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Miami New Drama will present the world premiere of English Only, a bold new play by acclaimed writer Nicholas Griffin and directed by New York-based director Margot Bordelon.
Running from Jan. 29 to Feb. 22 at the Colony Theatre, this high-stakes drama thrusts audiences into Miami during one of the most volatile moments in its history.
Set in 1980 Miami, English Only unfolds in the turbulent aftermath of the Mariel Boatlift, when more than 125,000 Cuban refugees arrived on South Florida’s shores, reshaping the region overnight and igniting a fierce political battle over identity, language, and belonging.
As tensions mounted, a grassroots movement emerged to make English the county’s sole official language, sparking a heated showdown with activists fighting to preserve Miami-Dade’s bilingual future. The newly formed grassroots group, Citizens of Dade United, led by Emmy Shafer, launched a campaign designed to end the county’s official bilingual policies and remove Spanish from government documents, communications, and civic life.
Standing in opposition was young attorney, Manny Diaz of the Spanish American League Against Discrimination, who recognized that this was not just a symbolic gesture but a direct attempt to reshape political power, civil rights, and the identity of a city transformed by immigration and fear.
English Only is the first theatrical work to dramatize a ballot initiative to remove Spanish as the official language, offering a gripping, human portrait of a city at a crossroads. As Miami reemerges at the forefront of national conversations, the moment feels especially meaningful.
“This is a story about power, fear, and the fight to be heard,” said Nicholas Griffin, journalist, author and playwright, whose work, including Dangerous Days, has long explored the forces that shape Miami.
When Miami New Drama’s artistic director, Michel Hausmann, came to Griffin, he was immediately attracted to the idea.
“The debates at the heart of English Only are not relics of the past. They are the very conversations shaping Miami today,” Hausmann said. “The chance to illuminate a defining moment in Miami’s history, with all its tension and humanity, was impossible to pass up.”
This production continues the Miami History series that Miami New Drama has undertaken in recent years, which brings pivotal moments from our community to the stage, including Elián, Dangerous Days, and Confessions of a Cocaine Cowboy.
The remarkable cast bringing English Only to life on the Colony Theatre stage is led by Andhy Mendez as Manny Diaz. The ensemble also features Rene Granado, Stan Rogers, Carmen Pelaez, Lucy Alvarez, Linda Mugleston, Barbara Simmons, Laura Faye Smith, and Emmy Shafer, along with an outstanding supporting company. Together, this group of actors delivers depth and emotional clarity to Nicholas Griffin’s world premiere, creating performances that feel both intimate and urgently of the moment.
Behind the scenes, a powerhouse creative team guides every detail of the production.
English Only is directed by Margot Bordelon with Karina Batchelor-Gómez serving as assistant director, and written by playwright Nicholas Griffin, with dramaturgy by Jocelyn Clarke. The visual and technical world is shaped by lighting designer Solomon Weisbard alongside Nathalie Sore and Shane Cassidy, sound designer and composer Salomon Lerner, costume designer Beth Goldenberg, wig designer Carol Raskin, projections engineer and mapper Steve Covey, props designer and supervisor Tyler Correa, and scenic designers Justin and Christopher Swader. Casting is by Kelly Gillespie, with production stage management by Amy Rauschwerger and Gunilla Alvarez Muñoz, and overall production management by Sajari Hume.
This collaborative team comes together to create a bold, thoughtful, and resonant theatrical experience worthy of its world premiere, thereby marking a significant addition to
The Colony Theatre’s commitment to presenting new works that illuminate the cultural forces shaping South Florida and the country at large.
The Colony Theatre is located at 1040 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach.
Showtimes are Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets, costing $40-$90, are available through The Colony Theatre box office and website.
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