Palm Beach Dramaworks

Palm Beach Dramaworks
Company typeRegional theater
Founded2000
Headquarters201 Clematis St.,
Key people
William Hayes
(Producing Artistic Director)
Sue Ellen Beryl
(Managing Director)
WebsiteOfficial 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]
Street view of Palm Beach Dramaworks in West Palm Beach, Florida.

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]

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]
  1. ^ Considine, Allison (10 January 2019). "Bill Hayes and Sue Ellen Beryl, Better Together". American Theatre.
  2. ^ Hirschman, Bill. "Palm Beach Dramaworks On Cusp of Unveiling New Home". Florida Theater On Stage.
  3. ^ a b "DRAMAWORKS SET UP STAGE UNDER NEW LIGHTS". Sun Sentinel. 25 July 2003.
  4. ^ a b Rabinowitz, Chloe. "DANGEROUS INSTRUMENTS World Premiere & More Set for Palm Beach Dramaworks 25th Season". Broadway World.
  5. ^ Sjostrom, Jan (3 August 2011). "Dramaworks relishing move to 'true theater' in former Cuillo Centre". Palm Beach Daily News.
  6. ^ Erstein, Hap (29 October 2011). "Dramaworks prepares for 'wow' at its new Clematis Street space". Palm Beach ArtsPaper.
  7. ^ a b Sjostrom, Jan (21 December 2018). "Palm Beach Dramaworks' new play festival to debut in January". Palm Beach Daily News.
  8. ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe. "Palm Beach Dramaworks Appoints Jenny Connell Davis as Resident Playwright". Broadway World.
  9. ^ Cristi, A.A. "Palm Beach Dramaworks Names Anne Mundell Resident Scenic Designer". Broadway World.
  10. ^ "New digs for Palm Beach Dramaworks". TCPalm. 1 August 2011.
  11. ^ Kleinberg, Eliot (26 February 2015). "Dramaworks to pay off loan; West Palm to use money for Sunset Lounge". The Palm Beach Post.
  12. ^ Teachout, Terry (June 12, 2010). "The Zero Option". The Wall Street Journal.
  13. ^ Sjostrom, Jan (September 3, 2016). "Dramaworks launches education department". Palm Beach Daily News.
  14. ^ Teachout, Terry (January 9, 2009). "Highbrow Fun in the Sunshine State". The Wall Street Journal.
  15. ^ Teachout, Terry (January 8, 2010). "Science Takes the Stage". The Wall Street Journal.
  16. ^ Erstein, Happ (November 20, 2014). "'Freud, Lewis' fascinating as they debate heady issues". The Palm Beach post.
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ Erstein, Hap (November 20, 2014). "Dramaworks presents Albee in balance, at top of his game". The Palm Beach Post.
  19. ^ Cosano, Maritza (April 4, 2023). "August: Osage County—Bracing Portrait of 'Everybody's' Dysfunctional Family". WPB Magazine.
  20. ^ Dolen, Christine (December 11, 2017). "Review: Billy and Me imagines conversations." Baltimore Sun.
  21. ^ "Palm Beach Dramaworks Presents The World Premiere of Joseph McDonough's EDGAR & EMILY". Broadway World. March 26, 2018.
  22. ^ Thomason, John (December 13, 2018). "THEATER REVIEW". Florida Weekly.
  23. ^ ""Ordinary Americans" In Extraordinarily Awful Times". South Florida Theater. December 21, 2019.
  24. ^ Damiano, Mary (December 4, 2021). "Review: Dramaworks' premiere a searing, relevant take on the Anne Frank story". Palm Beach Daily News.
  25. ^ ""The Duration" by Bruce Graham". The Boca Raton Observer. March 6, 2022.
  26. ^ Hirschman, Bill (February 5, 2023). "No Exit: Dramaworks Bows Lewis' Look At Blue Collar Youths' Blocked Dreams". Florida Theater On Stage.
  27. ^ "Dramaworks names resident playwright". Florida Weekly. July 27, 2023.
  28. ^ "Palm Beach Dramaworks announces 2023-24 Season Which Opens October 13". The Boca Raton Tribune. January 25, 2023.
[edit]