Theatre Chat's "TOP TEN" list for Best Live Professional Theatre's in south Florida are in the majority for Cabonell Award nominations. Maltz Jupiter Theatre with 25 nominations, GableStage with 8 nominations, Actors’ Playhouse 14 nominations, Caldwell Theatre Company 6 nominations, Palm Beach Dramaworks 10 nominations, Naked Stage and Zoetic Stage with 3 nominations. Do not miss the Carbonell Awards Monday, April 2, 2012, at Broward Center for the Performing Arts centrally located in south Florida in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Not listed on Theatre Chat's Top Ten Theatres list were The Women’s Theatre Project with 2 nominations, Promethean Theatre 5 nominations, Broward Stage Door Theatre 11 nominations, Alliance Theatre Lab 3 nominations, Infinite Abyss, Naked Stage 3 nominations and the now closed Florida Stage (now closed) with 2 nominations.
Theatre Chat recently chose Maltz Jupiter Theatre as a Top Regional Theatre in the United States for 2012 and mentioned GableStage is close in the Top Ten Regional mix. Maltz Jupiter Theatre brings in multi award winning SDC Directors/Choreographers and their production vaules have grown with the growth of the Maltz Jupiter Theatre brand. Theatre Chat".
The only two Theatre Chat "TOP TEN THEATRES IN FLORIDA" that are not in the mix are Broadway Palm and Mad Cow Theatre because they are not included at this time in the area for a Carbonell Award. "What is evident in this years nominations is that Maltz Jupiter Theatre is giving it's run for their money to Actors' Playhouse who may have the most Carbonell Awards in the past for Best Musical and Best Direction. This year Actor's Playhouse took a back seat behind Maltz Jupiter Theatre.
"The Carbonell upsets are no nomination for HBO's The Sopranos star Ray Abruzzo for Best Actor in Lombardi for Mosaic Theatre and Broward Stage Door known for it's canned music has mutiple nominations for The Light in the Piazza thanks to Director Michael Leeds who may be the only Broadway local credited Director that our Florida theatres continue to hire. Once again Director Joseph Adler nominated for Red at GableStage is a sure Top Pick as GableStage production choices and production values continue to be the best for plays in south Florida with Mosaic Theatre falling close behind. Theatre Chat."
Florida is such a large state it would be more than difficult or almost impossible for the adjudicators to travel the entire state of Florida. Chicago Jeff Awards (www.jeffawards.org) have it a bit easier as the state of Illinois is much smaller than Florida and the Tony Awards are only looking at Broadway shows in New York City. The Carbonell Awards are just as prestigious because credited local judges are nominating local artists, theatres and works that should be honored for their outstanding achievemnets in the arts.
Now that Florida Theatre Chat on facebook in in the thousands and Theatre Chat has over 50,000 arts lovers maybe it would be easier to find credited Carbonell Award judges to include the entire state of Florida, making the Carbonell Awards the largest award cermony in the United States and possibly internationally.
The Carbonell Awards with New York’s Drama Desk and Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Awards are among the nation’s senior regional arts awards and predates others including Washington, D.C.’s Helen Hayes and Philadelphia’s Barrymore Awards. Carbonell Awards recognized the best theatrical shows and performances in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. The Nomination Breakdown by County: Palm Beach 43, Miami Dade 28 and Broward with 27 nominations.
The Carbonell Awards (carbonellawards.org) the arts organization that recognizes and awards excellence in the arts for South Florida theatre today announced the nominations for the 2011 Carbonell Award season. Palm Beach County theatres soared ahead with 43 nominations, followed by Miami-Dade with 28, and Broward County with 27 nominations. In a year filled with extraordinary and varied theatre presentations, nominations were spread throughout the region, from Jupiter to Coral Gables, with 13 companies receiving nominations, and 28 of the 68 eligible shows that opened in 2011 given recognition.
Palm Beach’s premier producer of musicals, the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, lead with 24 nominations, spread across their productions of The Sound of Music, Crazy for You and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, as well as the play Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps. Actors’ Playhouse in Coral Gables came next with 14 nominations, for their production of the plays August: Osage County and Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol as well as the musical Hairspray. Broward Stage Door Theatre in Coral Springs earned 11 nominations for the musicals The Light in the Piazza and The Music Man, while Palm Beach Dramaworks in West Palm Beach earned 10 nominations for the plays All my Sons and The Beauty Queen of Leenane.
The nominees for Best New Work show that South Florida is hot bed of playwriting talent, with three of the four slots filled by local playwrights. David Michael Sirois was recognized for his play Brothers Beckett which premiered at Alliance Theatre Lab in Miami Lakes; past winner Michael McKeever earned a nod for his play STUFF, which premiered at Caldwell Theatre Company in Boca Raton; and Christopher Demos Brown, who won the award last year, was nominated for his play Captiva, which premiered at Zoetic Stage in Miami. The last nomination was earned by Carter W. Lewis for his play The Cha-Cha of a Camel Spider, the last production at Florida Stage in Palm Beach County, which closed its doors in 2011.
SPECIAL NOTES TO OUR LOCAL YOUTH: The annual ceremony awards scholarships to South Floridaarts students through an essay and interview contest. The deadline for essays is February 3, 2012. Richard Cameron of Theatre Chat ask all our youth attending Florida State Thespian Festival to join the multiple workshops at States presented by Carbonell Award winning SDC Director/Choreographer Ron Hutchins
The Carbonell Awards, considered South Florida’s answer to the Tony Awards, is a highlight of each theatre season and pays tribute to the area’s finest theatre productions. The ceremony, which will feature entertainment from the top shows of the year, will be held Monday, April 2, 2012, at Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale. Amy London, Carbonell executive director, and Michael McKeever will co-produce and co-direct the event. Ticketing information will be announced soon.
Below is a Complete List of nominees
Best New Work:
- Brothers Beckett, David Michael Sirois Alliance Theatre Lab,
- Captiva, Christopher Demos Brown, Zoetic Stage
- The Cha-Cha of the Camel Spider, Carter W. Lewis, Florida Stage (closed)
- Stuff, Michael McKeever, Caldwell Theatre Company
Best Production of a Play
- All My Sons, Palm Beach Dramaworks
- August: Osage County, Actors’ Playhouse
- Clybourne Park, Caldwell Theatre Company
- The Pillowman, Infinite Abyss
- Stuff, Caldwell Theatre Company
Best Production of a Play
- Joseph Adler, Red, GableStage
- Jeffrey D. Holmes, The Pillowman, Infinite Abyss
- J.Barry Lewis, All My Sons, Palm Beach Dramaworks
- Stuart Meltzer, Captiva, Zoetic Stage
- Richard Jay Simon, Side Effects, Mosaic Theatre
Best Actor in a Play
- Ken Clement, Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol, Actors’ Playhouse
- Scott Douglas Wilson, The Pillowman, Infinite Abyss
- Avi Hoffman, Superior Donuts, GableStage
- Kenneth Tigar, All My Sons, Palm Beach Dramaworks
- Gregg Weiner, Red, GableStage
Best Actress in a Play
- Kati Brazda, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Palm Beach Dramaworks
- Elizabeth Dimon, All My Sons, Palm Beach Dramaworks
- Annette Miller, August: Osage County, Actors’ Playhouse
- Deborah Sherman, Side Effects, Mosaic Theatre
- Laura Turnbull, August: Osage County, Actors’ Playhouse
Best Supporting Actor in a Play
- Antonio Amadeo, The Cha-Cha of a Camel Spider, Florida Stage (closed)
- Marckenson Charles, Superior Donuts, GableStage
- Mark Della Ventura, Brothers Beckett, Alliance Theatre Lab
- Ryan Didato, Red, GableStage
- Todd Allen Durkin, Captiva, Zoetic Stage
Best Supporting Actress in a Play
- Barbara Bradshaw, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Palm Beach Dramaworks
- Renata Eastlick, Eclipsed, The Women’s Theatre Project
- Elvire Emmanuelle, Eclipsed, The Women’s Theatre Project
- Angie Radosh, Stuff, Caldwell Theatre Company
- Laura Turnbull, Lombardi, Mosaic Theatre
Best Production of a Musical
- Crazy for You, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- The Light in the Piazza, Broward Stage Door Theatre
- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- The Sound of Music, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- Song of the Living Dead, Promethean Theatre
Best Director, Musical
- Michael Leeds, The Light in the Piazza, Broward Stage Door Theatre
- Margaret M. Ledford, Song of the Living Dead, Promethean Theatre
- Mark Martino, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- Mark Martino, Crazy for You, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- Marc Robin, The Sound of Music, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Best Actor in a Musical
- Matt Loehr, Crazy for You, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- John Pinto Jr., Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- Michael Sharon, The Sound of Music, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- Dylan H.oThompson, The Light in the Piazza, Broward Stage Door Theatre
Best Actress in a Musical
- Colleen Amaya, The Music Man, Broward Stage Door Theatre
- Joline Mujica, Hairspray, Actors’ Playhouse
- Vanessa Sonon, Crazy for You, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- Gabrielle Visser, The Light in the Piazza, Broward Stage Door Theatre
- Catherine Walker, The Sound of Music, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical
- Clay Cartland, Song of the Living Dead, Promethean Theatre
- Michael Brian Dunn, Crazy for You, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- Avi Hoffman, Hairspray, Actors’ Playhouse
- Bruce Rebold, The Light in the Piazza, Broward Stage Door Theatre
- Ryan Williams, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
- Julie Kleiner, Hairspray, Actors’ Playhouse
- Avery Sommers, Hairspray, Actors’ Playhouse
- Lara Hayhurst, The Light in the Piazza, Broward Stage Door Theatre
- Natalie Ramirez, The Light in the Piazza, Broward Stage Door Theatre
- April Woodall, The Sound of Music, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Best Musical Direction
- Helen Gregory, Crazy for You, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- Kim Douglas Steiner, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- Aaron McAllister, The Sound of Music, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- David Nagy, Hairspray, Actors’ Playhouse
- Garrett Taylor, The Light in the Piazza, Broward Stage Door Theatre
Best Choreography
- Chrissy Ardito, The Music Man, Broward Stage Door Theatre
- Chrissy Ardito, Song of the Living Dead, Promethean Theatre
- Barbara Flaten, Hairspray, Actors’ Playhouse
- Mark Martino, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- Shea Sullivan, Crazy for You, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Best Scenic Design (Play or Musical)
- Michael Amico, All My Sons, Palm Beach Dramaworks
- Tim Bennett, Stuff, Caldwell Theatre Company
- Douglas Grinn, Lombardi, Mosaic Theatre
- Sean McClelland, August: Osage County, Actors’ Playhouse
- Michael Schweikardt, The Sound of Music, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Best Lighting Design (Play or Musical)
- Paul Black, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- John Hall, All My Sons, Palm Beach Dramaworks
- Andrew Myers, The Light in the Piazza, Broward Stage Door Theatre
- Jeff Quinn, Red, GableStage
- Patrick Tennent, Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol, Actors’ Playhouse
Best Costume Design (Play or Musical)
- Brian O’Keefe, All My Sons, Palm Beach Dramaworks
- Jose M. Rivera, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- Ellis Tillman, Hairspray, Actors’ Playhouse
- Ellis Tillman, In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play), GableStage
- Ellis Tillman, Song of the Living Dead, Promethean Theatre
Best Sound Design (Play or Musical)
- Victoria Deiorio, Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- Alexander Herrin, Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol, Actors’ Playhouse
- Keith Kohrs, Crazy for You, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- Marty Mets, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
- Rich Szczublewski, All My Sons, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Best Ensemble
- Brothers Beckett, Alliance Theatre Lab
- The Brothers Size, GableStage
- Clybourne Park, Caldwell Theatre Company
- The Irish Curse, Mosaic Theatre
- Masked, GableStage
Richard Cameron of Theatre Chat sends congratulations from over 50,000 Theatre Chat lovers to all the well deserved Carbonell Award nominees. Richard Cameron of Theatre Chat ask all our youth attending Florida State Thespian Festival to join the multiple workshops at States presented by Carbonell Award winning SDC Director/Choreographer Ron Hutchins of Destined to Dance. (Bring your Tap shoes) Also consider donating Dance Shoes or join the Donate Dance Shoes Today group on facebook.
Cameron's articles have featured conversations with Tony Award winning Producer Stewart Lane, Emmy Award winning Casting Director Jeff Greenberg, multiple Broadway and TV stars and creative teams bringing arts lovers together around the world for the largest social media arts movement. Tag you're it! Subscribe and share with your arts community.
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