A Cultural Briefing on Coral Gables, FL.
-
8/15/2008
The City Beautiful began as a place of art, architecture and culture carved out of the lush tropics. Less than a century later, Coral Gables has matured into a cultural center that would astound even its visionary founder.
With its museums, galleries, theaters, gardens, historical sites and other attractions, the Coral Gables cultural landscape is unequaled by any city of its size in the world. Residents can choose from thousands of live and visual arts performances – Music, Dance, Theater and more. They can attend one-of-a-kind festivals and visit renowned cultural institutions.
When George Merrick founded Coral Gables, he did so with artistic flare. In the 1920s, the Miami Grand Opera performed in a drained Venetian Pool and Paul Whiteman's band entertained poolside dancers under the stars from the half-drained pool – which is an artistic and architectural marvel in its own right.
Today’s Coral Gables offers an unparalleled array of performing and visual arts.
Museums and Cultural Centers
Lowe Art Museum, 1301 Stanford Dr., phone 305-284-3535: Opened to the public in 1952, the Lowe is the first art museum in South Florida. Located on the University of Miami campus, the free-standing museum's 10,000–object collection is one of the most important in the southeast. The Lowe is known for its Renaissance and Baroque, American, Native American, pre–Columbian and Asian art. Forty-one Renaissance and Baroque paintings and sculptures are the backbone of its Western collection. The Americas Collection includes 1,470 works surveying art in the Americas during the 19th and 20th centuries. The Lowe's pre-Columbian collection was begun in 1958 but achieved international stature with the gift of 531 works by Robert M. Bischoff in 1984. The Lowe's important Asian collection features Chinese, Korean and Japanese ceramics, painting and sculpture. www.lowemuseum.org
Coral Gables Branch Library, 3443 Segovia St., phone 305-442-8706: The 28,000-square-foot library building blends contemporary design with Mediterranean influence. Honduran mahogany doors, wrought-iron Spanish chandeliers and a spacious lobby with red tile floors carry out the Spanish atmosphere. The Coral Gables Branch of the Miami-Dade Public Library System holds 120,315 books, videos and audio cassettes. The Children’s Room is the proud home of the original set of Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls donated by the wife of author Johnny Gruelle. The historic dolls were restored with funding from the Dade Community Foundation. Outside the library, lush tropical landscaping includes a butterfly garden with benches. www.mdpls.org
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Rd., phone 305-667-1651: One of the world's preeminent botanic gardens, it boasts extensive collections of rare tropical plants including palms, cycads, flowering trees and vines. Established in 1938, the 83-acre garden offers a variety of programs in environmental education, conservation and horticulture. A narrated tram tour takes visitors through the lush and extensive garden. The garden was designed by renowned landscape architect William Lyman Phillips, a member of the Frederik Law Olmsted partnership, and the leading designer of South Florida parks during the 1930s. An international leader in tropical plant research, Fairchild plays an important part in preserving the biodiversity of the tropical environment. www.ftg.org
Coral Gables Merrick House, 907 Coral Way, phone 305-460-5361. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this structure stands as a tribute to the history of South Florida. Merrick House was the home of Reverend Solomon G. Merrick, his wife Althea and their six children. The Merricks’ oldest son, George, founded and developed the City of Coral Gables. The master-planned city was incorporated in 1925. An example of early Coral Gables architecture, the house exists much as it did in the 1920s and is operated as a museum. It is filled with the Merrick family’s artwork, photographs, furniture and personal treasures. www.coralgables.com, under Historical Resources Department
The Coral Gables Museum (under way). The historic municipal building at 285 Aragon Avenue, popularly known as the Old Police and Fire Station, will be transformed into a general Coral Gables museum. The complex is one of the simplest but most elegant public buildings in Coral Gables. Built in 1939 by the Works Project Administration (WPA), the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was designed by Phineas Paist, who was vital in the development of George Merrick’s dream city and later principal architect for the City of Coral Gables. The exterior sculptures seen on the west side of the façade, along Salzedo, were executed by Theresa Keller (known professionally as Jon Keller), a noted moderne sculptor of the period. The sculptures depict firemen and the families saved through the valiant efforts of firefighters. The mission of the Museum will be to celebrate the past and present City Beautiful and offer a vision for the future. Exhibits will be either of a storyline/permanent nature or temporary and traveling. The use of the term “general” means that all disciplines will be incorporated into interpretation. Some temporary exhibits may be about subjects or collections that are not associated with the City. Interesting collections from residents or others will be displayed on a temporary basis; these will be chosen based on established criteria. In addition to permanent and temporary exhibits, the Museum program will include archival collections, educational offerings for students and adults, publications, and special events. An on-site gift shop is planned, as well as significant space for community meetings.
Theatres
Actors’ Playhouse, 280 Miracle Mile, phone 305-444-9293: Exciting professional theatre soars from the stages of the historic Miracle Theatre, a magnificently restored Art Deco gem. This leading regional performing arts company produces critically acclaimed dramatic and musical theatre. The private, nonprofit organization presents a full season of theatrical productions for adults, a children’s theatre series, extensive educational programming and a wide array of community services. The 600-seat mainstage auditorium has been beautifully restored and a portion of the large balcony area has been transformed into a separate, 300-seat facility for children’s theatre, smaller productions and use by community cultural groups. A third, 100-seat black-box performance space is designed for innovative new work, cutting-edge experimental theatre and to provide space for rehearsals, educational programs, and visual arts exhibitions. www.actorsplayhouse.org
City Theatre presents Shorts for Kids at the Coral Gables Youth Center in June 2007. For information call 305-755-9401; box ofc.305-365-5400; www.citytheatre.com
GableStage, 1200 Anastasia Ave., phone 305-445-1119: Located in the magnificent Biltmore Hotel, this company’s year-round programming presents mainstage productions that range from the classic to the contemporary. It is also involved with the educational community to promote educational theatre programs. The 150-seat theatre is host to award-winning and critically acclaimed plays. www.gablestage.org
Jerry Herman Ring Theatre, 1321 Miller Dr., phone 305-284-3355: Created in 1946, the Ring has performed at three different sites – including a circus tent and a round building used to train Allied navigators during WWII. The name for the Ring grew out of the company's first in-the-round performance which placed the audience in a "ring" around the stage. The current building was constructed in 1951. Its unusual circular design and first-of-its-kind, flexible seating arrangement drew national headlines. The Ring hosts live theatre via the University of Miami's famous theatre company and the producing arm of the Department of T
J. | Coral Gables, FL