Summer Shorts Shows Off Miami's Theatre Legs

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a Miami Rat Pack soirée at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. The Arsht invited a handful of social media influencers to enjoy an evening of theatre while sitting in "tweet seats" in the rear of the black box where we could tweet to our heart's content. Even better: cast members were tweeting from backstage, enjoying our own ramblings tagged #summershorts.

But I couldn't tweet much during the performances, as I was completely captivated by nine short plays for a total of one and a half hours.  It's challenging to laugh so much and tweet at the same time.

I particularly liked Bedfellows, a flight of fancy in which we witness the banter between John Adams and Benjamin Franklin had they ever had to share a room together while on the road.   Moscow reveals the bond between a traditional Jewish mother and her granola, new age daughter as they participate in an unusual ritual to celebrate the birth of the granddaughter.

Single ladies take heed:  I'll Be There is a humorous yet poignant story about a woman and her stalker. What if the nicest psycho could be your non-boyfriend from afar?

Some of the other plays also tackled sex and relationships issues -- even the subject of orgasms -- but all in a classy way.

Produced by Miami-based non-profit City Theatre, Summer Shorts celebrates its 17th anniversary this year, bringing fresh theatrical performances that pack a punch. It's summer entertainment at its best to beat the heat and humidity.  And no pun on Miami Heat intended -- actual refreshing cocktails are served at a cash bar in the vestibule, which you can bring into the theatre.

The video above features the cast of Green Dot Day, a short by Carey Crim and directed by Mark Swaner enjoying its world premiere this summer here in Miami. Tod Allen Durkin and Irene Adjan play a couple desperately trying to conceive. In ten minutes, the characters share a gamut of emotions from frustration to tenderness.

Summer Shorts is on stage until June 17. And unlike real summer shorts here in Miami, no one's ass is hanging out. Sex and the Beach approves!