Coconut Grove Playhouse - 'Leaders' Must Go!

There is an old saying that things 'start at the top.' The current crisis facing Miami's Coconut Grove Playhouse will not be resolved to perfection without the ouster "of the top." In this case, the top would be the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Playhouse. She must go.

The Playhouse's top professional, Arnold Mittelman, resigned several days ago. In Mittelman's resignation email he noted that he would not and virtually could not, continue to work with the Playhouse's current Board of Directors and its leadership.

Today, Board Chair Shelly Spivack wrote an embarrassingly self aggrandizing piece that ran in the Miami Herald. For the handful of people who still read their theater happenings in newspapers, the piece she wrote was likely received as a sophomoric attempt at self publicity. In the guise of doing a piece about the Playhouse's 'recovery,' she wrote a story that got her name and picture in the paper and showed that she is somewhat proficient at writing. It is my understanding that Spivack is employed by one of the Herald's 'partners,' and major advertisers. Hopefully, she does a better job for her employer than she does as the leader of a nonprofit theater. No where in her story did she tell us what her annual gift is to the Playhouse or any special amount she has been able to give to the Playhouse at this time of crisis. Additionally, no where did she let us know how much money she and her fellow Board members have thus far been able to give and raise at this critical time.  In this same story she wrote that, "We have begun discussions with the Dade Community Foundation to create a fund and thereby begin our fundraising activities." Huh? She must go.

To this writer, Spivack comes across as sloppy, disorganized and misguided. To some former Playhouse staffers and vendors, she is simply, a liar. She also seems to have a problem returning phone calls. The events that occurred at the Playhouse during her tenure clearly call for her ouster. Unless she is secretly giving the Playhouse a great deal of money, she must go.

Under Spivack's leadership, the Playhouse drastically floundered. Much has been written about possible wrong doings and mismanagement by Arnold Mittelman. He had been the Playhouse's top professional for 21 years. Spivack has been the Playhouse's Chair for a much shorter period of time. She must go.

There are 'mom and pop' store vendors who's meager invoices to the Playhouse are going unpaid. Spivack and 'her Board,' should be ashamed of themselves. I began this column with an old saying and I will end it with one addressed to Ms. Spivack and the Playhouse Board. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.

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