Company Profile

Company Description:

GableStage Theatre (GableStage) is one of the longest-running and most highly acclaimed theatre companies in South Florida, striving to present vital and cutting-edge works of contemporary playwrights worldwide. It produces a five-play season in its intimate, 138-seat theatre on the grounds of the historic Biltmore Hotel. The company is the recipient of 64 Carbonell Awards, South Florida’s coveted theatre award, with over 200 nominations and received the Ruth Forman Award for major advancements in the South Florida theatre scene. Founded in 1979 as
Florida Shakespeare Theatre, GableStage originally performed the plays of Shakespeare in repertory, using the outdoor Casino Gardens at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. With a mission to provide the South Florida community with classical, contemporary, and new theatrical productions of artistic excellence, GableStage challenges its multicultural audience with innovative plays that confront today’s
issues and ideas. By emphasizing identity-conscious casting and employing the best of its region’s creative talent, GableStage endeavors to meet the needs of South Florida’s uniquely diverse community. Under the long-time leadership of legendary Producing Artistic Director, the late Joe Adler, GableStage was at the heart of producing adventurous theatre in South Florida for 23 years. Now, under the leadership of new Producing Artistic Director Bari Newport, GableStage has embarked on its next chapter, furthering the GableStage legacy of renowned work. The upcoming 25th anniversary season includes local premieres of August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned, Larissa FastHorse’s The Thanksgiving Play, Jon Marans’ Old Wicked Songs, Stefano Massini’s The LehmanTrilogy, and Alexis Scheer’s Laughs in Spanish. Through its robust education programs, GableStage’s work has been experienced by over 250,000 students. Thousands of Miami-Dade County high school students are introduced to dynamic, contemporary storytelling
through GableStage’s much–lauded student matinee series. The company’s flagship in-school offering, Shakespeare-in-the-Schools, visits more than 20 Miami-Dade public and private high schools each year. Each production is re-imagined in a contemporary context. In 2022, GableStage debuted its Ignite Program which
provides students and teachers the scripts for the season and interactive study guides for each production. They are then visited by a teaching artist and a member of the creative team for a private workshop. Dramaturgical opportunities for adult theatre goers are now being offered on-line and at the theatre to expand their
understanding of professional theatre production. The centerpiece offering is the popular daily pre-performance talk provided by GableStage’s artistic staff. These efforts are designed to inspire a life-long passion for the theatrical art
form in all members of the community. GableStage is proud to be a part of the thriving South Florida theatre and business community and is a member of Theatre Communications Group, Theatre League of South Florida, Americans for the Arts, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber Commerce, and the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce. The organization has been approved to be the theatre-in-residence and operator of the historic Coconut
Grove Playhouse, following a long-planned renovation, in conjunction with Miami-Dade County and Florida International University. The timeline for completion of the Coconut Grove Playhouse’s renovation is to be determined.