Tuesday, April 5, 2011

And The Winners Are...

The 35th Carbonell Awards Ceremony went smoothly, and stories were posted even before the after-party got under way.  The GableStage production swept the awards, but honestly, the entire community won. 

Video of the awards:
Channel 2 uVu Blog

Here are links to the stories:

Miami ArtZine

The South Florida Theater Review.

The Miami Herald.

Palm Beach ArtsPaper 

Broadway World.com

Palm Beach Daily News (The Shiny Sheet)

We'll update this page as more stories hit the net.

16 comments:

  1. In other news:
    The 1st Annual Carbonell Pool results are in! And its a 3 way tie! Congrats to Deborah Sherman, Steve (lost baldwin) Anthony and Ashley Olberding!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for that update, Todd!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yippee...David, Joe, Barbara and Greg all won.

    And who won those same awards last year?

    So glad to see some growth in this theatre community...which is open to everyone...except outsiders.

    C.L.J...I know you are tired of the complaining...but this is a new low, even for the Carbonells.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Deborah L. ShermanApril 7, 2011 at 10:07 AM

    I don't know why this is a new low. Other people including myself who have never won individual awards, won. Why is it so hard to accept repeat winners if the work they do remains consistant and wonderful. No one will ever be 100 percent happy about any awards. The fact that you continue to complain and do so without signing your name could be considered a low in and of itself.
    Signed Deborah L. Sherman Actor and hard working theatre gal 11 years running.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Deborah L. Sherman, Producing Artistic Director, The Promethean TheatreApril 7, 2011 at 10:20 AM

    Oh and I didn't even mention my small theatre company that does great work and sometimes gets overlooked in big ways. That's the breaks babe. If we do this for the glory we are sadly missing the point. I love what I do and am lucky enough to be able to do it no matter what the awards or critics say. Does it hurt or annoy? Yes. But go to any office in America and poll the workers and ask them if they think the way their boss does things is fair.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The Carbonell system is new to me, but I feel like it can only be improved by more opinions, and having more voices involved, no?

    It seems like those that are "doing the work" are the ones seeing the honor bestowed upon them, so, other than sour grapes which are always easily understood, why would anyone feel the need to justify their loss, or lack of nomination at all?

    I'll be honest, I was sad when I didn't get nominated this year, but if I wasn't, would it mean anything to me when I DO get one? It's an honor to be involved, and it's a nice thing.

    Babies must be babies, I suppose, but no matter how many times a person wins, good work should be rewarded.

    I'm not a write, just stating my opinion.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This topic is too complex for a thorough discussion online, but here a few thoughts from someone who has been a judge and nominator and is again a judge.

    First, you might check out my column on who got robbed in the nominations at http://www.southfloridatheaterreview.com/2011/03/a-carp-about-those-overlooked-for-carbonells/.

    But briefly, every awards process from the Oscars to the Nobel Peace Prize is flawed. I’ve judged many competitions (you should see the mess that is a journalism contest). This year for sure – and most of the past years – the folks who were nominated certainly deserved to be. That means any and all winners certainly were worthy. After that, it’s a sincere, but subjective crap shoot susceptible to a dozen legitimate and maybe a couple of not so legitimate criteria.

    While I, too, would like to see the wealth spread around a bit more simply because I want everyone to be recognized, the award recognizes excellence and awards should not be distributed in a particular way because of history. The work is the work and it speaks for itself.

    ReplyDelete
  9. okay, so i am just an old has been in the community but i'm with ms. sherman on this one! no one does this for glory...it's the love of art and the hope that all know that love. it's a group of people who are modern day apostles who 'spread the word.' the blood, sweat, tears and time one puts into a believable performance should be recognized in any way possible and as often as they 'bleed, sweat & cry!' hats off and standing ovations to all involved b/c a trophy doesn't determine a winner...a following is a better trophy!

    ReplyDelete
  10. After attending the ceremony on and off for 15 years, being nominated a mess of times and winning a few, I gotta say this year's ceremony was as elegant, professional, and home-grown as I've seen.

    There was a time in the 90's when Palm Beach County had a gravitational pull on the award (Caldwell, Pope/Florida Stage, Jan McArt's). It has undeniably shifted to Miami-Dade in the 21st Century. Trends last til they're broken. Maybe Broward will hop in there next.

    It would be an uncommonly lucky performer who can say their best work has never been ignored or panned one time or another. The Carbonell Committee is made up of devoted observers of theatre, but perhaps not practitioners. This is fine.
    Some awards are determined by "outsiders" and some by "insiders."

    In the end, i think we're lucky Jack Zinc gave us this....and that after his death, some found the courage to continue it forward.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I do not generally get involved (especially since my mommy hiatus), but I MUST deliver my two cents.

    Congratulations to all of the winners (repeat and otherwise)! Your hard work and talent are entirely deserving of your awards!

    As a one time nominee, I can honestly say I think it and honor to be nominated....but not a reason to seek/accept a gig or to perform.

    We are so lucky to be able to do what we do. We have been gifted a talent or two and have been afforded the opportunity to share those gifts. I cannot find a reason to complain!

    Again, congratulations to ALL the winners, ALL the nominees and ALL of the theatre community for a great season!

    See you all, soon!! :)
    Lissa Grossman Comess

    ReplyDelete
  12. This article in American Theatre -- http://www.tcg.org/publications/at/apr11/ceremonies.cfm

    -- immediately reminded me of the Carbonells -- and its tedious tribute to the anointed darlings, predictably middle-of-the-road, borderline mediocre, (let's honor grandma again), favoring favoritism and friendship over art, craft or innovation. Who won? Who cares? Who votes?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Carlos Correa Production Manager Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre.April 7, 2011 at 10:09 PM

    If you start factoring in how many times a person has won or not ,you are truly not judging the work... I for one thought there where many surprises, and I loved seeing people in some cases for the first time getting rewarded for there efforts in what truly proves to be a labor of love in this community.

    ReplyDelete
  14. That website slamming theater awards (Paul Dunbar) is spot on!

    Bill Hirschman on the Tony Awards: to qualify, all theaters meet minimum requirements (Union shops, minimum seating.)

    See? Level playing field.

    Carbonells are opposite end of the spectrum: run 12 performances, pay everyone...you're in.

    Obviously, it's the only way to have enough nominees...only to end up rewarding the same people anyway.

    Silver Palms this year were the same thing...same old...same old...

    Let's just be honest about it....new winners are far and few between.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Just do what the Oscars do:

    1. Any theater that wants to be Carbonell-eligible has to provide postage-paid ballot card at the theater. (Funded by the Carbonell committee)

    2. Anyone using their Theater League or Equity membership to get in gets a ballot and mails it to the committee.

    Advantages:

    1. Takes the burden off a relatively small committee to see everything, puts it on the theatre community itself. Carbonell committee now just administers the ballots and funds the operation.

    2. Increases attendance for all shows since people will have to go to the theatre to get a ballot.

    3. Ensures that every voter sees the show they vote for.

    4. Avoid ballet-stuffing by tying the vote to a specific person.

    5. Increases membership in the Theater League.

    6. Well-attended shows with huge box office do not get an unfair "publicity" advantage.

    7. If people vote for their "friends" at least they saw the show.

    8. Avoid fraud by spot checking 5% or 10% of the ballots (i.e. ask the person about the show to see if they say it.)

    ReplyDelete