Playhouse plans concern past artistic director

Arnold Mittelman, who was the Artistic Director of the Coconut Grove Playhouse for 21 years, and part of its demise, according to some, but a hero according to others. He has some questions about the new planned smaller theater. His letter to the Herald is here.

In 2006, Mittelman was accused of using government grant money as collateral which was supposed to be used for Playhouse improvements, to pay himself and the playhouse staff. He supposedly took out a $125,000 loan from Coconut Grove Bank to do this. The board said he did not have approval to do that. The state asked for the return of the $125,000 at the time or the playhouse would risk losing future grant money, right now there is $20 million in the pot, just sitting there waiting to be used.