What Our Friends in Our Audiences Say

The Board likes the idea of the presentation of plays by the reading of actors and the providing of a setting for discussion. This more informal arena should foster interest and participation. And knowing the quality of your work and Kimberly’s, it will be well done by the book!
Ruth S. Admire, The William J. and Tina Rosenberg Foundation

Congratulations on the launch of the new venture. We wish you all we could wish ourselves.
Sid and Sally Levin

Rafael...just got home from the show and saw your email...HOW FABULOUS...looking forward to hearing all about this - what a GREAT IDEA!!! and the quote of Emily's at the bottom of the page is one of my favorite of all time...talk to you soon...want to see how Kimberly's concert went as well but how great that you are starting out with this American classic, and again, one of my all time favorite plays...hope you are feeling well!!! My mom arrives tomorrow for the final weekend of my show, and my brother Tim from Ann Arbor where we grew up, about 4 hour drive away, comes for the weekend with his wife...again- WHAT A GREAT IDEA!!!!!- I CAN JUST SEE THE SCENE WITH SNAPPING OF THE BEANS...LOVE TO U...BRIDGET

Delighted that the theater world has bot lost you!
Jeff Levis

What a fantastic idea. Keep me posted. I would love to be involved in upcoming projects. Looking forward to seeing you both very soon.
Nick

What a splendid idea! You are reinventing yourselves, and with an absolutely tremendous project!

It's funny you are doing that, as we are as well; using classics, with too large casts, as fundraisers for theater! Mixing celebs with fine actors in area to read classics in various donors homes for a fee! Splendid idea. We must be reading minds of one another via esp!

ALL GREAT SUCCESS WITH THIS! I AM SURE YOU WILL BE HUGELY SUCCESSFUL WITH YOUR NAME, REP AND THIS IDEA! ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN. LOVELY, LOVELY, LOVELY! AB/OX

This is fantastic! Perhaps the Community Arts Program can in some way be involved? I would be happy to spread the word through our mailing list as a recommended event of the CGCC Community Arts Program. Please let me know what I can do.
Best,
Mark

Thank you!! We will be there!!!!!!!!!!!!
Leonard

Hi Rafael and Kimberly!!

How exciting for you!!! I am so happy to hear you are doing this!! I will be flying in and out of town and will DEFINITELY come and support whenever I am down here!
Annemaria

Me encanta la idea y el título que has escogido para nombrarla. Cuenta conmigo. Siempre, Teresa

Rafael and Kimberly,

Glorious news! Doug and I are eager for your re-entry. Do ensure that we are on all your e-mail lists.
And thanks, dear Rhea, for forwarding along Rafi's news...
Hugs
Marzi Kaplan

I am so happy to hear about this...Major congratulations. I will show up soon, not the first one but soon!
ds

I truly was startled and THRILLED that someone is going to pay attention to the classics. A reminder of what came before and why the theatre seems so stagnant to many of us today. A time when we were simply shocked by great writing, not vulgar language and inhumanity which has caused us to simply become desensitized again. So Rafael, I challenge you and Kimberly to wake us up to what we once had and could have in the future! But I hope that you do some forgotten plays after you get started. Really, I often wonder about those plays from the 50s and 60s that got nominated for Tony Awards let's say, but were never heard from again. What was the reason that someone liked them so much...They maybe didn't run long, but why? And why not do Beckett or Ionesco or others that seem to have fallen out of favor...Bravo to you!
Jeff Haller

Rafael:

Let's see about getting something in the "Romulus" program for this project. Sounds like something parents need to know about for young adults etc...Great idea. Well done!
Phillip

Great project. Very exciting. Congratulations. We'll be there I hope.
Jim and Pat

What a terrific idea! Congratulations to you both.
I'd love to be part of it, even if only as an audience member. Please keep me in mind to be one of your readers and keep me posted on future readings.
I'll be working out of town (Fort Myers) on the date of your inaugural reading on April 2nd, but I hope it goes very well...
Break a leg!
John F.

Rafi...This sounds wonderful, and if I can wrap one of my work trips around the date, I would love to join you. Dianne xo

Dearest Rafi,

This is wonderful, wonderful news. I am thrilled for you and excited by this worthy, necessary venture. Rebecca and I are expecting a daughter in June. I am off to the Middle East for two weeks shortly, to see The Overwhelming done in Hebrew at the Hambima (their National Theatre) in Tel Aviv and then to travel to Cairo and parts beyond as I research my new play. I send you love and friendship. As Tennessee Williams used to sign off
En avant!
JTR

Rafael,

I am very happy with your new project that signifies a lot for So. Florida theatre. Congratulations,
Norma Niurka

Dear Kimberly and Rafael,

HOW EXCITING!!! I can't tell you how happy I am to get this news - and what a great cast you have for the first play! I will definitely be there. I will go on your website to check, because I want to be sure not to miss it.
Affectionately,
Celita

This sounds great! Wish you were closer!
Good luck with getting it going! What a beautiful place for it!
Joey

Yuppee! Rafa is back "on the road"! CONGRATULATIONS and we are very happy for you and looking forward to the first performance on Sun Apr 27. We are excited!
Peter and Sylvie

Well, wow, this is news. Why haven't I heard about this before?
K.D

Dear Rafael and Kimberly,

This is a WONDERFUL idea. You can count on GableStage for support. If you'd like me to include something about this in our next Playbill-please send me the info for both half-page and full-page. I need it emailed it to me by next Tuesday, Feb. 19.
Much love,
Joe

Rafael,

I continue to be in awe of your enterprising ways, your artistic fortitude and stamina. I'm looking forward to attending the first presentation of Theater-by-the-book...
Alan

Welcome back to the fray! You've been sorely missed!
Congratulations and best wishes to you both.

Linda Bernhard

Rafael de Acha stepped down as Artistic Director of New Theatre just about two years ago. He had taken the small company to great heights of success, including commissioning Nilo Cruz to write Anna in the Tropics, which premiered at their small theater in Coral Gables. The play went on to win the Pulitzer Prize, the first time a play has done that without a New York production. Since then, the play has not only been produced on Broadway, but in numerous regional theaters across the country.

De Acha and his wife, actor Kimberly Daniel, have had a tumultuous two years, but are stepping back into the theatre scene with a new project, Theater By The Book. It's a series of play readings to be staged at Coral Gables Congregational Church. It looks like he'll be calling on a lot of the talent he's directed in years past, and that bodes well for us all. The program will consist of classic, large-cast plays; the ones no one can afford to produce as fully staged productions.

I'm very excited about Theater By The Book; it will fill a large gap in the local theater scene. I'm also excited to discover that Rafael has a blog; he's one of theatre's most astute scholars, and it's great to discover that he's sharing it with us. Kudos, Rafi.
And call me if you need another voice.

Christopher Jahn

Dear Rafael,

Great to hear from you! Yes, I did see your email and I think it's an excellent move: back to the text, back to your roots, back to the very foundation of theater. Very European of you, audacieux et intello! It goes bravely against the prevailing current -- just what one would expect of you. I wish you and Kimberly great success.

I would be delighted to send you a copy of my version of LORENZACCIO. I am honored that you asked. Let me have your home address; I seem only to have the theater address in my book.

Tu feras de ce nouveau projet un grand succes, j'en suis certain!

Chaleureusement, comme toujours,

John Strand

We admire your spunk as well as your expertise. ------ Break a leg !!!

Love Ted and Jerry

Congrats!!! I can't wait to see some of the work. If you need anything - don't hesitate to ask.

-- Richard Jay Simon

Dear Rafael,

A couple of months ago, in the shower no less, I thought 'whatever ever happened to Rafael and Kimberly? Traveling again? Writing that book? Just taking it easy? I must write them'... and of course I never did.

And now I've just discovered your web page. Congratulations. I'm delighted to see you're still in the theatre. As I said above, I should have known better...you would never have just gone away.

All the best to you both,

Roger

Theater by the Book's 2008 programming is generously supported
by the Audrey Love Charitable Foundation.