Review: Glazer Hall Welcomes Linda Purl
5/2 was a perfect blend of setting, energy, and most of all the MUSIC, as actor/vocalist Linda Purl took the stage of the beautiful new Glazer Hall in Palm Beach
Last night, Saturday May 2, it was a perfect blend of setting, energy, and most of all the MUSIC, as actor/vocalist Linda Purl with music director Tedd Firth took the stage of the beautiful new Glazer Hall in Palm Beach. We were treated to Linda’s remarkable talents—not only as an accomplished actor but also as an exceptional vocalist as she performed in the restored historic Royal Poinciana Playhouse, which opened in 1958 and was then the center of Palm Beach’s theatrical world. It has been brought back to life by Jill & Avie Glazer, with a careful renovation that honors the buildings iconic architecture, and now the renamed Glazer Hall offers an intimate concert space. Additionally, the venue can be transformed into a cabaret-style setting, with a supper club experience, something we especially enjoyed for an evening with Linda Purl.
In the same vein as another beloved actor-singer I idolized who happens to have the same first name (Linda Lavin), I’m always left wondering after a Linda Purl performance, was that just her brilliant acting, or is she really that naturally captivating? Purl is an effortless communicator and a confident vocalist with a venturesome choice of material. She has a jazz sense of time and her connection to the lyric is always the main focus. As renowned pianist and music arranger Tedd Firth related to me, “One of the things I love best about working with Linda is her sense of adventure in how she approaches the material. She’ll often come to me with a well-worn standard or theater song like “Shall We Dance,” or “Blue Moon”, and then play me a snippet of a recording of another piece which has a groove or feel that she wants to overlay on said standard. While this might sound like an unorthodox approach, it’s yielded some fun results and helped me look at these songs in a new way.”
The new venue boasts state of the art acoustics and a true sense of theatrical charm. The evening had all the glamour of the golden age of Manhattan night life as Palm Beach and Glazer Hall welcomed Linda Purl.
About Linda Purl:
Linda has starred in over 45 US made-for-TV movies. TV recurring roles include: Hacks (Kathy Vance), Matlock (Charlene Matlock), Happy Days (Ashley Pfister / Fonzie’s fiancée), The Office (US version, Helene Beesly), The Oath (Gwenn). Homeland (Elizabeth Gaines), The Bold and the Beautiful (Lucy). Current recurring in After Forever as Dr. Evelyn Meyer on Amazon Prime Video. Born in Connecticut, Purl grew up in Japan, becoming the only foreigner to have trained at the Toho Geino Academy. Her studies continued at the Neighborhood Playhouse and Lee Strasberg Institute. She was Co-Founder of the Colorado Festival of World Theatre and Executive Director from 2004-2008. She was Founder of the California International Theatre Festival and served as Artistic Director from 2008- 2014. In 2022 along with her partner Patrick Duffy, she founded Duffy’s Dough. All net proceeds are given to food scarcity programs. Purl and Music Director Tedd Firth currently tour in concert. Their fourth and latest album is This Could Be the Start. Past concert venue appearances include 54 Below, Dizzy’s and Rose Hall at Lincoln Center Jazz, Birdland, Naples Philharmonic, Colorado Springs Symphony, Crazy Coqs (London), Club Raye (Paris) and Satin Doll (Tokyo). Upcoming tours in 2025 include the Delray Beach Playhouse (Florida), Catalina Bar and Grill (Los Angeles) and the Crooners Supper Club (Minneapolis).
About Glazer Hall:
Iconic places are grounded in the history of their communities. They evoke memories of the past while facilitating a continuation of shared values. At the entrance to Palm Beach, on the shores of Lake Worth, GLAZER HALL has reinvigorated the place where the legendary Royal Poinciana Playhouse presented sparkling theatrical performances with renowned actors and world-class productions. During the nineteenth century this was also the location of Henry Flagler’s Royal Poinciana Hotel and the center of Palm Beach’s Gilded Age social life. After the hotel was demolished, the new owners had the foresight to commission renowned twentieth-century architect John L. Volk (1901-1984) to build a new shopping plaza and theater. Granted artistic license by his employers, Volk developed a plan worthy of his expertise. By choosing the Regency Revival style of architecture, Volk anchored his buildings to Palm Beach’s traditional past while building for the future. The Royal Poinciana Plaza was an instant shopping and dining success. The plaza’s companion piece, the Royal Poinciana Playhouse, opened to great applause on February 3, 1958, adding an important theatrical component to the town’s cultural life. From the start, opening nights began on a glamorous red carpet. Season tickets were sold out. The Royal Poinciana Playhouse epitomized quality entertainment and Palm Beach style.One hundred and thirty-one years since Flagler’s hotel opened its doors and sixty-six years since Volk’s Royal Poinciana Playhouse wowed audiences, Jill and Avie Glazer have picked up the baton and have moved this historic site firmly into the twenty-first century. John Volk’s design was landmarked by the Town of Palm Beach in 2008, recognizing its importance to the community and the region. GLAZER HALL is building on this celebrated foundation of Palm Beach history and is open for the season with a new vision for the future and an expanded year-round celebration of the arts.
See photos of the night below.
Visit Linda Purl online at www.lindapurl.com
Find tickets to more upcoming shows at Glazer Hall at glazerhall.org
Linda Purl
Glazer Hall
Glazer Hall
Max von Anhalt, Linda Purl, Sunny Sessa
Max von Anhalt, Sunny Sessa, Linda Purl, Eda Sorokoff, Stephen Sorokoff
Glazer Hall
Glazer Hall
Glazer Hall
Glazer Hall
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