41st Carbonell Awards honor best South Florida productions

A buoyant vintage musical about a Cockney gent who comes into a fortune and an unflinching new play about families shattered by deadly violence lead the race for the 41st annual Carbonell Awards, South Florida theater’s highest honor.

In the nominations announced Wednesday, the Maltz Jupiter Theatre leads all companies with 18, 10 of those for its much-lauded production of “Me and My Girl” starring three-time Carbonell winner Matt Loehr as the improbable heir. Loehr, nominated for that role and for his star turn in “The Will Rogers Follies” at the Maltz, is competing against himself as a double nominee for best actor in a musical.

Michael McKeever’s drama “After” received eight nomina- tions, the most for any play. The Zoetic Stage world premiere at Miami’s Arsht Center focused on two couples trying to cope with a tragedy involving their teen sons, and the production brought the Davie-based McKeever nominations for best new work, best production of a play (the award would go to Zoetic, of which McKeever is a founder) and best supporting actor in a play.

Last year, the Island City Stage world premiere of McKeever’s marriage equality play “Daniel’s Husband,” which will get an offBroadway production by Primary Stages March 22-April 28 at the Cherry Lane Theatre, won three Carbonells, including best production of a play and best new work.

Theaters in Broward County received 22 nominations, while

JUSTIN NAMON / COURTESY Tom Wahl and Mia Matthews in Michael McKeever’s “After.”