Facts & History
The Jerry Herman Ring Theatre has been offering captivating theatre to the City of Coral Gables and the greater Miami area via the University of Miami's historic theatre company and the producing arm of the Department of Theatre Arts (itself a producer of theatre in Miami since 1936). Created in 1946, "the Ring Theatre" has performed at three different sites - including a circus tent and a round building used to train Allied navigators during World War II.
The name for the Ring Theatre grew out of the company's first in-the-round performance which placed the audience in a ring around the stage. The current building was constructed in 1951. Its unusual circular design and first-of-its-kind, flexible seating arrangement drew national headlines.
In the 1970s, the Ring Theatre permanently changed its seating configuration to three-sided thrust. After a complete renovation of the theatre house in 1996, the Ring Theatre has now returned to total flexibility and offers three different kinds of staging as well as three seating arrangements. The newly remodeled theatre has been renamed for UM alumnus, Jerry Herman. The new stage has been named the Alvin Sherman Family Stage in honor of Mr. Sherman's generous support of our renovation project.
Who is Jerry Herman?
Jerry Herman (July 10, 1931 - December 26, 2019) — was a legendary Tony-Award-Winning Broadway composer and lyricist — and University of Miami alumni (class of '53). His first Broadway score was Milk and Honey in 1961. Many hits soon followed, including Hello, Dolly! (1964) (Tony Award, best musical 1965), Mame (1966), Dear World(1969), Mack and Mabel (1974), The Grand Tour(1979), and La Cage Aux Folles (1984 & 2005). Jerry's Girls, a review of his favorite songs, played on Broadway in 1985. Mr. Herman was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall Of Fame in 1981 & the Theatre Hall Of Fame in 1986. The photo on the right is Mr. Herman himself in front of his namesake theatre, casually known around the U as "the Ring".
Facility Information
In the new 306 seat capacity theatre, the seats are able to be reconfigured into three (3) main seating configurations: thrust seating, arena or in the round seating, and traditional or proscenium seating. In addition to these three main arrangements, the flexible seating risers can be arranged in other unique settings, such as two sided alley seating, or any combination of units. This flexibility gives our students experience performing in any arrangement imaginable.
The facility has also made updates to its sound and lighting systems and its production facilities consist of well-equipped costume, scene and electric shops. The theatre has a fully functioning box office at the entrance which is staffed by students.
