Carbonell Awards Winners Announced

Outstanding New Work, Play or Musical American Rhapsody, by Michael McKeever (Zoetic Stage)

(PRESS RELEASE)_(South Florida – November 14, 2023) The Carbonell Awards, South Florida’s Theater & Arts Honors, today announced the winners in 20 competitive categories for the 2022-2023 theater season. This year’s winners were announced in a glittery ceremony held last night at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center before several hundred performers, producers, directors, designers, publicists, and theater fans.
 
“More than 80 productions at nearly 30 different theatres were evaluated by a diverse group of more than 30 experienced judges representing all three participating counties (Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach). In late September, the Carbonell Awards revealed 120 nominees from 17 different theaters during last season,” says Carbonell Board President Gary Schweikhart.

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​GableStage in Coral Gables was the biggest winner, picking up seven different Carbonell Awards, including:
·        Outstanding Production, Play 
Native Gardens
·        Outstanding Direction, Play 
Victoria Collado, Native Gardens
·        Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Male Role, Play
David Kwiat, Native Gardens
·        Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Female Role, Play
Diana Garle, Native Gardens
·        Outstanding Lighting Design, Play or Musical
Blanca Forzán, El Huracán
·        Outstanding Sound Design, Play, or Musical
Matt Corey, Native Gardens
·        Outstanding Costume Design, Play or Musical
Camilla Haith, Native Gardens


Maltz Jupiter Theatre won five major awards this year, including:
·        Outstanding Production, Musical 
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
·        Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Male Role, Musical
Scott Cote, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
·        Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Female Role, Musical
Ashley McManus, Sweet Charity
·        Outstanding Music Direction
Caryl Fantel, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
·        Outstanding Choreography
Ariel Reid, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
 
Zoetic Stage in Miami garnered four major awards, including:
·        Outstanding New Work, Play or Musical
American Rhapsody, by Michael McKeever
·        Outstanding Direction, Musical 
Stuart Meltzer, Next to Normal
·        Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Female Role, Musical
Jeni Hacker, Next to Normal
·         Outstanding Achievement of an Artistic Specialty
Steven Covey for Video Projection Design, #GRACED
 
Area Stage in Miami Beach picked up two Carbonell Awards:
·        Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Male Role, Musical
Tico Chiriboga, The Little Mermaid
·        Outstanding Scenic Design, Play, or Musical
Frank J. Oliva, The Little Mermaid (Area Stage)


Winning one award each were:
Miami New Drama
·        Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Female Role, Play
Saundra Santiago, Anna in the Tropics
 
Ronnie Larsen Presents in Wilton Manors
·        Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Male Role, Play
Chris Anthony Ferrer, Red Speedo
 
As part of last night’s Carbonell Awards Ceremony, seven Special Awards were also presented to eight distinguished honorees:
·        The George Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts
Christine Dolen, the theatre critic for the Miami Herald from 1979 to 2015 and a longtime Carbonell judge.
 
·        The Vinnette Carroll Award for significant achievement in advancing the cause of diversity, equality, and inclusion in South Florida theater.
Christina Alexander & Katie Christie, leaders of the South Florida Theatre League's AntiRacism Theatre Strategies Cohorts, in which over a dozen local theatres have participated.
 
·        The Charlie Cinnamon Award which honors an individual who has contributed significantly to the support of the arts in South Florida and to the Carbonell Awards program.
Bill Hirschman, a former theatre critic for the South Florida SunSentinel, founder of Florida Theater On Stage, and a veteran Carbonell judge.
 

• The Ruth Foreman Award which recognizes contributions to South Florida theater development by an individual or group, for singular achievement and/or career contributions.

Maltz Jupiter Theatre, now celebrating its 20th Anniversary Season this year and Florida’s largest award-winning LORT theatre.
 

• The Bill Hindman Award which honors significant, long-term contributions to the region’s cultural life and onstage career achievement by performing artists based in South Florida.

James Samuel Randolph, a Professor in the Theater Division at New World School of The Arts and a Carbonell Award-winning actor who has appeared in over 100 plays, commercials, television shows and feature films.
 

• The Howard Kleinberg Award which honors an individual or organization for contributions to the health and development of the arts in South Florida.

Ronnie Larsen, actor-director-playwright-producer whose work has been seen in South Florida as well as Off-Broadway and around the world, and the creative force behind The Foundry in Wilton Manors.
 

• The Bill von Maurer Award for Theatrical Excellence which honors a theater company that exemplifies excellence for the totality of its programming: productions, educational outreach, developmental programs, and audiences served.

Slow Burn Theatre Company at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts for consistently presenting high-quality shows and which is dedicated to bringing dynamic, musical productions to diverse audiences. 
 
At this year’s awards ceremony, $2,000 Jack Zink Memorial Student Scholarships were presented to Diane Danyang Li (Broward County), Emily Moreland (Palm Beach County), and Addison Doris Stone (Miami-Dade County).
 
The 46th Annual Carbonell Awards was produced by distinguished playwright, actor, and designer Michael McKeever and Stuart Meltzer, the founding artistic director of Zoetic Stage—both of whom have won multiple Carbonell Awards and previously produced and directed numerous Carbonell Ceremonies. Double 2023 Carbonell nominee Caryl Fantel returned as Music Director/Program Consultant. McKeever, Meltzer and Fantel were also award winners last night.
 
Sponsors of the 46th Annual Carbonell Awards include the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Broward Cultural Division, Marj O’Neill Butler, Carbonell Sculptures Ltd., Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, John Knox Village, Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, Miami-Dade County Auditorium, The Dennis C. Moss Center (formerly The South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center), OutClique Magazine, South Florida Theater Magazine, South Florida Theatre League, Mark Traverso & Conor Walton, and Donald R. Walters, P.A.