Don’t make a scene when you elbow your partner and whisper, that’s the Grove! Ethan Bloom, directed by local filmmaker Herschel Faber, follows a 13-year-old who is supposed to be preparing for his bar mitzvah but instead finds himself drawn toward the Catholic church. Along the way appear a patient priest, an unconventional rabbi, a complicated father and a girl in cowboy boots who can put him in a headlock (sound fun?) — all unfolding against a backdrop of quietly recognizable Coconut Grove corners. The story wrestles with the messy, beautiful pieces of who we are — which, come to think of it, sounds a lot like the Grove itself.
The week ahead seems to be about arriving. Sailors head to Shake-A-Leg’s hangar, Invasive Species frolic on the Barnacle’s lawn, and Wolverines are in the park. Tours open gates in Little Havana and the Grove’s Secret Gardens, while Mozart arrives in Rome before the youth symphony heads to Prague. Latin rhythms light up the Sanctuary of the Arts, St. Patrick’s takes over Miracle Mile, and a community debate begins over the future of Fuller Street. Candlelight and choral voices gather at St. Philip’s, a war correspondent wrestles with what she brought home, and a family at GableStage reminds us that history never quite leaves the table.
A Coconut Grove story heads to the big screen. Ethan Bloom, filmed in Coconut Grove, makes its U.S. theatrical debut after drawing attention on the festival circuit. In the film, Ethan confronts all the messy, beautiful pieces of who we are. Coral Gables Art Cinema, 260 Aragon Avenue. Matinee and evening performances, Friday 3/13 through Thursday 3/19. Info and Tickets.
Sailing stories under the hangar lights. M32 Movie Night & Youth Sailing Fundraiser brings SailGP and M32 racers to Shake-A-Leg for an evening with young sailors and families, mixing sailing documentaries with a live conversation about life on the water, competition and what it takes to reach the top of the sport. Pizza, popcorn and a relaxed waterfront crowd round out the night. Shake-A-Leg Miami Hangar, 2620 South Bayshore Drive. Friday 3/13 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Free with registration.
Friday the 13th. Lucky you! The Barnacle Society’s moonlight concert brings local favorites Invasive Species back to the porch, their deep Americana sound drifting from folk to 1970s jam-band ease as blankets spread and flashlights flicker on. Picnics welcome, lawn chairs encouraged, no pets. The Barnacle Historic State Park, 3485 Main Highway. Friday 3/13 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., doors open at 6:00 p.m. Modestly priced tickets.
Wolverines in the park. The young men of Belen Jesuit High School escort Coconut Grove elders through Kennedy Park each Saturday morning, offering a steady arm and good company for a leisurely stroll. The group meets near the restrooms at the southwest corner of the park, walking together for about 45 minutes with time to rest, chat and share stories along the way. Kennedy Park, 2400 South Bayshore Drive. Saturdays beginning at 9:00 a.m. Free. Just show up and ask for Nathan Samuels, the founder and organizer. Well done, Nathan!
East Little Havana, one of Miami’s most iconic neighborhoods, where culture, story and community power live on every block. From Calle Ocho and Domino Park to Versailles, Ball & Chain and José Martí Park, Little Havana has long been a place where people gather, connect and speak up. The Engage East Little Havana Neighborhood Tour explores those streets and stories, including a look at some of Miami’s earliest west-of-downtown subdivisions such as Riverside (later Riverview), while bringing neighbors together to talk about the future of the community. East Little Havana (tour details provided upon registration). Saturday 3/14 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Free with registration.
Shhh…The Grove’s Most Coveted Secret. Join the romance as walk arm-in-arm through the beauty of six exclusive Grove gardens that will open their gates to the lucky few. The gardens will be within walking distance of each other but exactly where isn’t revealed until the day of your tour, Saturday and Sunday 3/14 and 15, 1:00-5:00 p.m. After all, they are Secret Gardens. As the Spotlight went to press, some tickets remained but act now because tickets will sell out.
Whatcha Gonna Wear? Green, of course, but how? The Annual JohnMartin’s St. Patrick’s Street Festival starts at 2:00 p.m., spills across Miracle Mile and turns “just one drink” into an all-day situation, with live bands (a U2 tribute of course), bar stations, food, and who knows?…it just may be your lucky night. (Insert eye-roll emoji here.) JohnMartin’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, 253 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables. Saturday 3/14 from 2:00 p.m. to midnight. Yes, St. Patrick’s Day is still 3/17. JohnMartin’s just likes to be first.
Power, loyalty, and betrayal collide in Mozart’s final opera. The New World School of the Arts College Opera Theatre Ensemble, joined by the NWSA Opera Orchestra presents La Clemenza di Tito, a lean and emotionally charged story of mercy tested by ambition and revenge in imperial Rome. When a conspiracy erupts inside Emperor Tito’s inner circle, the opera asks a timeless question: what kind of power truly endures? One performance only. Saturday 3/14 at 7:00 p.m. Free with the Miami-Dade Golden Ticket; details and affordable tickets.
Rhythm without apology. Sounds of the Americas finds the Florida Chamber Orchestra sweeping through Latin America bringing melodies from Mexico, Argentina, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Colombia, the DR and Venezuela that you recognize in your bones. The composers know exactly how to light a fuse. Sanctuary of the Arts, 410 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables. Saturday 3/14 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets.
The Ides of March arrives with strings instead of daggers. The South Florida Youth Symphony’s String Consort and Symphonia brings young musicians to the front of the stage in an intimate setting made for chamber-style listening. Once again, Golden Ticket holders can step in free. Sanctuary of the Arts, 410 Andalusia Avenue. Sunday 3/15 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Free with the Miami-Dade Golden Ticket. Concert information. (Next week the Symphony plays in Prague, Czech Republic, so you really should catch this performance, before they go international.)
Brass fanfares, folk melodies, and a finale reaching for the rafters — the Greater Miami Symphonic Band’s Spring Spectacular delivers a big, colorful evening of symphonic favorites. And yes, once again the Golden Ticket works here too. University of Miami Maurice Gusman Concert Hall, 1314 Miller Drive. Sunday 3/15 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Info and advance tickets. Valet and garage parking are also available nearby. Riders 65 and up with the Golden Passport can hop on Metrorail for free and step off at University Station a short walk away.
What’s next for Fuller Street and the tennis park? Who knows…yet? Weigh in on the design of Kirk Munroe Park as city staff and the developer of the Ziggurat get down to brass tacks (or should they be gold? Maybe aluminum?) as the details are hashed out. Advance your ideas online here or at the community input meeting. Miami City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive. Thursday 3/19 at 6:00 p.m. Free.
Candlelight and the choral voices of Seraphic Fire combine in its annual Candlelight concert. The program moves from Renaissance masterworks to contemporary works, with a pre-concert talk by mezzo-soprano Amanda Crider at 6:30 p.m.. St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 1121 Andalusia Avenue. Friday 3/20 at 7:30 p.m. To get a Golden Ticket; reserve at seraphicfire.org/goldenticket using code GOLD236. Other details and tickets.
War has a way of following people home. New World School of the Arts presents ‘Til Death, a bracing drama about a war correspondent who returns from a brutal conflict determined to wrest back control of her life and confront the hold that war still has on her. Koubek Center, 2705 Southwest 3rd Street. Wednesday 3/18 through Saturday 3/21 at 7:30 p.m. A limited number of Golden Tickets are available. Info and bargain tickets.
A dinner table. A yarmulke. A bruise. Prayer for the French Republic at GableStage folds a century of one family’s life (and a 1,000 years of history) into 3.5 hours that are sharp, funny, and quietly devastating. Joshua Harmon writings have teeth, and the questions linger long after the second intermission. GableStage, 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables. Performances 3/20–4/19. Showtimes and tickets. Golden ticket? Yes, but in limited numbers, so check ahead.
Save Me a Seat
A Grove name worth applauding. Dorothy M. Wallace, longtime Coconut Grove resident and quiet force behind many community efforts, will be honored at the 80th Annual Finer Womanhood Community Fellowship Awards Luncheon hosted by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s Beta Tau Zeta Chapter. The event celebrates women shaping the future while raising scholarship support for young women pursuing higher education and leadership. Fire Tower Miami, 8000 Northwest 21st Street. Saturday 3/21 at 11:00 a.m. Tickets and information.
Classroom chaos meets theatrical payback in Miss Nelson Is Missing, a kid-smart favorite where the worst-behaved class in school suddenly learns what rules feel like. When sweet Miss Nelson disappears and is replaced by the terrifyingly efficient Viola Swamp, attitudes shift fast and appreciation kicks in just a beat too late. Actors’ Playhouse keeps this one brisk, funny, and very family-friendly. Most Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. Scheduled from 3/31-4/24, at the Miracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables. Tickets.
Flamenco under the banyans. Siempre Flamenco finds passion in guitars, voices, and dancers. You find the passion in blankets, bay breeze and the bottle of bubbly you bring. The Barnacle Historic State Park, 3485 Main Highway. Friday 4/10 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., doors open at 6:00 p.m. Tickets.
Grove’s own Theatre Fest has announced its dates. Save them now. Thursday-Sunday 4/16-19.
He has an alibi. He has a key. He has a plan. What he doesn’t have is control. Dial M for Murder turns into a battle of wits where the smallest detail becomes the loudest weapon. Could anything improve on Hitchcock’s masterwork? The ultimate plot twist. Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables. 5/13–6/7. Showtimes and tickets.
Eureka Day drops you into a Berkeley school board meeting where militant inclusivity rules — until a mumps outbreak forces the one thing nobody wants to do: decide. What starts as satire infects the room with something uncomfortably familiar, and the laughter comes fast and as sharp as a needle. Fresh from Broadway and already selling out. GableStage, 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables. 5/15-6/14. Showtimes and tickets.
