Bridging Divides Through Stories: Dan Froot’s “Arms Around America” Takes the Stage in Miami
Real Voices. Real Stories. A Live Radio Drama Inspiring Dialogue on Guns in America.
Miami Dade College’s(MDC) Live Arts Miami and Miami Light Project present “Arms Around America,” a groundbreaking theatrical experience directed by acclaimed performance artist, writer, dancer, composer and musician Dan Froot. Using the tools of theater to spark dialogue about America’s relationship with guns, this innovative production transforms real-life stories into an immersive radio drama, inviting the audience to engage deeply with one of the nation’s most polarizing issues. The Miami performance will take place on Thursday & Friday, Feb. 20 – 21, at MDC North Campus as part of both Live Arts Miami and Miami Light Project’s mission to foster meaningful dialogue through the arts.
“Arms Around America” invites audiences to listen—to the stories of those impacted by guns, and to each other. Created from three years of story-archiving in Miami, Los Angeles and Montana, the show weaves together real experiences into powerful narratives performed live on stage. Each evening ends with a “kitchen table” discussion featuring a diverse panel of community members, offering a space for Miamians to participate in this vital conversation. This performance will also act as a catalyst for students at MDC North Campus to engage around this issue through creative outlets such as Open Mics, songwriting and poetry workshops to share how guns have affected their lives and communities.
“Theater has the power to bring us together in ways statistics cannot,” said Froot, artistic director of Dan Froot & Company. “Through storytelling, we move beyond debate to dialogue, listening to one another’s experiences to better understand the roles guns play in our lives.”
The stories—adapted from oral histories—shine a light on the gray areas of America’s relationship with guns, exploring themes of fear, love, identity and power. As Froot explains, “This isn’t about taking sides. It’s about finding common ground through the transformative act of listening.”
Inspired by the golden age of radio, “Arms Around America” unfolds as a live broadcast, complete with live foley effects, evocative soundscapes, and dynamic performances. The cast features performances by the original cast members, two talented students from the New World School of the Arts, and an original score by Julio Montero.
Froot is also the lead writer and host for the “Arms Around America” podcast and acts as its foley sound effects artist complete with staged performances. As the founder of Dan Froot & Company (DF&Co), he is celebrated for collaborative, community-focused theater-making. His productions bring real-life narratives to the stage, fostering empathy and dialogue. With “Arms Around America,” Froot continues to use theater as a platform for civic engagement, inspiring audiences to listen, reflect, and connect.
These performances are made possible by the generous support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council; the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Funding Arts Network (FAN), Miami Salon Group, the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Theater Project, the National Performance Network (NPN) Artist Engagement Fund, with funding from the Doris Duke Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency).
WHAT: Live Arts Miami and Miami Light Project Present “Arms Around America”
WHEN: Thursday and Friday, Feb. 20 & 21, at 8 p.m.
WHERE: MDC North Campus,Lehman Theater
11380 NW 27th Ave Room 1315, Miami, FL 33167
TICKETS: www.liveartsmiami.org; www.miamilightproject.com
ABOUT LIVE ARTS MIAMI
Celebrating its 35th anniversary, Live Arts Miami is one of the city’s oldest and boldest performing arts series: an action-driven, people-centered platform for powerful performances, impactful community programs, and learning experiences that spark dialogue, raise awareness around pressing issues, and open minds and hearts in all who take part. Its Spring 2025 series is a dynamic lineup of performances exploring the intersection of art, technology, humanity and the planet. The series features performances, discussions and educational programs inviting audiences to reimagine humanity’s role on the planet and within its own community. For more information, please visit www.liveartsmiami.org and follow @liveartsmiami on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
ABOUT MIAMI LIGHT PROJECT
Founded in 1989, Miami Light Project is a not-for-profit cultural organization, which commissions and presents artists from all over the world and throughout Miami. We support the vanguard in contemporary performance – dance, music, theater and multimedia artists who are internationally recognized for risk-taking innovation, technical virtuosity and thought-provoking content. Our programmatic vision has led the way in establishing Miami as an internationally recognized center for art and culture, with a vibrant locally based artistic community. Miami Light Project’s artistic programs focus on issues of relevance to our community within the context of an evolving global field of art and culture. For more information, please visit www.miamilightproject.com and follow @miamilightproject on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
ABOUT DAN FROOT
Dan Froot is an award-winning theater artist, producer, writer, and educator whose work has been showcased across the U.S. and internationally for over four decades. Known for blending storytelling with social justice, Froot creates transformative performances that address pressing societal issues. His accolades include a Bessie Award, a City of Los Angeles Artist Fellowship, and a Foundation for Jewish Culture Playwriting Fellowship. Froot is also a Research Professor in UCLA’s Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance.
Media Inquiries + Interviews, please contact: Marcia Gomez, marcia@blankcanvascomm.com.
MDC Media Contacts: Nikki Whiting, assistant vice president of communications, 305-237-3920, dwhiting@mdc.edu; Sue Arrowsmith, director of media relations, 305-237-3710, sarrowsm@mdc.edu; or Norma Ardila, 305-237-3607, nardila@mdc.edu.
This and other MDC releases are available at news.mdc.edu.
Kylie Rodriguez
Account Executive at Blank Canvas Communications
C: 954-850-0399
