Miami's Coconut Grove Playhouse has snagged the rights to Neil Simon's current Broadway hit, The Dinner Party, for the 2001-2002 season opener, Oct. 30-Nov. 25, marking the first post-New York licensing of the marriage-and-divorce comedy.

The Broadway staging of The Dinner Party continues at the Music Box Theatre.

Coconut Grove will also present the American premiere of Ray Cooney's internet-related farce, Caught in the Net, a sequel to Run for Your Wife, Dec. 4-23, the theatre announced. Broadway's current Proof and Stones in His Pockets will be seen at Coconut Grove in the upcoming season in their touring versions.

Producing artistic director Arnold Mittelman said a state grant of $500,000 was lost for the upcoming season, forcing him to offer three weeks runs and rely on less risky work.

David Auburn's Pulitzer Prize-winner and Tony Award-winner, Proof plays (Jan. 29-Feb. 24, 2002); Herb Gardner's I'm Not Rappaport starring Judd Hirsch and directed by Daniel Sullivan, in a co-production with Ford's Theatre and Paper Mill Playhouse (Jan. 1-20, 2002); the musical version of Mark Harelik's hit regional play, The Immigrant, is produced in association with Denver Center Theatre Company (March 5 24, 2002); and Marie Jones' two-character Irish play, Stones in His Pockets is directed by Michael Montel. Coconut Grove's intimate Encore Room will offer Art Metrano's Metrano's Accidental Comedy (Nov. 13-Jan. 20, 2002), a one-man show about his life after a fall that broke his neck in five places — and kept him in a wheelchair. Metrano is best known for playing Lt. Mauser in the "Police Academy" movies. Joe Bologna directs. A second Encore Room show will be announced.

For information, call (305) 446-3857.