Exciting professional theatre soars from the stages of Actors’ Playhouse into the hearts of South Florida residents and visitors. The historic Miracle Theatre, magnificently restored, is now the home of this leading regional performing arts Company and a splendid center of community cultural activity. Recognized as one of eight Florida major regional theatres and one of twenty-two major Miami-Dade County cultural institutions, Actors’ Playhouse is a producer of critically acclaimed dramatic and musical theatre. The private, nonprofit organization presents a full season of theatrical productions for adults, a children’s theatre series, extensive educational programming and a wide array of community services. Actors’ Playhouse is the largest employer of Florida-based Equity actors in the region, as well as the largest producing Equity regional professional theatre in South Florida.

The mission of Actors’ Playhouse is to enrich South Florida’s cultural vitality with the highest quality classic and contemporary live theatre productions; to provide comprehensive education and outreach programs to multi-cultural audiences; to provide a supportive and creative work environment for Florida-based theatre professionals; to encourage the creation and production of new works for adults and children; and to maintain the historic identity of its home venue, the Miracle Theatre.

Miracle on the Mile

Established in 1988, the company was located in a converted Kendall movie theatre for its first seven years. In 1995, Actors’ Playhouse entered a partnership with the City of Coral Gables to renovate the historic Miracle Theatre, transforming the splendid Art Deco facility into the company’s new home. In exchange for free rent under a 40-year lease, Actors’ Playhouse bears full responsibility for operating the city-owned facility, managing all programs, and raising all necessary funds for operations and capital improvements. With strong support from the State of Florida, Miami-Dade County, and many generous private donors, Actors’ Playhouse has carried out comprehensive facility renovations of the historic theatre. The re-birth of the classic 50-year-old movie house into a performing arts center is part of the revitalization of the Coral Gables downtown district. The 600-seat Mainstage auditorium was beautifully restored, and a portion of the large balcony area was transformed into a separate 300-seat theatre for children’s theatre, smaller productions and use by community cultural groups. A third, 100-seat black-box performance space is designed for innovative new work, cutting-edge experimental theatre, and to provide space for rehearsals, educational programs, and visual arts exhibitions. Theatre improvements also have included restoration of the sparkling Art Deco style lobby, box office and entrance facilities, and addition of classroom space, an elevator and new administrative offices. All facilities are fully ADA-accessible. The capital project was a $7 million investment for Actors’ Playhouse and was completed on time and debt free. The 100-page coffee table book, The Miracle on the Mile, commemorates the extraordinary private/public partnership in this successful project and is available for sale for $29.95 online.

Award-Winning Performances for Audiences of All Ages

Since its founding twenty-one years ago, Actors’ Playhouse has produced more than 128 Mainstage productions including the Pre-Broadway development project of Little Shop of Horrors, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida, Neil Sedaka’s Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, other large-scale musicals, Off-Broadway style musicals, mysteries and thrillers, comedies and world premieres. Over 105 musical theatre productions have been for the Children’s Theatre. The company has received numerous professional awards, including 61 Carbonell Awards, the prestigious symbol of top quality regional theatre in South Florida. Miami Herald Theatre Critic Christine Dolen states “Actors’ Playhouse is the undisputed champion of musical theatre production in South Florida.” The 1008 Carbonell Committee awarded Actors’ Playhouse the Bill Von Maurer Award as South Florida’s Theatre Company of the Year for overall season excellence and community outreach. In 1997 the Dade County branch of the American Marketing Association named Actors’ Playhouse Marketer of the Year, and in 1999 the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce presented the company its Diamond Award for business development in the community. In 2001, Executive Producing Director Barbara Stein received the distinguished American Red Cross Spectrum Award for community service and achievement in Culture, and in 2004 was named one of Coral Gables’ 50 most powerful individuals by the Coral Gables Gazette. In 2006 the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and the South Florida Business Journal both named Stein Corporate Business Woman of the Year. In 2007 Stein was awarded Miami-Dade County In The Company of Women Award. The Carbonell Committee honored the Steins with the Ruth Foreman Award in 2004 for founding Actors’ Playhouse, nourishing the arts in South Florida, and for saving the Miracle Theatre as a historic site. Over 175,000 people attend the theatre annually from all of South Florida and the world. The theatre is also rented to other top cultural organizations and is available for public forums and corporate meetings.

New Audiences for the Performing Arts

Each year, Actors’ Playhouse presents a full season of six Mainstage and five children’s theatre productions. According to the Sun-Sentinel, Actors’ Playhouse is the “premier producer of large-scale musical theatre in South Florida.” Actors’ Playhouse was acknowledged as “Best Producer of a Musical” in South Florida for its productions of The Mystery of Edwin Drood-1991, West Side Story-1998, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change-1999, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat-2000, Violet-2001, Floyd Collins-2003, and Aida-2006.

In addition to Mainstage productions, Actors’ Playhouse presents a wide range of educational and children’s programming, innovative services for special audiences, and community outreach activities. Theatre for Young Audiences is an annual series of five musical productions for children, providing area young people with opportunities to experience professional theatre. For many children, this is their first experience with live theatre. Through partnerships with Baptist Children’s Hospital, Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs, The Children’s Trust, The Peacock Foundation, Inc., Miami-Dade Public Schools, Actors’ Playhouse provides valuable educational resources for teachers and activities for children and their families. The theatre’s annual Playreading series offers interactive readings of new plays and musicals destined for future workshops and full productions on stage. Special programs are offered for at-risk students, giving extra attention to middle and high school students who have experienced drugs, gangs and other high-stress teen problems.

Performance and technical internships are offered in partnership with Miami-Dade Public Schools, the University of Miami, and Florida International University. The Actors’ Playhouse Theatre Conservatory offers classes to youth and adults year round, as well as a summer camp program for children and teenagers. Participants explore the concepts of acting, script writing, musical theatre and production.

The National Children’s Theatre Festival is a nationally recognized annual celebration of children’s theatre commemorating its 14th year in 2009, among very few national calls to competition for new musicals and plays for children. Held each April at the Actors’ Playhouse, the festival features a full schedule of children’s and family events, productions of each year’s award-winning play, storytelling, mimes, puppet shows, workshops, stage makeup lessons, play readings and theatre discussions. The festival provides wonderful cultural tourism benefits to the Greater Miami community, attracting families and children’s theatre fans to the area from all over the country and abroad.

Welcome to the Actors’ Playhouse Family

Actors’ Playhouse encourages the involvement of South Florida’s residents and visitors. Theatre-lovers find a familiar dramatic environment of arts and entertainment, while people just beginning to explore live theatre find a friendly, welcoming spirit and an easy introduction to the riches of the performing arts. Veterans and newcomers alike, all enjoy opportunities to meet interesting people enjoy high quality professional productions and take part in a lively creative atmosphere. Marketing partnerships with local restaurants and galleries develop the economics of the community as well as the quality of life. The beautiful Miracle Theatre is also the facility of choice for rentals for corporate events and other cultural organizations for dance, music, and international theatre experiences.

Subscribers enjoy the best seats at the best prices and discounts on Conservatory workshops, extra tickets, and at local restaurants and retailers, plus invitations to Actors’ Playhouse activities and special events. A special group of Miracle Maker Subscribers receives complimentary tickets to performances and the annual gala auction, along with special recognition in programs and the permanent lobby display.

Actors’ Playhouse is a private 501©(3) nonprofit organization supported by contributions from members and friends, and by grants from the City of Coral Gables, Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs and Board of County Commissioners, The Tourist Development Council, The Children’s Trust, Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment of the Arts. The sparkling success of Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre is the result of the generous support of individuals, families, corporations, foundations and others who love professional theatre and help enrich the cultural vitality of the South Florida community. Join us for an exciting theatrical experience in the Arthur F. and Alice E. Mainstage, on the Jensen Family stage, or in our intimate balcony theatre on the Lady Suzanna P. Tweed Stage.

FROM SOUTH: Take US HWY 1 to LeJeune Road, make a left and take LeJeune to Miracle Mile and then make a right. The theatre is located on the right-hand side.

FROM NORTH: Take I-95 to 836 West Bound to LeJeune (South Bound) and make a left on Miracle Mile. The theatre will be located on the right-hand side.

Valet Parking is also available on Miracle Mile at $8.

Coral Gables has three parking garages located near the Miracle Theatre. Two garages are located on Andalusia Avenue (a one way street off LeJeune), one on the west side of the theatre, and one on the east side. There is also a new 600 car garage located in the 200 block on Aragon, one block from the theatre.

Parking fees are in effect Monday - Friday, 9 am – Midnight, (Sundays are free.)
Hourly rates are $1 per hour for the first four hours, $2 each additional hour, $12 daily maximum rate.

Metered parking is also available on the streets, Monday -Saturday 9 am – 10 pm, (Sundays are free.)

To contact Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre staff members
call the administrative offices at 305.444.9293 and follow the automated phone system instructions.

You may also e-mail staff members from this page by clicking on their name if it is highlighted in red.

SERVICE LINES
Box Office/General Information: 305-444-9293
Group Sales: 305-444-9293, ext. 613
Education: 305-444-9293, ext. 606

EXECUTIVE STAFF
Barbara S. Stein, Executive Producing Director
David Arisco, Artistic Director
Earl Maulding, Director Theatre for Young Audiences
Joy Finer, Operations Manager
Jerry Brown, Development Director
Martha Wickre, Development Manager

FRONT OF HOUSE STAFF
Shelley Lerner, Box Office Manager
Brandon Serrecchia, House Manager
Laura Marsh, Michelle Steele, Pedro Rivero, Lilly Paez, Andrea Bovino, Adam Ramos Adriana Sanchez, Gaby Ortega, Box Office Representatives

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Richard Bernard, Public Relations Manager
Christy McCouch, Company Manager/ Assistant to the Artistic Director
Catie O'Donnell, Assistant to Executive Producing Director
Kathi Gibson, Group Sales Manager
Allene Mahogany, Educational Manager
Ernest Porter, Bookkeeper

PRODUCTION STAFF
Gene Seyffer, Technical Director
Carlos Correa, Production Manager
Gaby Macias, Production Assistant, Equity ASM
Carl Waisanen, Resident Equity Production Stage Manager
Antonio Diaz, Master Electrician
Patrick Tennent, resident lighting designer, Asst. Master Electrician

COSTUME SHOP
Ellis Tillman, Costume Shop Manager
Dario Almiron, Assistant Costume Shop Manager

SCENE SHOP
Hector Ferrera, Scene Shop Foreman
Carlos Correa, Scenic Carpenter
Dusniel Cea is a Scenic Carpenter

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dr. Lawrence E. Stein, Chairman of the Board
Dr. Lawrence J. Kessler, Treasurer
Leslie Jay Gross, Esq., Secretary
Charlene Esserman
Betsy Kaplan
Linda Faber
Mariano Fernandez
Ann Pope
Fran Sevcik
Jeannett Slesnick
Dorothy Thomson
Lourdes Rey-Wilson
Honorary Member Joy Abbott

ACTORS' PLAYHOUSE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD
Donna Abood, Ambassador Retired Dr. Volker Anding, Joaquín A. Argüello, Marc Auerbach, Esq., Rene Basulto, P.E., Susan Best, Pascal Billard, Carmen Bishopric, Jerry Brown, Commissioner Ralph Cabrera, Jr., Mark Cantor, Elena Carpenter, Gabe Castrillon, Connie Crowther, Ana Maria Davide-Webster, Yvonne DeBesa, Frank Fernandez, Ronald Fieldstone, Esq., Ray Flores, John Fullerton, A.I.A., Lilia Garcia, Dr. John & Joanne Gentile, Roy Gonas, Ricardo Gonzalez III, Ann Goodrich, Thomas & Carol Green, Frances Gross, Ginny Gutierrez, Ruby Henry, Jeanie Hernandez, Nancy Hogan, Thomas B. Jelke, Kevin King, Jay Koren, Esq., Mike & Marcy Kurtz, Yvonne Lausell, Melinda Lee, Gregory Levine, Joseph P. Mara, Senator Gwen Margolis, Vassilis Mavridis, Bob Mayer, Mari Molina, Jennifer Munnings, Jason Neal, Phillis Oeters, Charles C. Papy, Jr., Esq., Dr. Marta Perez, Justin Prisendorf, Joan Reitsma, Gustavo Rey, Steven Schemer, Anabella Smith, Bob Soper, Noel Taylor, Renata Tilkian, Judith Rood Traum, Esq., Mark Trowbridge, Joaquin Urquiola, C.P.A., Victoria Villalba, Eloy Villasuso, Bernard Wolfson, Esq., Douglas Wood, P.E., Mike Wurster, Michael & Jackie Zucker

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS
Our facility is ADA compliant. We have handicap accessible bathrooms and seating. The stages are also wheelchair accessible.

HEARING ASSISTANCE
We are currently equipped with PhonicEar wireless hearing assist headsets. The Mainstage uses an infrared system; the Balcony has an FM frequency system.
As of November 1st, we will be equipped with Sennheiser InfraRed hearing assist headsets in the Mainstage and Balcony. This is the system used in most concert halls in the USA. Anyone who has purchased a Sennheiser headset for use at the Broward Center or Kravis Center will be able to use that headset in the Miracle Theatre.
The PhonicEar FM system will be installed in the Black Box Theatre.

Thank you for you interest in renting the historic Miracle Theatre in beautiful Coral Gables. Conveniently located to all major crossroads and in the downtown district, the theatre is surrounded by several top restaurants and retail establishments with valet and garage parking available.

The Miracle Theatre complex consists of three separate performance spaces, which are suitable for corporate meetings, public forums, and film and theatre events. The lobby spaces are suitable for elaborate catered receptions. Our staff can recommend caterers to handle your party needs.

The 600-seat Mainstage on the first floor with a grid height of 25' and a proscenium opening 45' w by 22' h. There is no fly system. The stage is 29'7” deep, with 10' in front of the main curtain. The floor is sprung, and covered in 5/8” painted flat black. The lobby and anti-lobby space can host up to 600 people for receptions.

The Balcony Theatre on the second floor has 300 seats. It has no proscenium. It has a tension grid 14' over the stage, with lights hung above that. The stage is 23 feet deep, and the effective playing area is about 45 feet across. This can be adjusted with masking curtains. The floor is sprung, covered in 1/4 masonite painted black.

The Black Box Studio also on the second floor seats up to 100 in any desired formation. The room is approximately 40' by 40' with panels that can divide it into three smaller rooms. The floor is sprung and covered with hardwood. A marley dance floor is available for this room only. The space is also suitable for receptions.

All theatre spaces are ADA accessible. Box Office ticketing services are available by request.

The Miracle Theatre is the home venue of Actors’ Playhouse Productions, a year-round production company and managing agent of the facility. Rentals are scheduled within our production schedule, and with three spaces available we hope to accommodate your schedule needs. Please confirm your interest as early as possible so that we can confirm your important event on your choice dates within our production schedule. Please return the PDF application form so that we can identify your needs to schedule your event.

Tours of the facility are available by appointment. Detailed information packages for each theatre are available upon request. Scale plans and sections available in DWG format on request; hardcopy plans available for $5.00 a set per theatre. The space is reserved by deposited signed agreements.

For additional information, contact our operations director at 305.444.9293.602.