WEST PALM BEACH — The 2020 Randolph A. Frank Prize for the Performing Arts was awarded June 25 to Ballet Palm Beach founder and artistic director Colleen Smith during a ceremony streamed live.
“In addition to being a brilliant choreographer, Colleen has taught more than 5,000 Palm Beach County students and awarded in excess of $200,000 in scholarships to deserving dancers since creating the Ballet Palm Beach Academy in 1993,” said Palm Beach Symphony CEO David McClymont.
The award includes a prize of $10,000 normally divided among up to three winners. But Smith received the total amount as the sole victor.
Smith began the dance department of Trinity Methodist Fine Arts School in Palm Beach Gardens and taught at numerous schools in South Florida before founding her Palm Beach Gardens-based dance academy.
Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens names new director
WEST PALM BEACH — Margaret Horgan has been named managing director of the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, ANSG Board of Trustees chair Frances Fisher has announced.
Promoted in late spring, Horgan now has general oversight of and responsibility for the financial and physical well-being of all ANSG assets, including its landmarked house, gardens, grounds, property and art collection.
“It feels like Ann herself is smiling on this decision,” said Fisher. “Margaret has been sharing Ann’s story as the Garden’s director of community engagement for the last eight years. She has been instrumental in much of our success.”
“My upbringing truly prepared me for my time at ANSG,” said Horgan. “My mother is an artist and my father was a career naval officer and American history buff. As a child, I fondly recall visiting every major art museum and battlefield on the East Coast.”
“Working in a place that holds so much history, where I am surrounded by incredible and changing art and where I am able to connect with and support our community, feels special every day.”
Located at 253 Barcelona Road, West Palm Beach, the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens is a nonprofit foundation established in 1977 by resident sculptor Ann Weaver Norton. The attraction is currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is possible to learn more about it or to take a virtual walk among the gardens. Visit www.ansg.org or call 561-832-5328.
Flagler Museum open on July 4 for self-guided tours
PALM BEACH — The Henry Morrison Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, will be open to the public Saturday, July 4, during its current visitor hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Museum has also released admission tickets for the month of July, which are available for pre-purchase at www.flaglermuseum.us/visiting.
Museum Public Affairs Director Lauren Perry said the facility continues to follow guidelines and safety mandates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Visitors age 2 and over must bring and wear masks and maintain social distancing.
The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until further notice. Group and docent-led tours have been replaced with self-guided options. The visitor experience continues to include the first and second floors of Whitehall, its grounds and the Flagler Kenan Pavilion, which houses Flagler’s Railcar No. 91. The exhibition gallery on the second floor will also be open.
As part of the museum’s new protocols, visitors (children and adults) touring the property will be required to follow a one-way, fixed route, starting with a contactless point of entry. Socially-distanced shopping is allowed at the museum store.
Admission is $18 for adults, $10 for youth those aged 13-17, $3 for children ages 6-12, and children under age 6 are free. For information, call the museum at (561) 655-2833 or visit www.flaglermuseum.us.
Carbonell ceremony to be streamed Aug. 3
FORT LAUDERDALE — The 44th Annual Carbonell Awards, postponed from April 6 because of the coronavirus pandemic, will be presented virtually on Aug. 3, said Donald R. Rogers, board president of the theatre and arts honors.
The awards will be streamed on the Carbonell Facebook page and website at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3, hosted through the YouTube Channel of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.
“While the Carbonell Awards program was very much looking forward to holding our first ceremony at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, we are determined to present a fun and exciting event virtually,” said Walters.
The virtual ceremony is being produced by Fantel Music, including Carbonell Award winner Caryl Fantel, who has been part of the award show’s production team for 12 years, and her daughter, Alyssa Fantel, an actress, acting coach and award-winning playwright.
Carbonell Awards will be presented in 20 competitive categories, featuring 100 different nominations. Four special honors, including the prestigious George Abbott Award, will also be presented. For a complete list of this year’s nominees, visit carbonellawards.org/news/44th-annual-carbonell-award-nominations/.
Festival Boca presents ‘virtual’ gala Oct. 8
Festival of the Arts Boca is planning a 15th anniversary virtual gala Oct. 8 to raise money for music education initiatives.
“We are looking forward to going virtual and delivering our message globally,” said Joanna Marie Kaye, the festival’s executive director.
Festivities begin at 7 p.m. when guests will join co-hosts Kaye and Festival Board member Olivia Hollaus live on Facebook, YouTube, and the festival’s website for an evening of entertainment and visits by festival artists of the past, present and future.
Already scheduled are presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, former U.S. poet laureate Robert Pinsky, superstar violinist Joshua Bell, classical guitarist Milos and Festival Music Director, Constantine Kitsopoulos.
The 15th Annual Festival of the Arts Boca will return to the Mizner Park Amphitheater March 5 – 14, 2021.
Shakespeare fest to present Bard on video
JUPITER — The Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival will mark its 30th anniversary this summer with a COVID-19-revised agenda. The show, normally presented in July at Jupiter’s Carlin Park, will be moved to August, when a videotape of a Shakespeare performance will be shown online.
Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, starring professional actors including local standout Karen Stephens will be available online in August via the Festival’s website at pbshakespeare.org. It is being presented through the help of a PNC Bank grant.
“While we had an entire, site-specific plan to continue our Festival tradition in the park this summer, due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases, it was determined that even limited-number gatherings would not be recommended at this time,” said Shakespeare Festival founder and executive producer, Kermit Christman.
“We are so very blessed to be able to continue our mission of bringing the magic of Shakespeare’s works to the entire community, regardless of socioeconomic status through this grant, and the support of long-time partners and an angel donor,” said Festival co-producer Elizabeth Dashiell.
Festival producers are planning virtual watch parties once the film is edited, encouraging families and couples to gather blankets, chairs, picnic baskets and coolers and enjoy the show outdoors to recreate the Shakespeare Festival experience while continuing safe social distancing.