Twenty-seven theater artists and organizations will receive the eighth annual South Florida Silver Palm Theatre Awards honoring an outstanding or unique contribution,” the group announced Monday.
Unlike the competitive Carbonell Awards “there are no nominees, no winners or losers, and no limit to the number of citations given in any category, though there really are no official categories,” said Executive Committee Chairman Tony Finstrom.
“Every year it seems to get harder to determine who should be honored. The talent pool in South Florida is strong and has grown so much over the past eight years. We gave out only 13 awards our first season of existence. Last December we gave out 26 of them. This December well give out 27.”
The awards are determined by a vote of the South Florida theater press corps, who Finstrom drafts each year into submitting recommendations. Finstrom, a playwright, BECON-TV talk show host Iris Acker, and Florida Media News critic Ron Levitt compose the Silver Palm Executive Committee, who tally the votes and draw up the final list of recipients.
This years Silver Palm Advisory Council consisted of Christine Dolen (The Miami Herald), Hap Erstein (Palm Beach Post, and Palm Beach ArtsPaper.com), Bill Hirschman (FloridaTheaterOnStage.com, and FloridaWeekly.com), John Thomason (New Times, and Boca Raton Magazine), J.W. Arnold (South Florida Gay News), Roger Martin (MiamiArtzine.com), Michelle F. Solomon (MiamiArtzine.com, and FloridaTheaterOnStage.com), Skip Sheffield (Boca Raton Tribune, Atlantic Avenue Magazine, and L.A.s Realize Magazine), John Lariviere (TalkinBroadway.com), Jeffrey Bruce (TalkinBroadway.com), Richard Cameron (Theatre Chat at examiner.com, and www.BroadwayGlobal.org), and Mary Damiano (BroadwayWorld.Com and South Florida Gay News.)
Silver Palm Awards have been presented to 125 individuals and/or groups during the previous seven theater seasons, and the “2014-2015 Season” consisted of shows that opened between Sept. 1, 2014 and Aug. 31, 2015.
This year the awards presentation will again be held during the annual South Florida Theatre League’s Holiday Party at STACHE, 109 SW Second Ave. in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Monday, Dec. 7 from 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM. The party is open to the public, but there is a $25 admission charge. Theatre League members attend free of charge. For further information and/or reservations, call League Executive Director Andie Arthur at 954-557-0778, or e-mail her at: andie@southfloridatheatre.com.
For more information about South Floridas Silver Palm Theatre Awards, go to: http://www.silverpalmawards.com.
The 2014-2015 Silver Palm Award recipients, in alphabetical order, are:
Joseph Adler, for his direction of Mothers & Sons, Bad Jews, and Choir Boy at GableStage.
Antonio Amadeo, for his performances in Daniels Husband and Shorts Gone Wild 3 at Island City Stage.
David Arisco, for his direction of Ragtime, Murder Ballad, and First Date at Actors Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre.
Kristian Bikic, an outstanding new talent, for his performances in Octopus and DANIELS HUSBAND at Island City Stage.
Lance Blank, for his lighting designs for Carrie, Bonnie & Clyde, Rent, and Little Shop Of Horrors at Slow Burn Theatre.
Derelle Bunn, producer, for 20 years of outstanding work at the Stage Door Theatre.
Natalia Coego, an outstanding new talent, for her performance in Bad Jews at GableStage.
Mary Damiano, for her work in the South Florida Theatre Community, and with the Carbonell Awards.
Bruno Faria, an outstanding new talent, for his performances in Bonnie & Clyde and Rent at Slow Burn Theatre.
Niki Fridh, for her performances in Vita & Virginia at Thinking Cap Theatre and “Shorts Gone Wild 3″ at Island City Stage.
Josieu Jean, for his outstanding projections designed for Peter Pan and Dames At Sea at The Wick Theatre.
Robert Johnston, an outstanding new talent, for his performance in Vincent River at Ground Up and Rising.
Shelley Keelor, for her performances in Carrie at Slow Burn Theatre and Side By Side By Sondheim at MNM Productions.
Mia Matthews, for her performance in The Little Dog Laughed at Island City Stage.
John Manzelli, for his performances in The Gospel According To Jerry at New Theatre and Fully Committed at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and for his fight choreography in Octopus at Island City Stage.
Michael McClain, for his set designs for Octopus and The Little Dog Laughed at Island City Stage, and for Bell, Book & Candle at Stage Door Theatre.
Michael McKeever, for his new play Daniels Husband at Island City Stage, his performance in Mothers & Sons at GableStage, and his set design for Detroit at Zoetic Stage.
Makeba Pace, for her performance in Sunset Baby at Primal Forces.
Angie Radosh, for her performance in Mothers & Sons at GableStage.
Nicholas Richberg, for his performances in Peter & The Starcatcher at The Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and Betrayal at Zoetic Stage.
Andy Rogow, for his outstanding direction of Octopus and Daniels Husband at Island City Stage.
Barbara Sloan, for her performances in Vita & Virginia at Thinking Cap Theatre and The Book Club Play at Actors Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre.
Shane Tanner, for his performances in Oklahoma! at The Wick Theatre, Little Shop Of Horrors at Slow Burn Theatre, and 110 In The Shade In Concert at Palm Beach Dramaworks.
The Vanguard Theatre and Nicole Stodard, Producing Artistic Director, for this new theatre venue and sanctuary for the arts in South Florida.
Laura Turnbull, for her performances in Daniels Husband at Island City Stage, Ill Eat You Last at GableStage, and Redwood Curtain at Primal Forces.
Mike Westrich, for his performances in Stars Of David at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts / Daryl Roth Productions, and Little Shop Of Horrors at Slow Burn Theatre.
Stephanie White, an outstanding new talent, for her performance in Ragtime at Actors Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre.
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