THE AWARDS
2007
Voting Panels
Regional theater voting has been restructured beginning Jan. 1, 2006, with three panels of 10 members each: Two nominator panels attend opening performances in their respective districts, and recommend productions to the judging panel for further consideration. The judging panel attends shows (in the whole area) recommended by nominators, and draws up final nominations and selection of winners.
REGIONAL NOMINATORS
* = Indicates at-large nominators available, as conditions warrant, for assignment in either district.
SOUTH DISTRICT: Attend participating/eligible theaters south of a boundary in Broward from the Ocean along I-595 from the east, north along US 441 and West along Commercial Boulevard.
* Ellen Davis: Currently an adjunct teacher/director at MIami-Dade College, Ms. Davis has been a Carbonell panelist for many years. She also has been a teacher at the New World School of the Arts and an active director at professional theaters throughout South Florida during her professional career.
* Christine Dolen: The Miami Herald theater critic since 1979, she is a member of the Pulitzer Prize drama jury in 1997, a Journalism Fellow at Stanford University in 1984-85, a Senior Fellow in the National Arts Journalism Program at Columbia University in 1999, and the recipient of the George Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts in 2001. She previously covered arts and entertainment for the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch and the Detroit (Mich.) Free Press. She is the daughter of Carbonell and Abbott Award-winning performer, the late Bill Hindman.
Herald staff critic alternates for Ms. Dolen are Marta Barber and Howard Cohen.
Nancy Gillen Doyle: Director of Group Sales for LiveNation-Broadway Across America at the company's Fort Lauderdale headquarters, experienced in sales, marketing and promotions, and an avid theatergoer and arts patron.
Alvin Entin: Is the chairman of the board of the Pembroke Pines Theatre of the Performing Arts, arguably South Florida’s largest and most successful community theater program at present. He is also a successful trial attorney with over 30 years experience, currently of Entin & Margulies of Fort Lauderdale. Entin also performs in community theater, and was instrumental in the formation of an association of community theaters in South Florida. His other avocation is boxing, for which he has been a commissioner and vice chairman of the Florida Boxing Commission since 1999. Also a member of the Pembroke Pines Art and Culture Committee and numerous other civic and cultural organizations.
* Marlyne (Marzi) Kaplan: Has taught at the University of Miami School of Law since 1983 and is now a member of its adjunct faculty, allowing time to pursue obsessions of drama, literature and language. Used classic drama from "Antigone" to "Inherit the Wind" in her law classes. Was the "Language of Law" columnist for the Florida Bar News. Has served as board member of the Public Library, WPBT-TV, Fort Lauderdale Film Festival, Miami Book Fair. Formerly taught creative writing and poetry.
Jill Kratish: Programming Manager at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, with broad experience in production and technical direction.
Thomas Regnier: Miami-Dade Assistant Public Defender, Appellate Division, and an Adjunct Law Professor at the University of Miami with theater experience and a broad appreciation of theater and the performing arts.
Deborah K. Sanchez: Associate Professor of Theatre at Broward Community College following a distinguished actor including Carbonell Award nomination. Returning to the voting panel after a hiatus of several years.
* John Soliday: Carbonell Award-nominated theater director and long-time member of the University of Miami faculty, currently director of graduate studies and associate professor, motion pictures and video-film. Previously was with UM’s theater department, and before that theater director with national companies including extensive work with the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre. Has been a Carbonell Award voting panelist for several years.
* Betsy Weisman: Accounting manager of the Broward Performing Arts Foundation, Inc. and with extensive experience at the Broward Center in the marketing, public relations and other administrative operations. Has been a Carbonell Awards panelist for several years.
NORTH DISTRICT: Attend participating eligible theaters north of a boundary in Broward from Commercial Boulevard on the West, south along US 441 to I-595 and then east to the Ocean.
Beverly Blanchette: Has 29 years experience as a theater arts educator, and since 1993 dean of the Dreyfoos School of the Arts Theatre Dept. She is past president of the Florida Assn. for Theatre Education and is a member of the Board of Directors for Arts for a Complete Education. Has received numerous career awards including induction into the Educational Theatre Association Hall of Fame and citation as Florida’s First Lady’s Arts Scholar.
Thomas J. Bruckner—Has been teaching drama at Boynton Beach High School since the school's opening five years ago, and is director of the school's Theater Academy. He drawn attention to the program for a series of original plays in popular contexts and socially relevant to students, including adaptations of classic stories, at times with student input. Passionate and outspoken teacher activist on arts education and public education issues as a whole.
* Bill Hirschman: Associate theater critic and entertainment writer for the Sun-Sentinel when he is not maintaining his “regular job” as a Sun-Sentinel social services and education beat reporter, covering local, state and national issues. Also a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and its New Plays Committee, responsible for selecting recipients of the ATCA/Steinberg new play awards, with cash prizes totaling $25,000.
Mark Keller: Theater, Film & TV Producer,Vice President, EMG, Inc.
(Event Management Group). Concert & independent theater productions. Returning to the voting panel after a 1-year hiatus.
Paul Levine: Film reviewer and columnist for Around Town Newspaper, and president of Famous Faces Entertainment and Special Events Company, with divisions including a SAG franchised talent agency. Prior to establishing his own firm, was a branch manager with United Artists and sales representative for Warner Brothers.
Missy McArdle: Actress, vocal soloist, director and stage manager. A seven-time Carbonell Award nominee, she has appeared at theaters throughout South Florida and nationally, including appearances with various orchestras and choirs. She is currently executive assistant at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach. Also private tutor, she teaches acting, oral interpretation and voice, and is currently active in community theater as a director.
* Charles Passy: Award-winning Entertainment writer for the Palm Beach Post, contributing to various sections of the entertainment and feature sections, particularly cultural affairs reporting. Joined the Post in 1982 as classical music and dance critic. Formerly managed three music magazines: Ovation, Classical and Ovation America, and free-lance contributor to Newsday, Wall Street Journal and New York Times.
Karen Poindexter: Independent theater/film producer. Formerly producer and/or associate producer with the Clematis Street Theatre at The Cuillo Centre, HIrschfeld Theatre [Miami Beach], Burt Reynolds Jupiter Theatre, plus national and international theater/film productions.
Al Price: Theater reviewer for the Jewish Journal and for other publications in the Forum Publishing Group, a subsidiary of the Sun-Sentinel. Also currently editor of the Kings Point News community newspaper in Delray Beach. H e has been an entertainment writer for over 30 years including for the Palm Beach Jewish World and the Miami Beach News—following a previous career as a high school teacher.
* Jennifer Sierra-Grobbelaar: Has been with Clear Channel’s Broadway In South Florida operation for many years as a marketing and public relations representative, dating back through the national organization’s former incarnations as SFX Entertainment and PTG-Florida, Inc. (a subsidiary which still exists). She has coordinated marketing, public relations and operations for Clear Channel events throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and the Palm Beaches.
* Jack Zink: Co-founder of the South Florida Critics Circle and The Carbonell Awards (with Bill von Maurer), and executive director of the Carbonell Awards. Has been entertainment editor, critic, columnist and reporter for The Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale News, Palm Beach Post & Evening Times, and the Miami Herald since 1969. Since 1977 a correspondent, and former Florida Bureau Chief, for Variety and Daily Variety. Past president of the Foundation of the American Theatre Critics Association.
JUDGES
Attend shows recommended by nominators throughout both districts, draw up final nominations and vote for winners.
Iris Acker: Actress, stage director, TV talk show host. Ms. Acker has for 20 years hosted the program “On Stage,” covering South Florida’s performing arts, for area Becon TV, WPPB-TV (previously for PBS stations WLRN and WXEL, with a radio version on WDNA-FM 88.9). She also writes a monthly column in the Equity national newsletter.
Chris Bluemer: Retired before qualifying for AARP when he sold his insurance company, the last in a series of successful national and international business ventures, and has chased the writing muses since then, as a freelance journalist (including an extended stint as a special feature and news correspondent (and photographer) for the Sun-Sentinel), plus ghost writing books, and as a solo poetry performance artist. Was a member of the Delray Beach Poetry Slam teams that performed in the national finals, has helped organize and participated in numerous poetry events including the 2005 and 2006 Palm Beach Poetry Festivals.
Jeffrey Bruce: Recently retired Equity actor after 41 years appearing throughout the nation in regional theater and on tour. Over 20 years hosting television talk shows in Detroit. Relocated to South Florida for 15 years and has appeared at several area theaters including the Stage Door, West Boca Theatre Company, and the Delray Beach Playhouse.
Cheryl Dunn-Bychek: An accomplished actress involved with the development of the Theatre Club of the Palm Beaches, which led to the current Florida Stage, she also became involved in theatrical public relations and marketing—until shifting to a real-life family role. She has remained involved in regional arts activities, particularly as a member of the Carbonell Awards voting panels for many years.
Mary Damiano: Currently Editor of the biweekly e-zine MiamiArtZine.com, published by the Miami Arts Trust. Since 2001 also wrote for The Express and The Independent, both local weekly newspapers; former associate editor of She Magazine, and FM radio entertainment commentator.
Hap Erstein: Originally came to the Palm Beach Post as theater critic, and has expanded his role to include chief film critic as well in over a decade in South Florida. Came from Washington D.C. where he was a critic for the Washington Times, and a member of the voting panel of the Helen Hayes Awards. Has been a long time member of the Carbonell Awards panel, and drama critics circle chairman and officer in the former South Florida Critics Circle.
* Tony Finstrom: Currently the secretary of the Theatre League of South Florida. Has worked in the front office of theaters from Long Island to Fort Lauderdale over many years. With a degree in journalism and drama, and following military service, he wrote for After Dark Magazine and The Soho Weekly News in New York. In recent years he founded and operated Footlights Theatre Company in Fort Lauderdale in 2000-2001, and has increasingly devoted his time as a playwright.
David Knight: Currently publisher and theater reviewer for the weekly Buzz Magazine (launched Dec. 2005). Theater reviewer for several South Florida publications since the mid-1990s. Member of the former South Florida Critics Circle.
Ron Levitt: Currently executive editor and theater critic for Entertainment News & Views newspaper; president of the South Florida International Press Club; secretary of the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists; manager of the online service Florida Media News. Former Florida Assistant Secretary of State, overseeing Florida’s art and cultural affairs. Former United Press International press staff correspondent. Also Levitt Public Relations Group (retired).
Michael Peyton: Currently Senior Corporate Marketing Representative for WLRN Public Radio & Television and the station’s former acting Development Director, is playing a major role in the regional marketing of the theater community via discount ticket programs via sale locations and online, including the creation and administration of www.culturalconnection.org. Is spearheading development of the South Florida Theatre Festival An avid arts patron and philanthropist.
Savannah Whaley: Has two decades experience in arts marketing and public relations, currently at Pierson Grant Public Relations, managing publicity for the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Also has held executive markeing/pr jpositions at the Florida Grand Opera, Coconut Grove Playhouse, and in New York City at INTAR and Second Stage. During the 1990s spent several years as theater critic for Miami New Times, was a founding board member of the Theatre League of South Florida, and was a member of the Carbonell Awards voting panel in the 1990s.
NON-RESIDENT VOTING PANEL
CONTACT INFORMATION LISTED ABOVE ... Voters for non-resident productions (touring, independent, coproductions originating outside the area) are determined by the opening-night press lists of South Florida's "road show" venues, and the presenting organizations.
Current non-resident category voters:
Iris Acker, WLRN-TV
Mary Damiano, free lance (Buzz, Miami ArtZine)
Christine Dolen, The Miami Herald
Hap Erstein, The Palm Beach Post
Eugenia Gingold (retired)
Phyllis Green, Entertainment News & Views
Bill Hirschman, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel
David Knight, free-lance (Buzz, publisher)
Ron Levitt, Entertainment News & Views
Charles Passy, The Palm Beach Post
Al Price, Forum Publishing Group
Skip Sheffield, The Boca Raton News
Dona Kay, Around Town Newspaper
Jack Zink, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel