Carbonell Awards Unveils 120 Finalists For 25-26 Theatre Season

Gary Schweikhart, board president of the Carbonell Awards, South Florida's Theatre & Arts Honors, today announced the top finalists in 20 competitive categories for the 2025-2026 theatre season. More than 100 professional productions at 33 theatres were evaluated by a diverse group of nearly 50 judges representing all three participating counties (Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach).

GableStage earns 17 nominations, Actors Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre grabs 16, Miami New Drama nets 15, Zoetic Stage picks up 13, Maltz Jupiter Theatre earns 12, The Wick Theat wins 10, and Slow Burn Theatre Company has 9 finalists.

Also, winning 7 nominations each are Island City Stage and Palm Beach Dramaworks, M Ensemble Company earns 4, New City Players picks up 3, both Arca Images and Brévo Theatre get 2, and winning single nominations are City Theatre Miami, Theatre Lab at FAU, and True Mirage Theater.

The production receiving the most nominations is Man of La Mancha at Actors' Playhouse (12), with three shows earning 7 each: Left on Tenth at GableStage, The Cher Show at The Wick Theatre, and The Zionists at Miami New Drama. Five productions earned 5 nominations: Here There Are Blueberries (Miami New Drama), Harry Clarke (GableStage), Merrily We Roll Along (Zoetic Stage), and Come From Away and Man of La Mancha, both at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre.

Carbonell Award Finalists 2026

Outstanding New Work

• English Only by Nicholas Griffin, Miami New Drama
• How to Break in a Glove by Chris Anthony Ferrer, City Theatre Miami
• The City in the City in the City by Matthew Capodicasa, Theatre Lab
• The Zionists by S. Asher Gelman, Miami New Drama
• Todo Lo Que No Dije by Harley Elias, Miami New Drama
• With the Swallows by Ricky J. Martinez, True Mirage Theater

Outstanding Production, Play

• Harry Clarke, GableStage
• Here There Are Blueberries, Miami New Drama
• Kassandra, Arca Images
• Prayer for the French Republic, GableStage
• Searching for Willie Lynch, M Ensemble Company
• The Inheritance, Part 1, Zoetic Stage

Outstanding Direction, Play

• Julianne Boyd, Harry Clarke, GableStage
• Layon Gray, Searching for Willie Lynch, M Ensemble Company
• Moisés Kaufman, Here There Are Blueberries, Miami New Drama
• Stuart Meltzer, The Inheritance, Part 1, Zoetic Stage
• Bari Newport, Left on Tenth, GableStage
• Chloe Treat, The Zionists, Miami New Drama

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Male Role, Play

• Mark H. Dold, Harry Clarke, GableStage
• Christopher Marquis Lindsay, The Mountaintop, Palm Beach Dramaworks
• Christian McGaffney, Todo Lo Que No Dije, Miami New Drama
• Carlos Acosta Milian, Muerta de un Viajante, Arca Images
• Max Roll, Good Night, Oscar, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
• Ray Anthony Thomas, Driving Miss Daisy, Palm Beach Dramaworks

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Female Role, Play

• Dalia Aleman, Left on Tenth, GableStage
• Rita Cole, The Mountaintop, Palm Beach Dramaworks
• Jeni Hacker, The Mother, Zoetic Stage
• Nicole Hulett, Burst, New City Players
• Barb Pitts McAdams, Here There Are Blueberries, Miami New Drama
• Laura Turnbull, Everything Beautiful Happens at Night, Island City Stage

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Male Role, Play

• Thaddeus Daniels, Searching for Willie Lynch, M Ensemble Company
• Matthew W. Korinko, Driving Miss Daisy, Palm Beach Dramaworks
• Michael McKeever, The Inheritance, Part 1, Zoetic Stage
• Aidan Paul, The Inheritance, Part 1, Zoetic Stage
• Jeremy Sevelovitz, Prayer for the French Republic, GableStage
• Stephen Trovillion, Prayer for the French Republic, GableStage

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Female Role, Play

• Rita Cole, Eureka Day, GableStage
• Mary Gundlach, Burst, New City Players
• Julie Kleiner, The Crucible, Palm Beach Dramaworks
• Margery Lowe, The Little Foxes, Island City Stage
• Dayana Morales, Burst, New City Players
• Sheena O. Murray, Searching for Willie Lynch, M Ensemble Company

Outstanding Production, Musical

• Camelot, The Wick Theatre
• Come from Away, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
• Man of La Mancha, Actors' Playhouse
• Man of La Mancha, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
• Merrily We Roll Along, Zoetic Stage
• The Cher Show, The Wick Theatre

Outstanding Direction, Musical

• David Arisco, Man of La Mancha, Actors' Playhouse
• Patrick Fitzwater, Catch Me If You Can, Slow Burn Theatre Company
• Stuart Meltzer, Merrily We Roll Along, Zoetic Stage
• Andy Rogow, Ruthless, Island City Stage
• Marcos Santana, Man of La Mancha, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
• Jennifer Werner, Come from Away, Maltz Jupiter Theatre

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Male Role, Musical

• Jarod Bakum, Catch Me If You Can, Slow Burn Theatre Company
• Logan Clinger, Dear Evan Hansen, Actors' Playhouse
• E.L. Losada, Man of La Mancha, Actors' Playhouse
• Jesse Luttrell, Camelot, The Wick Theatre
• Alex Martinez, Camelot, The Wick Theatre
• Eddie Noel Rodríguez, Man of La Mancha, Maltz Jupiter Theatre

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Female Role, Musical

• Catherine Ariale, The Cher Show, The Wick Theatre
• Lindsey Corey, Ruthless, Island City Stage
• Kristin Rose Kelleher, The Cher Show, The Wick Theatre
• Ariella Kvashny, Man of La Mancha, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
• Ella Perez, The Cher Show, The Wick Theatre
• Monet Sabel, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Slow Burn Theatre Company

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Male Role, Musical

• Jim Ballard, The Spitfire Grill, Actors' Playhouse
• Kalen Edean, Frozen, Slow Burn Theatre Company
• Michael Focas, Man of La Mancha, Actors' Playhouse
• Henry Gainza, Man of La Mancha, Actors' Playhouse
• Paul Louis-Gonzalez, Man of La Mancha, Actors' Playhouse
• Jose Luaces, Man of La Mancha, Actors' Playhouse

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Female Role, Musical

• Aaron Bower, The Cher Show, The Wick Theatre
• Lindsey Corey, Merrily We Roll Along, Zoetic Stage
• Dayna Jarae Dantzler, Come from Away, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
• Sydney Freihofer, Jagged Little Pill, Slow Burn Theatre Company
• Ashley Nicole Portis, The Color Purple, Brévo Theatre
• Leah Sessa, Merrily We Roll Along, Zoetic Stage

Outstanding Music Direction

• Eric Alsford, Come from Away, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
• Bruce Barnes, Man of La Mancha, Actors' Playhouse
• Nick Guerrero, The Spitfire Grill, Actors' Playhouse
• Donya Lane, The Cher Show, The Wick Theatre
• Paul Tine, Man of La Mancha, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
• Gio Tio, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Slow Burn Theatre Company

Outstanding Choreography

• Madeline Dunn, Jagged Little Pill, Slow Burn Theatre Company
• Henry Gainza, Man of La Mancha, Actors' Playhouse
• Lauren Danielle Horgan, Merrily We Roll Along, Zoetic Stage
• Sabrina Gail Lobner, The Cher Show, The Wick Theatre
• Cat Pagano, Catch Me If You Can, Slow Burn Theatre Company
• TM Pride & Ajia Northern, The Color Purple, Brévo Theatre

Outstanding Scenic Design

• Jacob Brown, The Mother, Zoetic Stage
• Adam Koch, The Zionists, Miami New Drama
• Ardean Landhuis, The Little Foxes, Island City Stage
• Anne Mundell, Misery, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
• Frank J. Oliva, Left on Tenth, GableStage
• K. April Soroko, Man of La Mancha, Actors' Playhouse

Outstanding Lighting Design

• Paul Black, Vineland Place, Palm Beach Dramaworks
• Kirk Bookman & Dalton Hamilton, Come from Away, Maltz Jupiter Theatre
• David Lander, Harry Clarke, GableStage
• Rebecca Montero, The Mother, Zoetic Stage
• Solomon Weisbard, The Zionists, Miami New Drama
• Jessica Winward, Prayer for the French Republic, GableStage

Outstanding Sound Design

• Andy Cohen & Saloman Lerner, The Zionists, Miami New Drama
• David Hart, Ruthless, Island City Stage
• Dan Mayer, Left on Tenth, GableStage
• Bobby McElver, Here There Are Blueberries, Miami New Drama
• Reidar Sorensen, Man of La Mancha, Actors' Playhouse
• Alexander Sovronsky, Harry Clarke, GableStage

Outstanding Costume Design

• Anya Klepikov, The Zionists, Miami New Drama
• Lorena Lopez, Left on Tenth, GableStage
• Brian O'Keefe, Driving Miss Daisy, Palm Beach Dramaworks
• Rick Peña, Jagged Little Pill, Slow Burn Theatre Company
• Ellis Tillman, Man of La Mancha, Actors' Playhouse
• Laura Turnbull, The Mother, Zoetic Stage

Outstanding Achievement of an Artistic Specialty

• David Bengali for projection design, Here There Are Blueberries, Miami New Drama
• Bryce Cutler for projection video design, The Zionists, Miami New Drama
• Jamie Godwin for projection design, Left on Tenth, GableStage
• Josieu Jean for multimedia design, Dear Evan Hansen, Actors' Playhouse
• Bong Redila for illustration, Everything Beautiful Happens at Night, Island City Stage
• Jenny Wake for dressing/props, Left on Tenth, GableStage

Double Finalists

There are five double finalists this year:

• Rita Cole is up for both Eureka Day (GableStage) and The Mountaintop (Palm Beach Dramaworks).
• Lindsey Corey is nominated for Merrily We Roll Along (Zoetic Stage) and Ruthless (Island City Stage).
• Henry Gainza is twice nominated for the Actors' Playhouse production of Man of La Mancha.
• Stuart Meltzer is a finalist for two shows he directed at Zoetic Stage: Merrily We Roll Along and The Inheritance, Part 1.
• Laura Turnbull is recognized for both Everything Beautiful Happens at Night (Island City Stage) and The Mother (Zoetic Stage).

Special Awards

In addition to the 20 competitive award categories, the 49th annual Carbonell Awards will also present eight Special Awards selected by the nonprofit organization's board of directors, including:

• The George Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts to Stuart Meltzer, Founding Artistic Director of Zoetic Stage.
• The Vinnette Carroll Award for outstanding achievement in advancing diversity, equality, and inclusion in South Florida Theatre to Our Fund Foundation.
• The Charlie Cinnamon Award for outstanding support of South Florida Theatre and the Carbonell Awards to Michelle F. Solomon, editor and theatre critic for ArtBurstMiami and miamiartzine.com.
• The Christine Dolen Award for outstanding debut to Ali Tallman, director of The 39 Steps for New City Players.
• Ruth Foreman Award for outstanding contribution to the development of South Florida Theatre to Margaret M. Ledford, Artistic Director of City Theatre in Miami.
• The Bill Hindman Award for onstage career achievement by performing artists based in South Florida to actor, playwright and educator Elena Maria Garcia.
• The Howard Kleinberg Award for outstanding contribution to the health and development of the arts in South Florida to educators inspiring the next generation: Gary Cadwallader (Palm Beach Dramaworks), Jairo Ontiveros (Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County), and Lori Slade Sessions (South Florida Cappies).
• The Jan McArt Award recognizing significant achievement by a small theatre to Brévo Theatre.
• The Bill von Maurer Award for Theatrical Excellence honoring a theatre company that exemplifies excellence for the totality of its programming: productions, educational outreach, developmental programs, and audiences served to Island City Stage.