GREETINGS FROM PARADISE Headlines Coral Gables' 100th Anniversary Celebration

Greetings from Paradise, an original play by June Thomson Morris, is premiering at the Miracle Theatre on Miracle Mile on April 29, 2025 as the centerpiece of the Coral Gables Grand Centennial Gala Celebration. Following the exclusive opening night that also celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, Greetings from Paradise will continue its run at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre from April 30 – May 3, 2025. 

On April 29, 2025, the Miracle Theatre will host an exclusive VIP Opening Night Experience, inviting audiences to step back in time and relive the Roaring ‘20's and the Great Florida Land Boom of 1925. The evening begins with a pre-show reception, followed by the world premiere performance, an intimate Q&A with the playwright, June Morris, and culminates in a stunning black-tie, 1920s-themed gala dinner on Miracle Mile, featuring celebrity chefs. Book your reservation for Opening Night Dinner Theater online through the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce HERE. 

Inspired by the true story of her grandparents, Morris crafts a gripping tale of love, determination and the pursuit of happiness. Greetings from Paradise follows Lucy Mae Barnes, a spirited young woman who leaves her small-town life behind to board Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway at just 19 years old, bound for the booming “Magic City.” Waiting for her in Miami is a man she barely knows—one whose illustrated postcards painted a picture of adventure and possibility. Along the way, she encounters Frank Harris, a journalist determined to expose the frenzy of the Florida land rush, and together, they find themselves swept up in the promise and peril of a city on the rise. Against this backdrop, audiences will encounter the real-life visionaries who shaped South Florida—George Merrick, Carl Fisher and Edward “Doc” Dammers—as they transform a wild frontier into a glittering metropolis. 

For playwright June Thomson Morris, this story is deeply personal. "I grew up hearing my grandmother's stories about her journey to Miami," she shares. "During the pandemic, when the world stood still, I finally sat down to write the play I always knew I wanted to create. Greetings from Paradise is not just a family story—it's the story of South Florida itself, a tale of resilience, reinvention and the enduring dream of paradise."

Morris, an award-winning journalist, news anchor and passionate advocate for education and community history, has long been dedicated to preserving the past through storytelling. A former multi-Emmy award-winning news anchor and reporter, she now brings her expertise to projects that inspire, inform and engage. She is also the founder of Friends of Gables High, an initiative working to preserve Coral Gables Senior High School, and has served in leadership roles for the Coral Gables Economic Development Board, the Coral Gables Museum, and was recently awarded the museum's Civic Arts Award for her philanthropic work.

Tickets start at $55* and are available through actorsplayhouse.org or by calling 305-444-9293. Group rates are available for parties of 10 or more. 

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