Your Guide to the Cultural Season
The cultural season begins this month, with the return of theater performances, music concerts, plays, movies, and museum exhibitions. What follows is a month-by-month guide to the best and brightest of this season, September through February. Mark the events now that you want to see, and enjoy some of the incredible array of culture available within the City of Coral Gables.
Cultural Institutions Featured
Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
Celebrating 35 years, Actors’ Playhouse is the premier professional theatre organization in the city. The organization’s excellent artistic reputation generates licensing agreements for world premieres and the newest work from New York. What adds to its charm is the identity of its home venue since 1995, the splendid Art Deco-designed Miracle Theatre.
Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
280 Miracle Mile
www.actorsplayhouse.org
Coral Gables Art Cinema
The Coral Gables Art Cinema, nestled on culture-filled Aragon Avenue, opened its doors in 2010 as a state-of-the- art theater. The cinema offers a variety of movies, with multiple titles projected on the big screen each day. From foreign films and documentaries to musicals and family favorites, there’s something for everyone.
Coral Gables Art Cinema
260 Aragon Ave.
www.gablescinema.com
Coral Gables Museum
From the city’s rich history to the works of contemporary artists, the Coral Gables Museum balances spotlighting the old and the new. Housed in the historic old Police and Fire Station, the museum has served the community since its opening in 2011.
Coral Gables Museum
285 Aragon Ave.
www.coralgablesmuseum.org
Frost School of Music
University of Miami’s Frost School of Music performs an array of special live events throughout the year, known as Frost Music Live, at the Maurice Gusman Concert Hall. A notable recurring event is the Signature Series, an unparalleled offering of concerts with top Grammy, Emmy, and Tony award-winning and nominated artists collaborating with the highly acclaimed faculty artists and student ensembles.
Frost School of Music at UM Maurice Gusman Concert Hall
1314 Miller Drive
www.frost.miami.edu
GableStage
Founded in 1979 as Florida Shakespeare Theatre, the theatre organization moved to the Gables in 1987, eventually finding its current home in the historic Biltmore Hotel in 1998 as GableStage. Since then, GableStage has been producing quality theatrical productions that confront today’s issues and ideas relevant to the multicultural South Florida community.
GableStage
1200 Anastasia Ave.
www.gablestage.org
Lowe Art Museum
Located inside the University of Miami campus, the Lowe Art Museum has gone through decades of growth and expansion since its inception in 1952. The Lowe’s comprehensive collection now comprises nearly 19,500 objects, which collectively represent more than 5,000 years of human creativity on every inhabited continent.
Lowe Art Museum
1301 Stanford Drive
www.lowe.miami.edu
Sanctuary of the Arts
Sanctuary of the Arts has brought three historic churches back to life – including the First Church of Christ, Scientist on the corner of Le Jeune Road and Andalusia Avenue, and St. Mary’s Church on Frow Street — by turning them into centers for the arts, with spaces for performances, galleries, and classrooms. Since opening in April 2022, Sanctuary of the Arts has presented over 30 concerts in music, dance, and literature.
Sanctuary of the Arts
410 Andalusia Ave.
www.sanctuaryofthearts.org
Area Stage Company
Originally established on Lincoln Road in 1989, ASC moved to the Riviera Theatre in Coral Gables in 2008. While there, the company established an award-winning conservatory program to train young actors, while maintaining a full season of professional productions. In 2020, the company moved to the Shops at Sunset Place, where it built dance and voice studios and a black-box theatre. It now holds mainstage productions at the Adrienne Arsht Center as well.
Area Stage Company
5701 Sunset Dr Suite 286
www.areastage.org
September
Lowe Art Museum. “Expressions of Self: Arnold Newman’s Artist Portraits in Context”
ALL MONTH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 17
This exhibit is dedicated to the unique style of renowned artist Arnold Newman. His distinctive manner of depicting artists while overlapping aspects of their individual works over their portraits gives unique insight into his subjects.
Lowe Art Museum. “Transcendent Clay/Kondo: A Century of Japanese Ceramic Art”
ALL MONTH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 24
Discover three generations of the Kondo ceramic dynasty’s prolific works through this astounding exhibit. With works ranging from traditional porcelain vessels to meditative sculptures cast from the artist’s body, this exhibition bridges the past and present through Japanese ceramics. Read more here.
Coral Gables Museum. “A True Artist: Phineas Paist & the Early Architecture of Coral Gables”
ALL MONTH THROUGH OCTOBER 22
On the occasion of his 150th birthday, this exhibition celebrates the unique architectural genius of Phineas E. Paist, the man who designed many of Coral Gables’ landmark buildings, such as City Hall, the Venetian Pool, the Douglas Entrance, and the Coral Gables Firehouse & Police Station (which now houses the museum).
Coral Gables Museum. “Vizcaya 1917: From the Gardens to the Gilded Grandeur in Richard Daniels’ Collection”
ALL MONTH THROUGH MARCH 3, 2024
Thanks to the generosity of Richard Daniels, this exhibition presents a unique set of black and white vintage photographs of the Vizcaya estate taken at its inception by renowned American photographer, Mattie Edwards Hewitt.
Coral Gables Art Cinema. Special Presentations: “The Room”
SEPTEMBER 2 AND 3
Oh, hi Mark! Celebrate the 20th anniversary of “The Room” with actor Greg Sestero himself. The event will include a screening of the hit cult classic, an extended Q&A, plus a chance for autographs, photos, and maybe a surprise or two.
Sanctuary of the Arts. New Canon Chamber Collective
SEPTEMBER 3
Shining a spotlight on composer Evelyn Simpson-Curenton, Black musicians perform Music of the Unsung (St. Mary’s location).
Frost School of Music. Signature Series: An Evening of Song
SEPTEMBER 8
American tenor Anthony Dean Griffey entrances his listeners with “sublime lyrical beauty” and Warren Jones is one of the most sought-after collaborative pianists. They present an evening of song featuring the Henry Mancini Institute String Quartet and Frost faculty member Jodi Levitz.
Sanctuary of the Arts. Ballet Flamenco La Rosa
SEPTEMBER 9
Based in Miami and made up of dancers and musicians from Spain, Latin America, and the U.S., this international dance company presents flamenco dance at its best.
Coral Gables Art Cinema. New Release: “The Beasts”
SEPTEMBER 8–14
An expatriate French couple operate an organic farm in the Spanish countryside. However, their earnest enthusiasm reeks of patronizing privilege to the handful of “hill people” families who have toiled on the land for generations. Tensions between locals and foreigners boil over in this edge-of-your-seat thriller. Read more.
Frost School of Music. Themes and Motifs: Frost Wind Ensemble
SEPTEMBER 10
Featuring several wind repertoire classics and this year’s concerto winner, enjoy an afternoon of music by Holst, Daugherty, Fandolfi, and Fuchs.
Frost School of Music. Frost Jazz Orchestra and Studio Jazz Band
SEPTEMBER 13
The award-winning ensembles join forces to perform repertoire that holds a reverence to tradition and an eye to the future.
Sanctuary of the Arts. Saudade do Meu Brasil (Longing for my Brasil)
SEPTEMBER 15 AND 16
Celebrate Brazil’s independence with a nostalgic and historic journey through the evolution of its rhythms, dance, and culture. The show, directed and produced by Brazilian artists, is designed to fill the hearts of the Brazilian community and arouse the curiosity of the general public.
Coral Gables Art Cinema. Special Presentation: “Strange Way of Life”
SEPTEMBER 15–21
In Pedro Almodóvar’s new short film starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal, follow rancher Silva on a desert horse ride to meet Sheriff Jake after 25 years. But their joyous reunion takes an unexpected turn the next day. This film is paired with the director’s first English-language short, “The Human Voice.”
Coral Gables Art Cinema. New Releases: “The Origin of Evil”
SEPTEMBER 22–28
When Stephané reconnects with her estranged billionaire father, she struggles to find her place in a world of luxury, bitter jealousies, and dark family secrets. But Stephané also has her own secret to hide.
Frost School of Music. Towering Heights: Frost Symphony Orchestra
SEPTEMBER 23
Conducted by Gerard Schwarz, enjoy a night of Joan Tower’s “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman No. 6,” William Schuman’s “New England Triptych,” and Brahms’ fourth symphony.
Frost School of Music. Wordless: Frost Symphonic Winds
SEPTEMBER 24
Graduate conductors Roy McLerran, Andrew Keiser, and David Ramos lead an afternoon of music based on written text or derived from the stage, including transcriptions from Bernstein’s “Mass” and Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino.”
Frost School of Music. Signature Series: “Seven Pillars” Sandbox Percussion
SEPTEMBER 27
Andy Akiho’s Grammy-nominated “Seven Pillars” is an eleven-part palindrome, consisting of ensemble and solo movements with striking lights synchronized to the music.
Sanctuary of the Arts. Nestor Torres Latin Jazz Series
SEPTEMBER 30, OCTOBER 14 AND 28
The legendary jazz flautist, equally versatile in jazz and classical music, brings his award-winning talents to the Sanctuary stage.
GableStage. August Wilson’s “How I Learned What I Learned”
SEPTEMBER 30 – OCTOBER 22
In this autobiographical tour de force, the late Pulitzer Prize-winner takes audiences on a life-changing voyage from being a young poet in Pittsburgh’s Hill District to his encounters with racism, music, love, and transformative friendships.
October
Lowe Art Museum. “Sandra Ramos: Entropydoscopes”
ON DISPLAY THROUGH OCTOBER 8
Sandra Ramos captures messages ranging from cultural identity to social media and her own experiences through the crystallized and distorted images of a kaleidoscope. Catch glimpses of her most meaningful memories by immersing yourself in the rainbow of colors and endless patterns.
Sanctuary of the Arts. UM Frost Thursdays
OCTOBER 5
Students from the UM Frost School of Music perform a full repertoire program from jazz to chamber music.
Frost School of Music. Choralcopia
OCTOBER 6
A collage of vocal ensemble music featuring classical, opera, jazz, and a cappella choirs.
Frost School of Music. “Keys to My Home: Ensemble Iris”
OCTOBER 7
New works for piano and ensemble by 2023 Frost Distinguished Composer-in-Residence Matthias Pintscher and a world premiere by Hindman featuring Frost alumnus Jacob Mason.
Frost School of Music. Signature Series: Unconventional – Frost Wind Ensemble
OCTOBER 8
Pairing convention with modern voices, FWE presents works by Grammy-nominated Chinese-American composer Zhou Tian alongside Tower’s “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman No. 2,” Strauss’ “Serenade in Eb,” and a premiere by Kevin Day, “MOTO: Chamber Symphony.”
Coral Gables Art Cinema. Family Day on Aragon: “Landfill Harmonic”
OCTOBER 14 AND 15
Children living in a slum built on a landfill in Paraguay create an orchestra made of trash, The Recycled Orchestra, and tour the world, finally realizing their wildest dream: to play with the heavy metal band, Megadeth.
Frost School of Music. Amadi Azikiwe & Frost Chamber Players
OCTOBER 19
Chamber music mélange performed by the school’s world-class faculty and guest artist Amadi Azikiwe.
Lowe Art Museum. Iris Eichenberg: Where Words Fail
OCTOBER 19 – JANUARY 14, 2024
Visit the first comprehensive exhibition of Iris Eichenberg’s works, which features nearly forty pieces that span three decades. Ranging from conceptual jewelry to thought-provoking installations, Eichenberg explores issues ranging from social justice to identity.
Frost School of Music. Signature Series: Let My Love Be Heard
OCTOBER 21
Emmy award-winning composer and conductor Jake Runestad joins Frost Chorale to present an unforgettable evening of choral music in the heart of Coral Gables.
Coral Gables Art Cinema. Special Presentation: “Titian: The Empire of Color”
OCTOBER 20–22
Embark on a captivating journey through the vibrant life and artistic brilliance of Titian, the extraordinary master of color and a pioneering entrepreneur.
Lowe Art Museum. “Order Up! The Pop Art of John Miller”
OCTOBER 26 – JANUARY 14, 2024
This solo exhibition includes 35 pieces of Miller’s oversized glass sculptures of food, drinks, and condiments, contextualized by 1950s diner fixtures and fittings. Inspired by the Pop Art movement of the 1960s as well as the artist’s own memories of visiting diners, the “The Blue Plate Special” installation shines.
Frost School of Music. Frost Saxophone Quartets
OCTOBER 27
An evening of works by composers from around the world featuring saxophone quartets from the classical and jazz studios.
Frost School of Music. Impressions: Frost Symphony Orchestra
OCTOBER 28
This concert inaugurates the week-long Knight Opening Festival with Ellen Taaffee Zwilich’s “Celebration Overture, Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé Suite 1 & 2,” and a piano concerto to be announced.
Frost School of Music. Latinx Frost Symphonic Winds
OCTOBER 29
Bringing the sounds of Latin America with composers such as Marquez, Pann, Santos, Herryman-Rodriguez, and Fernandez.
Frost School of Music. Halloween Masquerade: Frost Studio Band
OCTOBER 31
A fun night of jazz with a Halloween-inspired big band and costumes. This is a family friendly event, featuring trick-or-treating and a live window cast of the concert in the Knight Center for Music Innovation Plaza.
November
Frost School of Music. Signature Series: A Tribute to Henry Mancini
NOVEMBER 3
It’s Henry Mancini’s 100th Birthday! The Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra joins his daughter, Grammy-nominated vocalist Monica Mancini, and Grammy-winner Gregg Field, plus other surprise guest artists, in a multimedia concert in his honor.
Frost School of Music. The Best of Broadway: Frost Musical Theater Ensemble
NOVEMBER 4
This concert features over 80 decades of music on the Great White Way! Fan out picnic blankets and lawn chairs in the Knight Center for Music Innovation Plaza for this family-friendly event.
Sanctuary of the Arts. Gulfshore Ballet
NOVEMBER 4
Southwest Florida’s premier not-for-profit school of classical ballet performs their East Coast Premiere.
Frost School of Music. CAM Fest: Stars of Tomorrow, The American Music Ensemble
NOVEMBER 5
The Creative American Music program opens its four-day concert showcase with its award-winning group AME!
Frost School of Music. Jazzmeia Horn & Frost Jazz Orchestra with the Frost Sextet
NOVEMBER 7
Award-winning vocalist Jazzmeia Horn joins forces with Frost Jazz Orchestra for an evening of jazz.
Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. “Sweet Goats and Blueberry Senioritas”
NOVEMBER 8 – DECEMBER 3
From Miami to Maine, a heartfelt story about belonging where a Cuban-American baker is torn between her New England community and a reunion with her estranged mother in Miami. Along the way, she cooks up childhood recipes with the ingredients of her new hometown.
Coral Gables Museum. “Paving Roads for Latin American Art: The Pioneering Work of Celia Birbragher”
NOVEMBER 9 – MARCH 17, 2024
This exhibition relates Birbragher’s success story through biographical information and a selection of works by Latin American artists that have been featured in magazine covers, as well as articles and memorabilia that place her at the core of Latin American art history, from the second half of the 20th century until today.
Frost School of Music. Dream and Visions: Frost Wind Ensemble
NOVEMBER 12
Maslanka’s “A Child’s Garden of Dreams” alongside works by Bach and the world premiere of Puckett’s viola concerto.
Frost School of Music. “Night in The Next Whiskey Bar: A Modern Tapestry”
NOVEMBER 15
An evening of timeless operatic solos and ensembles seamlessly woven into a moving modern tapestry of life.
Coral Gables Museum. “Strange Fruits: Marielle Plaisir”
NOVEMBER 16 – APRIL 28, 2024
This exhibition presents a selection of recent and unpublished work by French-Caribbean artist Marielle Plaisir. She combines various mediums to present intense visual experiences that examine the concepts of identity, colonialism, race, and class.
Coral Gables Art Cinema. Exhibition on Screen: “Klimt and The Kiss”
NOVEMBER 17–19
Step into the enchanting world of Gustav Klimt’s masterpiece, “The Kiss,” as this captivating and sensuous painting takes center stage in a powerful and passionate new documentary from the team behind the box office hit “Vermeer: The Greatest Exhibition.”
Sanctuary of the Arts. Tania Marti, Acordeones en La Noche
NOVEMBER 18
The acclaimed Cuban-American singer, actress, and producer brings her homage to Cuban music to the stage along with a guest singer.
GableStage. “The Thanksgiving Play”
NOVEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 10
The regional premiere of Larissa Fasthorse’s shocking satire that “flips the bird” on one of America’s most prolific myths – the original Thanksgiving meal. With provocative questions around erasure and authorship of history, this comedy asks how we proceed when steadfast assumptions are disrupted.
Sanctuary of the Arts. Men Who Dance
NOVEMBER 25 & 26
Deconstructing the stereotypes of men with highly creative dance performances. Presented by the Inter-American Choreographic Institute, under the artistic direction of Rafi Maldonado-Lopez.
Frost School of Music. A Night at the Movies: Frost Studio Jazz Band
NOVEMBER 30
Explore signature movie songs and the composers who brought them to life. Dive into the exciting world of jazz!
December
Frost School of Music. Swingin’ for the Holidays
DECEMBER 1
The annual holiday tradition continues with this big band extravaganza featuring new arrangements of holiday classics by members of the Frost Studio Jazz Writing Program.
Sanctuary of the Arts. Syncopate Collective
DECEMBER 1
Syncopate Collective is a collaborative group of diverse multidisciplinary artists that provides an experimental environment for professional dance artists. In residency at the Sanctuary.
Area Stage Company. Addams Family Young@Part
DECEMBER 1-12
Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a young man from a respectable family – a man her parents have never met. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents.
Sanctuary of the Arts. Betancourt Gallery and Palm Film Lab
DECEMBER 2
Mount Eerie performs the album “Lost Wisdom.”
Frost School of Music. Americana: Frost Symphonic Winds
DECEMBER 5
Explore different perspectives and aspects of American life with music by John Williams, Florence Price, and others.
Sanctuary of the Arts. Ernesto Lecuona World Concert Celebration
DECEMBER 7, 8 & 9
A celebration of the works of Cuban composer and pianist Ernesto Lecuona, many of whose works have become standards of the Latin, jazz, and classical repertoires.
Sanctuary of the Arts. Dance NOW! Miami
DECEMBER 10
A reimagined version of “The Nutcracker” through the eyes of a young woman on an intimate journey of exploration and experiences, featuring Dance Now! Miami, one of the city’s most respected dance companies.
Coral Gables Art Cinema. Family Day on Aragon: “Annie”
DECEMBER 9 AND 10
Set in Depression-era New York, this family classic tells the story of plucky orphan Annie, whose unwavering hope of being reunited with her parents is given new life when she’s taken in by a wealthy politician and his secretary.
Area Stage Company. Addams Family Inclusion Theater Project
DECEMBER 14-16
The same story of Wednesday introducing her new “normal” boyfriend to her macabre and wacky family, only this time with a little more audience participation.
Sanctuary of the Arts. Classical & Jazz Holiday Concerts
DECEMBER 15 AND 16
Ring in the holidays with these concerts, featuring the best from the American SongBook to new modern adaptations of holiday favorites.
January
GableStage. “Old Wicked Songs”
JANUARY 13 – FEBRUARY 4
In 1986 Vienna, a young Jewish pianist arrives to study; but before he begins his piano instruction, he must first take singing lessons from the harsh, anti-semitic Professor Mashkan. As the play unfolds, secrets are revealed and these two men from different generations find they have much more in common than they think.
Sanctuary of the Arts. Martin Luther King Celebration
JANUARY 14
Celebrate the work and life of Dr. Martin Luther King with the 30th annual reenactment of the March on Washington, featuring the voices of the Coconut Grove Ecumenical Network (St. Mary location).
Frost School of Music. The Final Frontier
JANUARY 20
Astronauts, planets, stars… they are all around us! Ignite your imagination and explore the universe. This family-friendly concert features music inspired by outer space such as Haydn’s “Overture to Il Mondo della Luna” and music from films.
Frost School of Music. Nick Smart & The Frost Jazz Orchestra
JANUARY 25
Music by English trumpeter and composer Kenny Wheeler. Featuring Royal Academy of Music Jazz Director Nick Smart.Frost School of Music.
41st Annual Frost Honor Band Concert
JANUARY 27
Celebrating community, Frost’s premier wind ensemble shares the stage with over 200 of Florida’s finest musicians.
February
Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. “Legally Blonde: The Musical”
JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 25
This musical is so fun (and pink) it should be illegal! The beloved Elle Woods, a stereotypical valley girl, tackles stereotypes and scandal as she pursues both love and aspirations at Harvard Law School.
Area Stage Company Mainstage. “The Addams Family”
ALL FEBRUARY
An immersive production of The Addams Family, where audiences are invited inside the Addams Manor with daughter Wednesday and her new frightfully normal boyfriend. At the Carnival Studio Theatre at the Adrienne Arsht Center.
Sanctuary of the Arts. UM Frost Thursdays
FEBRUARY 3
UM students perform classical works for chamber music
Frost School of Music. Signature Series: Celebrating Chopin
FEBRUARY 3
In collaboration with the Chopin Foundation of the U.S.,Tian Ying marks his 20th year at Frost by presenting Chopin’s Nocturnes, Scherzo, Mazurkas, Fantasie, Impromptu, and Sonata No. 3.
Frost School of Music. The Sounds of Carnival: Frost Studio Jazz Band
FEBRUARY 6
Connect with three of the most important carnival hubs worldwide through rhythm and history!
Frost School of Music. Mahler’s 5th: Frost Symphony Orchestra
FEBRUARY 10
Mahler’s fifth symphony – its Adagietto was led by Bernstein at RFK’s funeral – and André Jolivet’s first flute concerto. This is the full orchestra, led by Maestro Gerard Schwarz.
Sanctuary of the Arts. A Valentine’s Celebration
FEBRUARY 10
A program of romantic music to bring to life love and eros.
Frost School of Music. March to Heaven: Frost Symphonic Winds
FEBRUARY 11
A program rooted in resilience and retrospection featuring works by Julius Fucik, Robert Spittal, Katahj Copley, and Morton Gould.
Frost School of Music. Signature Series: Michael Mayo and Frost Jazz Vocal Ensembles
FEBRUARY 16
Born and raised in L.A., but a diehard New Yorker, Michael Mayo is an acclaimed vocalist whose seamless blend of alternative and neo-soul elements makes a unique combination that defies genre. He joins the Frost Jazz Vocal ensembles to present a one-of-a-kind concert.
Frost School of Music. The Frost Jazz Orchestra
FEBRUARY 20
The award-winning ensemble presents new music for Live Recording!
Sanctuary of the Arts. Voices of Miami
FEBRUARY 24
The Cinema Opera brings to life sacred music.
Frost School of Music. Deconstructed: Frost Wind Ensemble
FEBRUARY 25
A special program featuring Mahler’s “Um Mitternacht” and Finzi’s “Let Us Garlands Bring” alongside works by Gabrieli, Gipps, Reed, and Bologne.
Frost School of Music. Street Scene: Frost Opera Theater and the Frost Symphony Orchestra
FEBRUARY 29
Murder, a sweltering summer heatwave, and gossip…What happened in the East Side Manhattan tenement? Through music that embraces operatic, Broadway, and blues styles, Weill’s masterful score tells the story of a family pushed to their breaking point.