Palm Beach Dramaworks
 | |
| Company type | Regional theater |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2000 |
| Headquarters | 201 Clematis St., |
Key people | William Hayes (Producing Artistic Director) Sue Ellen Beryl (Managing Director) |
| Website | Official website |
Palm Beach Dramaworks is a not-for-profit regional theater located in West Palm Beach, Florida. It has a 218 seat occupancy and produces original plays by playwrights that have included Terry Teachout, Lyle Kessler, Christopher Demos-Brown, and Jenny Connell Davis. It has produced 120 classic shows and concert versions of musicals.
History
[edit]Palm Beach Dramaworks opened in 2000. The vision for the theater was conceived by William Hayes, Sue Ellen Beryl and Nanique Gheridian who wanted to bring a regional theater to West Palm Beach and provide opportunities for more Florida-based talent.[1][2] The theater began within Palm Beach Atlantic University with its performance of Greetings! by playwright Tom Dudzick.[3] In its infancy, it featured plays by playwrights that included Edward Albee and Jean-Paul Sartre.[4]
Palm Beach Dramaworks moved to another location in West Palm Beach in 2003,[3] and held performances in a total of three prior locations before moving to the Cuillo Centre for the Arts in West Palm Beach in 2011.[5] After a capital campaign raising over 4 million dollars, the location went through a $2 million renovation and was named the Don & Ann Brown Theatre.[6]
In 2014, the theater opened the Dramaworkshop, a lab that provides resources and support for playwrights to develop scripts. One production released from Dramaworkshop was Lyle Kessler's House on Fire which premiered at the theater in 2019.[7] It also launched its play festival in 2019 (later named the Perlberg Festival of New Plays) which included four plays out of 300 submissions to the theater.[7] It named Jenny Connell Davis in 2023 as its first resident playwright[8] and also named Anne Mundell as its new Resident Scenic Designer.[9]
As of 2024, Palm Beach Dramaworks has produced 120 classic shows and concert versions of musicals. It has also produced nine world premieres from playwrights that have included Michael McKeever, Christopher Demos-Brown, and Jenny Connell Davis.[4]
Venue
[edit]
Since 2011, Palm Beach Dramaworks has operated on Clematis Street in West Palm Beach with 218 seat capacity.[10] The building is in a historic district and was originally the Florida Theatre which operated as a movie house from 1949 to 1981, thereafter operating as a stage and training theater prior to being purchased by Palm Beach Dramaworks.[11] Called one of the top ten regional theaters in the United States by The Wall Street Journal,[12] Palm Beach
Dramaworks also offers educational programs for students and adults.[13]
Select production history
[edit]Classic plays
[edit]- 2008-09, The Chairs by Eugène Ionesco[14]
- 2009-10, Copenhagen by Michael Frayn[15]
- 2010-11, Freud's Last Session by Mark St. Germain[16]
- 2011-12, All My Sons by Arthur Miller[17]
- 2014-15, A Delicate Balance by Edward Albee[18]
- 2022-23, August: Osage County by Tracy Letts[19]
New commissioned works and world premieres
[edit]- 2017-18, Billy & Me by Terry Teachout[20]
- 2017-18, Edgar & Emily by Joseph McDonough[21]
- 2018-19, House on Fire by Lyle Kessler[22]
- 2019-20, Ordinary Americans by Joseph McDonough[23]
- 2021-22, The People Downstairs by Michael McKeever[24]
- 2021-22, The Duration by Bruce Graham[25]
- 2022-23, The Science of Leaving Omaha by Carter W. Lewis[26]
- 2023-24, The Messenger by Jenny Connell Davis[27]
- 2023-24, The Cancellation of Lauren Fein by Christopher Demos-Brown[28]
References
[edit]- ^ Considine, Allison (10 January 2019). "Bill Hayes and Sue Ellen Beryl, Better Together". American Theatre.
- ^ Hirschman, Bill. "Palm Beach Dramaworks On Cusp of Unveiling New Home". Florida Theater On Stage.
- ^ a b "DRAMAWORKS SET UP STAGE UNDER NEW LIGHTS". Sun Sentinel. 25 July 2003.
- ^ a b Rabinowitz, Chloe. "DANGEROUS INSTRUMENTS World Premiere & More Set for Palm Beach Dramaworks 25th Season". Broadway World.
- ^ Sjostrom, Jan (3 August 2011). "Dramaworks relishing move to 'true theater' in former Cuillo Centre". Palm Beach Daily News.
- ^ Erstein, Hap (29 October 2011). "Dramaworks prepares for 'wow' at its new Clematis Street space". Palm Beach ArtsPaper.
- ^ a b Sjostrom, Jan (21 December 2018). "Palm Beach Dramaworks' new play festival to debut in January". Palm Beach Daily News.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe. "Palm Beach Dramaworks Appoints Jenny Connell Davis as Resident Playwright". Broadway World.
- ^ Cristi, A.A. "Palm Beach Dramaworks Names Anne Mundell Resident Scenic Designer". Broadway World.
- ^ "New digs for Palm Beach Dramaworks". TCPalm. 1 August 2011.
- ^ Kleinberg, Eliot (26 February 2015). "Dramaworks to pay off loan; West Palm to use money for Sunset Lounge". The Palm Beach Post.
- ^ Teachout, Terry (June 12, 2010). "The Zero Option". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Sjostrom, Jan (September 3, 2016). "Dramaworks launches education department". Palm Beach Daily News.
- ^ Teachout, Terry (January 9, 2009). "Highbrow Fun in the Sunshine State". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Teachout, Terry (January 8, 2010). "Science Takes the Stage". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Erstein, Happ (November 20, 2014). "'Freud, Lewis' fascinating as they debate heady issues". The Palm Beach post.
- ^ Thomason, John (November 24, 2011). ""All My Sons" at Palm Beach Dramaworks: An Arthur Miller Classic Retains Its Relevance in a Glittering New Theater". Broward Palm Beach New Times.
- ^ Erstein, Hap (November 20, 2014). "Dramaworks presents Albee in balance, at top of his game". The Palm Beach Post.
- ^ Cosano, Maritza (April 4, 2023). "August: Osage County—Bracing Portrait of 'Everybody's' Dysfunctional Family". WPB Magazine.
- ^ Dolen, Christine (December 11, 2017). "Review: Billy and Me imagines conversations." Baltimore Sun.
- ^ "Palm Beach Dramaworks Presents The World Premiere of Joseph McDonough's EDGAR & EMILY". Broadway World. March 26, 2018.
- ^ Thomason, John (December 13, 2018). "THEATER REVIEW". Florida Weekly.
- ^ ""Ordinary Americans" In Extraordinarily Awful Times". South Florida Theater. December 21, 2019.
- ^ Damiano, Mary (December 4, 2021). "Review: Dramaworks' premiere a searing, relevant take on the Anne Frank story". Palm Beach Daily News.
- ^ ""The Duration" by Bruce Graham". The Boca Raton Observer. March 6, 2022.
- ^ Hirschman, Bill (February 5, 2023). "No Exit: Dramaworks Bows Lewis' Look At Blue Collar Youths' Blocked Dreams". Florida Theater On Stage.
- ^ "Dramaworks names resident playwright". Florida Weekly. July 27, 2023.
- ^ "Palm Beach Dramaworks announces 2023-24 Season Which Opens October 13". The Boca Raton Tribune. January 25, 2023.