Communities across America dream of having what Coral Gables enjoys every day: a thriving, professional theater company at the heart of downtown, housed in a lovingly restored Art Deco landmark and offering Broadway-quality productions year-round. Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre is more than a venue. It is a civic treasure, an economic engine, a cultural anchor—and, most significantly, the living legacy of Dr. Lawrence and Barbara Stein.
The dedication of the Dr. Lawrence and Barbara Stein Center for the Performing Arts rightly affixes their names to a building and institution they built—brick by brick, show by show, decade by decade. From its rescue in the 1990s to its present-day status as a powerhouse of South Florida culture, the Miracle Theatre is both symbol and substance of what visionary leadership can achieve.
Let’s pause and do the math.
Actors’ Playhouse stages five Mainstage productions and four Children’s Theatre shows each year, alongside conservatory classes, summer camps, youth competitions, and community events. Over the past 30 years, more than 400 original productions have come to life on Miracle Mile. But the real story is in the people. With over 150,000 patrons visiting the Miracle Theatre annually, that adds up to more than 4.5 million visitors under the Steins’ leadership—audiences spanning generations, drawn by the power of live performance. Add the countless artists, educators, and students nurtured along the way, and the impact becomes immeasurable.
