Palm Beach Dramaworks to Recieve Muse Award for Outstanding Major Arts & Cultural Organization

Palm Beach Dramaworks is pleased to announce that it has been named the 2016 recipient of the Muse Award for Outstanding Major Arts & Cultural Organization (Budget Over $500,000) by the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. The awards will be presented on Thursday, March 31, at the Kravis Center's Cohen Pavilion.

The Muse Awards honor individual and organizational excellence in art and culture throughout the county. The award for Outstanding Major Arts & Cultural Organization recognizes "a nonprofit cultural organization that has greatly improved the quality of life in Palm Beach County. A major institution has fulfilled its mission while making outstanding achievements in programming, economic impact and/or community outreach."

"We are honored to be recognized by the Cultural Council with this prestigious award," said PBD Managing Director Sue Ellen Beryl. "We take our role as one of the premier arts organizations in South Florida very seriously, and we are equally passionate about our commitment to the community. In addition to maintaining a standard of excellence with each of our productions, we are always working toward developing new programs, reaching new people, and sharing the magic of theatre."

Palm Beach Dramaworks has experienced rapid and sustained growth since it presented its first play on December 22, 2000, with a play titled, rather fittingly,Greetings! Fifteen-plus years later, the company operates year-round in the beautiful, 218-seat Don & Ann Brown Theatre, which it owns. Five plays are presented between October and June on the main stage, and many performances sell out. Students are invited to special free matinee performances, and for a majority of these youngsters, it's their first time experiencing live theatre. Other programs include Dramalogue, a series that explores all aspects of theatre, in conversations with or about the industry's top professionals and master artists; The Dramaworkshop, a lab for developing new plays; Knowledge & Nibbles, a luncheon at a local restaurant followed by an intimate talk with the director, actors, and designer of the company's current productions; and talk backs following select performances. There is also special programming in the summer.

"Our vision is to enhance the quality of life through the transformative power of live theatre," said Hayes. "So we are always considering new programs and new ideas to attract a wider and diverse audience. We have come a long way since we first opened our doors, but we believe there is a lot more work to be done."

Palm Beach Dramaworks is a non-profit, professional theatre and is a member of the Theatre Communications Group, the South Florida Theatre League, Florida Professional Theatres Association, and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County.