Come mid-May, the weather has run off the snowbirds and Miami’s cultural season is winding down, with major institutions like Miami City Ballet, Florida Grand Opera, and New World Symphony all having taken their final bows.

But it’s not over yet! The hot weather also brings us a brief explosion of chamber music, headlined by Miami Chamber Music Society’s annual Mainly Mozart Festival, featuring musicians from some of the world’s best ensembles. Joining the party, Orchestra Miami is launching a new chamber series at downtown’s Trinity Cathedral this month, and Friends of Chamber Music Miami will be presenting its season finale.

Also, this is your last week to catch Moses, Zoetic Stage’s season closer playing at the Arsht Center’s Carnival Studio Theater, and your first to see Gablestage’s production of Eureka Day, a hilarious play about a school parent war that I’ve been looking forward to all year.

Let’s get planning…

Jump to: Music, Theater, Literary Events, Dance, Indie Cinema, or Art Events

To open the 34th annual Mainly Mozart Festival, Miami Chamber Music Society presents award-winning violinist William Hagen, performing alongside festival director and acclaimed pianist, Marina Radiushina. Hagen, who has appeared as a soloist with major ensembles like the Chicago Symphony and the San Francisco Symphony, will be playing a program that runs the gamut from Mozart to 20th century works.

Friday, May 15th, 7:30pm, UM’s Knight Center for Music Innovation, $13-$40

Neighborhood: Coral Gables / UM

Nearby Eats: Vice City Pizza, Daniel’s, Matsuri | Drinks: Fox’s Lounge, Titanic (of course!)

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FINAL WEEK! Zoetic Stage caps off its 2025-26 season with the Southeastern premiere of Moses, a one-man play about faith by award-winning playwright (and “rabbi whisperer”) Michele Lowe. The story follows a man in the Bronx, who, over the course of one night, loses everyone and everything he loves. Filled with grief and remorse, he turns away from God. But God has other plans.

Through May 17th, Carnival Studio Theater at Arsht, $67-$73

Neighborhood: Downtown Arts & Entertainment District

Nearby Eats: ViceVersa, Klaw, Bunbury | Drinks: Casadonna, Kaona Tiki Room

Gablestage closes out their 2025-26 season with a play I’ve been looking forward to all year. Eureka Day, the Tony Award-winning play by Jonathan Spector, is a hilarious send-up of superwoke parent culture that got rave reviews for its Broadway run last year. The action follows the hyper-polite and painfully correct school board of an elite Berkeley, CA private school, trying to keep the peace when a mumps outbreak triggers all-out parent war.

May 15th-June 4th, 7pm evenings, 2pm matinees, Gablestage at the Biltmore, $40-$60

Neighborhood: Coral Gables

Nearby Eats: Zitz Sum, Rò Steakhouse, Zucca | Drinks: Sospiro Wine Bar, Armstrong Jazz House

More Upcoming Theater:

The Subtropic Film Festival is in November (and also in Palm Beach), but they’re hosting a warmup evening of short film screenings, with post-show filmmaker Q&A’s and even a short live play, at O Cinema this month. Entitled May We Feel Our Feelings, the program presents eight short films exploring to the emotional work of filmmaking and creating.

Thursday, May 21st, 9pm, O Cinema South Beach, $12.50

Neighborhood: South Beach

Nearby Eats: Tropezón, The Drexel, Macchialina | Drinks: Swizzle Rum Bar, The Piano Bar at The Betsy

More Indie Cinema:

After an enthusiastic reception last year, Sanctuary of the Arts brings back 4×4, a new evening of four different works by four different local choreographers. With each creator’s vision brought to life by the dancers of the Sanctuary of the Arts Choreographic Ensemble, the audience gets a look into the creative process.

Saturday, May 23rd, 7:30pm, Sanctuary of the Arts, $18

Neighborhood: Coral Gables

Nearby Eats: Salumeria 104, Sra. Martinez, Eating House | Drinks: Sospiro Wine Bar, Books & Books Café

More Upcoming Dance:

I wasn’t sure whether to include this evening at The Bass Museum under Art or Dance. Let’s just say it’s complicated! Commissioner, a grass-roots art-commissioning outfit that connects emerging artists with new collectors, and Pioneer Winter Collective, a dance troupe run by dashing dancer-about-town Pioneer Winter, are co-presenting a free night of exhibit tours at the museum, paired with dance activations and panel discussions. Veronica Pesantes, of Miami Art Hang, will be on hand for that last part. Should be a fun night!

Thursday, May 21st, 6-9pm, The Bass Museum, Free

Neighborhood: Miami Beach

Nearby Eats: Las’ Lap, AVIV, Blue Ribbon Sushi | Drinks: Sweet Liberty, Greystone Bar

More Art Events:

Books & Books welcomes internationally bestselling author Kathryn Stockett, whose debut novel, The Help, took the world by storm in the summer of 2009. (Note to the strivers out there: her manuscript was rejected by over 60 agents, only to go on to sell over 15 million copies and inspire a movie that won Octavia Spencer an Oscar.) She’ll be in conversation with Coral Gables Congregational’s pastor Laurie Hafner, discussing her new novel, The Calamity Club.

Tuesday, May 12th, 7pm, Coral Gables Congregational Church, $40 (incl. two tickets + one book copy)

Neighborhood: Coral Gables

Nearby Eats: Luca Osteria, Zitz Sum, Rò Steakhouse | Drinks: Sospiro Wine Bar, Books & Books Café

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