SILVER PALM AWARDS FOUNDERS
RON LEVITT
IRIS ACKER
TONY FINSTROM
TONY FINSTROM (1947-2018) (Co-Founder) worked in journalism in New York at After Dark Magazine and at The Soho Weekly News. He studied playwriting at New York’s Circle Repertory Company, at Primary Stages, and at Long Island’s Bay Street Theatre. He worked at Circle Rep, Bay Street Theatre, Reckless Theatre Company (NYC), Playwrights’ Theatre of East Hampton (Long Island), the Oddfellows Playhouse (of the Hamptons) and, in Florida, at Brian C. Smith’s Off Broadway Theatre and The Public Theatre of South Florida, serving as Box Office, House and Company Manager, and in various other capacities.
Tony was an award-winning playwright who founded his own theatre company in Fort Lauderdale, “Footlights Inc,” and was the chairman and co-founder of South Florida’s Silver Palm Theatre Awards for 11 years. The Theatre League of South Florida awarded him its 2006 Remy Award for outstanding service to the local theatre community, and a 2008 Silver Palm Award for his outstanding contribution to the 2008 South Florida Theatre Festival. The Mosaic Theatre named him a recipient of the Jack Zink Spirit Award for 2011, having “demonstrated excellence in the areas of leadership, creativity, commitment and passion for the arts.” Additionally, Finstrom sat on the Board of Directors for the South Florida International Press Club, was a longtime Carbonell Awards Judge, and a member of the Dramatists Guild of America.
IRIS ACKER (1930-2018) (Co-Founder) was a working actress in theatre & films & television, and produced, hosted, and promoted theatre on her T.V. show On Stage with Iris Acker for 21 years, on BECON T.V. in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County. Acker was the first Actors Equity Liaison for Florida and initiated The Equity Casting Hotline, which is now an Equity National feature. She also brought the half-price theatre ticket concept to South Florida, originally titled “Ticket Madness.” Acker directed the Carbonell Awards show for several years and was nominated for Carbonell Awards, as well. Additionally, she served on the board of directors of The Florida International Press Club.
RON LEVITT (Co-Founder) is the editor/critic of Florida Media News and theatre critic for ENV Magazine, as well as a contributor to TheHuffington Post and various national and syndicated state media. He is president of the South Florida International Press Club; past secretary of the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, and is a free-lance writer and theatre critic/columnist for a number of publications. Levitt previously served as Florida Assistant Secretary of State, overseeing Florida’s art and cultural affairs. A Carbonell judge for many years, Levitt also has taught creative writing at the University of Miami. He is a decorated former U.S. Naval Journalist, and was editor of the Marianas Eagle, a weekly newspaper named the “best service publication” by the Department of Defense.
MATT MAY (2019, 2018, 2017 Ceremony Producer) In 2009, Matt May founded Verve Central Productions to provide quality entertainment and services to its clients and audiences through special events & entertainment, theatrical production, creative & business consulting, and education.
Through the company’s team building division, Premier Team Building, collaborative programs are delivered to clients nation-wide and internationally.
Special event services have been provided for companies such as the national Broadway tours of HAMILTON and THE BOOK OF MORMON, Thomson-Reuters, The Curtiss Mansion, The Miami Jewish Film Festival, The Miami Gay Men’s Chorus, Winter Party Festival, The Katonah-Lewisboro School District, and private firms and individuals throughout the country.
May has served as a theatrical producer, director, manager, administrator, educator, and consultant for various live entertainment & theatrical organizations, including Norwegian Cruise Line, Broadway Across America, Arté Diem (international cirque-theatrical company), JDZ Productions, La Vie Productions, Second Stage Theatre (NYC), Daryl Roth Theatre (NYC), Writers & Artists Talent Agency (NYC), Camp Broadway (NYC), New World School of the Arts (Miami, FL), Zoetic Stage at the Adrienne Arsht Center (Miami, FL), and national theatrical tours.
Special event services have been provided for companies such as the national Broadway tours of HAMILTON and THE BOOK OF MORMON, Thomson-Reuters, The Curtiss Mansion, The Miami Jewish Film Festival, The Miami Gay Men’s Chorus, Winter Party Festival, The Katonah-Lewisboro School District, and private firms and individuals throughout the country.
Matt is the co-author/producer of the award-winning theatrical musical comedy DIEGO & DREW SAY I DO, a member of the South Florida Theatre League, and a former adjunct professor at Broward College.
CONOR WALTON (2019 Party Sponsor & Producer; 2018 Ceremony & Party Co-Producer) is an actor and previous Silver Palm Award winner for his roles in The Normal Heart (Outre Theatre) and It Shoulda Been You (Actors’ Playhouse),a three-time Carbonell Award nominee, and a recent recipient of the South Florida Theatre League’s Remy Award for service to the South Florida Theatre community.
A legendary party host, he and his husband have sponsored and co-hosted the Carbonell Awards after-party for the past two years. Their annual Halloween party, benefiting Slow Burn Theatre Company, was voted ‘ Best Event of the Year” by Boca Raton Magazine. And their wedding, as well as their anniversary party, were both featured in The Huffington Post.
JENNIFER SIERRA-GROBBELAAR (2017 Ceremony & Party Co-Producer) is the Director of Marketing for Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Previously, she has spent 10 years as the Marketing and Media Relations Director for Cirque Dreams. Prior to that, her theatrical administration career blossomed at Broadway Across America in various capacities including National Subscription Ticketing Manager, Parker Playhouse Venue Operations Manager, Education Liaison with Florida Theatrical Association and Public Relations & Marketing Operations Director for events throughout the state of Florida. She was an Associate Producer of both Cirque Dreams Broadway commemorating Broward Center’s 20th Anniversary and WE…The Passion and Rhythm of the People, the culminating event of Broward 100’s Duende Centennial Celebration directed by Neil Goldberg. With her friend and writing partner Matt May, Jenn is the Co-Creator & Co-Producer of Diego & Drew Say I Do which held its World Premiere at Broward Center for the Performing Arts Spring 2016 and received a Silver Palm Award for Outstanding Interactive Theatrical Experience. Together in 2017, they co-produced the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Silver Palm Awards. She received a Remy Award in 2016 from the Theater League of South Florida for Service to the Arts and in 2018, she received the Charlie Cinnamon Award for her significant contributions the arts in South Florida and dedicated service to the Carbonell Awards.
THE NOMINATING COUNCIL
South Florida journalists who cover and review theatre, along with select industry professionals, that have served on the Nominating Council, over the years, include the following. (Click on the names of the publications/organizations to view their individual online homes).
IRIS ACKER
BECON TV
J.W. ARNOLD
South Florida Gay News
JEFFREY BRUCE
Talkinbroadway.com
RICHARD CAMERON
Theatre Chat at examiner.com / Broadway Global
MARY DAMIANO
BroadwayWorld.com / FloridaTheaterOnstage.com / South Florida Gay News
CHRISTINE DOLEN
The Miami Herald
HAP ERSTEIN
Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Artspaper
TONY FINSTROM
TonysLatest
DONNA HORKEY
Arts Supporter & Philanthropist
BILL HIRSCHMAN
Florida Theater On Stage / Florida Weekly.com
AARON KRAUSE
Berkshire Fine Arts / TheatreCriticism.com
JOHN LARIVIERE
Talkinbroadway.com
RON LEVITT
Florida Media News
ROGER MARTIN
miamiartzine.com
SKIP SHEFFIELD
Boca Raton Tribune / Atlantic Avenue Magazine
JAN SJOSTROM
Palm Beach Daily News
MICHELLE F. SOLOMAN
miamiartzine.com / Florida Theatre On Stage
JOHN THOMASON
Miami New Times / Broward-Palm Beach New Times / Boca Raton Magazine
BRANDON K. THORP
Miami New Times / Broward-Palm Beach New Times
BETSY WEISMAN
Broward Center for the Performing Arts
*To view Nominating Council members for each year’s awards, please visit the individual awards page under “Recipients.”