USA- The Carbonell Awards that most consider as important as the Tony Awards for South Florida theatre are about to set the bar for the future of the "BroadwayGlobal fun in the sun arts destination". This year the spotlight of the anticipated 37th Annual Carbonell Awards is on a few categories, Best Actress of Musical and Choreography/Musical.
Why? Because the Carbonell Awards year after year have chosen many of the same Florida artists. Yes as a writer promoting the arts we love to add the credit of a Carbonell Award nomination, or even better the winner. As the thirty seven years have went on, the Carbonell Award nominees list and winners seems to show that we, as the "arts destination" are not always good at acknowledging the Broadway credited artists that share the stage with our Florida veterans. Theaters like (the now in limbo) iconic Coconut Grove Playhouse set the bar for contracting stars. We must not loose the importance of bringing in and including Broadway credited stars in our beloved Awards.
What is obvious to a theatre critic who sees Broadway shows almost every other week is that Janet Dacal in Actors' Playhouse production of The Last Five Years and Kate Shindle who starred Maltz Jupiter Theatre's brilliant, yet carbon copy Broadway revival of Cabaret, are at the top of the list of Carbonell Awards choices. If one is to choose the very best this season those two would be sure bets. This is not to take away from the wonderful performances from the other actresses.
The other category for Choreography/Musical includes Shea Sullivan for The Music Man production produced by Maltz Jupiter Theatre which is the obvious strongest choice. The local names are very talented and it sure nice to see them nominated but Shea Sullivan's work stands for itself.
If creditable theatre awards are important to those choosing the Cabonell Awards, they must continue to be open, fare to deserving artists giving acknowledgment and praise to shows, artists, theatres that will continue the Carbonell Awards brand success.
Listed below are just two of the categories with more information at the bottom of the article.
Best Actress/Musical
Mandy Bruno, The Music Man, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Janet Dacal, The Last Five Years, Actors’ Playhouse
Jodie Langel, Next to Normal, Actors’ Playhouse
Vicki Lewis, Hello Dolly!, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Kate Shindle, Cabaret, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Choreography/Musical
Dave Campbell, All Night Strut, Stage Door Theatre
Barbara Flaten, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Actors’ Playhouse
Marsha Milgrom Dodge, Hello Dolly!, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Shea Sullivan, The Music Man, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Jennifer Werner, Cabaret, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
The not so exciting announcement could come from the Best New Work. Florida veteran multi-Carbonell Award winning playwright Michael McKeever who is also the producer of this years Carbonell Award is truly loved for his talents. Looking at the choices some of the writers are much more deserving this year for their works. Just an opinion that I am sure will start some social media conversation.
Best New Work (play or musical)
Baby GirL, Kim Ehly, Kutumba Theatre Project
A Measure of Cruelty, Joe Calarco, Mosaic Theatre
Moscow, Michael McKeever, Zoetic Stage
Off Center of Nowhere, David Sirois, Alliance Theatre Lab
roomies, Mark Della Ventura, Alliance Theatre Lab
The Carbonell Awards ceremony is produced by Michael McKeever, who earned nominations for both playwriting and scenic design, and directed by Stuart Meltzer, who is nominated in the Best Director category. McKeever and Meltzer also produced the 35th Annual Carbonell Awards Ceremony in 2011. Do you see a trend here?
Have I become a bitter critic? No my love for the arts is obvious from the 130,000 readers. My work takes me out of state for four days at a time, so I have not been able to attend all the Carbonell Awards. With the over sixty press releases that I have in my inbox at the moment, all the readers know I spend countless hours trying to promote the arts in South Florida, while sharing national, global and Broadway productions that I am so blessed to witness.
I will say none of the sixty emails in my mail include a "press release" from the Carbonell Awards, so I could have shared it with the over 130,000 readers. Maybe I see a trend or maybe just over looked. Just like the BroadwayWorld.com Awards I have never respected a popularity contest. The artists that are nominated should be on the list, but the Carbonell Awards scare me for future awards if we continue to "overlook" artists that are not living in the state of Florida or part of a popularity contest. Artists do come to Florida with Broadway credits and talents that hope to be recognized by a Carbonell Award nomination and possible the Carbonell Award because it in known nationally.
Three theaters that closed their doors in 2012 garnered several nominations each and their closings are reason alone for the arts community to band together. Recently BroadwayGlobal and Theatre Chat hosted a Broadway Sandy Relief fundraising event at Fort Lauderdale Children's Theatre. What made me cry was the huge number of children from middle schools, new theatre companies that included FLCT kids, Florida Stars (Amy Miller Brennan, Christine Oliver, Meri Ziev, Darius J. Manuel, FRESH Theatre Company, Kevin Johnson's Conundrum Stages offering Comedy - Leon Arp, Comedy - Adrienne Airhart, Music - Erin Lister, singing Victoria Rose Brown, Poetry - Emily Maloney, A Condrum Stage short Play, Logan Moreno, choreography from Ron Hucthins, Music accompaniment by multi Carbonell Award winning Eric Alsford, sound/stage management by Jerry Jensen and "Critic Choice"- Michelle Wagner Terl Drama students from Parkway Middle School.
The performances of award winning Broadway show stopping numbers, love of the arts brought the Florida arts community together for just one night. Now I know, with all of the school dedicated theatre programs and busy professional schedules just how difficult that really was. But sharing their time, talents giving back to Sandy Relief brought the arts community together from all ages. It made me think this should be part of our awards show to include everyone!
This is what the arts are about. When I see huge performing arts center offering their venues to the same theatre companies, without bringing in some of the up and coming writers, directors, choreographers, new theatres companies or artists. It saddens me that those who may not know how to write a grant or put paper work in for a 501(c)3 may be "over looked", because they are not included in a popularity contest. Let us all stay joined as an arts community, which is obvious from the close to 4,000 arts lovers on Florida Theatre Chat on facebook and the 130, 775 link shares from my examiner articles.
The Silver Palm Awards could soon be the more credited awards if we don't all look to invite everyone to the table. Why? Because the committee founded five years ago honors theatrical excellence in South Florida. They focus on those artists who have made outstanding or unique contributions to South Florida theatre and they are not afraid to be unpopular. "There are no nominees, no winners or losers, and no limit to the number of citations given in any 'category". I would love to see them both join as one, taking the best of both awards, combining them to make the "Florida Awards" the most creditable next to the Tony Awards.
Tony Finstrom (a playwright), Beacon TV talk show host Iris Acker, and South Florida International Press Club President and critic Ron Levitt compose the Silver Palm committee, which receives recommendations from South Florida journalists and theatre critics before the final list of recipients is determined. Sounds like they have a team of credited leaders producing an award for the right reasons. Let the Carbonell Awards consider the importance of this nationally renowned award that Jack Zink is remembered for.
The test the truth for the Carbonell Awards in future choices for their awards. A Pulitzer Prize winning drama Ruined, produced by GableStage about the plight of women in war-torn Africa is a truthful choice. BroadwayGlobal's top regional theatre for musicals, Maltz Jupiter Theatre offered The Music Man which is also a top choice.
Maltz Jupiter Theater earned the most nominations of any theater with 23 nominations. GableStage, Actors’ Playhouse, and Palm Beach Dramaworks tied with 12 nominations each. The goal to choose the best of the best has been honored by the Carbonell Awards. They have a more than difficult job to cover theatre in South Florida, but what an honor for all of them bringing recognition to those who have inspired us in our busy lives.
Nominations are spread over 35 shows from theatres stretching from Coral Gables north to Jupiter. Seeing this wide spread area and knowing the cost of gas, I can also relate to the Carbonell Awards difficult task. The objective is to attend all of those who send me invites to see shows to review them for examiner.com but in truth it is not possible to see everything, at least with my real work schedule that pays that light bill.
The number of shows, theatres and artists are overwhelming. Now imagine having only four days to cover local events and being gone for four (which is my real job schedule). Unfortunately as much as I want to cover every theatre, every artsist this "one man band" and small not for profit, Theatre Chat which is growing with BroadwayGlobal, must ask all artsist to help remind Carbonell Award voters, Silver Palm Award voters and yes even theatre critics of your events.
In this daily, changing, technically challanged world that we live in, with endless Social Media try to share the arts everyday. Educate how you can send a press release, with jpg pictutes, website links, addresses, phone numbers, show discriptions, You Tube promo clips and invites, promote your talents and don't give up. Your passion and love for the arts will win. Remember you only get one first impression.
The Carbonell Awards are exciting as the Tony Awards. BroadwayGlobal and Theatre Chat send a warm congratulations to all the nominees. You all have already won by being acknowledge for a job well done.
Nominations for the 37th Annual Carbonell Awards have been announced and are shared on www.theatrechat.net.
Tickets go on sale on Friday, February 1, 2013 for the Monday, April 1, 2013ceremony, which will take place in the Amaturo Theater, at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 S.W. 5th Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets purchased in advance are $25 with $20 tickets available for groups of 10 or more, $35 at the door. Tickets will be available at the Broward Center’s box office or by visiting www.browardcenter.org.
The Carbonell Awards is a not-for-profit organization and is funded by tax-deductible donations and award sponsorships. Opportunities to sponsor an award category and appear on stage to announce the winner are still available. Email: carbonellhotline@gmail.com for more information.
Richard Cameron reminds all theatre lovers to please send your Broadway Global breaking news to email theatrechat@me.com. Share your "Arts Events" with Theatre Chat and Broadway Global. Find over 130,000 arts lovers posting arts FREE everyday on over 30 city/state Theatre Chat groups on facebook with Florida Theatre Chat, USA Theatre Chat, NYC Theatre Chat, Chicago Theatre Chat, Los Angeles Theatre Chat, Arizona Theatre Chat, North Carolina Theatre Chat, PA Theatre Chat, DC Area Theatre Chat just to name a few. Your comments or post could inspire an article here on examiner.com.
Comments