Maltz Jupiter Theatre's THE KING AND I & Actors' Playhouse's MURDER BALLAD Lead Carbonell Awards Nominations!

A production of a beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical and a rock and roll tale of a passionate love triangle garnered the most nominations for the 39th annual Carbonell Awards, which honors excellence in theater in South Florida.

The King and I, produced by the Maltz Jupiter Theatre in Jupiter, and Murder Ballad, produced by Actors' Playhouse in Coral Gables, led the musical category with 9 nominations each.

In the Play categories, two productions tied with five nominations each: Clark Gable Slept Here, produced by Zoetic Stage in Miami, and The Foreigner, produced by Maltz Jupiter Theatre.

Zoetic Stage earned the most nominations of any theater, for their productions of the world premiere Michael McKeever play Clark Gable Slept Here (5 nominations), the Stephen Sondheim musical Assassins (8 nominations) and the Lisa L'Amour play Detroit (3 nominations).

Sixteen of South Florida's theaters earned nominations for a variety of shows produced during 2014. Theaters in Miami-Dade County earned a total of 50 nominations; theaters in Palm Beach County earned 44 nominations and theaters in Broward County earned 4 nominations. Nominations were spread over 34 shows from theaters stretching from Cutler Bay north to Jupiter.

The awards will be handed out at the 39th annual Carbonell Awards ceremony, which will be held Monday, March 30, 2013 2015, 7:30 p.m., at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale. The ceremony always promises to be a highlight of the South Florida theater season.

The Carbonell Awards is a not-for-profit organization and is funded by tax-deductible donations and award sponsorships. This season's sponsors include the 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, South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, Rita and Jerry Cohen, Kerry and Scott Shiller, Mary Ellen and Michael Peyton, Tony Finstrom, and the South Florida Theatre League. Opportunities to sponsor an award category and appear on stage to announce the winner are still available. Email CarbonellAwards@gmail.com for more information.

Several nominees have double the reason to be happy with this year's announcement. Matt Corey is nominated for Best Sound Design for his work on The Mountaintop at GableStage and Our Town at Palm Beach Dramaworks. Marcia Milgrom Dodge is nominated for Best Director, Musical and Best Choreography for The King and I at Maltz Jupiter Theatre. Patrick Fitzwater is nominated as Best Director, Musical for Parade as well as for Best Choreography for Chess, both by Slow Burn Theatre Company. Margaret M. Ledford garnered a pair of nominations as Best Director, Play for Miss Julie at The Naked Stage and Best Director, Musical for The Trouble with Doug at Theatre at Arts Garage. Chaz Mena is nominated as Best Supporting Actor, Play for Detroit, and Best Supporting Actor, Musical, for Assassins, both by Zoetic Stage. Nicholas Richberg is nominated as Best Actor, Play for Peter and the Starcatcher, a co-production of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and the University of Miami, and Best Actor, Musical for Assassins from Zoetic Stage.

Michael McKeever is nominated in the Best New Work category for his comedy, Clark Gable Slept Here as well as for Best Scenic Design for Detroit, both by Zoetic Stage. He is also nominated as Best Actor, Play for

Mothers and Sons at GableStage. Stuart Meltzer is nominated for Best Director, Play for Clark Gable Slept Here and for Best Director, Musical and Best Sound Design for Assassins, all from Zoetic Stage.

"This season's nominees epitomize the distinction of excellence in work being produced on South Florida stages throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties," said Scott Shiller, President of the Carbonell Awards' board of directors. "We thank our partner theaters for producing yet another remarkable and diverse season."

Tickets are now on sale for the Monday, March 30, 2015 ceremony, which will take place in the Amaturo Theater, at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 S.W. 5th Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Single tTickets are $31.86 and can be purchased by calling 954-462-0222. Group sales of 10 or more tickets may be purchased by calling 954-660-6307 with promo code "Awards". Tickets are also available at the Broward Center's AutoNation box office or by visiting www.browardcenter.org.

Carbonell scholarships are awarded to graduating high school seniors in the tri-county area who plan to pursue a degree in theatre of journalism. Applications are being accepted through February 13, 2015. Details and information at www.carbonellawards.com/scholarships.

Carbonell Nominations for the 2014 Season

Best New Work (Play or Musical) (4 nominees)
Clark Gable Slept Here, Michael McKeever, Zoetic Stage
Cuban Spring, Vanessa Garcia, New Theatre
Have I Got a Girl for You, Josh Mesnick, Island City Stage
Poz, Michael Amin, Island City Stage

Best Production of a Play
Clark Gable Slept Here, Zoetic Stage
The Foreigner, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Miss Julie, The Naked Stage
Mothers and Sons, GableStage
Our Town, Palm Beach Dramaworks

Best Director/Play
Joseph Adler, Mothers and Sons, GableStage
Margaret M. Ledford, Miss Julie, The Naked Stage
Matt Lenz, The Foreigner, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
J. Barry Lewis, Our Town, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Stuart Meltzer, Clark Gable Slept Here, Zoetic Stage

Best Actor/Play
Matthew William Chizever, Miss Julie, The Naked Stage
John Manzelli, The Gospel According to Jerry, New Theatre
Michael McKeever, Mothers and Sons, GableStage
Nicholas Richberg, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and the University of Miami
Andrew Sellon, The Foreigner, Maltz Jupiter Theatre

Best Actress/Play
Katherine Amadeo, Miss Julie, The Naked Stage
Natalia Coego, Bad Jews, GableStage
Makeba Pace, Sunset Baby, Primal Forces
Angie Radosh, Mothers and Sons, GableStage
Karen Stephens, The Mountaintop, GableStage

Best Supporting Actor/Play
Alex Alvarez, Visiting Hours, New Theatre
Mark Della Ventura, Bad Jews, GableStage
Colin McPhillamy, End of the Rainbow, Actors' Playhouse
Chaz Mena, Detroit, Zoetic Stage
Matthew Minor, The Foreigner, Maltz Jupiter Theatre

Best Supporting Actress/Play
Elizabeth Dimon, Miracle on South Division Street, Actors' Playhouse
Lela Elam, Clark Gable Slept Here, Zoetic Stage
Vanessa Elise, Clark Gable Slept Here, Zoetic Stage
Christina Groom, Have I Got a Girl for You, Island City Stage
Arielle Hoffman, The Whale, GableStage

Best Production of a Musical
Assassins, Zoetic Stage
The King and I, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Murder Ballad, Actors' Playhouse
Parade, Slow Burn Theatre Company
The Trouble with Doug, Theatre at Arts Garage

Best Director/Musical
David Arisco, Murder Ballad, Actors' Playhouse
Patrick Fitzwater, Parade, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Margaret M. Ledford, The Trouble with Doug, Theatre at Arts Garage
Stuart Meltzer, Assassins, Zoetic Stage
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, The King and I, Maltz Jupiter Theatre

Best Actor/Musical
Clay Cartland, The Trouble with Doug, Theatre at Arts Garage
Wayne Hu, The King and I, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Matthew Korinko, Chess, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Nicholas Richberg, Assassins, Zoetic Stage
Mike Westrich, Thrill Me, Outre Theatre Company

Best Actress/Musical
Amy Miller Brennan, Chess, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Anne Chamberlain, Carrie, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Julie Kleiner, 42nd Street, The Wick
Ann Marie Olson, Parade, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Michele Ragusa, The King and I, Maltz Jupiter Theatre

Best Supporting Actor/Musical
Jerel Brown, Parade, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Chris Crawford, Murder Ballad, Actors' Playhouse
Chaz Mena, Assassins, Zoetic Stage
Shane Tanner, The Trouble with Doug, Theatre at Arts Garage
Gabriel Zenone, Assassins, Zoetic Stage

Best Supporting Actress/Musical
Patti Gardner, Pippin, Boca Raton Theatre Guild
Shelley Keelor, Carrie, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Kaitlyn O'Neill, Parade, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Lourelene Snedeker, Mame, The Wick
Mariand Torres, Murder Ballad, Actors' Playhouse

Best Musical Direction/Musical
Eric Alsford, Murder Ballad, Actors' Playhouse
Caryl Fantel, Assassins, Zoetic Stage
Helen Gregory, The King and I, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Paul Reekie, The Trouble with Doug, Theatre at Arts Garage
Manny Schvartzman, Parade, Slow Burn Theatre Company

Best Choreography/Musical (4 nominees)
Patrick Fitzwater, Chess, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Ron Hutchins, 42nd Street, The Wick
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, The King and I, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Kelly Shook, Swing, The Wick

Best Scenic Design/play or musical
Gene Seyffer, Murder Ballad, Actors' Playhouse
Narelle Sissons, The King and I, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Michael McKeever, Detroit, Zoetic Stage
Rob Odorisio, The Foreigner, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Yashinori Tankura, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and the University of Miami

Best Lighting Design/Play or Musical
Ron Burns, My Old Lady, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Eric Haugen, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and the University of Miami
Stefanie Howard, Thrill Me, Outre Theatre Company
Eric Nelson, Murder Ballad, Actors' Playhouse
Jeff Quinn, The Mountaintop, GableStage

Best Costume Design/Play or Musical
Alberto Arroyo, Assassins, Zoetic Stage
Robin L. McGee, Our Town, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Rick Pena, Parade, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Ellis Tillman, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and the University of Miami
Leon Weibers, The King and I, Maltz Jupiter Theatre

Best Sound Design/Play or Musical
Matt Corey, The Mountaintop, GableStage
Matt Corey, Our Town, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Mitch Furman, Murder Ballad, Actors' Playhouse
Stuart Meltzer, Assassins, Zoetic Stage
Marty Mets, The King and I, Maltz Jupiter Theatre

Best Ensemble Production/ (Play or Musical)
Ain't Misbehavin', The Wick
Centralia, Mad Cat Theatre
Detroit, Zoetic Stage
Gidion's Knot, New Theatre
Murder Ballad, Actors' Playhouse