The Carbonell Awards, recognizing excellence in South Florida theatre, will host its annual ceremony in Palm Beach County for the first time since 1997. The awards will be bestowed in the heart of Boca Raton, at FAU’s University Theatre, at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17.
Traditionally held at venues such as the Broward Center’s Amaturo Theater, the Carbonells’ move to Boca this year caps off a robust slate of nominations for Palm Beach County theatre companies, with Maltz Jupiter Theatre leading the pack with 24 nominations. Palm Beach cultural institutions are also represented across the Carbonells’ spectrum of Special Awards. On the heels of their 25th-anniversary season, Palm Beach Dramaworks cofounders William Hayes and Sue Ellen Beryl will receive the George Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts; and Beverly Blanchette, longtime dean of theatre at Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, will accept this year’s Bill Hindman Award.
While there is no “home court advantage” at the Carbonell Awards, FAU’s resident professional company, Theatre Lab, will surely have a strong contingent at the awards as it vies for seven honors, including two for Best New Work.
Honoring outstanding contributions to the 2024-2025 theatre season, the nominations were announced last month. Following Maltz Jupiter’s 24 nominations, Slow Burn Theatre in Fort Lauderdale received 23 nods, and Actors’ Playhouse and GableStage, both linchpins of Miami’s theatre scene, earned 11 nominations each.
For the full list of nominations, visit carbonellawards.org. Tickets for the ceremony, which include the announcement of winners, acceptance speeches and performances from the award-nominated musicals, cost $45 and include admission to an after-party. Tickets are expected to go on sale soon on the awards’ aforementioned website.
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