The more than 30 professional theatres in South Florida reflect the rich cultural diversity of its inhabitants. Three large performing arts centers: the Arsht (in Miami), the Broward (in Ft. Lauderdale) and the Kravis (in West Palm Beach) are host year round to assorted national and regional tours of Broadway plays and musicals. One may chose from classic plays, such as Shakespeare’s Henry V at the New Theatre in Coral Gables, or modern day pieces such as Kristoffer Diaz’s 2010 Pulitzer Prize finalist The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, at the Caldwell Theatre in Boca Raton. For musical theatre lovers there are offerings from the golden age of musical theatre such as Guys And Dolls at the Stage Door Theatre in Coral Springs, as well as the modern (Xanadu at the Slow Burn Theatre in Boca Raton) and the obscure (Song of the Living Dead: A Zombie Musical at the Promethean Theatre in Ft. Lauderdale).
A large Jewish community, a colorful Cuban community, an active senior citizen community, and a united gay and lesbian community each provide forums for the creative voices of budding and established playwrights alike. Each year world and regional premieres abound in South Florida, giving birth to works by such playwrights as Pulitzer Prize winner Nilo Cruz and Tony nominated Douglas Carter Beane. From the GableStage Theatre, at the historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, to the award-winning Maltz Jupiter Theatre in Jupiter nearly 90 miles away, the many local theatre-goers transplanted from New York City ensure that the standards of South Florida’s professional theatres meet even the most discerning of tastes. Here one can truly find theatre for all! (John Lariviere)
