Culture

Previews

St. Patrick's Day Irish Festival comes to Coral Gables
By South Florida Emerald Society

The South Florida Irish Community invites everyone to join in a traditional Celtic celebration at the 30th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival at high noon, Saturday, March 13 (the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day.) The festival will be held at Fred B. Hartnett Ponce Circle Park in Coral Gables (2800 Ponce de Leon Boulevard) just five blocks south of Miracle Mile.

Miss Saigon – a classic love for modern times
By Elizabeth Amore

The classic love story of Miss Saigon is brought to Coral Gables for one of the most exhilarating performances in theatre history. The creators, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michael Schönberg (creators of Les Misérables), join with Richard Maltby, Jr. to bring to audiences Giacomo Puccini’s modern version of Madame Butterfly.

Miami fitness and nutrition expert featured at Books & Books
By Patricia Maldonado

Wellness expert and author Bill Cortright presents The Stress-Response Diet and Lifestyle Program (www.srdiet.com) at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 4, at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables.

The Villagers to hold annual Garden Tour, 'Tropical by Design'
by Maggie Wilson

The Villagers Inc. will hold its 20th annual Garden Tour, “Tropical by Design” on Saturday, March 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The tour will feature several outstanding gardens in the Coral Gables area. There will be a boutique featuring the Villagers’ famous homemade chutney, breads and other unique gift items. Light refreshments will also be available.

Actors' Playhouse stages epic Miss Saigon
By Christine Dolen / The Miami Herald

Through the years, since a Kendall couple got the idea to turn an old movie house into a place where theater could happen, big musicals have been a big deal at Actors' Playhouse.

Blasted to stir up controversy at GableStage
By Joseph Adler

GableStage will present Blasted, the controversial play by Sarah Kane, from Feb. 27 thru March 28. Blasted stars Todd Allen Durkin, Erik Fabregat and Betsy Graver and it is directed by Joseph Adler.

The play contains profanity, full frontal nudity, explicit sexual activity and very graphic violence. No one under 17 will be admitted.

Tropical Baroque Music Festival returns to Coral Gables
by Miami Bach Society

The 11th annual Tropical Baroque Music Festival opened Saturday, Feb. 27, and continues through March 6 in Coral Gables, featuring celebrated artists from around the world.

This year’s festival includes ensembles from Italy, Germany, France, England and Argentina, and American artists keynote the event.

Performances

'Melt' boils over with sentiment and hope

Have you ever met someone for the first time later to realize they had been in your “extended network” all along? This seems to happen a lot for Miamians. Everyone knows everyone. It is the Facebook and “Six Degrees of Separation” phenomena combined.

'Probation', drama between generations

After a year of public readings, the Cuban Playwright, Yoshvani Medina, decided to carry out the mammoth task of bringing his new play to life. Probation, a Spanish language dramatic play that exposes the clash among two generations of Cuban exiles, speaks of the differences the Cuban immigrants of this city face.

Thanks to Actors' Playhouse, a Grinch gets the Christmas spirit

As an elderly curmudgeon, I thought I would have no problem turning down an evening’s entertainment titled Another Night Before Christmas. Who on Earth would want to spend an evening with such a Grinch as me?

The Marvelous Wonderettes opening night at the Miracle Theatre was a blast from the past

Audiences left the Miracle Theatre humming classic 50's and 60's tunes from the on-stage antics of the four-girl wonder act at the opening night of Actors’ Playhouse’s production of The Marvelous Wonderettes on Oct. 2.

New Theatre kicks off its 2009-2010 season with The Taming of the Shrew

New Theatre has kicked its 2009-2010 season with Shakespeare's comedy, The Taming of the Shrew, adapted by Roberto Prestigiacomo.  Running through Sept. 27, this classic battle-of-the-sexes romp is the tale of a shrewish woman and her strong-willed husband, both causing havoc on the conventions of courtship and marriage.

Smokey Joe’s Café brings the 50s and 60s back to life

“Hound Dog.” “Jailhouse Rock.” “On Broadway.” “Stand By Me.” 

These are songs that shaped a generation and laid the foundation for all pop and rock songs that followed.

 Now, thanks to the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre, students, faculty and guests can relive some of the greatest songs ever written or experience some of them for the very first time.

Actors’ Playhouse features 'Miss Saigon' in the new season

Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre 2009-2010 season will feature four musicals and one world- premiere play and one summer production.

New Theatre announces its 2009-2010 season of classics and world premieres

New Theatre’s 2009-2010 season will continue to empower what its mission statement proposes: to produce vibrant theater that stimulates, provokes, challenges and entertains by cultivating "new voices - new works" and reinterpretating the classics.