Maltz Jupiter Theatre Garners 18 Carbonell Nominations

The Maltz Jupiter Theatre has earned 18 nominations for the 35th annual Carbonell Awards, South Florida's equivalent of the Tony Awards.

The Theatre garnered the most nominations in Palm Beach County. By show, the Theatre earned seven nominations for Anything Goes, six for La Cage aux Folles, three for Twelve Angry Men and two for the Theatre's world premiere Academy.

"We are honored that we are being recognized for our diverse spectrum of genres - including a new work (Academy), a drama (Twelve Angry Men) and two classic musicals (Anything Goes and La Cage aux Folles)," said Andrew Kato, the Theatre's artistic director. "This gives our Theatre credibility, and helps the public understand that we are stretching our programming and challenging our audiences with our play and musical selection."

As in years past, the Theatre finds itself with multiple Carbonell nominations in six categories, meaning that some of its shows are competing against one another. This leaves the theatre with double the chance of winning in different categories, with four of its five 2010 shows receiving nominations.

"It feels wonderful to have been nominated for the Theatre's rich variety of productions," Kato said. "For example, our popular musical La Cage aux Folles exemplified diversity and a contemporary view of family life, and it was embraced by traditional musical theatre audiences. Also, our world premiere musical Academy earned top honors in New York and South Korea before coming home to Jupiter, where the story about a boy's prep school quickly became an audience favorite. We feel extremely proud that this homegrown show has been nominated in the 'best production of a musical' category - the highest honor - particularly because it is a new work, and started here at our Theatre."

Academy, conceived nearly a decade ago by Kato and writer John Mercurio, was developed in three stages. It received a grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fund at the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties for a staged reading in Jupiter in 2008, was selected for and won several awards at last October's New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF), and won the top award for Best Musical in July at South Korea's Daegu International Musical Festival. Cast members were given the honor of ringing the closing bell at NASDAQ in New York, and with the help of a grant from the prestigious National Endowment for the Arts, the show premiered at the Theatre in December.

Director Marcia Milgrom Dodge was one of several to earn a double Carbonell nomination: Best Director of a Musical and Best Choreography for Anything Goes.

"I credit much of our success to the high level of local and national talent that we attract," Kato said. "Dodge earned a Tony Award nomination last year, and Director Frank Galati (a nominee for Twelve Angry Men) has won two Tony Awards. We are grateful to the amazing artists who have chosen our theatre as their canvas."

The news comes on the heels of the Theatre's recent announcement of its shows for the 2011/12 season, The Best of Broadway, which will begin with Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps and continue with the family favorite Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Next up is the politically-charged musical Cabaret, and then Red takes a provocative look at Abstract expressionist Mark Rothko. The smash season ends with the classic Tony Award-winning musical, Hello, Dolly!

"We promise that our next season of shows will continue to delight audiences with the magic of live theatre as we enter our ninth season," Kato said. "These 18 nominations reaffirm the variety of work that we do here at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre."
Celebrating the best shows and performances in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, Carbonell nominations encompass the entire length of South Florida with 13 companies receiving nods and 33 of the 69 eligible shows that opened in 2010 being recognized.

The winners will be announced at the 35th annual Carbonell Awards ceremony, to be held on April 4 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale.

There are two shows left in the Maltz Jupiter Theatre's 2010/2011 season, Where Art Comes to Life. Jolson at the Winter Garden! starring Mike Burstyn, takes a retrospective look at the legendary entertainer (Feb. 22-March 13), and the season ends with the Gershwin tap-dancing extravaganza, Crazy for You (March 29-April 17).

About the Maltz Jupiter Theatre
The Maltz Jupiter Theatre is an award-winning professional not-for-profit regional theatre dedicated to the performing arts whose mission is to entertain, educate and inspire our community. The Theatre is a member of the prestigious League of Resident Theatres and is located east of U.S. Highway 1 at 1001 East Indiantown Road and State Road A1A in Jupiter. For more information about the Theatre's upcoming shows and Conservatory of Performing Arts, visit www.jupitertheatre.org or call the box office at (561) 575-2223.

 

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