Photo by Henry Perez
Text by Mary Damiano

One of the highlights of the MiamiARTzine.com 3rd anniversary party—and of doing each issue of MiamiARTzine.com—is to feature the people who make the arts tick in a new and exciting way. While we honored several people that night, we’re turning the Hot Shot spotlight on Naked Stage, (co-founders John Manzelli, Katherine Amadeo and Antonio Amadeo are pictured) because they are days away from a double dose of big events, both of which epitomize the reasons they were honored as arts visionaries. First, they’re opening their new show, Nerve, on November 7—you can read all about that in Mary’s Arts Scene in this issue. Second, mere hours after they conclude their opening weekend Sunday matinee, when most people would be resting, these crazy, theatre-mad kids will embark on the second annual 24 Hour Theatre Project, in which plays will be written, cast, rehearsed and performed within 24 hours. (Read Jonathan Wemette’s feature about the 24 Hour Theatre Project in the August 2008 issue of MiamiARTzine.com.) It wasn’t supposed to work out this way. The 24 Hour Theatre Project was originally set for August 25, but was postponed when Sun-Sentinel theatre critic and arts writer Jack Zink passed away and his memorial service was scheduled for the same day. But the show must go on—no matter if it’s a few months later than planned. To quote the presentation at the MiamiARTzine.com 3rd anniversary party, “We honor Naked Stage because they strive to produce work that challenges both the artists and designers and the audience, and because they have fostered the creation of new work with the 24 Hour Theatre Project, their visionary fundraiser, that has brought the theatre community together, raised funds for fledgling companies and put Naked Stage on the map with the coolest theatre event of the year.” That’s visionary thinking indeed. The 24 Hour Theatre Project will be presented Monday, November 10, 8 p.m. at the Miracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. For more info, visit www.nakedstage.org.