The Carbonell Awards, South Florida’s Theater & Arts Honors, announced the winners in 20 competitive categories for the 2024-2025 theater season.
Nearly 550 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
Seth Trucks, The Pillowman
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.
