An old-fashioned, splashy musical about a working-class Londoner who discovers he’s nobility and a world premiere play about the consequences of bullying received the most nominations in the musical and play categories when the nominations were announced for the 41st annual Carbonell Awards, which honors excellence in theater in South Florida.
"Me and My Girl," produced by Maltz Jupiter Theater in Jupiter, led the musical category with 10 nominations. "After" produced by Zoetic Stage in Miami, led the play category with eight nominations. Nineteen of South Florida’s theaters earned nominations for a variety of shows produced during 2016. Maltz Jupiter Theatere in Palm Beach County earned the most nominations of any theater with 18. Zoetic Stage and GableStage, both in Miami-Dade County, earned 13 nominations each. Slow Burn Theater Company in Fort Lauderdale earned 12 nominations, the most of any theater in Broward County. Nominations were spread over 36 shows from theaters stretching from Coral Gables north to Jupiter.
Palm Beach County theaters and Miami-Dade County theaters tied with a total of 39 nominations for each county, while Broward County theaters earned 22 nominations.
The awards will be presented at the Carbonell Awards ceremony, which will be held Monday, April 3, 2017 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale.
Double Nominees
Nine performers and designers have double the reason to be happy with the nominations this year. Jeni Hacker was nominated as Best Actress, Musical for "Passions" as well as Best Supporting Actress, Play, for "After," both at Zoetic Stage. Laura Hodos is nominated as Best Actress, Musical, for "The Will Rogers Follies" at Maltz Jupiter Theater as well as for Best Supporting Actress, Musical, for "1776" at Palm Beach Dramaworks. Matt Loehr garnered a pair of Best Actor, Musical, nominations for his performances in "Me and My Girl" and "The Will Rogers Follies," both at Maltz Jupiter Theater. Michael McKeever received a Best New Work nomination and a Best Supporting Actor, Play, nomination for his world premiere at Zoetic Stage, "After.". Stuart Meltzer is nominated for Best Director in both the play and musical categories for "Passion" and "After," both at Zoetic Stage. Patrick Fitzwater earned a Best Director, Musical, nomination for "Spring Awakening" and a Best Choreography nomination for "Heathers," both at Slow Burn Theater Company. Caryl Fantel received two nominations for Best Musical Direction of Slow Burn Theater Company’s "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," and "Passion" at Zoetic Stage. Gail Baldoni received two nominations for Best Costume Design for "Me and My Girl," and "The Will Rogers Follies," while Marty Mets earned two Best Sound Design nominations for "Forst/Nixon" and "Me and My Girl," all at Maltz Jupiter Theater.
“South Florida boasts a thriving theater scene which continually raises the standard of excellence that the Carbonell Awards seeks to recognize and reward,” said Don Walters, president of the Carbonell Awards Board of Directors. “Look at the Carbonell nominees for Best Production of a Play---that category alone shows the diversity of theater being produced regularly in South Florida, from classics of American theater to experimental work, as well as a world premiere play. And there are six nominees in that category, which means our judges simply could not winnow their selections to the standard five and exemplifies the enormous amount of excellent work being produced here in our tri-county area.”
Photographer: Jim Hall
The ceremony will take place Monday, April 4 in the Amaturo Theater, at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 S.W. 5th Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets for Nominees and Groups will be available starting Wednesday, January 28 through March 6th. Visit CarbonellAwards.org and click the TICKETS link for full details. Single tickets priced at $25 plus service fee will go onsale to the public on March 13 and can be purchased at the Broward Center’s Box Office by calling 954-462-0222 or visiting www.browardcenter.org. Day of show tickets will be available for $30 plus service fee.
The Carbonell Awards is a not-for-profit organization and is funded by tax-deductible donations and award sponsorships. This season’s sponsors include South Florida Cultural Consortium, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Rita and Jerry Cohen, Kerry and Scott Shiller, South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, Mary Ellen and Michael Peyton, Tony Finstrom and the South Florida Theater League. Opportunities to sponsor an award category and appear on stage to announce the winner are still available. Email carbonellhotline@gmail.com for more information.
A complete list of the 2016 nominations and a breakdown of nominations by county, theater and production follows.
Carbonell Award Nominations, 2016
Best New Work (play or musical)
After, Michael McKeever, Zoetic Stage
Middletown, Dan Clancy, West Boca Theater Company
Three Sisters of Weehawken, Deborah Zoe Laufer, Theater Lab
Unlikely Heroes, Charles Gluck, Family Pool Productions
Best Production of a Play
After, Zoetic Stage
Frost/Nixon, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Hand to God, GableStage
Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Mud, Thinking Cap Theater
The Royale, GableStage
Best Director/Play
Joseph Adler, The Royale, GableStage
J. Barry Lewis, Frost/Nixon, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Stuart Meltzer, After, Zoetic Stage
Nicole Stodard, Mud, Thinking Cap Theater
Paul Tei, The Flick, Mad Cat Theater
Best Actor/Play (cannot be for a role in a cast nominated for Best Ensemble)
Aygemang Clay, The Royale, GableStage
Chris Crawford, Buyer and Cellar, Actors’ Playhouse
Peter Galman, A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney, Thinking Cap Theater
John Jellison, Frost/ Nixon, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Wesley Slade, Hand to God, GableStage
Best Actress/Play (cannot be for a role in a cast nominated for Best Ensemble)
Rita Joe, The Submission, Island City Stage
Margery Lowe, Hand to God, GableStage
Mia Matthews, After, Zoetic Stage
Elizabeth Price, Reborning, The Theater at Arts Garage
Avery Sommers, The Devil’s Music, The Theater at Arts Garage
Best Supporting Actor/Play
Alex Alvarez, Stalking the Bogeyman, GableStage
Kristian Bikic, Hand to God, GableStage
Michael McKeever, After, Zoetic Stage
Tom Wahl, After, Zoetic Stage
Conor Walton, The Normal Heart, Outré Theater Company
Best Supporting Actress/Play
Elizabeth Dimon, Three Sisters of Weehawken, Theater Lab
Christina Groom, Perfect Arrangement, Island City Stage
Jeni Hacker, After, Zoetic Stage
Shein Mompremier, The Royale, GableStage
Lourelene Snedeker, It’s Only a Play, GableStage
Best Production of a Musical1776, Palm Beach Dramaworks
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Slow Burn Theater Company
Me and My Girl, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Passion, Zoetic Stage
Spring Awakening, Slow Burn Theater Company
Best Director/Musical
Clive Cholerton, 1776, Palm Beach Dramaworks
James Brennan, Me and My Girl, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Michel Hausman, The Golem of Havana, Miami New Drama
Patrick Fitzwater, Spring Awakening, Slow Burn Theater Company
Stuart Meltzer, Passion, Zoetic Stage
Best Actor/Musical(cannot be for a role in a cast nominated for Best Ensemble)
Gary Cadwallader, 1776, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Bobby Cassell, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Slow Burn Theater Company
Matt Loehr, Me and My Girl, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Matt Loehr, The Will Rogers Follies, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Nicholas Richberg, Passion, Zoetic Stage
Best Actress/Musical(cannot be for a role in a cast nominated for Best Ensemble)
Jeni Hacker, Passion, Zoetic Stage
Laura Hodos, The Will Rogers Follies, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Julie Kleiner, Me and My Girl, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Stephanny Noria, Spring Awakening, Slow Burn Theater Company
Jenna Pastuszek, Evita, Slow Burn Theater Company
Best Supporting Actor/Musical
Matthew Korinko, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Slow Burn Theater Company
Chaz Mena, The Golem of Havana, Miami New Drama
Dominique Scott, Million Dollar Quartet, Actors’ Playhouse
Dominic Servidio, Heathers, Slow Burn Theater Company
Christian Vandepas, A Minister’s Wife, GableStage
Best Supporting Actress/Musical
Laura Hodos, 1776, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Isabelle McCalla, West Side Story, Actors’ Playhouse
Jessica Brooke Sanford, Sister Act, The Wick Theater
Leah Sessa, Heathers, Slow Burn Theater Company
Mary Stout, Me and My Girl, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Best Musical Direction/Musical
Eric Alsford, West Side Story, Actors’ Playhouse
Craig D. Ames, 1776, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Caryl Fantel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Slow Burn Theater Company
Caryl Fantel, Passion, Zoetic Stage
Helen Gregory, Me and My Girl, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Best Choreography/Musical
Patrick Fitzwater, Heathers, Slow Burn Theater Company
Ron Hutchins, West Side Story, Actors’ Playhouse
Dan Knechtges, Me and My Girl, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Kelly Shook, I Love a Piano, The Wick Theater
Shea Sullivan, The Will Rogers Follies, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Best Scenic Design/play or musical
Michael Amico, The Night of the Iguana, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Jodi Dellaventura, The Nether, Area Stage
Paul Tate De Poo III, Me and My Girl, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Michael McClain, After, Zoetic Stage
Sean McClelland, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Slow Burn Theater Company
Best Lighting Design/play or musical
Paul Black, The Night of the Iguana, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Jeff Quinn, The Royale, GableStage
Eric Nelson, Mud, Thinking Cap Theater
Giancarlo Rodaz, The Nether, Area Stage
Donald Edmund Thomas, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Best Costume Design/play or musical
Gail Baldoni, Me and My Girl, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Gail Baldoni, The Will Rogers Follies, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Peter A. Lovello, Perfect Arrangement, Island City Stage
Bryan O’Keefe, 1776, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Rick Peña, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Slow Burn Theater Company
Best Sound Design/play or musical
Matt Corey, The Night of the Iguana, Palm Beach Dramaworks
David Hart, Perfect Arrangement, Island City Stage
Marty Mets, Frost/Nixon, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Marty Mets, Me and My Girl, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Shaun Mitchell, Million Dollar Quartet, Actors’ Playhouse
Best Ensemble Production (play or musical)The Flick, Mad Cat Theater Company
It’s Only a Play, GableStage
Million Dollar Quartet, Actors’ Playhouse
Mud, Thinking Cap Theater
The World Goes ‘Round, MNM Productions
2016 Carbonell Award Nominations, By County
Miami-Dade 39 nominations
Broward 22 nominations
Palm Beach39 nominations
2016 Carbonell Award Nominations, By Theater
Miami-Dade County
13 GableStage
13 Zoetic Stage
7 Actors' Playhouse
2 Area Stage
2 Mad Cat Theater
2 Miami New Drama
Broward County
12 Slow Burn Theater Company
5 Thinking Cap Theater
4 Island City Stage
1 Broward Stage Door
Palm Beach County
18 Maltz Jupiter Theater
11 Palm Beach Dramaworks
2 Theater at Arts Garage Arts Garage
2 Theater Lab
2 The Wick Theater
1 Family Pool Productions
1 MNM Productions
1 Outré Theater Company
1 West Boca Theater
2016 Carbonell Award Nominations, By Production
10 Me and My Girl, Maltz Jupiter Theater
8 After, Zoetic Stage
6 The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Slow Burn Theater
6 1776, Palm Beach Dramaworks
5 Passion, Zoetic Stage
5 The Royale, GableStage
4 Frost/Nixon, Maltz Jupiter Theater
4 Hand to God, GableStage
4 Mud, Thinking Cap Theater
4 The Will Rogers Follies, Maltz Jupiter Theater
3 Heathers, Slow Burn Theater
3 Million Dollar Quartet, Actors' Playhouse
3 The Night of the Iguana, Palm Beach Dramaworks
3 Perfect Arrangement, Island City Stage
3 Spring Awakening, Slow Burn Theater Company
3 West Side Story, Actors' Playhouse
2 The Flick, Mad Cat Theater
2 The Golem of Havana, Miami New Drama
2 It's Only a Play, GableStage
2 Long Day's Journey Into Night, Palm Beach Dramaworks
2 The Nether, Area Stage
2 Three Sisters of Weehawken, Theater Lab
1 A Minister's Wife, GableStage
1 Buyer & Cellar, Actors’ Playhouse
1 Evita, Broward Stage Door Theater
1 The Devil's Music, The Theater at Arts Garage
1 A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney, Thinking Cap Theater
1 I Love a Piano, The Wick Theater
1 Middletown, West Boca Theater Company
1 The Normal Heart, Outré Theater Company
1 Reborning, The Theater at Arts Garage
1 Sister Act, The Wick Theater
1 Stalking the Boogeyman, GableStage
1 The Submission, Island City Stage
1 Unlikely Heroes, Family Pool Productions
1 The World Goes ‘Round, MNM Productions
Double Nominees:
Gail Baldoni
Best Costume Design/play or musical, Me and My Girl, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Best Costume Design/play or musical, The Will Rogers Follies, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Caryl Fantel
Best Musical Direction/Musical, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Slow Burn Theater Co.
Best Musical Direction/Musical, Passion, Zoetic Stage
Patrick Fitzwater
Best Choreography/Musical, Heathers, Slow Burn Theater Company
Best Director/Musical, Spring Awakening, Slow Burn Theater Company
Jeni Hacker
Best Supporting Actress/Play, After, Zoetic Stage
Best Actress/Musical, Passion, Zoetic Stage
Laura Hodos
Best Actress/Musical, The Will Rogers Follies, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Best Supporting Actress/Musical, 1776, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Matt Loehr
Best Actor/Musical, Me and My Girl, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Best Actor/Musical, The Will Rogers Follies, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Michael McKeever
Best New Work/play or musical, After, Zoetic Stage
Best Supporting Actor/Play, After, Zoetic Stage
Stuart Meltzer
Best Director/Play, After, Zoetic Stage
Best Director/Musical, Passion, Zoetic Stage
Marty Mets
Best Sound Design/play or musical, Frost/Nixon, Maltz Jupiter Theater
Best Sound Design/play or musical, Me and My Girl, Maltz Jupiter Theater
About The Carbonell Awards
Along with New York's Drama Desk and Chicago's Joseph Jefferson Awards, the Carbonell Awards are among the nation’s senior regional arts awards and predate others including Washington, D.C.'s Helen Hayes Awards. The Carbonell Awards fosters the artistic growth of professional theater in South Florida by celebrating the diversity of our theater artists, providing educational scholarships, and building audience appreciation and civic pride by highlighting achievements of our theater community. Named after Manuel Carbonell, an internationally-renowned sculptor, who designed the original solid bronze and marble award in 1976, each season volunteer panelists and judges choose nominees and recipients from hundreds of shows produced on stages throughout the tri-county area.
For more information, visit www.carbonellawards.org.
