(South Florida – September 2, 2025) Gary Schweikhart, board president of the Carbonell Awards, South Florida’s Theater & Arts Honors, today announced the recipient of the sixth of seven prestigious Special Awards that will be presented at the Carbonell Awards Ceremony on Monday, November 17, at 7:30 pm at FAU’s University Theatre in Boca Raton 33431. 

“While we will be honoring in 20 competitive categories specific theatre 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.

The Howard Kleinberg Award

Honoring an individual or organization for contributions to the health and development of the arts in South Florida.

Harvey Burstein

MiamiARTzine

The chair of the Miami Beach Arts Trust and founder and publisher of miamiARTtzine.com, Harvey J. Burstein has, through his family foundation, supported the arts for over 30 years. A former Carbonell judge, he has received the REMY award from South Florida Theater League, is a board member of Area Stage, New Theater Co-Chair, and received the Unsung Hero award from the Arts & Business Council. In addition, he was an Art Center/South Florida board member, a SAVE Dade Board member, a member of the Dance Now advisory board, and a member of the Global Arts Network Board and the Collins Park Neighborhood Association. 

According to Editor Michelle F. Solomon, the online publication that is now celebrating its 20^th year has “more than a dozen contributors and a web team dedicated to the South Florida arts community. With our original coverage of arts and entertainment, along with robust previews, reviews, interviews, and photo galleries, we provide an essential voice supporting the cultural community and arts lovers in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties.” 

In their submitted nomination for this award, the Area Stage Board of Directors recognized Harvey Burstein for “his longstanding dedication to the growth and vitality of the arts in South Florida. As the publisher of miamiartzine.com, Harvey has played a pivotal role in championing local artists and organizations through thoughtful, consistent coverage of South Florida’s cultural landscape. His work has helped bring well-deserved attention to many theaters and productions, amplifying their reach and impact within the community.”

The Howard Kleinberg Award is named after a long-time Editor of The Miami News, historian, and author of numerous articles and books on the social and cultural history of Miami and South Florida.

Previous Winners of the Howard Kleinberg Award: 

Kermit Christman, Founder & Artistic Producing Director of the Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival (2024); actor, director, playwright, and producer Ronnie Larsen (2023); Andie Arthur, playwright, dramaturg, co-founding Artistic Director of Lost Girls Theatre, and Executive Director of the South Florida Theatre League (2022); Deborah Margol with the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs (2018); longtime critic and Carbonell judge Christine Dolen (2015); and Iris Acker, actor, director, author, talk show host, and Carbonell judge (2014).

Already Announced Carbonell Special Awards 2025

+ The George Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts

William Hayes & Sue Ellen Beryl, Co-founders of Palm Beach Dramaworks

+ The Jan McArt Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Small Theatre

New City Players

+ The Vinnette Carroll Award for Advancing Diversity, Equality and Inclusion in South Florida Theatre

Michel Hausmann, Co-founder of Miami New Drama

+ The Charlie Cinnamon Award for Supporting the Arts in South Florida and the Carbonell Awards

Mary Damiano

+ The Ruth Foreman Award for Contributing to the Development of South Florida Theatre

Alexa Kuve, Founder of Arca Images

+ The Bill Hindman Award for Contributing to South Florida’s Cultural Life and Onstage Career Achievement

Beverly Blanchette

Schedule to Announce Additional Carbonell Special Awards

+ The Bill von Maurer Award – September 9

+ 120 Carbonell Award Finalists in 20 Categories – September 16

All the 2025 Special Award recipients were nominated by members from South Florida’s theatre community with the Carbonell Board of Directors making the final selection. The 120 Carbonell Award Finalists will be based on accumulated scores from the nonprofit organization’s pool of nearly 50 experienced and diverse volunteer judges—with seven judges from various counties assigned to each show. During the 2024-2025 season, Carbonell judges adjudicated over 100 professional productions at more than 30 theatres across Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties.

This season’s Carbonell Awards will be presented at a glittery ceremony on November 17 that is South Florida’s version of Broadway’s Tony Awards®. Hundreds of actors, musicians, performers, writers, directors, back-stage technicians, producers, reviewers, designers, specialty artists, and diehard theater fans are expected to attend the event under the leadership of Executive Producer and Director Andrew Kato; Coordinating Producer Eloisa Ferrer; and Associate Producer and Musical Director Caryl Fantel. Tickets for the ceremony and after party are only $45 and will go on public sale in mid-October.

Sponsors of the 48^th Annual Carbonell Awards ceremony and after party include the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts; Aventura Arts & Cultural Center; BroadwayWorld; Broward Center for the Performing Arts; Broward Cultural Division; Carbonell Sculptures Ltd.; Cultural Council for Palm Beach County; Donald M. Ephraim Sun & Stars International Film Festival presented by MorseLife Health System; FPL; Kravis Center for the Performing Arts; Lesser, Landy, Smith & Siegel, PLLC; Miami-Dade County Auditorium, The Dennis C. Moss Center (formerly The South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center), OutClique Magazine, South Florida Cultural Consortium; South Florida Theatre League, Mark Traverso & Conor Walton; Donald R. Walters, P.A.; and The Wick Theatre & Costume Museum.

About The Carbonell Awards

The Carbonell Awards fosters the artistic growth of professional theater in South Florida by celebrating the excellence and diversity of our theater artists, providing scholarships, and building audience appreciation and civic pride by highlighting achievements of our theater community. More than 20 professional theater companies in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties participate in the awards process every year. The Carbonell Awards also celebrate the accomplishments of local artistic leaders by presenting various Special Awards. 

Along with New York’s Drama Desk and Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Awards, the Carbonell Awards are among the nation’s oldest regional arts awards and predate others, including Washington, D.C.’s Helen Hayes Awards. The Carbonell Awards are named after the internationally renowned sculptor Manuel Carbonell, who designed the signature solid bronze and marble award given annually to Carbonell Award winners. Over nearly half a century, the Carbonell family has donated more than $250,000 in awards. For more information, please visit www.carbonellawards.org.

Attached Image:

Harvey J. Burstein / MiamiARTzine.com

Media Contact:

Gary Schweikhart, President

The Carbonell Board of Directors

561.756.4298 / [email protected]