Telling stories about everything from medieval royalty to contemporary millennials, here are the 2023 Orlando Sentinel honorees for best director of a drama, as selected by theater critic Matthew J. Palm.

Although it’s impossible for one person to see every local production, as the Orlando Sentinel’s theater critic, each year I see a broad spectrum of dramas, comedies and musicals. The individuals selected by me for this 2023 theatrical honor roll, presented here alphabetically, elevated the theatrical arts. Go to OrlandoSentinel.com/entertainment to see the honorees in other fields, and check back on Dec. 21 to learn the Critic’s Pick in this category.

Felichia Chivaughn

‘Boulevard of Bold Dreams’ ♦ Orlando Shakes

In “Boulevard of Bold Dreams,” director Felichia Chivaughn deftly balanced the play’s deeper issues with the appealing characters’ more ordinary ones. She ensured her actors never sounded preachy, but their speeches and emotions in every instant illustrated why the bigger question of prejudice affected their characters personally. The audience felt their pain and, at times, their anger, but also felt their hope — an optimism about the American dream that feels faded and tattered today. This is Chivaughn’s fourth appearance on the year-end honor rolls.

Kenny Howard

‘The Sound Inside’ ♦ Florida Theatrical Association

Kenny Howard hit a home run with his casting in “The Sound Inside,” and his confident direction made that very clear to the audience. He smartly didn’t clutter the scenes in this dramatic and mysterious thriller with sound effects or manipulative music; he knew with the actors he had on stage he didn’t need to. And in a two-person play, he carefully made sure the energy never flagged; in his hands, these two characters propelled the plot right to the bitter end. This is Howard’s fourth appearance on the year-end honor rolls.

Carolyn Howarth

‘Henry V’ ♦ Orlando Shakes

The rise of “Prince Hal” to King Henry V reached its thrilling conclusion at Orlando Shakes — emphasis on thrilling — with a riveting production led by Carolyn Howarth. She directed with a vision as clear as the play is bold. Her characters, especially Henry, were kept in motion — not just emotionally but physically, with the title character running, stalking and prowling while making the great speeches. But even in quieter moments, the play hummed with vitality. And Howarth didn’t neglect any aspect of the play — along with the great drama and adventure, the comedy and romance sparkled to make this production a veritable banquet of theatrical delights. This is Howarth’s second appearance on the year-end honor rolls.

Matthew MacDermid

‘The Inheritance,’ parts 1 and 2 ♦ New Generation Theatrical

Matthew López’s high-concept play in two parts, “The Inheritance,” feels like an epic — and it is — but the Ensemble Company’s production, directed with appealingly straightforward simplicity by Matthew MacDermid, made it refreshingly human. With a magic only found in the best theater, MacDermid got to the essence of the piece, which is both a glorious meditation on what we owe to past generations and why — or whether — a culture should be maintained, as well as a heartfelt story of finding love, losing love and finding it again. In his thoughtful direction, MacDermid displayed a beautiful ability to fill the experience with both elevated theatricality and down-to-earth realism. His production engaged the brain, even as it hit the heart. This is MacDermid’s sixth time on the honor rolls; he previously won a Critic’s Pick for acting and is also honored this year for the sound design of “The Inheritance.”

Donald Rupe and Blake Aburn

‘The Cocaine Play’ ♦ Renaissance Theatre

“The Cocaine Play” had a lot going on as it could feel like part mystery, part warning, part action-adventure, part comedy. Co-directors Donald Rupe and Blake Aburn defty and consistently matched the tone of the action to the tone of the writing. Their skillfulness helped the play’s story — involving the very real machinations of the social-media generation with a fantasy about a briefcase full of neverending cocaine — not only hang together but remain compelling right until the final, shocking twists and turns.

Matthew J. Palm: Best of Orlando Theater 2023 | Special recognition

This is Rupe’s fourth time on the year-end honor rolls; Aburn has won a Critic’s Pick for acting. Together this year, they were both awarded a Special Recognition nod for their contributions to the immersive design of the Renaissance Theatre’s “Nosferatu.”

Jeremy Seghers

‘Angels in America, part 2: Perestroika’ ♦ Valencia College Theatre

Jeremy Seghers won the 2022 Critic’s Pick in this category for directing part 1 of Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America,” and it was clear he approached the mammoth play’s conclusion with the same degree of care. From his young cast members, he drew out engaging performances that let all of Kushner’s great monologues sound natural — acknowledging the beauty of the language without belaboring it. He let his more experienced actors shine but never overshadow their younger colleagues. In every moment on stage, you saw how Seghers possesses a fine understanding of the rhythm of Kushner’s scenes and the way they come together in a tapestry of America’s soul. In addition to last year’s Critic’s Pick, Seghers also has been a Critic’s Pick in sound design. This is his fifth appearance on the year-end honor rolls.

Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Find entertainment news and reviews at orlandosentinel.com/entertainment.