Current Shows

Blind Date: Last year the New Theatre scored an incredible coup when it commissioned Nilo Cruz's surprise Pulitzer winner Anna in the Tropics. This year lightning may have struck a second time as the New Theatre has delivered another masterpiece of a play. Mario Diament's stunning, brilliant world premiere tracks five seemingly unconnected people in Buenos Aires. Their series of conversations reveals a tapestry of love lost and found, romantic obsession, quantum physics, and wry humor that pops up at the most unexpected moments. The production features a top-flight acting ensemble that rises to the challenge of Diament's tour de force. -- RM Through April 4. New Theatre, 4120 Laguna St., Coral Gables. 305-443-5909.

Fiddler on the Roof: Reviewed in this issue. Through April 11. Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables. 305-444-9293.

Greater Tuna: Reviewed in this issue. Through April 4. American Heritage Center for the Arts, 12200 W. Broward Blvd., Bldg. #3000, Plantation. 954-577-8243.

Halpern & Johnson: Lionel Goldstein has adapted his original teleplay, Mr. Halpern & Mr. Johnson, for the stage -- with disappointing results. The story portrays two men brought together by the death of Florence, a woman central to both their lives. Unfortunately it falls short of its potential to examine the relationships between married men and women. Hal Linden's performance is part of the problem. Fraught with affected gesticulation and inconsistent dialect, his Halpern comes off as a caricatured sourpuss next to the sincerity of Brian Murray's Johnson. How could Florence have married such a grump? Without sympathy for Halpern, the story becomes a tale of unrequited love, not the compelling love triangle that was intended. -- CR Through April 4. Coconut Grove Playhouse, 3500 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove. 305-442-4000.

I Take Your Hand in Mine: Reviewed in this issue. Through April 18. EDGE Theatre, 3627 NE First Ct. 305-531-6083.

Permanent Collection: Thomas Gibbons's Permanent Collection is a must-see examination of race, art, and the media. The play centers on a series of dialogues primarily between Sterling North, an African-American outsider who takes over a prestigious arts foundation, and Paul Barrow, the foundation's long-time director of education. Thanks to Gibbons's deftly constructed text and these highly charged performances, as we watch North and Barrow spar their way through accusations of racism and reverse racism, we really don't know what's going to happen next. -- ML Through April 25. Florida Stage, Plaza Del Mar, 262 S. Ocean Boulevard, Manalapan. 561-585-3433 or 800-541-3837.