You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll feel good all over as Miami’s City Theater returns for another summer of short plays. The troupe will mount 20 performances during 9 plays, at the Adrienne Arsht Center from June 3-26 and the Broward Center from June 30-July 3. Replacing the festival’s traditional grown-ups only shows will be a late-night one-man show featuring actor Jai Rodriguez of Queer Eye For The Straight Guy fame called “Dirty Little Secrets”; CityTheater.com.
Game On
Nintendo’s hot new 3DS takes portable gaming to the next level, introducing a stereoscopic, glasses-free 3D display which brings an unprecedented level of depth and space to the play experience. Players can adjust the level of 3D intensity, or play in simple 2D if preferred. That’s not cool enough for you? The system also features built-in motion and gyro sensors, allowing motion-compatible games to react to player’s physical actions; $249.99, Nintendo.com.
Colony on the Sea
You may know that in the ocean, against the horizon a mile away from Key Biscayne, stands a cluster of houses known as Stiltsville. As the name suggests, the structures stand on pilings hovering a few feet above water. Since the ‘20s, Stiltsville houses, shacks and barges have punctuated the water, serving as an oasis for visitors. At one point 27 structures comprised the sea village. But in 90 years, nature’s fury, time and fire have left us with only seven. The first famous shack was “Crawfish Eddies” where bait, beer and crawfish chowder where sold. In the ‘40s, The Quarterback Club barge became one of the most popular spots in Miami. There was a grounded yacht named The Bikini Club, a radio tower, the Miami Springs Power Boat Club and the architecturally trendy lodges of A-frame and Leshaw House. Stiltsville is an enduring part of South Florida folklore, having its history as a gambling spot during prohibition, a party central for celebrities, a landing strip for drug dealers in the ‘80s and a recreation spot for boaters. Stiltsville has been featured in national publications, advertising, films and even set the scene for the popular TV show Miami Vice. A grassroots movement currently fights building and restoration restrictions in order to preserve what’s left. For more information and to help keep this colony on the sea as part of our Miami heritage, visit Stiltsville.org.
› Carmina Samayoa is a communication specialist, currently working in the film industry and writing about entertainment. She enjoys, reading, writing, working out and traveling. She lives in Miami with her dog, Misha.
“Every country gets the circus it deserves. Spain gets bullfights.
Italy gets the Catholic Church. America gets Hollywood.”
— Erica Mann Jong
Math Problem
On the cartoon show The Jetsons, Jane is 33 years old. Her daughter, Judy, is 16 — which means Jane was a mom at the ripe age of 17. Young space mom, or bad math?
Orphan Fact
Disney movies love missing parents. In fact, there are only two Disney cartoon features where both parents are present and alive from start to end: Peter Pan & 101 Dalmatians.
Film Smarts
Contrary to popular belief, movie studios didn’t set up their operations in Hollywood because of the sunny weather. They were trying to avoid film camera patent holder Thomas Edison’s team of lawyers.
