The Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce recently named Barbara S. Stein, Executive Producing Director of Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, the 2006 Business Woman of the Year in the Corporate Category. The award was created to recognize women in the community who demonstrate excellence in their business of profession, as well as a commitment to serve as a role model to other women. In 1988 Barbara co-founded Actors’ Playhouse Productions, with husband Dr. Lawrence E. Stein, a 501(c)(3) organization, with a $250,000 budget to enhance the cultural vitality and quality of life in the South Dade Community. Now the theatre celebrates its first decade in the Miracle Theatre with a $4 million dollar plus operational budget as one of eight major regional professional state theatres and one of twenty major cultural institutions in Miami-Dade County. Over the decade the organization completed a $7 million restoration and renovation of the historic Wometco showcase movie house into a three-stage state-of-art performing arts center in the heart of Coral Gables. The theatre’s development was the major catalyst for the revitalization of the downtown Gables business district. The role model private/public partnership with the City of Coral Gables was completed on time and debt free. In October 2006, the book The Miracle on the Mile will be unveiled to recognize this achievement and tell the story of how a great community came together to save the historic Miracle Theatre from being sold to discount retail.

Under the stewardship of Barbara Stein, Actors’ Playhouse has grown into an organization with a national reputation producing a six-show Mainstage and 5-show Children’s Theatre season, a Theatre Conservatory, an annual National Children’s Theatre Festival, while also managing the Miracle Theatre for rentals to outside groups. The theatre is regarded as the South Florida musical theatre powerhouse with its seven Carbonell Awards for “Best Production of a Musical,” most recently for its 2005 production of Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida. Over 175,000 individuals among our diverse community, and visitors from all destinations, attend the Miracle Theatre annually. The Miracle Theatre is a destination for quality cultural events greatly adding to the economic success of the community. When Actors’ Playhouse is in production, restaurant business in the area increases 20%, and our partnership programs with local restaurants provides increased business from theatre subscribers all year long. Barbara’s clear focus and vision for the company and of the integrity of the Miracle Theatre, coupled with her sincere ability to attract supporters and donors, is an achievement for which she is proud. Now embarking on a planned giving program to increase the endowment fund, Barbara plans to develop a fiscally sound organization for the future of Actors’ Playhouse, which already runs its organization in the black each year. She works with a team of talented artistic staff and loyal and capable support staff to achieve her goals. In addition she works tirelessly with her husband, a practicing dentist who is Chairman of the Board, and a dedicated Board and Advisory Board. Over the years Barbara has been acknowledged as one of 65 “Florida Women of Achievement” in an annual photographic exhibit for Woman’s History Month which was recently on exhibit in Washington at the Senate Rotunda, named “Marketer of the Year”, by the Dade County Branch of the American Marketing Association, received the Coral Gables Chamber “Diamond Award” for business excellence, the Greater Miami Region of Hadassah’s “Women Who Make The Difference” Award, the American Red Cross “Spectrum Award for Culture”, acknowledged in Miami Today as “One of the 5 Best Fundraisers,” the “Unsung Hero Award,” the Coral Gables Gazette “50 Most Important People in Coral Gables,” and has been acknowledged and featured in many national and regional publications for her leadership and success. In 2004, The Steins received the “Ruth Foreman Award” at the 29th Carbonell Ceremony for their “development of Actors’ Playhouse, saving a historic site, and for nourishing the arts in South Florida.” Barbara’s most important achievement is her two daughters, Elaine Stein of New York General Council of TBWA Worldwide, and Stephanie Stein of Los Angeles, President of Swivel Industries. Barbara is an honorary member of the Coral Gables Rotary Club, Culture Chairman and Trustee Member of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, Trustee member of ChamberSouth, member of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the University of Pennsylvania Alumnae Club serving on its secondary school committee. She is a founding member of Congregation Bet Breira, a Reform Congregation, having served as its President and CEO for two years. For further information call 305-444-9293