FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.: The South Florida theatrical community held its 39th annual Carbonell Awards at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on Mar. 30. The biggest winner of the night was GableStage, with four awards for various productions, while the production that got the most accolades was Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre‘s production of Murder Ballad.
In addition to the competitive awards, the George Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts went to Scott Shiller, the executive vice president of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and president of the board of directors of the Carbonell Awards. Shiller recently accepted a position as president and CEO of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
The Ruth Foreman Award—for individuals or groups that have contributed significantly to South Florida theatre—went to the Naked Stage for its annual event the 24 Hour Theater Project, for new one-act play development.
Finally, the Howard Kleinberg Award went to actor/director/author/talk show host/Carbonell judge Iris Acker, for her work in promoting the arts in the region.
The Carbonell Awards also gave out three $1,000 scholarships to South Florida students pursuing careers in theatre or journalism. They are Gena Yvonne Sims, who attends of New World School of the Arts; Danielle Angela Jensen, who attends Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School; and Jacob Poser, who attends Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts.
The Carbonell Awards are named after renowned Cuban sculptor Manual Carbonell, who designed the original bronze-and-marble Carbonell Award statue in 1976.
The Carbonell Awards is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing theatre in South Florida. The Carbonell Awards recognizes professional theatre companies in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach county. The 2015 ceremony was produced and directed by Zoetic Stage co-founders Michael McKeever and Stuart Meltzer.
The complete list of winners is below:
NEW WORK (PLAY OR MUSICAL)
Clark Gable Slept Here, Michael McKeever, Zoetic Stage
ENSEMBLE PRODUCTION (PLAY OR MUSICAL)
Murder Ballad, Actors’ Playhouse
PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
The Foreigner, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
DIRECTOR/PLAY
Stuart Meltzer, Clark Gable Slept Here, Zoetic Stage
ACTOR/PLAY
Nicholas Richberg, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and the University of Miami
ACTRESS/PLAY
Natalia Coego, Bad Jews, GableStage
SUPPORTING ACTOR/PLAY
Mark Della Ventura, Bad Jews, GableStage
SUPPORTING ACTRESS/PLAY
Arielle Hoffman, The Whale, GableStage
PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Assassins, Zoetic Stage
DIRECTOR/MUSICAL
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, The King and I, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
ACTOR/MUSICAL
Clay Cartland, The Trouble with Doug, Theatre at Arts Garage
ACTRESS/MUSICAL
Ann Marie Olson, Parade, Slow Burn Theatre Company
SUPPORTING ACTOR/MUSICAL
Chris Crawford, Murder Ballad, Actors’ Playhouse
SUPPORTING ACTRESS/MUSICAL
Mariand Torres, Murder Ballad, Actors’ Playhouse
MUSICAL DIRECTION
Emmanuel Schvartzman, Parade, Slow Burn Theatre Company
CHOREOGRAPHY/MUSICAL
Ron Hutchins, 42nd Street, The Wick
SCENIC DESIGN/PLAY OR MUSICAL
Yoshinori Tanokura, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and the University of Miami
LIGHTING DESIGN/PLAY OR MUSICAL
Eric Haugen, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and the University of Miami
COSTUME DESIGN/PLAY OR MUSICAL
Leon Weibers, The King and I, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
SOUND DESIGN/PLAY OR MUSICAL
Matt Corey, The Mountaintop, GableStage
