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Playwrights for a day to support New Theatre

Posted on Wed, Dec. 16, 2009

For one day only, Florida Marlins President David Samson, Miami Herald Columnist Ana Veciana-Suarez and Akerman Senterfitt Partner Richard Milstein traded in their day jobs to become Miami’s newest playwrights.

As part of New Theatre's annual fundraiser, "Miami Stories," Samson, Veciana-Suarez and Milstein penned one-act plays that premiered Sunday during the sold-out event at Westview Country Club in Miami.

“Every year we host 'Miami Stories' to support the great work being done at New Theatre,” said Steven Eisenberg, chairman of the New Theatre board of directors and an attorney with Lipscomb & Brady. “The event is particularly fun because it gives some of Miami’s most notable citizens an opportunity to share their creative prowess in ways we’re not accustomed to seeing. This year’s plays are particularly fascinating because, even though they all wrote independently of each other, they all explore the most fundamental elements of companionship.”

From proposal to Medicare, Samson’s one-act play, “Do I Do,” features a couple’s lifelong journey of contentment. Co-written with his cousin, Josh Samson, the play explores a marriage that lets life get in the way of love. In addition to playwright, Samson also added actor to his resume today, giving a polished and endearing performance as the star of “Do I Do.” Dan Le Batard, sports and radio personality on WAXY 790 the Ticket, made a cameo appearance.

Veciana-Suarez entertained the audience with “Change Up,” the first encounter of Cuban parents and their daughter’s non-Cuban fiancé. While the language barrier and cultural differences are a source of frustration for the husband-to-be, the bilingual dialogue offers a comical familiarity to Miami’s culturally diverse population.

Milstein composed an intimate exploration of one of today’s most debated issues – same sex marriage. Delving into Jewish tradition and family perspective, Milstein’s “Left Holding the Ketubah” is a personal tale of love in a politically correct world.

The day’s master of ceremonies was Michael Aller, tourism and convention director for the City of Miami Beach. In addition to the plays, directed by New Theatre’s Artistic Director Ricky J. Martinez, the event featured a silent auction and brunch.

"Miami Stories" is perfectly tailored to New Theatre’s mission of producing new works. The Coral Gables theater focuses on producing new plays by early- and mid-career playwrights.

Since its inception in 1986, the theater has world premiered more than 30 plays including “Anna in the Tropics,” winner of a Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Miami Stories hopes to raise substantial funds for New Theatre in support of its mission, and the proceeds will be earmarked to support the theater’s continued growth and stature as an award-winning venue for world-class productions. For information, visit www.new-theatre.org.

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