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(Photo Credit: Magnus Stark)
Gary Schweikhart, board president of the Carbonell Awards, South Florida’s Theater & Arts Honors, recently announced the recipient of the Bill von Maurer Award — honoring a theater company that exemplifies excellence for the totality of its programming: productions, educational outreach, developmental programs, and audiences served — is GableStage.
The award will be presented at the Carbonell Awards Ceremony on Monday, Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m., at FAU’s University Theatre in Boca Raton.
“While we will be honoring in 20 competitive categories specific theater performances, production elements, and shows presented between September 2024 and August 2025, the Carbonell board of directors has unanimously voted to also bestow the following Special Award,” said Schweikhart.
With the mission to produce “theatrical works of artistic excellence that explore today’s issues and ideas, GableStage serves South Florida’s culturally rich communities by creating bold, thought-provoking productions that inspire conversation and connection.”
Originally founded as Florida Shakespeare Theatre, the nonprofit organization adapted the current name when it moved to the historic Biltmore Hotel in 1998. After the 2021 death of the legendary Joseph Adler, Bari Newport joined GableStage as producing artistic director.
The company’s extensive community outreach, distinctive roster of educational offerings and ambitious mainstage programming have cemented the theater’s sterling reputation. It has won eight Carbonell Awards since 2023 (for a total of 72) and was named “Best Theatre Company” several times by Miami New Times.
The theater’s 2024-25 season included audience-wowing productions of King James, Both Sides Now, Appropriate by Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins, Summer 1976, and a thunderous production of Fat Ham in partnership with Brévo Theatre and Island City Stage. As GableStage prepares to move into its long-awaited new home at the historic Coconut Grove Playhouse in 2027-28, it is poised to expand its programming, audiences, and civic impact for the next generation.
Gable Stage received multiple nominations for this award. Resident dramaturg Ali Tallman wrote, “When I consider which companies are truly delivering excellence across all areas of programming, GableStage is the first that comes to mind. Their educational and developmental programming for both youth and adults is unmatched in South Florida. Their programming this season was extremely savvy and led to a widening and deepening of the audiences they served and drawing in many first-time theatregoers.”
Director of Operations Katie Ellison praised the theater for “constantly striving to improve all theatrical aspects and education/outreach programs. We are constantly wanting to raise our bar, to welcome new audience members, to build our subscribers, to increase our production value, to inspire with our education programs, (and) to create new developmental programs.”
The Bill von Maurer Award is named after the longtime theater writer and journalist for the Miami New and SunSentinel.
All the 2025 Special Award recipients were nominated by members from South Florida’s theater community with the Carbonell Board of Directors making the final selection. During the 2024-25 season, Carbonell judges adjudicated over 100 professional productions at more than 30 theaters across Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties.
Tickets for the ceremony and after party are $45 and will go on public sale in mid-October.
GableStage production of APPROPRIATE
(Photo Credit: Magnus Stark)
Media Contact:
Gary Schweikhart, President
The Carbonell Board of Directors
561.756.4298 / gary@pr-bs.net
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