The Carbonell Awards, the arts organization that recognizes and awards excellence in South Florida theatre, today announced the nominations for the 2011 season.

 Palm Beach County theatres soared ahead with 43 nominations, followed by Miami-Dade with 28, and Broward County with 27 nominations.

Palm Beach’s premier producer of musicals, the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, led with 25 nominations, spread across their productions of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, CRAZY FOR YOU and JOSEPH ANDTHE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, as well as the play ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S THE 39 STEPS.   Actors’ Playhouse  inCoral Gablescame next with 14 nominations, for their production of the plays AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY and JACOB MARLEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL and 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 ALLMYSONS and THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE.

In a year filled with extraordinary and varied theatre presentations, nominations were spread throughout the region, from Jupiter toCoral Gables, with 13 companies receiving nominations, and 28 of the 68 eligible shows that opened in 2011 given recognition.

The nominees for Best New Work show that South Florida is hotbed 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.

The annual ceremony awards scholarships toSouth Floridaarts students through an essay and interview contest.  The deadline for essays is February 3, 2012.

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.

Here is the complete list of nominees, followed by breakdowns by theatre and county:

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

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 Director 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, SuperiorDonuts, 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

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. Thompson,  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 BeachDramaworks

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

 Nomination Breakdown by Theatre

Maltz Jupiter Theatre                         25

Actors’ Playhouse                                14

Broward Stage Door Theatre                11

Palm Beach Dramaworks                     10

GableStage                                             8

Mosaic Theatre                                     5

Caldwell Theatre Company                     6

Promethean Theatre                                5

Zoetic Stage                                           3

Alliance Theatre Lab                               3

Infinite Abyss                                          3

Florida Stage                                          2

The Women’s Theatre Project    2

 Nomination Breakdown by County

Palm Beach      43

Miami Dade     28

Broward           26