Local artists get the first brushstroke this week, and rightly so. Kit Pancoast Nagamura returns to her childhood home – The Kampong (!) – with family roots, botanical eyes and an artistic trunk sturdy enough to hold several generations. In the Gibson Educational Center’s Pop-Up Gallery 162, you explore the difference between a snapshot and art that moves you. At the Deering Estate, artist-in-residence Andrea Clement layers wax, pigment, collage and South Florida ecology into a view of this place that is both beautiful and breakable.
Memorial Day weekend kicks open the side gate to summer, and the Grove calendar comes in hot and wet. Plays, student showcases, dance, jazz, ballet under the stars, bingo, a pastor’s anniversary celebration, dogs ruling the Barnacle and a picnic nudge from Friends of the Commodore Trail fill your week ahead. Plan early. Hydrate like you mean it. And as the rain clouds gather, respect the sky.
Friday May 22
Talk about a family tree! This one comes with roots, branches and a very artistic trunk. Kit Pancoast Nagamura lived her first four years at The Kampong as the great-granddaughter of plant explorer David Fairchild, and When We Come to Paint brings her back with a multigenerational exhibition pairing her parents’ artistic legacy with her own layered botanical observations. The Kampong, 4013 South Douglas Road. Admission is included with regular Kampong admission; online reservations required. On view from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with last entry at 3:00 p.m., weekdays through Saturday 8/15.
In the age of digital cameras, there can exist a chasm between taking a picture and making an image that sticks. Little Bananas opens Lens Shape Imagery – Imagery Informs Perception with a curated exhibition that shows clearly the difference. Miami Dade College Gibson Educational Center, Pop-Up Gallery 162, 3629 Grand Avenue. Opening reception from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Free.
One week they’re in a student production, the next they’re holding a Tony and thanking a vocal coach from South Miami. Area Stage’s Into the Woods – Student Professional cast takes on the full Sondheim labyrinth — tangled wishes, moral messes, giant consequences and all — with the ambition that makes live theater addictive in the first place. Some of these performers are very obviously headed somewhere fast. Area Stage Black Box Theatre, 5701 Sunset Drive, Suite 286, South Miami. Showtimes vary. Tickets here Friday, 5/22 through Sunday, 5/24.
It was satire when it was written pre-pandemic, but now Eureka Day touches many more and deeply hilarious points. The play drops you into a Berkeley, California school board meeting where militant inclusivity rules — until a mumps outbreak forces the one thing nobody wants to do: decide. The infectious humor comes as fast and sharp as an unwanted needle. Fresh from Broadway and already selling out. GableStage, 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables. Through 6/14. Showtimes and tickets.
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. Through 6/7. Showtimes and tickets.
Saturday May 23
Four choreographers, one stage, and no patience for the safe little version of anything. Sanctuary of the Arts and the Inter-American Choreographic Institute bring back 4×4, a dance program built around bold new works and the creative process behind them, performed by the Sanctuary of the Arts Choreographic Ensemble. Come curious, stay flexible, let the dancers do the fearless part. Sanctuary of the Arts, 410 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables. 7:30 p.m. Tickets here.
Sunday May 24
Twenty-nine years leading a congregation deserves more than a sheet cake in a fellowship hall corner. Greater Faith Temple Deliverance Center celebrates Pastor Dorothy M. Washington’s 29 years of dedication, devotion, and what the church very reasonably calls “divine purpose” with an afternoon gathering in her honor. Old-school Sunday “Hattire with Hattitude” and all-white looks are encouraged, which means this will be one of the sharpest-dressed rooms in Miami. Greater Faith Temple Deliverance Center, 3840 Florida Avenue. 1:00 p.m. Style up and show up. Free.
Wax, pigment, collage, wildlife, weather, water — Andrea Clement’s South Florida comes in layers. At Deering Estate, the Miami-based artist and educator discusses Stratum: A Layered Perspective of South Florida, her photo encaustic exhibition exploring Florida’s fragile landscapes and local ecology. In one piece, scratch marks on ancient Tequesta pottery inspire the first layer; from there, environmental themes build into a landscape, then a constellation. Andrea describes the alchemy. That is why she is the artist. Deering Estate Visitor Center Theater, 16701 Southwest 72nd Avenue. Artist talk from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Free tickets online. Sunday 5/24.Exhibit through 7/20.
Monday May 25, Memorial Day
Looking for a serene place for a picnic? The Friends of the Commodore Trail map reveals hidden gems and waterfront vistas. Enjoy! Thanks, Friends! And don’t forget that hidden gem – The Barnacle Historic State Park, hiding in plain sight right across from GreenStreet Cafe. Now, how to lug that cooler and picnic blanket?
Easy answer…Two free electric shuttle services are now operating in the Grove. Someone else drives you. You don’t have to find parking. And for the first three months it’s free for everyone. How? Where? The Ride Circuit app covers the full Grove. Freebie shuttles along a core route. Thanks, Grove BID!
Tuesday and Wednesday, May 26 & 27
Area Stage Conservatory students share scenes, songs, and choreography developed in class, with three separate performances featuring different young artists, so families may need to compare notes afterward–like theater scouts with snacks. Area Stage Black Box Theatre, 5701 Sunset Drive, Suite 286, South Miami. Free with advance reservations and reserved seating; each performance requires separate registration. Tuesday 6:00 p.m. reservations Tuesday 7:30 p.m. reservations Wednesday 6:00 p.m. reservations Tuesday, 5/26 and Wednesday, 5/27.
Thursday May 28
The insider hipsters won’t talk about it in public, but Bingo Night at the Woman’s Club gathers the glitterati of the Grove for retro fun. Woman’s Club of Coconut Grove, 2985 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove. Doors at 6:30 p.m., games at 7:00 p.m. Modest admission price plus cards. Pro Tip: The table in the far back corner has the hottest players.
With three public libraries nearby, and a whirlwind of activities, classes and activities inside, it’s forgivable that you can’t keep up. But that time is past. The library system has a simple build-your-own calendar tool that arrived just in time for planning how to keep the kids busy and your sanity intact. Dial in your favorite branch(es), dates and activities and they’ll present a custom, downloadable calendar for your fridge. Here’s a sample for the coming week. Thursday branch highlights: Shenandoah–Art instruction; Virrick Park–Family storytime; Coconut Grove–Spanish language circle. Free.
Friday May 29
A world built for dogs? Well, they already know that’s true. Prove it to yourself and escort Fido to Woofstock-after-Dark at the Barnacle. There your best friend will find lure courses, kiddie pools, doggy yoga, a play zone, vendors, music, and enough sniff-and-greet action to wear out even the social ones. There’s a Blessing of the Animals in the mix, plus food and drinks for the humans, and it all supports Paw Patrol Animal Rescue and the park. The Barnacle Historic State Park, 3485 Main Highway. 5:00p.m. – 9:00 p.m. $7 admission, free for kids 5 and under. Advanced waiver required. Rescheduled after a rained out first attempt. If you already paid for the rain-out, your ticket is still good. If you want a refund, email here.
Flamenco can look like somebody wrestling elegantly with their entire inner life. Irene Lozano brings Las mujeres que habitan en mí (“The Women Who Live Inside Me”) to Miami for an intimate evening of dance, music, and emotional storytelling rooted in flamenco tradition but very much alive in the present. Koubek Center, 2705 Southwest Third Street. 8:00 p.m.Tickets here
Saturday May 30
Tchaikovsky under the stars has a pretty unfair advantage. The Miami City Ballet Orchestra makes its debut at Sanctuary of the Arts with Ballet Classics Under the Stars, mixing Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, Serenade, Polovetsian Dances and live dancers. Sanctuary of the Arts, 410 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables. Friday 5/29 and Saturday 5/30 at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 5/31 at 4:00 p.m. Tickets and information online
Two nights. Zero pressure to understand jazz “correctly.” Just show up and let extremely talented people do unreasonable things with instruments. Jazz@Koubek returns with a weekend lineup that swings from global fusion to straight-ahead improvisation, including Han Beyli, The Harden Project, Victoria Blue, and flutist Eric Chacón. The venues at the Koubek Center feel more like somebody’s artsy old Miami living room than a formal concert hall, which helps. Koubek Center, 2705 Southwest Third Street. Saturday, 5/30 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, 5/31 at 6:00 p.m. Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Free valet parking.
Cuban trombonist Julio Montalvo brings New Latin Jazz to Fairchild Tropical Garden with modern jazz, funk and soul, blended into the final argument. Bring a low lawn chair, take the open lawn or reserve a table if that is the kind of grown-up decision being made this week. Either way, Fairchild after dark has rhythm, brass and no patience for sitting politely. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road. Gates open at 7:00 p.m.; performance from 8:00 to 10:30 p.m. Adults can get modestly priced tickets with discounts for members and children.
Mediterranean Edition blends circus arts, aerial acrobatics, contemporary dance, live music, and theatrical spectacle into a globe-hopping night inspired by the cultures and rhythms of the Mediterranean coast. Coral Gables gets surprisingly transportive sometimes. Sanctuary of the Arts, 410 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables. 7:30 p.m. Tickets here Tuesday, 6/2.
The Inspire Theatre Project changes lives while the rest of the city is busy scrolling past headlines. Founded in 2014 by Maria Banda-Rodaz, ITP is a neurodiverse performing arts program for children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, offering adaptive training in acting, voice, dance, and live performance. The productions matter, but so does everything underneath them: confidence, autonomy, friendship, independence, and the rare experience of being seen for strengths instead of limitations. The talent onstage makes that point pretty quickly, as they take the stage when…
…A volcano is about to wipe Bikini Bottom off the map. SpongeBob SquarePants Jr. brings the undersea chaos to life with singing sea creatures, unlikely heroes, relentless optimism, and joyful absurdity children understand immediately and adults slowly surrender to. Area Stage’s Inspire Theatre Project cast handles it all with full commitment, which is exactly what this show deserves. Area Stage Black Box Theatre, 5701 Sunset Drive, Suite 286, South Miami. Showtimes vary. Tickets here Friday, 6/5 through Sunday, 6/7.
Boyd Meets Girl — Brazilian guitarist Rupert Boyd and cellist Laura Metcalf — bring their genre-slipping, wildly polished duo to the Mainly Mozart Festival with a program that drifts through Bach to The Beatles. Light bites and refreshments included, because civilization persists. Sanctuary of the Arts, 410 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables. 4:00 p.m. Tickets here Sunday, 6/7.
Coconut Grove Sailing Club’s Moonlight racing evening race is open to everyone, including non-members, and even landlocked civilians can sign up as volunteer crew and get placed on a boat if space allows. Crew and boat assignments go out by 3:00 p.m. Friday, so there’s still time to raise a hand, just not forever. Coconut Grove Sailing Club, 2990 South Bayshore Drive. Registration required for all participants, including crew. Sign up here Next race is Friday, 6/12.
Men are actually going to talk about their health? Yes, and what a difference it will make. Actual conversations about physical health, mental health, finances, fitness, and spiritual well-being instead of everybody pretending they’ll “get around to it eventually.” The South Dade NAACP Health Committee’s Men’s Health Matters gathering brings together doctors, counselors, coaches, and community leaders for a morning of discussion, resources, and wellness support open to men, women, and families. St. James Baptist Church of Coconut Grove, 3500 Charles Avenue. 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Free. Saturday, 6/27. .
A little opera, a little zarzuela, a little romantic chaos under carnival lights. Carrousel of Hearts spins together famous arias, live vocals, jealousy, heartbreak, reconciliation, and the emotional volatility of couples who probably should have talked things through earlier in the evening. Somewhere between melodrama and swooning is exactly where this kind of music thrives. Sanctuary of the Arts, 410 Andalusia Avenue, Coral Gables. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 7/18 and 3:00 p.m. Sunday, 7/19. Tickets here.
