GableStage and Slow Burn Theatre Company Tie with Four Wins; Maltz Jupiter Theatre Picks Up Three; Arca Images, Theatre Lab, and Zoetic Stage Net Two Each
Best Musical is Once at Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Best Play is Appropriate at GableStage, Outstanding New Work is The Last Yiddish Speaker at Theatre Lab
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(South Florida – November 18, 2024) The Carbonell Awards, South Florida’s Theater & Arts Honors, today announced the winners in 20 competitive categories for the 2024-2025 theater season. This year’s winners were announced at a glittery ceremony held last night at FAU‘s University Theatre in Boca Raton.
Nearly 600 resplendent performers, producers, directors, designers, publicists, and theater fans attended the 48th annual Carbonell Awards, a/k/a South Florida’s version of the Broadway Tonys.
“More than 100 productions at 33 theaters were evaluated last season by a diverse group of nearly 50 experienced judges representing all three participating counties (Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach). On September 16, we announced 130 finalists from 36 different and diverse productions at 19 professional theaters,” says Carbonell Board President Gary Schweikhart.
Two theaters tied by winning four Carbonell Awards each:
GableStage in Coral Gables:
- Outstanding Production, Play – Appropriate (Photo Credit: Magnus Stark)
- Outstanding Scenic Design – Frank J. Oliva, Appropriate
- Outstanding Lighting Design – Tony Galaska, Appropriate
- Outstanding Achievement of an Artistic Specialty – Jamie Godwin for Projection Design, Appropriate
Slow Burn Theatre Company at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale:
- Outstanding Direction, Musical – Patrick Fitzwater, Parade
- Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Female Role, Musical – Mikayla Cohen, Anastasia
- Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Male Role, Musical – Aaron DeJesus, Anastasia
- Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Female Role, Musical – Lillie Eliza Thomas, The Bodyguard
Maltz Jupiter Theatre won three major awards this year:
- Outstanding Production, Musical – Once
- Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Male Role, Musical – Jack Wesley Gerhard, Once
- Outstanding Music Direction – Maggie Hollinbeck, Once
Three theaters each picked up two Carbonell Awards:
Arca Images in Miami:
- Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Female Role, Play – Andrea Ferro, Tres Veces Cruz/Three Times Cruz
- Outstanding Costume Design – Gema Valdés, Tres Veces Cruz/Three Times Cruz
Theatre Lab at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton:
- Outstanding New Work – The Last Yiddish Speaker by Deborah Zoe Laufer
- Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Male Role, Play – Iain Batchelor, The Impossible Task of Today
Zoetic Stage at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami:
- Outstanding Direction, Play – Stuart Meltzer, The Pillowman
- Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Male Role, Play – Outstanding Production, Musical – Once
Three theaters earned one award each:
Broadway at LPAC in Lauderhill:
- Outstanding Choreography – Alex Jorth, Legally Blonde
Island City Stage in Wilton Manors:
- Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Female Role, Play – Betty Ann Hunt Strain, A Delicate Balance
Miami New Drama in Miami Beach:
- Outstanding Sound Design – Tyler Kieffer, Lincoln Road Hustle
In addition to the 20 competitive award categories, the 48th annual Carbonell Awards also presented eight Special Awards nominated by members of the local theater community and selected by the nonprofit organization’s board of directors, including:
The George Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts to William Hayes & Sue Ellen Beryl, Co-founders of Palm Beach Dramaworks, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary of producing “Theatre to Think About.”
The Vinnette Carroll Award for significant achievement in advancing the cause of diversity, equality, and inclusion in South Florida theater to Michel Hausmann, Co-founder and Artistic Director of Miami New Drama, the largest bilingual theater company in the country.
The Charlie Cinnamon Award honoring an individual who contributes significantly to the support of the arts in South Florida and to the Carbonell Awards program to veteran entertainment writer Mary Damiano.
The Ruth Foreman Award, which recognizes contributions to South Florida theater development by an individual or group, to Alexa Kuve, Executive Producer and Artistic Director of Arca Images.
The Bill Hindman Award, which honors significant, long-term contributions to the region’s cultural life and onstage career achievement, to Beverly Blanchette, the longtime Dean of Theatre at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach
The Howard Kleinberg Award, which honors an individual or organization for contributions to the health and development of the arts in South Florida, to Harvey J. Burstein and Miamiartzine.
The Jan McArt Award recognizing significant achievement by a small theater to New City Players. The award was accepted by Producing Artistic Director Tim Davis.
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, to GableStage. The award was accepted by Producing Artistic Director Bari Newport.
During last night’s Carbonell Awards ceremony, the nonprofit organization announced a new Special Award starting in 2026: the Christine Dolen Award for Outstanding Debut named after the late theatre critic for the Miami Herald and Carbonell Judge Emerita.
As part of the 2025 Carbonell Awards, $2,000 Jack Zink Memorial Student Scholarships were presented to DeJaya Hardy (Miami-Dade County), Alexa Isabel Lasanta (Palm Beach County), and Jack Bear Ryan (Broward County). All three received an additional $1,000 this year from the new Hap Erstein Memorial Scholarship honoring the long-serving Carbonell judge and theatre reviewer for The Palm Beach Post.
Last night’s Carbonell Awards Ceremonywas put together by Executive Producer and Director Andrew Kato, who is celebrating his 20th season at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre as Producing Artistic Director/Chief Executive, along with Coordinating Producer Eloisa Ferrer, and Associate Producer and Musical Director Caryl Fantel from the Florida Atlantic University Department of Theatre and Dance.
Sponsors of the 48th annual Carbonell Awards include the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts; Aventura Arts & Cultural Center; BroadwayWorld; Broward Center for the Performing Arts; Broward County Cultural Division; Carbonell Sculptures Ltd.; Cultural Council for Palm Beach County; Donald M. Ephraim Sun & Stars International Film Festival presented by MorseLife Health System; Florida Atlantic University Department of Theatre and Dance; Florida Power & Light; Kravis Center for the Performing Arts; Legends Radio; Lesser, Landy, Smith & Siegel, PLLC; Miami-Dade County Auditorium, The Moss Center; OutClique Magazine, South Florida Cultural Consortium; South Florida Theatre League, Mark Traverso & Conor Walton; Donald R. Walters, P.A.; and The Wick Theatre & Costume Museum.
About The Carbonell Awards: The Carbonell Awards fosters the artistic growth of professional theater in South Florida by celebrating the excellence and diversity of our theater artists, providing educational scholarships, and building audience appreciation and civic pride by highlighting achievements of our theater community. More than 30 professional theater companies in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties participate in the awards process every year. The Carbonell Awards also celebrate the accomplishments of local artistic leaders by presenting various Special Awards.
Along with New York’s Drama Desk and Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Awards, the Carbonell Awards are among the nation’s oldest regional arts awards and predate others, including Washington, D.C.’s Helen Hayes Awards. The Carbonell Awards are named after the internationally renowned sculptor Manuel Carbonell, who designed the signature solid bronze and marble award given annually to Carbonell Award winners. Over nearly a half-century, the Carbonell family has donated more than $250,000 in awards. For more information, please visit www.carbonellawards.org.
