Pssssssssssssssssssssssssst. I have a secret. It’s three o’clock in the morning and I’m sitting in a corner of my room with my mind racing and fingers dancing on the keyboard. I saw a show tonight at GableStage and on my way home had a conversation with my friend George who happens to be a brilliant photographer, graphic designer and actor. When I first returned home to launch Mosaic Theatre, my contemporaries laughed at my desire to create art in South Florida stating that there’s nothing but old people so the only way to succeed is by producing Neil Simon comedies and commercial musicals. So, allow me to become Peter Finch for a moment, step out on the ledge, lift up my window and stick my head out and yell, “You’re wrong as hell, South Florida is as diverse, as talented as any city in the country!” That’s right. I said it. Right here. Mark it down. Let it be known that South Florida is scorching hot and I’m not talking about the stinkin’ weather.
This community is immensely talented and our theater is incredible. Anyone who witnessed the 24 Hour Theatre Project spearheaded by the dynamic Antonio Amadeo of Naked Stage understands. The work being done here, shit, can all of us theater artists and audiences take just a moment, just a second to appreciate and celebrate our craft? The small to mid-size theaters in this town are second to none. Local theaters are doing outstanding work bringing in plays straight from Broadway, Off-Broadway and restoring classics like they should be done. John Patrick Shanley is having at least four plays done this season - Neil LaBute and Martin McDonough are also having multiple productions - World Premieres are destined to play stages across the country after starting HERE and I cannot help but think of the recent news that Adrienne Arsht recently donated 30 Million to the PAC Center in Miami.
God bless this financial banker’s cotton little socks and I admit, I don’t know her from Adam. (Who is Adam anyway?) But with all that altruistic energy, and as perhaps the largest cultural benefactor this area has ever seen, I wonder what would happen if that money was spent differently. What if there was this cultural buy-in to drastically affect change with that one amazing gift? What if there was an investment in art rather than glamour? What if there was an opportunity to do greater good and alter the cultural course of this community forever?As I look into my crystal ball I predict that unfortunately, her generous donation dries up in less than five years and the PAC will be back in front of Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs with all palms up begging for money or there will be another angel ready to bail them out. Well at least that building came in under budget. At least the parking situation was well thought out. Excuse me while I was derailed. My point.
Multiple cultural facilities. Infrastructure. Stability. Let’s take that thirty million and spread it around a little bit. I am going to step into Mrs. Arsht’s ruby slippers and redistribute the wealth.
5 million dollars goes to GableStage led by Mr. Joseph Adler. (I’m making these unilateral decisions predicated on approximate budgets). Joe stated that even though he’s “…become much too realistic to even hypothesize about a donation that large…with an additional $100,000 [he] could make some significant upgrades.” Next I will stay in Coral Gables and award 3 million dollars to New Theatre and 3 million dollars to City Theatre. Miami’s Ground Up & Rising gets 1 million as does North Miami’s Naked Stage . Let’s give Mad Cat Theatre 1 million as well, where Paul Tei would use the money first to buy “a large building in the downtown area…[with] spaces for offices, storage, rehearsal space, costume shop and set building area, and of course a kick ass stage.”
As I move into Broward county, the Women’s Theater Project get 1 million while there’s 3 million for Mosaic. With Promethean Theatre’s 1 million, Deborah Sherman says it ”would essentially solve the major issues [she has] each season in choosing plays.” More money would give Promethean artists opportunities “to expand their design and directorial work,” and she would set up “an endowment so TPT has the opportunity to benefit from the money for years to come.” With Inside Out Theatre’s 1 million, Sandy Ives says she would first “hire a development and marketing director because…that is a key element to the success of any theater.” Bill Hayes of Palm Beach Dramaworks (whom I am giving 3 million) agrees that there is a need for such a large donation to go “to a cultural community rather than one cultural entity.” He goes on to say that “30 million dollars could build several fully functional new regional theatres in South Florida, or ensure long term security in endowment money, and so much more.” With my proposed generosity, we’ve only spent 23 million so far and as endowments are emerging as a repetitive theme here, let’s place the remaining 7 million in an endowment fund that will be shared equally amongst the recipients of this gift.
While we’re at it let’s take the Boulevard Shops, which are just north of the Arsht Center’s Concert Hall, and convert them to a block of small theater spaces for great companies (theater and/or dance) that need homes. In other words, make a real arts district. We can do it near the Broward Center, too. A guy can dream, can’t he?
It is a pleasure to enter the blogsphere again after somewhat of a lengthy hiatus. I hereby solemnly swear to keep TILES updated on a regular basis, filled with commentary from that funny looking man to the right and many of the artists employed at