Signing Off for Summer Break

The Culture Edit: June 17th - July 31st

Author

Susan Bannon
June 16, 2024

Ah, summer in Miami. If you’re in town, your friends probably aren’t. And if you happen to overlap with enough people to make a plan - and we’re not in the “cone of uncertainty” for some gigantic storm - there’s just not that much going on. But there’s not nothing, so instead of my usual “Plan Ahead” section I’ve put together highlights for the month of July.

Top of my list is Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami’s Kaleidoscope at the Moss Center on July 13th, but if you’re here for the Fourth, you also don’t want to miss Miami Symphony Orchestra playing in Peacock Park for the fireworks.

As I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, this will be my final email of the season in the weekly format. I’ll be back in a month with a hitlist for August and shortly after, with a special “Highlights of the Fall Season” issue so you can get those must-see events (and must-try reservations) on your calendar.

Until then, have a great summer!

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Wednesday, June 19th

Jazz Series at Faena: Michael Mayo

Talented newcomer Michael Mayo plays the final date of Faena Theater’s 6th Annual Jazz Series. Fresh off of standout solo performances at the Detroit Jazz Festival and the Monterey Jazz Festival, Mayo has recently performed with Herbie Hancock and Josh Groban. Seating at Faena is two by two, and you can upgrade with fancy bottle service and even caviar, so this is definitely a date night booking.

8pm, Faena Theater, $65-$95

Neighborhood: Mid Beach

Nearby Eats: Los Fuegos at Faena, also 27 Restaurant and Cecconi's  | Drinks: Choose from three great bars at the Faena - Tree of Life, Living Room, and The Saxony Bar, or head to WunderBar for a change of scenery.

Thursday, June 20th

Summer Shorts: Flipping the Script

A Miami tradition for 27 years, City Theatre Miami’s Summer Shorts has been dubbed “Miami's equivalent to Saturday Night Live” (Broadway World). This year’s edition, presented in partnership with Adrienne Arsht Center, stages eight funny and provocative ten-minute plays, four of which are new plays by local Miami playwrights.

7:30pm, Carnival Studio Theater at the Arsht Center, $50 or $75 VIP (includes upfront cabaret-style seating and a free drink!)

Neighborhood: Downtown Arts & Entertainment District

Also on June 20th: South Florida Symphony’s piano trio performs Rachmaninoff at Coral Gables Congregational Church, the Biscayne Poet visits Books & Books in Coconut Grove, the Wolfsonian hosts a book binding workshop, and Laughs in Spanish begins its final weekend.

Friday, June 21st

Two Solo Exhibit Openings at Pan American

Pan American Art Projects celebrates the opening of two new solo exhibits in its Design District space. Juan Carlos Alom: Postales del Abismo showcases the photographs of Cuban artist Alom, examining the body as a form of resistance. Sandra Ramos: Impossible Dialogues - Sumerian Disputations reimagines the gallery as an Apple store of sorts, with the products being clay tablets, that juxtaposes our online debates today with the 3rd millennium BC Sumerian Disputations, some of the oldest arguments recorded.

6-9pm, Pan American Design District, Free

Neighborhood: Design District

Also on June 21st: a red carpet opening reception for an indie movie about a grandmother gone rogue, a screening of Dear England, plus performances of Summer Shorts and Laughs in Spanish.

Saturday, June 22nd

National Theatre Live: Dear England

Coral Gables Art Cinema is proud to present National Theatre Live, a groundbreaking project to broadcast the best of British theater, live from the London stage to cinemas around the world. In this sold out performance of Dear England, Joseph Fiennes takes on the role of Gareth Southgate in James Graham’s gripping exploration of nation and game. Showings Friday thru Sunday.

12pm, Coral Gables Art Cinema, $15

Neighborhood: Coral Gables

Also on June 22nd: performances of Summer Shorts at the Arsht and Laughs in Spanish at GableStage.

Sunday, June 23rd

Peter London Dance: Rebellion & Resilience

The versatile dancers of the Peter London Global Dance Company bring their signature high energy and genre-crossing skills to Rebellion and Resilience, their season finale performance at Sanctuary of the Arts. The program features a new company production of Carmen.

4pm, Sanctuary of the Arts, $18-$48

Neighborhood: Coral Gables

Also on June 23rd: a renowned artist visits Books & Books to discuss his wordless children’s book, Summer Shorts and Laughs in Spanish take their final bows, and Dear England gets a final screening.

Planning Ahead:

Here you have my list of highlights for the upcoming month…

Wednesday, June 26th 

Masters of Comedy: Brad Williams

Faena Theater’s Masters of Comedy series brings top notch comics to their intimate cabaret-style theater space on the last Wednesday of each month. For this performance, Faena hosts comedian Brad Williams, a fixture on the stand-up circuit, with two comedy specials on Netflix and numerous appearances on late night TV, including Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel. Seating at Faena is two by two, and you can upgrade with fancy bottle service and even caviar, so this is definitely a date night booking.

6:30pm and 9:15pm, Faena Theater, $65-$95

Neighborhood: Mid Beach

Nearby Eats: Los Fuegos at Faena, also Bar Luca and 27 Restaurant | Drinks: Choose from three great bars at the Faena - Tree of Life, Living Room, and The Saxony Bar, or head to WunderBar for a change of scenery.

Thursday, July 4th

MISO’s Fourth of July at Peacock Park

This Fourth of July, the Miami Symphony Orchestra returns to Peacock Park for a free concert of patriotic favorites under the fireworks. Longtime conductor Eduardo Marturet will be leading MISO in fireworks classics like Frank von Suppe’s Light Cavalry Overture and Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever, along with some special guest performers. Needless to say, if you want to see this concert you and your blanket need to be there early.

7:30pm, Peacock Park, Free

Neighborhood: Coconut Grove

Nearby Eats: Eva, Krüs Kitchen, Bellini, Bartaco (save a spot in line and have a drink upstairs while you wait) | Drinks: Mayfair rooftop, Level 6, Bodega (speakeasy, door at the back behind the counter)

Saturday, July 13th

Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami: Kaleidoscope

In the few short years since Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami was founded by Miami City Ballet principal dancers Jennifer Kronenberg and Carlos Guerra, this young troupe has racked up accolades for its athletic style and fresh, contemporary ballet repertoire. This July, the company presents Kaleidoscope, an all-new program of electrifying dance, featuring Arcadia, a world premiere by Artist in Residence Yanis Eric Pikieris.

8pm, the Moss Center, $25-$45

Neighborhood: Cutler Bay

Nearby Eats: Not much! Grab dinner at Platea or Golden Rule Seafood on your way down there and have some rooftop cocktails at Mamey on 3rd or La Terrazza on your way back.

July 17th-August 4th

Hundred Days

Actor’s Playhouse presents Hundred Days, an exhilarating musical, based on a true story, about embracing uncertainty, taking a leap, and loving as if you only had 100 days to live. With magnetic chemistry and anthemic folk-punk music, creators Abigail and Shaun Bengson explore a fundamental question: how do we make the most of the time that we have? The gala opening night performance July 19th has a pre-show reception.

Performances July 17-August 4th, Actor’s Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, $65-$125

Neighborhood: Coral Gables

Friday, July 19th

An Evening with Lev Grosman

Books & Books welcomes Lev Grosman, the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of the Magicians trilogy, to discuss his highly anticipated new novel, The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur. Early reviews of The Bright Sword have been ecstatic, so if you’re into Arthurian legend, or a Magicians fan, you don’t want to miss this one. Grosman will be in conversation with Chantel Acevedo, an award-winning novelist in her own right, and director of UM’s MFA program.

7pm, Coral Gables Congregational Church, $35 (includes a copy of The Bright Sword)

Neighborhood: Coral Gables

Saturday, July 20th

An Evening Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Just a day after hosting Lev Grosman, Books & Books hosts another New York Times Bestselling author: Taffy Brodesser-Akner, author of Fleishman Is in Trouble. Brodesser-Akner will be discussing her new book, Long Island Compromise, which has been a fixture on “most anticipated summer reads” lists all spring.

7pm, Books & Books, $30 (includes a copy of Long Island Compromise)

Neighborhood: Coral Gables

Thursday, July 25

SFSO Chamber Concert: The Passion of Youth

The South Florida Symphony Orchestra concludes its “Summer with the Symphony” chamber series with The Passion of Youth, a concert for string quartet of Ravel and Mendelssohn pieces, written when they were 18 and 28, respectively.

7:30pm, Temple Israel of Greater Miami, $35

Neighborhood: Between Arsht Center and Wynwood

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