Breaking News-Coconut Grove Playhouse-Fighting for Life

This writer just learned that Board members of the Coconut Grove Playhouse (see prior columns about the CLOSED sign at the Playhouse, please) are meeting at this moment, 1:35 P.M. Eastern Time, in the offices of Miami's Beacon Council, in efforts to 'save the playhouse.' 

I am able to confirm that Board chair, Shelly Spivack, is present at the meeting.  The theater's longtime publicist and recent honoree, Charles Cinnamon, telephoned me upon his return home from temple in observance of Passover. 

Cinnamon stressed the extraordinary difficulty added to this 'crisis in the Grove;' in that the events 'hit the fan' just as Passover was beginning.  Many of those involved with the legendary Coconut Grove Playhouse are devoutly observing the Passover holiday and are unable to conduct business, speak on the phone or use electricity during this time. 

This writer has telephoned Ms. Spivack and received her cellphone's voicemail.  Charles Cinnamon told me he was also telephoning Shelly Spivak on Broadwayworld.com's behalf and I should expect to hear back from her shortly after the meeting at the Beacon Council ends. 

For further information about the Coconut Grove Playhouse (you will notice their website is not maintained as well as it should be) visit www.cgplayhouse.com  For more information about Miami's Beacon Council visit www.beaconcouncil.com 

Watch this column and Broadwayworld.com for breaking news on the fate of the most renowned regional theater in America.  The most recent production at the Grove Playhouse was Theodore Bikel and Patricia Conolly in 'About Time,' which ran from March 14-April 2.  The Grove production of 'About Time,' then played Fort Lauderdale's Parker Playhouse April 4-9.  

Some History of The Coconut Grove Playhouse as told by their website follows:

On January 3, 1956, a line of limousines and a crowd of paparazzi jammed Main Highway for the theatrical debut of the Coconut Grove Playhouse's U.S. premiere of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, starring Bert Lahr and Tom Ewell, directed by Alan Schneider.

In the four decades that have followed, the Playhouse has been home to many of theater's most eminent artists, including Tallulah Bankhead, Maureen Stapleton, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Carol Channing, George C. Scott, Colleen Dewhurst, Ethel Merman, Liza Minnelli, Linda Lavin and Beatrice Arthur, to name a few.

In 1982, actor-director José Ferrer was named Artistic Director, and brought national prominence to the Coconut Grove Playhouse. Since 1985, José Ferrer's successor, Arnold Mittelman, has been responsible for creating over 100 Mainstage, Encore Room Theater, and touring productions.

Among the Playhouse's most celebrated works are the world premiere of Cy Coleman's Let 'Em Rot (later retitled Welcome to the Club) and The Big Love, starring Tracy Ullman, both of which transferred to Broadway as did productions of Tango Pasión, Run for Your Wife, and Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys, starring Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, presented in association with the National Actors Theater. Sherry Glaser's Family Secrets moved to off-Broadway and became its longest running one woman show, and the Playhouse's intimate musical Little by Little also went on to enjoy a New York engagement. The Playhouse presented the world premiere of Fame: The Musical, which earned great success in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and London's West End, as well as the premiere of Bermuda Avenue Triangle, which moved on to Detroit, Los Angeles, off-Broadway, and South Africa. In recent years, the Playhouse premiered a popular revival of Death of a Salesman, starring Hal Holbrook and Tony Award-winning actress Elizabeth Franz, which went on to a 7 city tour across the United States.

The Playhouse has featured a diverse array of theater, including the spectacular world premiere musical, Don't Stop the Carnival by Herman Wouk and Jimmy Buffet, and Visiting Mr. Green, starring Eli Wallach, now scheduled to premiere in South Africa following its successful productions off-Broadway and in regional theaters nationwide. Acclaimed Latin-themed productions include Mixed Blessings, conceived as part of the prestigious AT&T OnStage Program, and the stirring biographical account of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo Goodbye, My Friduchita, which has gone on to enjoy a successful production in New York. The American premiere of Tallulah, starring Kathleen Turner is currently touring major American cities on its way to its New York/Broadway engagement. And The Disputation, a gripping theological drama starring Theodore Bikel, featured special community dialogue sessions.

Highlights from this past season include the revival of the spectacular musical Finian's Rainbow, which went straight to Cleveland from Miami. Appearing once again at the Playhouse, Theodore Bikel starred in The Gathering. The ever favorite Jean Stapleton portrayed Eleanor Roosevelt in Eleanor, Her Secret Journey.   
 

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