The 2025 Remy Awards recognizing outstanding service of theater professionals who work behind the scenes and in the theater community have been announced by the of the South Florida Theatre League.
The Service Award – Our Fund Foundation and the City of Miami Beach
The “Service Award” is bestowed upon those distinguished individuals who have rendered noteworthy and extraordinary service in the past year, recognizing their invaluable and outstanding contributions made through their time, talent and expertise by taking the initiative and actively participating and contributing to the growth and development of the Theatre League.
This years’ Service Award goes to two different recipients for the same action in support of the arts community. In 2024, Gov. Ron DeSantis eliminated arts funding entirely from the state budget. In response to these last-minute devastating cuts, the City of Miami Beach and Our Fund Foundation adjusted their own budgets and filled the gap for the organizations they already fund. The League wrote “We believe that a service to so many of our members is a service to the League and are honored that they made the choice to step up with this additional support.”
The Pioneer Award – Florida Cultural Alliance
The Pioneer Award is bestowed upon individuals who have, over the years, taken the lead and contributed substantially to the health, growth and development of the South Florida theatee community.
The Florida Cultural Alliance has been the state’s arts advocate for 40 years. They are a membership organization, consisting of arts groups and individuals from across the state. They are the main advocacy voice for funding in Tallahassee, as well as providing information and access to relief funds and other resources.
Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Theatre – Melissa Hahl, Florida Children’s Theatre, Education Director and Circus Program Director
Melissa Hahl has been working at FLCT since 2016, starting as a teaching artist and moving into the role of education director, where she has overseen classes, directed shows, and designed curriculum. Its nomination read, “But Melissa’s greatest contribution comes in the form of FLCT’s circus program. Melissa started the program shortly after she was hired full time, and it has since become a mainstay of the theatre and one of its major differentiators. Students in the circus troupe learn circus skills including tumbling, contortion, trampoline and aerial acts like silks, trapeze, lyra, etc. The program is unique in that it also focuses on theatrical performance, one of the only youth circus programs in the nation to do so.”
Outstanding Behind the Scenes Contribution – Carol Kassie
Carol Kassie has been working behind the scenes as a marketing professional for multiple theater companies in South Florida for two decades. Her focus goes beyond simply getting “butts in seats” with the organizations she works with, including assisting with acquiring venues, contacting actors and advising market conditions. Carol Kassie also served two distinguished terms on the Board of Directors of the South Florida Theatre League. In his nomination, Ralph Kassie (her husband, who nominated her without her knowledge) said, “There are very few people in the local industry who do not know Carol. She is respected and admired for her love of South Florida Theater which has always been beyond compensation.”
Outstanding Contribution to Community Theatre – Kris Coffelt, Curtain Call Playhouse
Kris Coffelt has run Curtain Call Theatre for over two decades, producing over 175 touring shows. Curtain Call Playhouse works on a local touring model, developed by Kris, to bring one production to multiple spaces – from civic centers to art spaces to theatre spaces, allowing multiple underserved communities a chance to attend theatre. In her work at Curtain Call Playhouse, Coffelt is particularly interested in finding plays with strong roles for older women, saying “As we age, we shouldn’t disappear from the theatre scene, instead we should take our life experiences and talent, and shine that light on them from the stage.”
Jay Harris Arts Leadership Award – JC Gutierrez, J-CAT
JC Gutierrez is the new artistic director of J-CAT, a theater that operates multiple types of programing in the MAR-JCC in Aventura, including children’s theatre and professional theatre. His nomination read, “I think his spunky little company deserves some acknowledgement for the work it puts forth. I’m sure he calls in a lot of favors and uses every contact he has to produce at the JCC in Aventura, but it is remarkable what he has accomplished in such a small amount of time. I’m inspired by him, and I hope others will be too.”
Since the beginning of the South Florida Theatre League, the Remy awards have expanded from two categories to eight categories. The Remy Awards are open for nominations from the League’s membership and the theatre community, and then a final decision is made by the board of the South Florida Theatre League. While the League has eight available categories, not every award is given out every single year.
The Remy Awards, named in honor of Remberto Cabrera, the former Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs’ Senior Cultural Administrator and Chief of Cultural Development, are given to
In 2024, the League changed the award process – from hosting one single ceremony to present all of the awards to now presenting them at member theaters and honoring the recipients where they contributed. Presentations of awards will begin in February at dates to be announced.
The Remy Awards and the South Florida Theatre League’s annual programs are presented with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners.
