THE AWARDS
The Tin Pan Alley Rag, Wicked, Pillowman,Lend Me A Tenor,
The Full Monty, Cradle of Man
Split 2007 Carbonell Awards
APRIL 10, 2007--The premiere of Melanie Marnich's Cradle of Man, the comedy Lend Me a Tenor, Martin McDonagh's The Pillowman, the musical The Tin Pan Alley Rag and the national tour of Wicked were among the winners of the 31st Annual Carbonell Awards, held Monday, April 9 for a packed house at the host Broward Center for the Performing Arts’ Amaturo Theatre.
A complete gallery of photos
from the ceremony & post-show celebration gala
are posted in this week's edition of
Check out the photo gallery link
And editor Mary Damiano's column.
Best New Work:
Chamblee Ferguson, Helen-Jean Arthur and Jennifer Mendenhall in Melanie Marnich's "Cradle of Man" at Florida Stage
Florida Stage's Cradle of Man won Best New Work and the theatre itself, now in its 20th season devoted to contemporary plays, received the first Bill von Maurer Award for Theatrical Excellence—similar in concept to the Tony Awards’ Special Regional Theater citation.
GableStage's The Pillowman won as Best Production of a Play, Caldwell Theatre Company's Lend Me a Tenor was named Best Ensemble Production, and the Maltz Jupiter Theatre's musical meeting of Scott Joplin and Irving Berlin, The Tin Pan Alley Rag, was named Best Production of a Musical.
The Tin Pan Alley Rag production, directed by Jiri Zizka of Philadelphia’s Wilma Theater, included concepts and elements of the 1999 Wilma production. The Maltz production was enhanced by producer (and Maltz board member) Roger Hess to include those and other elements.
The awards span productions in Greater Miami, Fort Lauderdale and the Palm Beaches. No single show or theater company dominated the awards for the 2006 calendar year. The Pillowman at the GableStage led four of the theater’s five awards, the other going to costumer Erin Amico for Intimate Apparel. The Maltz Jupiter Theatre’s three awards all went to The Tin Pan Alley Rag.” The Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre in Coral Gables also earned three citations, two for The Full Monty and one for Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.
The Maltz Tin Pan Alley Rag co-leading man Alton Fitzgerald White--A Carbonell nominee and now in The Color Purple on Broadway, flew in for a quick turnaround and stopped the show cold with a powerful rendition of Rain from the 1990 musical Once On This Island, backed by Grammy nominee maestro Peter Graves and his orchestra.
Zizka was named Best Director of a Musical and Brad Ellis won for the show's musical direction. Staged regionally since its 1998 debut at Miami’s Coconut Grove Playhouse, hopes for a New York berth haven’t jelled.
‘Wicked’ leads with 7
In
the
Non-Resident
division,
representing
touring
or
independent
productions,
the
national
tour
of
Wicked
claimed
seven
of
10
categories
including
Best
Production.
Susan
Stone,
mother
of
producer
David
Stone,
accepted
the
combined
awards
on
the
show’s
behalf.
Best
Actress
Stephenie
J.
Block
added
to
her
growing
trove
of
regional
awards
in
the
role
of
Elphaba.
Definitely not wicked: Gwen Hollander as Amy March in "Little Women."
Mark Nelson was awarded Best Actor for the Cleveland Playhouse production of I Am My Own Wife, which was among the final shows to appear at the Coconut Grove Playhouse before it collapsed in bankruptcy. Much like the current troubles at New Jersey’s Papermill Playhouse, the Grove’s finances imploded at the end of its 50th anniversary season in the spring of 2006.
The award ceremony produced and directed by Jean Ann Ryan was a smooth and slick affair peppered with entertainment, starting with a Technical Tango with guest star Gary Sandy leading in a comical valentine to backstage crews, techies and designers. Scripting by Ryan, Joanne Maiello and Kate Guimbellot included chatter for techie-presenters that spread tart backstage humor throughout the two and one-half hour marathon.
Production numbers smoked
Emcee
Bruce
Adler,
now
a
local
resident,
kept
the
proceedings
light
and
brisk,
and
scored
with
a
turn
on
It’s
Better
With
A
Band.
Also
performing
were
former
ABT
ballerina
Erica
Fishbach
in a
charming
duet
with
young
daughter
Fiona
Rose
to
introduce
the
choreography
award.
PBS-TV
producer
Jac
Venza
advanced
the
top
musical
awards
with
a
montage
from
the
award-winning
series
Broadway,
The
American
Musical.
Avery
Sommers
built
the
Dreamgirls
song
I Am
Changing
from
soft
a
cappella
to a
thundering
finale
with
the
orchestra.
Gary
Marachek
in
costume
reprised
I
Am
What
I Am
from
a
revival
of
La
Cage
Aux
Folles
that
had
just
completed
a
smash
run
for
The
Actors’
Pla
yhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre,
likely
to
be
in
the
hunt
for
awards
in
2008.
Ensemble-plus: Connie Saloutos, Best Supporting Actress in a Play, with Allan Baker in "Lend Me A Tenor" at the Caldwell Theatre Company. The show also was cited as Best Ensemble Production.
The ceremony’s closing number was a smoking medley of Queen hits a la the London-Vegas musical We Will Rock You, with the Jean Ann Ryan Singers and Dancers. The production number came intact with the whole cast from one of Ryan’s musicals for Norwegian Cruise Lines. Ryan’s industry-leading theater at sea programs are produced at her Fort Lauderdale studios using a mix of international and local talent, including world-class gymnasts and an award-winning adagio team in the Queen megamix.
The winners (seen in bold type with an asterisk) of the 2007 Carbonell Awards:
SPECIAL AWARDS
The
George
Abbott
Award
for
Outstanding
Achievement
in
the
Arts:
Michael
Spring,
director
of
the
Miami-Dade
County
Department
of
Cultural
Affairs.
"Spring
has
been
responsible
for
establishing
policies
and
programs
that
have
helped
build
Miami-
Dade
County's
cultural
community
into
a
$538
million
annual
industry
comprised
of
more
than
1,000
non-profit
cultural
groups
and
thousands
of
individual
artists."
Michael Spring
The Howard Kleinberg Award: New World School of the Arts. "Celebrating its 20th anniversary, New World School of the Arts develops talented students in the areas of dance, music, theatre and visual arts from the ninth grade in high school through a Bachelor of Fine Arts or Bachelor in Music college degree at its campus in downtown Miami. This award is given in special recognition for contributions to the health and development of the arts in South Florida."
The Bill von Maurer Award for Theatrical Excellence: Florida Stage. "Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Florida Stage is a not-for-profit professional theatre producing contemporary works by both established and emerging playwrights in its 250-seat space in Manalapan (Palm Beach County). The award was established in 2006 and named for the late theatre writer and journalist for the Miami News and South Florida Sun Sentinel, this award will now be given each year to the theatre company that exemplifies excellence for the totality of its programming: productions, educational outreach, developmental programs and audiences served.
Fred Diekmann Emerging Artist Award: Kameshia Duncan. A nominee for Best Actress in a Play this year for her role in Intimate Apparel at GableStage, Duncan made her South Florida debut in City Theatre's Summer Shorts 2005 and has since appeared in supporting and leading roles with GableStage, Florida Stage, M Ensemble, Ground Up and Rising, MadCat Theatre Company, The Playground Theater, Creative Arts Enterprise and Florida Historical Performance Company. This award was established in 2006 and named for the late philanthropist, producer and journalist Fred Diekmann who co-produced South Florida Curtain Up Awards from 1996 to 2005.
REGIONAL THEATER AWARDS
COMBINED (Plays and Musicals)
Best
New
Work
(Play
or
Musical)
Ivonne
Azurdia
and
Paul
Tei,
Terminal
Baggage,
Mad
Cat
Theatre
Company
Catherine
Bush,
Just
A
Kiss,
New
Theatre
David
Caudle,
The
Sunken
Living
Room,
New
Theatre
and
Southern
Rep
*Melanie
Marnich,
Cradle
of
Man,
Florida
Stage
Michael
McKeever,
The
Impressionists,
Caldwell
Theatre
Company
Best
Ensemble
Production
(Play
or
Musical)
Dealer's
Choice,
Mosaic
Theatre
*Lend
Me a
Tenor,
Caldwell
Theatre
Company
Opus,
Florida
Stage
Summer
Shorts,
City
Theatre
Terminal
Baggage,
Mad
Cat
Theatre
Company
PLAYS
Best
Production
of a
Play
Dealer's
Choice,
Mosaic
Theatre
Lend
Me a
Tenor,
Caldwell
Theatre
Company
Opus,
Florida
Stage
*The
Pillowman,
GableStage
Who's
Afraid
of
Virginia
Woolf?,
Palm
Beach
Dramaworks
Best
Director/Play
*Joseph
Adler,
The
Pillowman,
GableStage
William
Hayes,
Who's
Afraid
of
Virginia
Woolf?,
Palm
Beach
Dramaworks
Paul
Tei,
Dealer's
Choice,
Mosaic
Theatre
Louis
Tyrrell,
Opus,
Florida
Stage
Joe
Warik,
Lend
Me a
Tenor,
Caldwell
Theatre
Company
Best
Actor/Play
*Antonio
Amadeo,
The
Pillowman,
GableStage
Ken
Clement,
Address
Unknown,
GableStage
Ken
Clement,
Rabbit
Hole,
Mosaic
Theatre
Avi
Hoffman,
Address
Unknown,
GableStage
Gordon
McConnell,
Who's
Afraid
of
Virginia
Woolf?,
Palm
Beach
Dramaworks
Best
Actress/Play
Kameshia
Duncan,
Intimate
Apparel,
GableStage
Sandra
Ives,
Whose
Life
Is
It
Anyway?,
Inside
Out
Theatre
Company
Jennifer
Mendenhall,
Cradle
of
Man,
Florida
Stage
Wendy
Michaels,
Rabbit
Hole,
Mosaic
Theatre
*Lisa
Morgan,
Who's
Afraid
of
Virginia
Woolf?,
Palm
Beach
Dramaworks
Best
Supporting
Actor/Play
Todd
Allen
Durkin,
Dealer's
Choice,
Mosaic
Theatre
Erik
Fabregat,
Terminal
Baggage,
Mad
Cat
Theatre
Company
*Peter
Haig,
The
Price,
Palm
Beach
Dramaworks
Clint
Hooper,
Lincolnesque,
New
Theatre
David
Perez-Ribada,
The
Pillowman,
GableStage
Best
Supporting
Actress/Play
Lela
Elam,
Intimate
Apparel,
GableStage
Patti
Gardner,
The
Price,
Palm
Beach
Dramaworks
Margery
Lowe,
Who's
Afraid
of
Virginia
Woolf?,
Palm
Beach
Dramaworks
*Connie
SaLoutos,
Lend
Me A
Tenor,
Caldwell
Theatre
Company
Stacy
Schwartz,
Lincolnesque,
New
Theatre
MUSICALS
Best
Production
of a
Musical
Beyond
the
Rainbow,
Florida
Stage
Ella,
Florida
Stage
Five
Course
Love,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
The
Full
Monty,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
*The
Tin
Pan
Alley
Rag,
Maltz
Jupiter
Theatre
Best
Director/Musical
David
Arisco,
The
Full
Monty,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
Michael
Larsen,
A
Funny
Thing
Happened
on
the
Way
to
the
Forum,
New
Vista
Theatre
Company
Ron
Peluso,
Beyond
the
Rainbow,
Florida
Stage
Rob
Ruggiero,
Ella,
Florida
Stage
*Jiri
Zizka,
The
Tin
Pan
Alley
Rag,
Maltz
Jupiter
Theatre
Best
Actor/Musical
Fred
Berman,
The
Tin
Pan
Alley
Rag,
Maltz
Jupiter
Theatre
Terrell
Hardcastle,
Irving
Berlin's
White
Christmas,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
Avi
Hoffman,
A
Funny
Thing
Happened
on
the
Way
to
the
Forum,
New
Vista
Theatre
Company
*Tally
Sessions,
The
Full
Monty,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
Alton
Fitzgerald
White,
The
Tin
Pan
Alley
Rag,
Maltz
Jupiter
Theatre
Best
Actress/Musical
Jody
Briskey,
Beyond
the
Rainbow,
Florida
Stage
Janet
Dacal,
Five
Course
Love,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
*Tina
Fabrique,
Ella,
Florida
Stage
Norah
Long,
Beyond
the
Rainbow,
Florida
Stage
Tia
Speros,
Guys
and
Dolls,
Maltz
Jupiter
Theatre
Best
Supporting
Actor/Musical
Oscar
Cheda,
Five
Course
Love,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
Brian
M.
Golub,
The
Full
Monty,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
Gary
Marachek,
A
Funny
Thing
Happened
on
the
Way
to
the
Forum,
New
Vista
Theatre
Company
Richard
Ruiz,
Guys
and
Dolls,
Maltz
Jupiter
Theatre
*Reggie
Whitehead,
The
Full
Monty,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
Best
Supporting
Actress/Musical
Irene
Adjan,
The
Full
Monty,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
Maribeth
Graham,
A
Funny
Thing
Happened
on
the
Way
to
the
Forum,
New
Vista
Theatre
Company
Stacy
Schwartz,
The
Full
Monty,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
*Lourelene
Snedeker,
Irving
Berlin's
White
Christmas,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
Idara
Victor,
The
Tin
Pan
Alley
Rag,
Maltz
Jupiter
Theatre
Musical
Direction/Musical
Eric
Alsford,
The
Full
Monty,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
*Brad
Ellis,
The
Tin
Pan
Alley
Rag,
Maltz
Jupiter
Theatre
Sherman
Frank,
A
Funny
Thing
Happened
on
the
Way
to
the
Forum,
New
Vista
Theatre
Company
Danny
Holgate,
Ella,
Florida
Stage
Kevin
Wallace,
Irving
Berlin's
White
Christmas,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
Choreography/Musical
Chrissi
Ardito,
Irving
Berlin's
White
Christmas,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
George
Faison,
The
Tin
Pan
Alley
Rag,
Maltz
Jupiter
Theatre
Barbara
Flaten,
The
Full
Monty,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
*Ron
Hutchins,
Five
Guys
Named
Moe,
Stage
Door
Theatre
Daniel
Pelzig,
Guys
and
Dolls,
Maltz
Jupiter
Theatre
DESIGN (Plays and Musicals)
Best
Scenic
Design
Tim
Bennett,
Lend
Me a
Tenor,
Caldwell
Theatre
Company
*Richard
Crowell,
Splitting
Infinity,
Florida
Stage
David
P.
Gordon,
The
Tin
Pan
Alley
Rag,
Maltz
Jupiter
Theatre
Robert
Hooker
and
Jim
Gibbons,
The
Mystery
of
Irma
Vep,
Sol
Theatre
Project
Sean
McClelland,
Dealer's
Choice,
Mosaic
Theatre
Best
Lighting
Design
*Richard
Crowell,
Splitting
Infinity,
Florida
Stage
John
D.
Hall,
The
Pillowman,
GableStage
Suzanne
M.
Jones,
Cradle
of
Man,
Florida
Stage
Eric
Nelson,
Fahrenheit
451,
GableStage
Patrick
Tennent,
The
Full
Monty,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
Best
Costume
Design
*Erin
Amico,
Intimate
Apparel,
GableStage
Vickie
Esposito,
The
Tin
Pan
Alley
Rag,
Maltz
Jupiter
Theatre
Mary
Lynne
Izzo,
Five
Course
Love,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
Meredith
Lasher,
Summer
Shorts,
City
Theatre
Ellis
Tillman,
Irving
Berlin's
White
Christmas,
Actors'
Playhouse
at
the
Miracle
Theatre
Best
Sound
Design
Carl
Casella
and
T.
Richard
Fitzgerald,
The
Tin
Pan
Alley
Rag,
Maltz
Jupiter
Theatre
*Matt
Corey,
The
Pillowman,
GableStage
Matt
Corey,
Fahrenheit
451,
GableStage
Ryan
Rumery,
Cradle
of
Man,
Florida
Stage
Marc
Scott,
The
Mystery
of
Irma
Vep,
Sol
Theatre
Project
Non-resident (stock/roadshow) awards.
Best Production: Wicked, presented by Broadway Across America and the Broward Center for the Arts, at the Broward Center
Best Director: Joe Mantello, Wicked
Best Choreography/Musical: Twyla Tharp, Movin' Out, Broadway Across America at the Broward Center
Best Actor: Mark Nelson, I Am My Own Wife, Cleveland Playhouse production at the Coconut Grove Playhouse, Miami.
Best Actress: Stephanie J. Block, Wicked (in the role of Elphaba)
Best Supporting Actor: David Garrison, Wicked (in the role of the Wizard)
Best Supporting Actress: Gwen Hollander, Little Women (in the role of Amy), Broadway Across America at the Broward Center
Best Scenic Design: Eugene Lee, Wicked
Best Lighting Design: Kenneth Posner, Wicked
Best Costume Design: Susan Hilferty, Wicked
South Florida's theatre and arts honors are named after sculptor Manuel Carbonell, designer and donor of the statuettes "signifying the region's finest shows, performances and career achievement."
The Bill Hindman Award and Ruth Foreman Award are not given this year. This is the first year the Bill Von Maurer Award for Theatrical Excellence and the Fred Diekmann Emerging Artist Award are being bestowed.