Area Stage has been such a wonderful addition to our family this year. This was our first year with…read morethe program, and both of my daughters have had such a positive experience; one through private voice lessons, and the other through the ITP ballet and theater production programs. We've been incredibly happy with our experience and will absolutely be back. The coaches, instructors, and staff are genuinely caring, supportive, and wonderful with the kids, while also holding them to a high standard and teaching them what it means to approach theater with professionalism, discipline, and dedication; all while creating an inclusive environment that welcomes and nurtures children of different abilities, experience levels, and backgrounds. It's been incredible to watch their confidence, creativity, and skills grow in that environment. Having an organization like this in our community, where children can be meaningfully exposed to the arts at such a high level, is something we truly appreciate. The productions put on by both the conservatory and ITP programs are remarkably impressive; professionally executed, thoughtfully produced, and far beyond what many would expect from youth theater. We feel very fortunate to have Area Stage in our neighborhood.

Families with children and/or friends on the autism spectrum who intend to enroll in the ITP…read more(Inclusive Theatre Program, now called Inspired Theatre Program) classes at Area Stage, please read below before moving forward. Our daughter, now a 9-year-old girl on the spectrum who loves art and music in an incredible way, started her journey with Area Stage in mid-2024 by taking private lessons with Annette, an amazing instructor at Area Stage. Under Annette's guidance and patience, our daughter improved tremendously and was able to perform in three showcases where she sang and danced alongside other children. This success did not come without challenges. Raising and supporting a child on the spectrum can be very difficult. From meltdowns and lack of attention to struggles with taking turns and stimming, families connected to autism understand these behaviors can be caused by many factors such as inflexibility or sensory overload, which are often misunderstood by neurotypical people as misbehavior or poor parenting. Fortunately, everywhere we have gone to help improve our daughter's behavior and skills, we have been blessed with people who truly understand autism and know how to support autistic children, just like Annette did. That changed on May 14th, 2026, when our daughter's instructor had an emergency and could not attend class, so a substitute instructor was assigned to the ITP class. Our daughter had a rough day during class and, as we were told, she was not following directions and was being disruptive. She was repeatedly told not to do certain things because they were "not allowed," as if that alone has ever been an effective way to regulate or support a child on the spectrum. Our daughter was in deep distress, as she often becomes when something triggers a shutdown. Her behavior escalated to the point that the Director of Inspired Theatre Project, Irma Becker, stepped in and told her she was misbehaving, that wh. This is a 1 hour class. Meanwhile, I, her father, was sitting outside waiting for the class to finish. Once the time was up, I approached the door where the children exit from, but no one came out. As I got closer, I heard, "So who's coming to pick up this child today?" To my surprise, it was Irma asking who was picking up my daughter. When I explained that I was her father, Irma approached me aggressively and explained that my daughter did not want to participate and that she was a "mean girl" who pushed her multiple times while she was trying to get her to follow directions. My daughter was listening to everything Irma was saying because they were standing next to each other. While Irma discussed my daughter's behavior with me, my daughter became even more overwhelmed, yelling and completely out of control. I told Irma that I would talk to my daughter later at home, but she continued escalating the situation. In the middle of the chaos, she told me that we needed to discuss next year's enrollment because of my daughter's behavior, although she still had to commit to participating in this year's showcase. I was speechless and asked, "Do you even know that my daughter is on the spectrum?" In response, Irma began listing her titles and degrees in behavioral therapy, completely contradicting herself through her own behavior. It is truly sad that someone like this could be in charge of a program such as this one. We formally contacted ownership via email to explain the situation, hoping to schedule a meeting, discuss possible solutions, and receive an apology. Instead, we were told that after conducting an investigation with the people present, ownership concluded that Irma never said anything inappropriate about our daughter. Additionally, our daughter was removed from the inclusive program entirely only two weeks before her showcase. During a call with ownership regarding our email, the owner himself told us that he believed the problem with our daughter was that she was "not used to hearing no." Imagine saying that about a child on the autism spectrum, as if simply hearing "no" were ever a solution for autism-related behaviors. This was coming from someone who has never spent even a second with our daughter, yet still felt comfortable giving an opinion about her behavior. What I see here is a major red flag. When someone reports misconduct, unethical behavior, or unprofessional conduct and their concerns are immediately dismissed or denied, it creates an environment where that behavior can continue unchecked and potentially lead to even more serious problems. It is like calling a police department to report misconduct by the chief of police, only for the person making the complaint to be punished for speaking up. Thank you for creating a program that helps so many students with special needs. I truly hope this experience serves as an opportunity for growth and improvement so the program can become even more inclusive moving forward.

Thomas Armour Youth Ballet (TAYB) not only offers excellent, traditional, ballet instruction, it…read moredoes so in an environment of care that encourages growth and achievement of the whole child. We have been blessed to be part of this community for over ten years. The teachers, leadership and staff have been wonderful, providing guidance to me and my daughter as she progressed in her ability and grew in maturity. TAYB teaches more than dance, it teaches important life skills like delayed gratification and the role of hard work in accomplishing your goals. This fall my daughter will be going away to school, which led us to observe ballet programs at her new school, all of which fared poorly in comparison to TAYB. For the quality of instruction and the loving support, we will miss the TAYB community but we will be back during the holidays and will continue to support TAYBs outreach efforts through which they touch so many lives.

Used my ClassPass to try one of their adult ballet classes and had such a fun experience! I…read moreaccidentally signed up for an intermediate-level class even though I'm a total beginner, so keeping up was definitely a challenge, but I still had a great time trying my best and learning along the way. The instructor and atmosphere made it really enjoyable, and I'd love to come back.

Went here for an event. One of the last surviving places in…read moreSunset Place. Went about 3 or so, & they were out of a few things to make the drinks I wanted. He did help me out and we figured out a drink that I wanted. It was delicious. I find that it is very spacious yet cozy They host different events there as well. I will be returning.

Tea & Poets is one of those rare spots where you can truly lose yourself. I love submerging into…read moretheir collection of books and browsing their antique clothing and vintage dresses, it feels like stepping into another time. They also carry beautiful jewelry and stones that give the place a mystical and charming vibe. On weekends, it's extra special because they often host concerts by the Rockstar student bands, which makes the space lively and fun for students. Sometimes they even offer poetry sessions and stand-up comedy, which promotes creativity. The servers are always young, cheerful, and happy to help, and their tea and coffee are natural and organic. It's so calming to just sit there, sip on tea, and read a classic book. I really hope Tea & Poets stays around even after the Sunset Mall remodels, losing such a unique and soulful spot would be a real pain.

This place is terrible The employees are always complaining…read moreand on their cell phones. They look like they use drugs

We came to School of Rock Coral Gables following some amazing teachers and have not been…read moredisappointed. We have found that everyone involved is top notch. The teachers, staff and owners are all fantastic. My son has had the opportunity to perform often and on multiple instruments. We highly recommend this fantastic school and music program.

I attend performances here regularly. Always top quality in a small theatre where all seating is…read moregood. It's at the Biltmore which is a fine location.

2nd time I've seen a play at this lovely, little theater & 2nd time I wonder how it took me so long…read moreto discover this gem. Housed in what used to be the old horse stables of The Biltmore Hotel, GableStage's mission is "to provide South Florida audiences with theatrical works of artistic excellence that confront today's issues and ideas." Last night's preview of August Wilson's HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED was a powerful, at times uncomfortable but extremely relevant one-man play. Looking forward to many, many more performances at my new favourite local theater!

Great shows! Talented artists on their way to stardom! Helpful staff and nice sized theater! We…read morehave been to 3 shows here since we graduated and we'll continue to come if the caliber of shows continue to be as they are. The students are real talents and the quality of show feels like something you'd see in a larger professional setting (not to say these students aren't real professionals bc they most certainly are)! Just took our budding actress niece and son to see Little Shop of Horrors and they loved it! We did too and can't wait to see what's coming up next! Great singing, amazing musicians and excellent acting! We couldn't ask for a better experience.

Best deal in town. Students put on great productions with youthful energy. Season subscriptions for…read moreonly $80.

Came to this landmark theater for an afternoon showing of Girl on the Train and was not…read moredisappointed! This show was held in the balcony theater upstairs which is very small and initiate which was great for this play. The lobby was perfect sized for this event and theater but could see it getting busy/cramped for a show in the main theater. Will definitely see what else is showing here in the future!!

What a gem for the community! A beautiful theater offering not only amazing productions both…read morefamily-friendly and great for date nights but also great theater programs for the community to instill a love of arts for the new generation. It's institutions like this held up by a passionate and talented local community that keep the arts and theater alive for decades to come. I went recently to the last show of "A Christmas Carol" - amazing show, thank you Actor's Playhouse!

Standing on the corner of Main Hwy and Charles Avenue in Coconut Grove is a gorgeous Mediterranean…read moreRevival building designed to resemble a Spanish Rocco Palace from the 1920's that has been abandoned. This is the Coconut Grove Playhouse. It was once the epicenter of the Miami theater scene. It opened on January 3, 1927 as part of the Paramount movie theater with a D.W. production of Satan of Sorrows. The 1,130 seat theater was designed by architect Richard Kiehnel of Kiehnel and Elliott. It was built by Miami local realtors Irving J. Thomas and Fin L. Pierce. Albert Peacock served as the contractor. The building originally had seven stores on the first floor, ten offices, on the second floor, and a third story of apartments. It was the second movie theatre on the east coast of Florida to be air conditioned. It also had the largest Wurlitzer organ in the United States. Although now blue, the original color of the building was sienna. In the 1930's the theater closed due to the Florida land boom bust, an economic downturn caused by two hurricanes and the Great Depression. During WWII the theater found new purpose as a school to train Air Force navigators. After the war the building was again closed until 1955 when George Engle, an oilman spent one million dollars on the theater to remodel it to accommodate the Coconut Grove Playhouse, Miami's first live theater. The renovated theater reopened on January 3, 1956, with the U.S. premiere of Samuel Beckett's existential play, Waiting for Godot starring Bert Lahr and Tom Ewell. Financial success eluded Engle in the ensuing years and the theater again closed in 1960. Producer Zev Buffman bought the building in March 1966 for more than $1 million. In 1970, former actor Eddie Bracken and his associates purchased the building. When Bracken's group failed to pay its debts, the Playhouse was sold at auction at the county courthouse. Arthur Cantor and Robert Fishko purchased the theater, and opened it for the 1971-72 winter season. Cantor and Fishko sold their interests in 1977. In 1980 the State of Florida became the owners. In 2004 the title was transferred to the Coconut Grove Playhouse LLC Inc. Through the years many famous people have performed at the theater including Jessica Tandy, Tallulah Bankhead, Carol Channing, Liza Minnelli, Linda Lavin, Bea Arthur, George C. Scott, Colleen Dewhurst, and Ethel Merman. On November 22, 1996, the Late Show with David Letterman originated from the theater. In 2005 the Coconut Grove Playhouse was designated historic by the City of Miami's Historic and Environmental Preservation Board. Four million dollars in debt, the theater abruptly closed in 2006. It has not been used since. In 2013 The Actors Playhouse in Coral Gables and the University of Miami were able to get inside and rescue many of the items including costumes, playbills, documents, and posters. The items are being stored at the University of Miami. The Playhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. It is so sad to see this majestic building with so much history shuttered. A master plan to renovate the theater was approved by Miami's Environmental and Historic Board on April 4, 2017 but it was appealed. Since then nothing has been done as the building is broken into by vagrants and allowed to rot. Miami has so many beautifully preserved historic buildings. I have faith that they will get it together eventually.

What a shame that this iconic historical building has still not been renovated, too much politics…read moregoing on as usual and meanwhile it justs rots away! Such a shame - Here is some history regarding it. The Coconut Grove Playhouse was a theatre in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida, United States. The building was originally constructed as a movie theater called the Player's State Theater. It opened on January 3, 1927, as a part of the Paramount chain. The movie house was designed by the architect Richard Kiehnel of Kiehnel and Elliott. It was built by local realtors Irving J. Thomas and Fin L. Pierce. Albert Peacock was the contractor. The theater was renowned as the second movie theatre on the east coa It was used for a variety of shows until closing in 2006. It has not been used since. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.n the 1950s George Engle, an oilman, bought it and spent over $1 million (equivalent to $47 million in 2017) in renovations having the architect Alfred Browning Parker convert it to a live theatre It reopened on January 3, 1956 with the US premiere of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, starring Bert Lahr and Tom Ewell. In the fifty years that have followed, the Playhouse has played host to many of theater's most renowned performers, including Maureen Stapleton, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Eve Arden, Tallulah Bankhead, Carol Channing, Liza Minnelli, Linda Lavin, Bea Arthur, George C. Scott, Colleen Dewhurst, Ethel Merman, and Raúl Esparza.

The drinks are amazing at bougainvillea best spot in Miami to go have fun with friends. The service…read moreis great always very nice bartenders and professional

I always have a great time here. However be careful when paying your tab and ask if tip was…read moreincluded. The couple dollars extra is not the point. The point is that when they give you the machine to pay it presents you to enter tip with no indication that it has been already added as gratuity. Last I checked gratuity and tip are the same. Isn't?