South Florida Theater News

Tickets go on sale May 1st for PHANTOM. Be aware dear reader that in the past THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has sold out with incredible speed in all its prior Florida engagements.

The national tour of the original Broadway production directed by Harold Prince will play Fort Lauderdale's Broward Center for five weeks from September 28 through October 29, 2005. Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA was the inaugural production that "opened" the Broward Center about 15 years ago. It will be great for Florida theater lovers to have the PHANTOM back at the Broward Center.

This writer does not think there are too many theatrical experiences greater than this Tony winning worldwide phenomenon. Still running on Broadway and in London, this show has become a theatrical legend in its own lifetime. I love it. Start "planning" your ticket purchase now. Good luck!

The Miami Performing Arts Center looks like it is truly opening in the fall of 2006. This project has literally been decades in the making. This has been long delayed, and involved too many controversies. This new facility located on both sides of Biscayne Boulevard between N.E. 13th and 14th streets is nearing the completion of its construction.

This Center will house Broadway Shows, Opera, Dance, Ballet, Concerts, Symphonies, special Latin oriented shows, outdoor productions and I suspect it will house events that fall in to none of the categories I mentioned.

The Broadway Across America series is currently planning to present its first two shows at Miami Beach's Jackie Gleason Theater (as it has for decades) and the balance of its shows are scheduled to play at our new Miami Performing Arts Center. This is great for theater lovers, great for Miami and it is about time!