Page 22 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - January '25

Page 22, Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens
Celebrating 25 Years Of Palm Beach Dramaworks

In May 2024, Palm Beach Dramaworks (PBD) was honored
as Nonprofit of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce of the
Palm Beaches. It was an acknowledgement of the theatre’s
contribution to the community; recognition of the artistry,
commitment, and leadership of its cofounders, Producing
Artistic Director William Hayes and Managing Director Sue
Ellen Beryl; and the perfect prelude to the company’s 25th
anniversary season, which opened on November 1.
It’s been a remarkable journey. PBD launched in December
2000: the company had no backers, no money, and no clear
vision of what the theatre should be. Hayes knew he wanted
to produce work that would challenge and move audiences
and illuminate the human condition, and he believed there
were local audiences hungry for that type of fare. But what Chief Financial and Operating Officer Rudina Toro, Michael Zeff, Rudina Toro, Bill Hayes, Sue Ellen Beryl,
that meant in terms of play selection was unformulated. Beryl Producing Artistic Director William Hayes and Managing Congresswoman Lois Frankel, Mayor Keith James, Rep.
borrowed $10,000 from an employer, and PBD rented an old, Director Sue Ellen Beryl Kelly Skidmore
soon-to-be demolished 200-seat theatre at Palm Beach Atlantic
University, where it produced three shows that first season. local restaurants, shops,
and hotels. The company
also collaborates with area
businesses to promote
special dinner and theatre
packages, contributing to
the tourism industry.
On November 8, with
many local dignitaries in
attendance, PBD held a
ribbon-cutting ceremony
to officially begin the 25th
anniversary celebration, led
by Hayes, Beryl, and Chief
Financial and Operating
Officer Rudina Toro. Mayor
The company spent the next two seasons at a 45-seat theatre Keith James proclaimed
carved out of an 800-square-foot storefront on Clematis Street, November as PBD month
before turning office space into an 84-seat theatre on Banyan in West Palm Beach, and
Boulevard, which became its home for the next eight years. It Congresswoman Lois Celebrating 25 years with longtime PBD artists
was there that PBD’s vision came into sharp focus. They even Frankel – who, as mayor,
gave it a name: Theatre to Think About. was the driving force behind the city’s purchase of the theatre times a week at the theatre, where patrons can watch gifted
More than a catch phrase or a brand, Theatre to Think About for PBD – also delivered remarks. artists in distinguished productions of superb plays. That, in
is a guide to the kind of work PBD has been producing for most The company will celebrate its milestone season again on itself, is reason to rejoice.
of its existence. The company has distinguished itself with a March 15, when it holds its annual gala at the Cohen Pavilion
mixture of classic, contemporary, and world premiere plays at the Kravis Center. But the real celebration takes place eight Photos by Curtis Brown Photography
that take audiences on an entertaining and emotional journey,
stir the imagination, and stimulate discussion and debate. An
important part of that mix are works by the likes of Edward
Albee, Eugène Ionesco, and Jean-Paul Sartre, playwrights
who pushed the envelope. They were risky choices early on
when the theatre was trying to establish itself. But their plays
helped develop PBD’s reputation and grow its audience – to
the point where the company outgrew its theatre.
In 2011 – on 11.11.11 – PBD moved into its state-of-the-art,
218-seat home on Clematis Street, renovating an old theatre
to its specifications. The city of West Palm Beach facilitated
the move to what became the Don & Ann Brown Theatre; the
city purchased the building on PBD’s behalf and leased it to
the company, which agreed to purchase it within five years.
Thanks to generous support from donors, PBD purchased the
venue outright two years earlier than scheduled.
Each season, the award-winning company produces five
shows and offers a wide variety of programs for students at
the theatre and in schools. Committed to fostering the future of
theatre, PBD has become a hub for playwrights in Florida and
around the country to nurture their work through the Perlberg
Festival of New Plays. In 2016, PBD was the recipient of the
Muse Award for Outstanding Arts and Cultural Organization
given by the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. In
2020, the company received the Bill Von Maurer Award
for Theatrical Excellence, a special Carbonell Award given
to the theatre company that “exemplifies excellence for the
totality of its programming: productions, educational outreach,
developmental programs, and audiences served.”
PBD has had a significant financial impact on the downtown
West Palm Beach community as well, as patrons frequent

Rebecca Weiss and Coleen LaCosta