Carbonell nominees Bret Shuford, Tari Kellyand Tom Beckett in Anything Goes.
By Hap Erstein
That helicopter musical, Miss Saigon, at Actors’ Playhouse, received 11 Carbonell Award nominations, the most of any professional production in South Florida, according to an announcement made today.
Sarah Kane’s sordid drama Blasted pulled in seven nominations for GableStage, the most for any play. The Carbonells, now in their 35th year, celebrate excellence in production and performance in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Although the two most nominated shows both came from Coral Gables companies, Palm Beach theaters tied Miami-Dade with a total of 36 nods. Broward, which perennially trails the other bordering counties, earned 27 nominations. In all, 13 companies were recognized, spanning 33 of the 69 eligible shows that opened in 2010.
Among those Palm Beach theaters, the Maltz Jupiter scored half of those nominations – seven for Anything Goes (though curiously not for Best Musical production), six for La Cage aux Folles, three for 12 Angry Men and two for Academy.
The Maltz ties the top total of Actors’ Playhouse, including the 11 for Miss Saigon, six for Oliver! and one for Unreasonable Doubt, Michael McKeever’s hostage drama that will be vying for the Carbonell for Best New Work.
It will be up against two plays from Florida Stage – Christopher Demos-Brown’s When the Sun Shone Brighter and Karen Hartman’s Goldie, Max & Milk – as well as Motherhood: The Musical, produced independently by GFour Productions.
Miss Saigon will go head-to-head for the year’s best musical against the Maltz’s La Cage and Academy, as well as two by Broward Stage Door – The Drowsy Chaperone and Mack and Mabel. GableStage’s Blasted will be competing against the company’s 50 Words, and the Maltz’s 12 Angry Men, Palm Beach Dramaworks’ American Buffalo and Mosaic Theatre’s Collected Stories.
Chrissi Ardito earned three nominations by herself, for her choreography of Broward Stage’s Drowsy Chaperone and Mack and Mabel, along with Oliver! at Actors’ Playhouse. There were an unusually large number of double nominees as well. They were: Joseph Adler (Best Director, Play, 50 Words and Blasted); Matt Corey (Sound Design, Blasted and Groundswell at Mosaic Theatre); Erik Fabregat (Best Supporting Actor, Blasted and A Behanding in Spokane); Dan Kelley (Best Director and Best Actor, Musical, for The Drowsy Chaperone); Matt Kelly (Sound Design, Cane and Dr. Radio, both at Florida Stage); Michael McKeever (Best New Work, Unreasonable Doubt, and Best Supporting Actor, Distracted at the Caldwell Theatre);
Marcia Milgrom Dodge (Best Director and Choreographer, Anything Goes); Amy Miller Brennan (Best Supporting Actress, Miss Saigon and Oliver!); Jeff Quinn (Lighting Design, Blasted and The Quarrel, both GableStage); Erin Joy Schmidt (Best Actress, 50 Words at GableStage and Dying City at Mosaic Theatre); Deborah L. Sherman (Best Supporting Actress, Goldie, Max & Milk and No Exit at Naked Stage); and Shane R. Tanner (Best Actor, Mack and Mabel, and Best Supporting Actor, Oliver!).
Winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held on Monday, April 4, in the Amaturo Theater of the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale.
Carbonell nominees E.J. Zimmermanand Herman Sebek in Miss Saigon.
This year’s Carbonell nominations include:
COMBINED (Plays and Musicals)
Best New Work (Play or Musical, award to author)
Christopher Demos-Brown, When the Sun Shone Brighter (Florida Stage)
Sue Fabisch, Motherhood: The Musical (GFour Productions)
Karen Hartman, Goldie, Max & Milk (Florida Stage)
Michael McKeever, Unreasonable Doubt (Actors’ Playhouse)
Best Ensemble, Play or Musical (citations to cast and director)
12 Angry Men, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Completely Hollywood, Mosaic Theatre
The Dumb Waiter, The Promethean Theatre
Motherhood: The Musical, GFour Productions
Speech and Debate, GableStage
PLAYS
Best Production of a Play (award to producing organization)
12 Angry Men, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
50 Words, GableStage
American Buffalo, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Blasted, GableStage
Collected Stories, Mosaic Theatre
Best Director, Play
Joseph Adler, 50 Words (GableStage)
Joseph Adler, Blasted (GableStage)
Frank Galati, 12 Angry Men (Maltz Jupiter Theatre)
William Hayes, American Buffalo (Palm Beach Dramaworks)
Margaret M. Ledford, Collected Stories (Mosaic Theatre)
Best Actor, Play
Dennis Creaghan, Freud’s Last Session (Palm Beach Dramaworks)
Todd Allen Durkin, Blasted (GableStage)
David Hemphill, Equus (New Theatre)
Ricky Waugh, Dying City (Mosaic Theatre)
Gregg Weiner, 50 Words (GableStage)
Best Actress, Play
Barbara Bradshaw, Collected Stories (Mosaic Theatre)
Beth Dixon, Three Tall Women (Palm Beach Dramaworks)
Erin Joy Schmidt, 50 Words (GableStage)
Erin Joy Schmidt, Dying City (Mosaic Theatre)
Karen Stephens, Bridge and Tunnel (The Women’s Theatre Project)
Best Supporting Actor, Play
Marckenson Charles, Groundswell (Mosaic Theatre)
Will Connolly, Candida (Palm Beach Dramaworks)
Erik Fabregat, A Behanding in Spokane (GableStage)
Erik Fabregat, Blasted (GableStage)
Michael McKeever, Distracted (Caldwell Theatre Company)
Best Supporting Actress/Play
Kim Morgan Dean, Collected Stories (Mosaic Theatre)
Angie Radosh, Three Tall Women (Palm Beach Dramaworks)
Jackie Rivera, Speech and Debate (GableStage)
Deborah L. Sherman, Goldie, Max & Milk (Florida Stage)
Deborah L. Sherman, No Exit (Naked Stage)
MUSICALS
Best Production of a Musical (award to producing organization)
Academy, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
The Drowsy Chaperone, Broward Stage Door Theatre
La Cage Aux Folles, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Mack and Mabel, Broward Stage Door Theatre
Miss Saigon, Actors’ Playhouse
Best Director, Musical
David Arisco. Miss Saigon (Actors’ Playhouse)
Dan Kelley, The Drowsy Chaperone (Broward Stage Door Theatre)
Michael Leeds, Mack and Mabel (Broward Stage Door Theatre)
Mark Martino, La Cage Aux Folles (Maltz Jupiter Theatre)
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Anything Goes (Maltz Jupiter Theatre)
Best Actor, Musical
Mark Jacoby, La Cage Aux Folles (Maltz Jupiter Theatre)
Dan Kelley, The Drowsy Chaperone (Broward Stage Door Theatre)
Herman Sebek, Miss Saigon (Actors’ Playhouse)
Bret Shuford, Anything Goes (Maltz Jupiter Theatre)
Shane R. Tanner, Mack and Mabel (Broward Stage Door Theatre)
Best Actress, Musical
Irene Adjan, Dr. Radio (Florida Stage)
Mara Gabrielle, Mack and Mabel (Broward Stage Door Theatre)
Tari Kelly, Anything Goes (Maltz Jupiter Theatre)
Laura Oldham, The Drowsy Chaperone (Broward Stage Door Theatre)
E.J. Zimmerman, Miss Saigon (Actors’ Playhouse)
Best Supporting Actor, Musical
Tom Beckett, Anything Goes (Maltz Jupiter Theatre)
Ken Clement, Oliver! (Actors’ Playhouse)
Nick Duckart, Dr. Radio (Florida Stage)
Chris-Ian Sanchez, Miss Saigon (Actors’ Playhouse)
Shane R. Tanner, Oliver! (Actors’ Playhouse)
Best Supporting Actress, Musical
Eileen Faxas, The Drowsy Chaperone (Broward Stage Door Theatre)
Elizabeth Dimon, Oliver! (Actors’ Playhouse)
Lisa Manuli, Motherhood: The Musical (GFour Productions)
Amy Miller Brennan, Miss Saigon (Actors’ Playhouse)
Amy Miller Brennan, Oliver! (Actors’ Playhouse)
Best Musical Direction
Eric Alsford, Miss Saigon (Actors’ Playhouse)
Helen Gregory, Anything Goes (Maltz Jupiter Theatre)
Phil Reno, La Cage Aux Folles (Maltz Jupiter Theatre)
Johnny Rodgers, Motherhood: The Musical (GFour Productions)
Alexander Rovang, Academy (Maltz Jupiter Theatre)
Best Choreography
Chrissi Ardito, The Drowsy Chaperone (Broward Stage Door Theatre)
Chrissi Ardito, Mack and Mabel (Broward Stage Door Theatre)
Chrissi Ardito, Oliver! (Actors’ Playhouse)
Denis Jones, La Cage Aux Folles (Maltz Jupiter Theatre)
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Anything Goes (Maltz Jupiter Theatre)
DESIGN (Plays and Musicals)
Best Scenic Design, Play or Musical
Michael Amico, American Buffalo (Palm Beach Dramaworks)
Lyle Baskin, 50 Words (GableStage)
Tim Connolly, Blasted (GableStage)
Douglas Grinn, Collected Stories (Mosaic Theatre)
Sean McClelland, Miss Saigon (Actors’ Playhouse)
Best Lighting, Play or Musical
Ron Burns, The Gin Game (Palm Beach Dramaworks)
Suzanne Jones, Cane (Florida Stage)
Jeff Quinn, Blasted (GableStage)
Jeff Quinn, The Quarrel (GableStage)
Patrick Tennent, Miss Saigon (Actors’ Playhouse)
Best Costume Design, Play or Musical
Gail Baldoni, Anything Goes (Maltz Jupiter Theatre)
Brian O’Keefe, Candida (Palm Beach Dramaworks)
Jose M. Rivera, La Cage Aux Folles (Maltz Jupiter Theatre)
Ellis Tillman, Miss Saigon (Actors’ Playhouse)
Ellis Tillman, Oliver! (Actors’ Playhouse)
Best Sound Design
Matt Corey, Blasted (GableStage)
Matt Corey, Groundswell (Mosaic Theatre)
Alexander Herrin, Miss Saigon (Actors’ Playhouse)
Matt Kelly, Dr. Radio (Florida Stage)
Matt Kelly, Cane (Florida Stage)