Founded in 1979 as Florida Shakespeare Theatre, GableStage originally performed the plays of Shakespeare in repertory, using the outdoor Casino Gardens at Vizcaya. From 1987-1992, Florida Shakespeare Theatre was housed in the Minorca Playhouse in Coral Gables, until it was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew. Nonetheless, the organizations' mission could not be destroyed, and it continued to produce at the Carousel Theatre in Coral Gables in 1993 and 1994. In 1999, the company moved to its current home, the historic Biltmore Hotel, and became GableStage. Since 1999, GableStage has been at the cutting edge of theatre in South Florida, striving to present the most vital works of contemporary playwrights worldwide and producing quality theatrical productions that encompass themes and ideas relevant to the multicultural South Florida community. The company has maintained a tradition of producing plays directly from successful Broadway and off-Broadway runs. In addition to a robust MainStage season of six productions, GableStage presents a variety of Education and Community Outreach programs throughout the community, including an in-school touring production, free community performances in venues throughout Miami-Dade County, in-house field-trip opportunities, post-performance talkbacks, and a Distinguished Speaker Series. GableStage is the recipient of over 200 Carbonell Award nominations and 64 Carbonell Awards, a prestigious South Florida theatre award. In 2013, the Carbonell Awards honored GableStage with the Ruth Forman Award for major advancements in the South Florida theatre scene and in January 2016, Producing Artistic Director Joseph Adler, was deemed Champion of the Arts by the local arts funding group, Citizens Interested in Arts. GableStage is proud to be a member of the thriving South Florida theatre community and stays true to its mission of encouraging new theatre companies, playwrights, artists, arts administrators, and local talent, therefore contributing to the growth and longevity of the South Florida cultural landscape.
