The nominees for the 39th annual Carbonell Awards for South Florida theater have been announced.
Some of the biggest nominees include Stuart Meltzer, up for three awards -- Best Director of a Play for Zoetic Stage’s production of “Clark Gable Slept Here,” Best Director of a Musical for “Assassins,” also at the Zoetic Stage, and Best Sound Design for “Assassins.”
Stuart Meltzer, a Miami native, has taught at New World School of the Arts and directed works suchas “Moscow,”a comedy about an affluent Miami family,and “South Beach Babylon,” an exploration of art culture in Miami.
Miami-born actor and playwright Michael McKeever is also up for three awards. His “Clark Gable Slept Here” was nominated for Best New Work. It’s a satire that chronicles a rising Hollywood star and his staff’s scramble to conceal a dead male prostitute on the night of the Golden Globe Awards.
McKeever was also nominated for Best Actor of a Play for “Mothers and Sons” at GableStage and Best Scenic Design for “Detroit” at Zoetic Stage. The lauded local won Best Actor of a Play last year for his performance in “The Timekeepers” at Island City Stage, and Best New Work for penning 2013’s “Moscow.”
Additionally, two “Clark Gable Slept Here” actresses have earned nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a Play -- one for Vanessa Elise, a recent graduate of New World School of the Arts who plays a Spanish-speaking maid, and another for Lela Elam, who portrays a Hollywood “fixer.”
Artists in the Maltz Jupiter Theatre’s production of “The King And I” and the Actor’s Playhouse production of “Murder Ballad” tied for the most nominations with a total of nine per production.
Nominations for the cast of “The King And I” include director Marcia Milgrom Dodge for Best Director of a Musical and Best Choreography. Dodge’s 2009 Broadway revival of “Ragtime” was nominated for seven Tony Awards.
The Carbonell Awards will be held at Fort Lauderdale’s Broward Center for the Performing Arts on Mar. 30th, 2015, at 7:30 p.m.
For a full list of the nominees, visit carbonellawards.org.
