2026-27 Season Opening 
Night October 9

World Premieres: Alba

and Provenance

Musical:

 The Light in the Piazza

Absurdist Classic: The Birthday Party

Should Become a Classic: Ben Butler

plus

Limited Special Engagement by

Hershey Felder

West Palm Beach, Fla. (Monday, February 9, 2026) - World premieres. Co-productions. A luminous, thought-provoking musical. An absurdist classic. A contemporary play that should be more widely known. These are the colors of Palm Beach Dramaworks’ 2026-27 season, which features five disparate plays that together provide a microcosm of the company’s mission: a commitment to producing classic, contemporary, and world premiere plays that entertain, enlighten, stimulate discussion, and illuminate our shared humanity. 




It is a mission guided by the spirit of the original regional theatre movement, which was created as an alternative to the artistic restraints and commercial necessities of Broadway; by the desire to bring quality professional theatre to cities throughout the country, nurture local talent, cultivate new audiences, and become integral to the cultural fabric of the community; by the opportunity to explore and experiment and develop new, thought-provoking, and unconventional work, while also showcasing some of the great plays of the past. 

“Bringing in major talent to share their special gifts is another way of expanding our vision,” Hayes continued, “which is one of the reasons we’re so delighted to be presenting internationally renowned artist Hershey Felder for a limited engagement.” Felder, who has been called “a world-class singular artist” by American Theatre magazine, brings his newest and most personal show, The Piano & Me, to PBD on October 30.



Subscription renewals have been mailed, and those interested in becoming a new subscriber should inquire with the box office. Although The Piano & Me will be performed shortly after the closing of Alba, it is not part of PBD’s subscription season. However, subscribers have the opportunity to add the show to their subscription at an exclusive rate. 

2026-27 SEASON

ALBA (World Premiere)

by Alejandro Rodriguez

October 9-25 

Inspired by La Casa de Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca, Alba follows a strong-willed Cuban matriarch trying to hold onto control of her house in the face of myriad encroaching forces, including newfangled technology, impatient debtors, and a young suitor with suspicious motives. Narrated by her grandchild and set in working-class Miami, the play seeks to make sense of the unspoken secrets that led to a tragic family event. Alba was first seen at PBD as part of the 2025 Perlberg Festival of New Plays.  

PROVENANCE (World Premiere)*

by Jennifer Maisel

December 9-25

Co-Production with Asolo Repertory Theatre

The life of a sensual, unusual portrait from its beginnings in early 1900s German society, through its theft by the Nazis and its subsequent travels around the world. Canvas. Pencil. Paint. How can one piece of art tear at the hearts of generations? Provenance was first seen at PBD as part of the 2026 Perlberg Festival of New Plays. *Rights Pending.ng

THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

Book by Craig Lucas

Music and Lyrics by Adam Guettel

February 12-28

Co-Production with Riverside Theatre

In this lyrical, shimmering musical, winner of multiple Tony Awards, Margaret Johnson takes a trip to Italy in the summer of 1953 with her daughter, Clara, a beautiful, childlike young woman. Clara falls in love with Fabrizio, a handsome Florentine who wants to marry her. The protective Margaret, trying to come to terms with her own unhappy marriage, must decide whether to allow her determined, challenged daughter to follow her heart.

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

by Harold Pinter

April 2-18

This classic, absurdist, comedy of menace is set in a ramshackle boarding house run by Meg and Petey. Meg decides to throw a birthday party for their only boarder, Stanley, despite his objections. When two ominous strangers arrive, the celebration is transformed into a nightmare. Linguistically dexterous and full of the playwright’s signature pauses and perplexing dialogue, the play is ambiguous, ambitious, funny, horrifying, and thought-provoking, with an ending that invites more questions.  

BEN BUTLER

By Richard Strand

May 21-June 6

The laughter flows in this historical – make that hysterical – comedy set in 1861 and inspired by an event in the life of colorful and controversial Benjamin Butler, a major general in the Union Army. His principles are tested when three escaped slaves come to him at Fort Monroe, VA, seeking sanctuary. Should he obey the law and send them back, or obey his conscience and perhaps change the course of history?



(All titles subject to change.)

HERSHEY FELDER

SPECIAL LIMITED ENGAGEMENT

October 30-November 22

Known the world over for his theatrical portrayals of great composers and musical storytelling, having premiered his now world-famous play George Gershwin Alone right here in Palm Beach 25 years ago, Hershey Felder brings his most personal work to Palm Beach Dramaworks. The Piano & Me, a new play with music, features Felder playing Felder, as well as the many characters he’s met along the way who made his art possible. He tells the story behind the story of his more than 30 years onstage, and features the music of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, and others. This is the story of the joy, the heartbreak, the elation, the insanity, and above everything else, the music that drives it all.

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 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. PBD is a member of Theatre Communications Group, Florida Professional Theatres Association, and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. In 2024, PBD was honored as Non-Profit of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches.

Evening performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30pm. Matinee performances are Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2pm. Post-performance discussions follow Wednesday and Thursday matinees. There are a few differences in the schedule for Provenance due to the Christmas holiday. Please check palmbeachdramaworks.org for dates.

Subscription packages are available for four or five plays. Most single tickets go on sale in July; tickets for The Light in the Piazza and Hershey Felder will go on sale separately, dates TBA. Individual tickets for all performances are $97, except for opening night of each production ($117) and previews ($77). Student tickets are available for $15 with a valid K-12 or university/college ID, and anyone under 40 pays $40 (no additional fees) with a photo ID. Tickets for educators and active military are half price with proper ID (other restrictions apply). Group rates are also available. Tickets can be purchased through the box office, in person or by phone (561.514.4042 ext 2), and online 24 hours a day at palmbeachdramaworks.org.     

The Don & Ann Brown Theatre is located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, at 201 Clematis Street.   

Click HERE for press materials.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jennifer Sardone-Shiner

Marketing Consultant

(561) 891-7278

jshiner@palmbeachdramaworks.org

palmbeachdramaworks.org