Dear Friend,

You’re probably very familiar with our slogan, “theatre to think about.” During our compulsory hiatus, that phrase is taking on a different meaning for the staff of PBD as we ponder new and creative ways to bring theatre to you when you can’t come to the theatre.    

One thing we all agree on: there is no substitute for live theatre, for being part of an audience collectively watching and listening to and reacting to actors onstage. We know the day will come when we will again share that glorious communal experience. But we also have to acknowledge that we’re living in an unsettled world right now, a world that has experienced a cosmic shift, and for the foreseeable future we can’t return to business as usual. So we’re trying to meet this new reality head on and make the moment meaningful by exploring ways to expand our vision.
Drama(in the)works, our free, virtual readings of evolving plays, is one example of the kind of outside-the-box thinking we’re talking about. We believe the internet can be a powerful tool during these times, and we’re investigating the feasibility of professionally recording productions for online presentation. And we’re not contemplating this on our own. We’re brainstorming with theatres throughout Florida on a weekly basis, deliberating whether we might join forces in a kind of exchange in which each of our audiences could, for a fee, watch an online performance from any participating company.

We’re also looking into the possibility of producing a summer concert outdoors, where we could maintain social distancing and still have ample room for a substantial audience. 

These ideas – and others – are in the early stages, and there’s a lot to investigate before we can determine whether we can make them happen. We’ll keep you posted. 

Tonight at 7pm, you can participate in the virtual reading of John W. Lowell’s Drawing Fire . Next week’s reading, on May 18, is Charlottesville by Catherine Bush, in which a Civil War reenactor takes a fantastical journey through American race relations. Tickets are free, but must be reserved.   Once again, staff will be on standby a half hour prior to the start of the performances to assist you should you be unable to connect to the reading. You can email boxoffice@palmbeachdramaworks.org or call the box office at 561.514.4042, x2. If you get a recording, leave a message with your phone number and someone will get back to you quickly.   

Remember, if you’re unable to watch the live performance, the play of the week will be available on our YouTube page through Thursday of that same week. youtube.com/palmbeachdramaworks. 

Stay safe.