The Silver Palm Awards will be returning to Union Kitchen & Bar in Wilton Manors on Monday, October 12, 2026 at 6:30 p.m., when the recipients of this year’s awards will be honored. The Silver Palms Awards were established in 2008, conceived to celebrate the work of theater artists who live in South Florida.
This year’s honorees, along with all those who participate in creating theater in South Florida, will enjoy a casual celebration with free champagne, passed hors d’oeuvres, and light food stations before and after the presentation of the awards. Tickets for the event are $35. Union Kitchen & Bar is located at 2309 Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. The Silver Palm Awards Celebration is sponsored by the Tony Finstrom Fund at Our Fund and Mark Traverso and Conor Walton.
Tickets can be reserved at http://www.silverpalmawards.com/
The Silver Palm Awards honor more unique and non-traditional contributions to our community. Judges from across Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Broward Counties helped choose the honorees. Judges – consisting of professionals working in all aspects of the theater industry, as well as devoted, knowledgeable patrons – at tended over 400 performances this season. Votes are weighted by how many shows each judge saw, and honorees confirmed by a select committee.
The Silver Palm 2025-2026 Judging Panel:
Barbara Bradshaw
Oline Cogdill
Mary Damiano
Cheryl Dunn Bychek
Jason Evan Fisher
Sharon Geltner
Britin Haller
Bill Hirschman
Carolyn Johnson
Angelina Lopez Catledge
Kathleen Moorhead
Marj O’Neill-Butler
Pete Rogan
Lee Rubin
Michelle Solomon
Cheryl Steinthal
James White III
THE SILVER PALM AWARDS 2025-2026 HONOREES
Ali Tallman, Outstanding Direction, The 39 Steps, New City Players
Dalia Aleman, Outstanding Performance, Left on Tenth, GableStage
Daisy Tanner, Outstanding Performance, Ruthless!, Island City Stage
Larry Buzzeo, Outstanding Theatrical Contributions, 2025-2026 Season, ArtBuzz Theatrics • Randall Swinton, Outstanding Performance, The Case For The Existence of God, New City Players • Gage Callenius, Outstanding Performance, Light Switch, Island City Stage
Brandon Urrutia, Outstanding Theatrical Experience, 2025-2026 Season, Lakehouseranchdotpng • Michael McKeever, Outstanding Performance, The Inheritance, Part 1, Zoetic Stage
Lindsey Corey, Outstanding Performance, Ruthless!, Island City Stage
Tony Galaska, Outstanding Lighting Design, Sotto Voce, GableStage
Maribeth Graham, Outstanding Performance, Eureka Day, Island City Stage
Bridge Across the Pond Theater Company, Outstanding New Theater
Rita Cole, Outstanding Performance, The Mountaintop, Palm Beach Dramaworks
Sara Grant, Outstanding Performance, Fall Well & Forbidden, Plays of Wilton/The Foundry • Dawn C. Shamburger, Outstanding Costume Design, Merrily We Roll Along, Zoetic Stage • Nicole Hulett, Outstanding Performance, Burst, New City Players
Ronnie Larsen, Outstanding Playwright & Direction, Fall Well & Forbidden, Plays of Wilton/The Foundry • Bong Redila, Outstanding Graphics, Everything Beautiful Happens at Night, Island City Stage • Seth Trucks, Outstanding Performance, Fall Well & Mae West on Sunset Boulevard, Plays of Wilton/The Foundry • Ardean Landhuis, Outstanding Scenic & Lighting Design, Ruthless! & Everything Beautiful Happens at Night, Island City Stage
Bill Hirschman & Oline Cogdill, The Tony Finstrom Award
Tony Finstrom, Iris Acker and Ron Levitt co-founded the awards in 2008 as a way to celebrate excellence in South Florida theater. Fashioned after New York’s Off-Broadway Obie Awards, the Silver Palms do not designate nominees, and they place no limit on the number of citations that might be given in any “category.” In truth, there are no official categories. Silver Palm judges submit 10 recommendations to the Silver Palm Executive Committee, citing the artists they feel should be recognized as having made an “Outstanding Contribution to the South Florida Theater Season.” All submissions are tallied and scored. The theater artists with the highest scores are awarded the honor. After his passing, Mr. Finstrom designated Andy Rogow and Michael McKeever as the co-chairs of the Awards, requesting that they continue his legacy of supporting the community and honoring its artists. Marj O’Neill Butler oversees the awards as Executive Director.
