The season opens at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre on Friday evening, October 14 with Amy Herzog’s heartwarming 4000 Miles. That’s followed on December 9 with Reginald Rose’s classic Twelve Angry Men. Next up, beginning February 3, is the world premiere of Carter W. Lewis’s The Science of Leaving Omaha. The fourth production, opening March 31, is Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer Prize-winning August: Osage County. The season concludes with another Pulitzer Prize winner, Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks, opening May 26. 

Following are descriptions, dates, and prices for PBD’s mainstage season and all other programs. 

4000 MILES

By Amy Herzog

Directed by J. Barry Lewis

October 14-30, 2022

At the end of an agonizing cross-country bike trip, 21-year-old Leo shows up unexpectedly at the West Village apartment of his 91-year-old grandmother Vera. Across the generational divide, the physically fragile Vera and the emotionally fragile Leo tentatively and gradually learn to connect in this warm and touching comic drama.

TWELVE ANGRY MEN  

By Reginald Rose

Directed by J. Barry Lewis

December 9-24, 2022

In this timely, timeless, and taut classic, 12 jurors deliberate the fate of a teenager accused of killing his father. Only Juror #8 is uncertain of the young man’s guilt. As he compels the others to carefully examine the evidence, the prejudices and social attitudes of each man are revealed – as are the strengths and flaws of the American justice system. 

THE SCIENCE OF LEAVING OMAHA (World Premiere)

By Carter W. Lewis

Directed by Bruce Linser

February 3-19, 2023

Iris feels trapped in her job at a crematory and wants to get out of Omaha. When Baker breaks into the funeral home to say goodbye to his recently deceased wife, he and Iris spend a humorously unpredictable evening together trying to understand the dismantling of their working-class lives before their pasts, and the police, catch up with them.                                                                        

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

By Tracy Letts

Directed by William Hayes

March 31-April 16, 2023

Meet the Weston family, a clan so embittered and embattled that dysfunctional would be a step up. Violet Weston is the pill-popping matriarch whose weary, alcoholic husband walks out the door one morning, never to return. His disappearance leads to a tumultuous family reunion full of revelations, resentments, and recriminations. A semi-autobiographical, Pulitzer Prize-winning comic drama in which the taunts and stings are both over-the-top and all too real.                                                                         

TOPDOG/UNDERDOG 

By Suzan-Lori Parks

Directed by Be Boyd

May 26-June 11, 2023

This Pulitzer Prize-winning play tells the story of African-American brothers Lincoln and Booth, so named because their father thought it was funny. Spiritually wounded and barely scraping by, the brothers live in Booth’s seedy boarding house room where they alternately support and disparage each other as they look back at their troubled past and look ahead to an uncertain future. A darkly comic trash-talking tale of simmering sibling rivalry.                                                                         

Tickets for all performances are $84, except for opening night of each production ($99) and previews ($64).      

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January 5 – 8, 2023

The Dramaworkshop’s New Year/New Plays Festival, which was offered online for the past two seasons, makes a much-anticipated return to the theatre for the first time since 2020. One of PBD’s most popular initiatives, the festival features readings of five evolving works, providing playwrights with the invaluable opportunity to hear their words performed in front of a live audience, an instrumental step in the development and growth of a play. Audiences not only share in the excitement of bringing new work to life, but have the chance to offer feedback to the playwrights. Plays will be announced at a later date. The festival also includes a Playwrights Forum, free with a ticket to any play.  

The Schedule:

Thursday, January 5

Reading at 7:30pm

Friday, January 6

Reading at 7:30pm

Saturday, January 7

Playwrights Forum at noon*

Reading at 2pm

Reading at 7:30pm

Sunday, January 8

Reading at 2pm

Tickets:

One play -   $20

Two plays - $30

Five plays - $50

*The Playwrights Forum is free with a ticket to any play.    

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Twelve Angry Men, which, in its unique way, puts the American justice system on trial, remains as potent and relevant today as it was when it was introduced as a teleplay in 1954. The subsequent 1957 film is often required viewing for law and business school students. PBD is offering two special events around the play on December 13: a lecture for young professionals about decision making by the FAU College of Business and Attorney Appreciation Night, both of which are open to the public. A third program, a social justice talkback, is planned exclusively for Palm Beach County law academy students. Event sponsors to date are Holland & Knight LLP, United Way of Palm Beach County, and the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council.

Tuesday, December 13, 4pm – 5pm

Young Executive Program: Decision-Making and Group Dynamics

Tickets: $50

December 13

Attorney Appreciation Night

Reception at 6:30pm

Performance at 7:30pm, followed by talkback

Tickets: $150



Proceeds benefit PBD and the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County

For more information, contact Linda Berman, PBD development manager

(561) 514-4042 ext. 106 or lberman@palmbeachdramaworks.org

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DRAMAWISE

A program that takes audiences deeper into each mainstage production, divided into two “acts” and an intermission (also known as lunch at a local restaurant). Act I is an in-depth discussion of the play, while Act II features the cast and artistic team in conversation about the production and the creative process. Each program takes place on the Thursday prior to opening night. Act I runs from 10:00am – 11:30am, intermission (lunch) from 11:45am – 12:45pm, and Act II from 1:00pm – 2:00pm.

The Schedule:

4000 Miles: October 13, 2022

Twelve Angry Men: December 8, 2022

The Science of Leaving Omaha: February 2, 2023

August: Osage County: March 30, 2023

Topdog/Underdog: May 25, 2023

Dramawise Tickets:

Act I, Intermission (lunch included), and Act II:  $75

Act I only: $35

Act II only: $25

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OUTSTAGE@PBD

Special evenings of each mainstage production for the LGBTQ community that include a pre-show reception, the production, and a post-show reception. Each program takes place on a Friday evening, beginning at 7pm.

The Schedule:

4000 Miles: October 21, 2022

Twelve Angry Men: December 16, 2022

The Science of Leaving Omaha: February 10, 2023

August: Osage County: April 7, 2023

Topdog/Underdog: June 2, 2023

TICKETS $104

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Palm Beach Dramaworks is a professional, nonprofit theatre company founded in 2000 and located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach. Each season, the award-winning company produces five mainstage shows and offers a wide variety of programs for students at the theatre, in schools, and online. 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 initiatives including Drama(in the)works and the annual New Year/New Plays Festival. PBD is a member of Theatre Communications Group, Florida Professional Theatres Association, and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. www.palmbeachdramaworks.org

Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday at 8pm (except August: Osage County, which are at 7:30pm), and select Sundays at 7pm. Matinee performances are on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2pm. Post-performance discussions for all shows except August: Osage County follow Wednesday matinee and Sunday evening performances.

The Don & Ann Brown Theatre is located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, at 201 Clematis Street. For ticket information contact the box office at (561) 514-4042, or visit tickets.palmbeachdramaworks.org