The Carbonell Award, named after Cuban sculptor Manuel Carbonell, annually recognizes excellence in South Florida theater. On Saturday, October 25th at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center (SMDCAC) will present an evening of Broadway songs with performances by past Carbonell winners as part of its Cabaret Series.

The Carbonell Awards.

Carbonell Award-winning director David Arisco, who is the beloved Artistic Director of the Actors’ Playhouse, will host the evening. The production will also include Caryl Fantel, Margot Moreland, Reggie Whitehead, Angie Radosh, Irene Adjan and Jim Ballard inside the intimate Black Box Theater space at the SMDCAC. Recent winners of the Carbonell will perform the Broadway songs that earned them their award and/or nomination.

Born and raised in Miami, Reggie Whitehead returns to South Florida to possibly reprise one of his performances (the set list is top secret). Whitehead won two Carbonell awards for acting in “The Full Monty” and “Smokey Joe’s Cafe,” and one in choreography for “Zombie Prom.” Whitehead also won a Curtain Up Award for Best Director of a Musical for Fats Waller’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’.”

What makes this evening significant, besides the glorious music, is that it aims to raise funds to support the Carbonell scholarship program. This vital program awards scholarships to graduating high school seniors pursuing degrees in either theater or journalism, and invests in the future of  South Florida theater.

“An Evening of Broadway Songs and the Carbonell Award Winners” will take place on Saturday, October 25 at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. as part of the Center’s Cabaret Series. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 on the day of the show; they can be purchased through the Box Office by calling 786-573-5300 or online at SMDCAC.org. SMDCAC is located at 10950 SW 211th St., Cutler Bay. A portion of the proceeds will go to the scholarship program.