By Bill Hirschman
Outstanding dialect coaching, outstanding special effects, outstanding intimacy direction. Unlike the Tony Awards, the Oscars or even South Florida’s Carbonells, the Silver Palms Awards announced this week honors in categories beyond traditional facets of local theater awards such as performances and productions.
Designed to be non-competitive with multiple artists spotlighted simultaneously sometimes and even to recognize careers over time, the program’s judges have been recommending recipients among South Florida-based artists since 2008.
The artists and their work were announced Monday night at a benefit party dubbed The Finstrom Follies named for the late playwright, producer and patron Tony Finstrom. He founded the program with the late critic Ron Levitt and the late actress, director and producer Iris Acker.
The awards themselves will be handed out Oct. 21 at a new venue, the Union Kitchen & Bar in Wilton Manors.
The Silver Palms strives to honor more unique and non-traditional contributions to the theater community such as Outstanding Original Immersive Experience.
Judges from Dade, Palm Beach and Broward counties are professionals working in all aspects of the theater industry, as well as devoted, knowledgeable patrons. Together, they attended over 400 performances this season. Votes are weighted by how many shows each judge saw, and honorees confirmed by a select committee.
No limits are placed on the number of nominees or recipients in a category. Indeed, there are no official categories. Silver Palm judges submit 10 recommendations to the Silver Palm Executive Committee, citing the artists they feel should be recognized as having made an “Outstanding Contribution to the South Florida Theater.
THE SILVER PALM AWARDS 2023-2024 HONOREES
Outstanding Performance
- LINDSEY COREY as Sally Bowles, Cabaret, Zoetic Stage
- BETH DIMON as Emery, Rooted, Theatre Lab
- KAREN STEPHENS as Clyde, Clyde’s, Zoetic Stage
- ELIJAH WORD as the Emcee, Cabaret, Zoetic Stage
- LELA ELAM as Odessa Hicks, The Girls of Summer, M Ensemble
Outstanding Solo Performance
MELVIN HUFFNAGLE, How I Learned What I Learned, Gablestage
Outstanding New / Emerging Theatre Company
TRUE MIRAGE THEATER
Outstanding “Out of the Box” Programming
THINKING CAP THEATRE
Outstanding Production
- MUSEUM PLAYS, Miami New Drama in collaboration with the Rubell Museum
- DEATH OF A SALESMAN, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Outstanding Original Immersive Experience
CONJURING THE KING, Juggerknot Theatre Company
Outstanding Direction
BARI NEWPORT, The Lehman Trilogy, Gablestage
CAREY BRIANNA HART, How I Learned What I Learned, Gablestage
GIANCARLO RODAZ, Oliver, Area Stage
Outstanding Career Achievements in Directing
STUART MELTZER, 23-24 Season: Clyde’s, Wicked Child, Cabaret, Cuban Chicken Soup: When There’s No More Café, Zoetic Stage; Clark Gable Slept Here, Plays of Wilton; A Streetcar Named Desire, New City Players
Outstanding Intimacy Direction
NICOLE PERRY, XOXOLOLA, LakehouseRanchDotPNG; Love! Valour! Compassion!, Island City Stage; La Gringa, City Theatre; Which Way to the Stage, Island City Stage; Plaza Suite, Maltz Jupiter Theatre; The Cancellation of Lauren Fein, Palm Beach Dramaworks; The Dyke and the Porn Star, Women of Wilton; Dickery Pokery, Summer Shorts, City Theatre; Have You Seen Boomer, LakehouseRanchDotPDF
Outstanding Dialect Coaching
KATHRYN JOHNSTON, The Berlin Diaries, Theatre Lab
Outstanding Scenic & Prop Design
JODI DELLAVENTURA & NATALIE TAVERAS, Clyde’s, Zoetic Stage; La Gringa, City Theatre
Outstanding Scenic Design
MICHAEL McCLAIN, Rooted, Theatre Lab
Outstanding Career Achievements in Scenic Design
FRANK J. OLIVA, 23-24 Season: How I Learned What I Learned, The Thanksgiving Play, The Lehman Trilogy,Gablestage; Oliver, Area Stage
Outstanding Special Effect – Foley
TYLER JOHNSON GRIMES, A Christmas Carol, New City Players; The Spongebob Musical, Slow Burn Theatre Company
Outstanding Community Support Organization for Contributions to LGBTQ Arts
The Silver Palms 2023-2024 Judging Panel was Barbara Bradshaw, Oline Cogdill, Mary Damiano, Christine Dolen, Niki Fridh, Bianca Garcia, Patti Gardner, Teddy Harrell, Carey Brianna Hart, Luis Roberto Herrera, Carolyn Johnson, Angelina Lopez Catledge, Dayana Morales, Marj O’Neill Butler, Lee Rubin, Michelle Solomon, Karen Stephens, Sandi Stock and James White III.
With his passing, Finstrom designated Andy Rogow and Michael McKeever as the co-chairs of the awards. Sandi Stock oversees the awards as Managing Director. The awards are sponsored by the Tony Finstrom Fund at Our Fund and Mark Traverso and Conor Walton.
The October 21 presentation is being described as “a more relaxed atmosphere, with passed hors d’oeuvres, food stations and free prosecco during the presentation of the awards and dancing afterwards with a live DJ.” Tickets are $35, or $150 for an “Ensemble” of 5 tickets. Union Kitchen & Bar is located at 2309 Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. Tickets can be reserved at http://www.silverpalmawards.com/
