage
4 The Humans, GableStage
4 Newsies, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
3 Arcadia, Palm Beach Dramaworks
3 ¡FUÁCATA!, Zoetic Stage
3 Gypsy, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
2 An Octaroon, Area Stage
2 Beehive, The Wick Theatre
2 The Camp, West Boca Theatre
2 Collected Stories, Palm Beach Dramaworks
2 Dreamgirls, Broward Stage Door Theatre
2 Finding Mona Lisa, Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
2 The Goldberg Variations, Island City Stage
2 Grounded, Thinking Cap Theatre
2 It Shoulda Been You, Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
2 Lizzie: The Musical, Thinking Cap Theatre
2 Motherland, Theatre Lab
2 Topdog/Underdog, Zoetic Stage
1 Aida, Slow Burn Theatre Company
1 Beauty and the Beast, The Wick Theatre
1 Billy and Me, Palm Beach Dramaworks
1 Born Yesterday, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
1 Broken Snow, JCAT – The J’s Cultural Arts Theatre
1 Brothers of the Dust, M Ensemble
1 Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties, Thinking Cap Theatre
1 Evita, Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
1 Flyin’ West, M Ensemble
1 The Good Thief. Ground Up & Rising
1 La Cage Aux Folles, MNM Productions
1 Little Shop of Horrors, MNM Productions
1 Most Wanted, Theatre Lab
1 Nine, Broward Stage Door Theatre
1 The Producers, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
1 She Loves Me, The Wick Theatre
1 Spamalot, MNM Productions
1 Straight White Men, Thinking Cap Theatre
1 Titanic, Slow Burn Theatre Company
1 Twelfth Night, New City Players
Multiple Nominees:
Stuart Meltzer received five nominations, two for Best New Work for his own play. The Goldberg Variations and one for ¡FUÁCATA!,, which he co-wrote with Elena Maria Garcia; two Best Director nominations, one for The Caretaker and one for Sunday in the Park with George; and one for his Sound Design for The Caretaker.
Matt Corey received two nominations for Sound Design, for Collected Stories and The Legend of Georgia McBride
Niki Fridh received two nominations, one as Best Actress, Play for Grounded and one for Best Supporting Actress, Play for Most Wanted.
Elena Maria Garcia received two nominations for ¡FUÁCATA!, as Best New Work which she co-wrote with Stuart Metlzer and for Best Actress, Play.
Michael McKeever received two nominations in the Best New Work category, for Finding Mona Lisa and The Camp.
Rebecca Montero received two nominations in Lighting Design, for Sunday in the Park with George and The Caretaker.
Mallory Newbrough received two nominations, one for Best Actress, Musical for Beauty and the Beast and one for Best Supporting Actress, Musical for Beehive.
Nicole Stodard received two nominations for Best Costume Design for Lizzie: The Musical and for Best Sound Design for Grounded.
Thomas Shorrock received two nominations in Lighting Design, for The Secret Garden and Titanic.
