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HOW SWEET IT IS! On a perfect South Florida day in 1964, the Great One, Jackie Gleason, gifted comedian and actor, said “Miami Beach audiences are the greatest in the world!” Before its christening as the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts, the Miami Beach Auditorium was the home of Golden Era legends, who graced the stage with their comic relief and songbird renderings, or enjoyed boxing ringside. Celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Henny Youngman, Cab Calloway, Bob Hope, and Jack Benny were found in the seats of the Auditorium or mingling backstage, and the atmosphere on Miami Beach crackled with the excitement generated by top-notch entertainment industry stars.
Television caught the American eye in the 1960’s. The Auditorium hosted television tapings of The Dick Clark Show, The Ed Sullivan Show , and both the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants. In September of 1964, the City of Miami Beach offered comedian Jackie Gleason use of the Miami Beach Auditorium for his popular variety TV show. After upgrading the auditorium into first rate TV studio, Gleason moved his show from icy New York City to the sun and fun capital of the world, beautiful Miami Beach. Gleason's TV show was a smash hit for seven years! In the 1970’s the Auditorium became a regular stop for touring Broadway attractions. Featured productions included: Gypsy (starring Angela Lansburry), Mack and Mabel (starring Luci Arnaz), The Rose Tatoo(with Maureen Stapleton), Neil Simon’s California Suite (starring Rosemary Prinz), Timbuktu (starring Eartha Kitt), Shenandoah (starring Howard Keel), Carousel (starring Robert Goulet), West Side Story (with Debbie Allen) and many more!
The ‘70’s also marked the first of a series of renovations, leaving the Theater revamped and renamed as the Miami Beach Theater of the Performing Arts. The tradition of Broadway excellence continued through the 1980’s. The Theater hosted productions of: My Fair Lady (starring Rex Harrison), Sugar Babies (starring Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller) Jerry's Girls (starring Carol Channing and Andrea McArdle), and Cabaret (starring Joel Gray). The Theater also housed fantastic concert presentations: bombshell Raquel Welch, famed pianist Vladimir Horowitz, and songstress Liza Minelli.
Ongoing renovations throughout the 1980’s vastly improved the Theater experience. In 1987, the City of Miami Beach honored the many contributions of Jackie Gleason by renaming the Auditorium to the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts, permanently tipping a gracious hat to "the great one." The Jackie Gleason Theater stormed the 1990’s by introducing internationally renowned performers into its programming. Under new management by SMG, concerts reflected the changing market. The stage hosted salsa sensation Willy Chirino, Latin crooner El Puma, American legend Tony Bennett, acclaimed singer Nana Moskouri, and lauded Latin group the Gipsy Kings. The Gleason established a long-standing relationship with resident artists The Miami City Ballet and hosted breathtaking dance performances by world famous dancers Mikhail Baryshnikov and the Alvin Ailey Dance Company.
The Gleason remained dedicated to high-caliber theatrical performances, featuring award-winning productions of Rent, Phanton of the Opera, and Riverdance. For over fifty years, the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts provided arts lovers with dynamic dance, prestigious Broadway shows, and electric concerts! In the new millennium, the Theater continues its tradition of eclectic, glamorous entertainment, with televised productions of The Billboard Latin Music Awards and MTV's Video Music Awards Latin America, spectacular concerts by Marc Anthony and Elvis Costello, and passionate dance performances by our resident arts company, The Miami City Ballet. |
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