The 2019 Richard G. Fallon Award for Excellence in Professional Theatre was presented to Andrew Kato at FPTA's 39th Annual Statewide Professional Theatre Auditions and Workshops held at Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach.
Andrew is celebrating his fourteenth anniversary at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre as the Producing Artistic Director/Chief Executive. During his tenure, he has produced over 70 productions and subscriptions have grown to 8,500 patrons. Overall attendance has grown to nearly 100,000 guests annually, securing the Theatre to be one of the most successful regional theatres in the southeast. He has been the Creative Consultant/Coordinating Producer on the Tony Awards® for 13 years (which has received the Emmy Award nine times). He was a Producing Associate on the Broadway productions of Jelly’s Last Jam, Angels in America and the off-Broadway production of Cryptogram. Andrew conceived and developed several musicals, including: Switch!; Academy; 1001 Nights; Street Songs, Diva Diaries and Through the Looking Glass. Andrew received the 2012 Council’s Choice Muse Award from the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, the 2013 Silver Palm Award from the South Florida Theatre League for Outstanding Contribution, and he was honored as one of the 2014 Leaders of Distinction by Florida Weekly. He is a proud member of the Society of Directors and Choreographers (SDC).
The 2019 "Vic Award" to honor Florida theatre professionals for their outstanding contributions to design and production work was presented to Michael Amico.
Michael is currently the production manager at Palm Beach Dramaworks. He has been with Dramaworks in one capacity or another since 2005. Set designs for Dramaworks include Indecent, Woody Guthrie’s American Song, Edgar and Emily (World Premiere), The Little Foxes, Sweeney Todd, The Night of the Iguana (Carbonell nomination), 1776, Satchmo at the Waldorf, and Picnic (Carbonell nomination), The Lion in Winter, Of Mice and Men, Talley's Folly (Carbonell Award), The Pitmen Painters, All My Sons, (Carbonell nomination), The Beauty Queen of Leenane, American Buffalo, Copenhagen, Private Lives, The Weir, The Chairs (Carbonell nomination), A Moon for the Misbegotten (Carbonell nomination), and Seascape. Outside of and prior to his time at Dramaworks, he has designed scenery for theatres throughout Florida, including Fiddler on the Roof, Annie, The King and I, and Aida at Actors’ Playhouse, Dial M for Murder (Carbonell nomination) and Deathtrap at Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Fully Committed at the Broward Center, As Thousands Cheer at the Kravis Center, Benedict Arnold (World Premiere), Incorruptible (Carbonell nomination), Below the Belt (Carbonell nomination), Denial (Carbonell nomination), Begulied Again (Carbonell nomination) at Florida Stage, Filumena and Ten Unknowns at Florida Studio Theatre, and Beguiled Again at Riverside Theater. During his 25 years in Florida, Michael has also been on the faculty of Barry University, University of Florida and Florida International University, and an adjunct faculty at Florida Atlantic University.
The second-ever "Brad Award" to recognize one of Florida's well-established, excellent actors was presented to Barbara Bradshaw.
Barbara’s life long career/passion began seriously in high school when, while others were taking summer jobs at Woolworth’s, she successfully sought out apprenticeships at Summer Stock theatres around the country. A self seeking journey as a hippie took her briefly away from her career but she came back with a vengeance. Living in NYC for years, she began her serious studies with HB studios, Walt Whitcover, other renowned coaches, and subsequently began working across the country in theatres where she had been recommended by her teachers and coaches. “Miles on the stage”, as she calls it. Invaluable.
She began her association with the late Michael Hall in 1973. While working in Minneapolis, she got a call from a mountaintop theatre in Highlands, NC, asking her to come immediately as they had lost their actress for the final show. Her show in Minnesota closed that weekend and she left for N.C. Thus began a lifelong professional relationship. In 1975, Michael, Barbara and two others, a merry band of players, traveled to Boca Raton at the request of the president of Lynn University to begin a regional theatre. Named after one of the major donors, James R. Caldwell, the Caldwell Theatre Company was formed. The theatre grew into a highly respected professional company, moving into larger and larger houses and garnering many critical accolades. Over the years, Barbara performed in over 47 shows with the Caldwell theatre. Her summers were spent at the Flat Rock Playhouse in NC, and taking various gigs around the country at the Alliance Theatre, Geva, Capital Rep, etc. In Florida, Barbara has frequently graced the stages of Actor’s Playhouse, GableStage, Florida Studio Theatre, Florida Rep, Seaside Music Theatre, Mosaic Theatre, PBDramaworks, Zoetic Stage at the Adrienne Arsht Center, and The Maltz Jupiter Theatre. Over the years her work has been honored with 17 Carbonell nominations, 4 wins ( two consecutively), The Silver Palm Award, and the coveted Los Angeles Drama-logue Award. All in all, Barbara counts among her professional AEA work, well over 200 productions. She is a coach, a supporter, an encourager to young performers, a member of the Actors’ Equity Liaison Committee, and an AEA Union member for 43 years. She asked us to let you know that she is humbled and honored by this award and that she is also currently available for work!