Maltz Theatre receives 6 honors

By HAP ERSTEIN

Palm Beach Post Theater Writer

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

The 5-year-old Maltz Jupiter Theatre achieved its "impossible dream" Monday evening, winning more Carbonell Awards for regional theater excellence than any other stage company in South Florida. For the second straight time, it was honored for best musical production - this year for Man of La Mancha.

The Don Quixote show accounted for three of the northern Palm Beach County company's awards, including best director of a musical (Peter Flynn) and best lighting design (Donald Edmund Thomas). The Maltz also took home three Carbonells for its Roaring '20s-style British musical The Boy Friend, cited for its choreography (Denis Jones), scenic design (Dan Kuchar) and costumes (Jose M. Rivera).

On the other hand, such more established troupes in the county as Manalapan's Florida Stage and West Palm Beach's Palm Beach Dramaworks failed to earn any Carbonells, after going into Monday's gala ceremony at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale with six and seven nominations, respectively. The Caldwell Theatre Company of Boca Raton also came up short in the competitive categories, but its artistic director Michael Hall claimed the special Ruth Foreman Award for "significant contributions to the development of theater."

In all, Palm Beach County professional theaters picked up seven of the 20 Carbonells for resident productions, with the county's newest troupe, New Vista Theatre Company, named for best actress in a musical (Irene Adjan as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl). The best play production was GableStage's The Lieutenant of Inishmore, also cited for director Joseph Adler and supporting actress Kim Morgan. GableStage, which has claimed the best play prize for the past four years, won four Carbonells Monday night.

The Monty Python spoof musical Spamalot was named best musical in the stock/road show category, also gaining awards for its director (Mike Nichols), best actor (Michael Siberry, the show's King Arthur) and best lighting (Hugh Vanstone). It was tied in the award totals by the My Fair Lady tour, which played the Kravis Center, recognized for supporting actor (Tim Jerome), supporting actress (Sally Ann Howes) and scenic and costume designs (both by Anthony Ward).

The Carbonell Awards are administered by The Theatre League of South Florida and voted on by local theater reviewers and industry professionals, including representatives of The Palm Beach Post.