Kravis Center For The Performing Arts Announces 26th Annual Season

WEST PALM BEACH, FL – September 25, 2017 – Responding directly to audience requests for “more Broadway, more comedy, more music superstars from Bach to rock,” the 26th annual season of the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts promises a dynamic playbill of award-winning shows, world-class talents and powerful performances that will generate enthusiastic standing ovations from our discerning audience members of every age and demographic.

“Our 2017-2018 season will be particularly exciting,” says Judith Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer. “With such a well-rounded roster of performances, the Kravis Center provides something for everyone and this season once again reflects our ongoing commitment to offer programming that is as broad and diverse as the various communities we serve.”

“The Kravis Center’s Board of Directors, staff and volunteers all continue to be focused on and faithful to our mission, which – in addition to presenting world-class entertainment – also includes offering arts education programs for all-ages, providing a home for local and regional arts organizations to showcase their work, and offering a comfortable, safe and state-of-the-art gathering place for our entire community,” she adds.

“Each season, our challenge is to surpass the already lofty expectations of our audience members, whether they be longtime donors or first time guests,” says Mitchell. “We do so by offering performers and shows that will appeal to audiences of all ages and every entertainment preference, from traditional Broadway to offbeat musical sensations to delightful shows for children.”

“The best of everything, that’s what audiences expect when they come to the Kravis Center, and that is what we will be presenting during our coming season,” promises Lee Bell, Senior Director of Programming at the Kravis Center. “For example, theater fans can expect the best from our popular Kravis On Broadway series, which this season will present such award-winning shows as Rodgers & Hammerstein’s THE KING AND I, THE BOOK OF MORMON, FINDING NEVERLAND, CABARET, THE ILLUSIONISTS Live from Broadway, THE BODYGUARD and SOMETHING ROTTEN.”

“In addition, Kravis Center audiences can revel in numerous memorable performances by international headliners,” he adds. “Classical music lovers will appreciate Cameron Carpenter, Itzhak Perlman, and Yo-Yo Ma, as well as the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra with Zubin Mehta, Conductor; Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Riccardo Muti, Conductor; the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba with Yekwon Sunwoo, 2017 Cliburn Competition Gold Medalist; and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Pinchas Zukerman, Conductor and Violin.

“Pop fans will cheer musical performances by The Beach Boys and Chris Botti, Audra McDonald and Wynton Marsalis, even Paul Anka George Benson, Dudu Fisher and Johnny Mathis; and comedy raconteurs will enjoy side-splitting masters like John Cleese, Howie Mandel, Jackie Mason and the delightful duo of Brad Garrett and Rita Rudner.”

In addition to performances in the 2,195-seat Alexander W. Dreyfoos, Jr. Concert Hall, the Kravis Center will present a diverse array of drama, music and dance in the intimate 300-seat Marshall E. Rinker, Sr. Playhouse, and the flexible 300-seat Helen K. Persson Hall. 

Kravis Center Series

Among the popular Kravis Center series that are returning for the 2017- 2018 season are:

+ Kravis On Broadway

Hosting hit shows since 2008, Kravis On Broadway celebrates its 10th anniversary season with a spectacular line-up! Experience the magic, laughter, romance and exhilarating, take-your-breath-away moments that only Kravis On Broadway performances can provide. Subscriptions start at $216.

+ November 7-12 Rodgers & Hammerstein’s THE KING AND I

+ November 21-26 THE BOOK OF MORMON

+ January 2-7 FINDING NEVERLAND

+ February 6-11 CABARET

+ March 6-11 THE ILLUSIONISTS Live from Broadway

+ April 10-15 THE BODYGUARD

+ May 1-6 SOMETHING ROTTEN

The Kravis Center is pleased to have a service called Live Performance Captioning (or Open Captioning) that allows deaf or hard of hearing audience members to more fully enjoy Kravis On Broadway performances at our venue. Open Captioning occurs for all Saturday performances at 2 pm. Sign language interpreters are provided at all Sunday matinee performances.

Note: Certain Broadway productions contain themes and/or language that may be unsuitable to some audience members. Viewer discretion is advised.

+ PEAK Series

For those seeking an elevated entertainment experience, our PEAK series delivers in a big way. This contemporary series features ground-breaking performances that focus on ethnic diversity and impactful themes. Each PEAK performance seeks to captivate and transport you with moving, enlightening and intriguing artistic experiences that leave an indelible impression. Guests attending performances in the Marshall E. Rinker, Sr. Playhouse will receive a ticket voucher for one complimentary beverage. (Underage guests will be offered a non-alcoholic selection.)

+ November 9-10 Lemon Andersen, When Aliens Fall From The Sky

+ November 12 DakhaBrakha

+ November 17 ETHEL’s Documerica

+ January 19-20 10 Hairy Legs, Celebrating the Artistry of the Male Dancer

+ February 9-10 Contra-Tiempo Urban Latin Dance Theater

+ February 16-17 Urban Bush Women, Hair and Other Stories

+ February 19-20 Yamato, The Drummers of Japan

+ February 23-24 Mike Daisey, The End of Journalism

+ March 1 Kaki King: The Neck is a Bridge to the Body

+ March 9-10 Mountainfilm on Tour

+ March 15 Zakir Hussain, Tabla with Rakesh Chaurasia, Bansuri

+ March 21-22 Lil Buck and Jon Boogz, Love Heals All Wounds

+ April 11-12 Ranky Tanky

+ April 13-14 Che Malambo

+ April 20-21 L.A. Theatre Works Susan Albert Loewenberg, Producing Director, The Mountaintop By Katori Hall

+ June 16 It Gets Better

Choose 6 or more PEAK performances and receive 20% off.

PEAK is made possible by a grant from the MLDauray Arts Initiative in honor of Leonard and Sophie Davis

+ Regional Arts Concert Series 

MUSIC “At Eight” & MUSIC “At Two”

Celebrating 43 years of remarkable music, our 2017-2018 Regional Arts Concert Series features a stellar line-up of the world’s most celebrated performers—from symphony orchestras and classical recitalists to chamber orchestras and soloists. Subscriptions to the series offer substantial savings and prime seats for the entire season.

Call our Box Office at 561.832.7469 for information.

+ November 4 at 8 pm Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

+ November 15 at 2 pm Moscow State Symphony Orchestra

+ December 4 at 2 pm Vadym Kholodenko, Piano

+ December 5 at 8 pm Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

+ January 8 at 8 pm Cameron Carpenter, Organ

+ January 15 at 8 pm & January 16 at 2 pm Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

+ January 29 at 8 pm Estonian National Symphony Orchestra

+ February 14 at 8 pm & February 15 at 2 pm Chicago Symphony Orchestra

+ February 26 at 8 pm Itzhak Perlman, Violin; Pinchas Zukerman, Viola; Rohan De Silva, Piano

+ February 27 at 2 pm Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra

+ March 12 at 8 pm National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba

+ March 26 at 8 pm Academy of St Martin in the Fields Orchestra

+ March 27 at 2 pm Zurich Chamber Orchestra

Regional Arts Concert Series is sponsored by Leonard and Sophie Davis

+ Michael Feinstein Conducts The Kravis Center Pops Orchestra

Multiple Grammy Award nominee and master showman, Michael Feinstein is the undisputed ambassador of the most memorable music of our time. The creator of the Great American Songbook Foundation returns to the Kravis Center for an extraordinary three-concert series that will captivate audiences.

+ January 31 Michael Feinstein: Conducts An Evening of Cole Porter

+ February 28 Michael Feinstein: Performs Sinatra and Friends with The Kravis Center Pops Orchestra Big Band

+ March 13  Michael Feinstein: Conducts First Ladies of Song including Judy, Peggy & Ella with Special 90th Birthday Celebration For and Starring Marilyn Maye

For the 3-concert series on January 31, February 28 and March 13, Premium seating is $420; Orchestra, Grand Tier and Loge is $240; $168 for Mezzanine, $117 for Front Balcony and $78 for Rear Balcony. Beginning November 4, individual tickets, which start at $30, will be available through the Kravis Center Box Office.

+ Beyond The Stage

Designed to enhance the entire experience of visiting the Kravis Center, Beyond the Stage activities complement the main attraction and are free to ticket holders. These activities include:

Beyond the Stage – Pre-concert and performance talks: A talk, offering insights into the music and musicians will precede each Regional Arts concert. For the eighth season, these explorations for the classically curious will be hosted by Sharon McDaniel, Regional Arts Programming Associate, and former music critic for The Palm Beach Post.

These Beyond the Stage talks start at 6:45 pm (for 8 pm concerts and shows) and at 12:45 pm (for 2 pm concerts and matinee performances) in The Picower Foundation Arts Education Center. For select Kravis On Broadway and dance related shows, the Beyond the Stage pre and post-performance talks will be hosted by Steven Caras, the well-known former New York City Ballet dancer and dance photographer, who also co-chairs the Kravis Center’s popular Lunch and Learn series with Lee Wolf.

Beyond the Stage – Musical presentations: Some 8 pm concerts will be preceded by music in the Dreyfoos Hall lobby performed by schools, community groups, or Florida artists 45 minutes before concerts or performances.

Beyond the Stage is sponsored by Nancy and Jay Parker.

+ Adults at Leisure Series

Has Elvis returned? Will the Phantom leave you breathless? Experience all the music, laughter and awe-inspiring moments of our 2017-2018 Adults at Leisure Series! Tickets for the six-show package are $99, a savings of $75 off individual ticket prices. Beginning November 4, individual tickets will be available at $29 each.

+ December 5 Julie Budd Remembering … Mr. Sinatra

+ January 9 One Night in Memphis Presley, Perkins, Lewis and Cash

+ January 29 Chris Mann A Date with the Phantom

+ February 12 Broadway Live!

+ March 12 The Doo Wop Project

+ April 2 We’ve Only Just Begun, Carpenters Remembered

+ Young Artists Series

Share the passion, dedication and enthusiasm of some of the world’s newest classical talent during our Young Artists Series. These young musicians have earned accolades and admiration around the world for their remarkable gifts and will win your heart as they perform in the intimate Rinker Playhouse. The series is offered at $80 for all four performances – a savings of $40 off the individual ticket price. Beginning October 14, remaining individual tickets are available at $30 each.

+ November 14 Lysander Piano Trio

+ January 22 Sirena Huang, Violin

+ March 20 Kenneth Broberg, Piano

+ April 5 David Baskeyfield and Thomas Gaynor, Organ Duo

Young Artists Series sponsored by Harriett M. Eckstein New Art Fund Florida/South Florida Debut performances are made possible through the generous support of The Raymond and Bessie Kravis Foundation

+ Helen K. Persson Hall

From sultry, sentimental favorites to spirited tributes to jazz legends and the best of Broadway icons—Persson Hall will be filled with a diverse array of music to move you this season. Cabaret-style seating in this intimate and versatile space accommodates up to 300 guests and offers a full-service bar and snacks (not included in ticket prices).

+ January 19-20 Bob Merrill: Celebrating The Trumpet Kings

+ February 9-10 Avery Sommers: For Sentimental Reasons The Songs of Love

+ March 2-3 An Evening with Steve Ross

+ March 11 Mancini, Mercer and Manilow! Delores King Williams, Vocalist Howard Breitbart, Musical Director

+ April 13-14 Carole J. Bufford in You Don’t Own Me, The Fearless Females of the 1960s

+ Family Fare

Just perfect for the entire family, the Kravis Center’s Family Fare presentations provide wholesome and culturally relevant presentations to engage and entertain audiences of all ages. We’ve carefully selected and scheduled each performance—ensuring that tickets are affordable and show times are convenient. Enjoy our array of whimsical family entertainment, a wonderful way to expand your child’s interest in the arts!

+ October 12 Shopkins Live! Shop It Up!

+ December 9 Virginia Rep On Tour, Beatrix Potter’s Christmas, The Tailor of Gloucester

+ December 23 A Charlie Brown Christmas Live! On Stage

+ February 3 Childsplay Theatre, Go, Dog. Go!

+ March 10 Mountainfilm on Tour

+ May 5 Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia: Rainbow Fish

Beatrix Potter’s Christmas: The Tailor of Gloucester; Go, Dog. Go!; Rainbow Fish; and the accompanying post-performance experiences are sponsored by The Stiller Family Foundation.

+ ArtSmart

Continuing Arts Education at the Kravis Center 

The Kravis Center’s Continuing Arts Education offerings include Lunch & Learn Events, the African-American Film Festival, the Kravis Film & Literary Club, The Writers’ Academy, and Lectures.

** Lunch & Learn

This popular ArtSmart Continuing Arts Education series is co-chaired by Lee Wolf and Steven Caras. The $95 ticket includes lunch prepared by Catering by The Breakers at the Kravis Center.

+ January 22 Wendy Whelan: Former New York City Ballet Member, Her Rise From Anomaly to Stardom ,A Dancer-to-Dancer Conversation with Steven Caras

+ February 19 Broadway Titans: The Life of a Broadway, Producer, Moderated by Lee Wolf, With Fran Weissler, Roy Furman & Rodger Hess

+ March 19 The Fondas, A Conversation with Lee Wolf and Steven Caras

** African-American Film Festival

This is the 13th season of the Kravis Center’s African-American Film Festival, founded by James Drayton. AnEta Sewell, a speech communications professor and former local newscaster, will deliver an engaging introduction to each film and host a question-and-answer session afterward. Tickets are $10 each or $25 for all three films.

February 5 Sounder

February 12 The Wiz

February 26 To Sir, With Love

** Kravis Film & Literary Club

The Kravis Film & Literary Club features discussions about movies and literary works. Julie Gilbert, Pulitzer Prize-nominated biographer, novelist, playwright and teacher for The Writers’ Academy at the Kravis Center leads the discussion and is accompanied for the second film by Barry Day, editor of The Letters of Noël Coward and other books. Films will be shown in their entirety, and a boxed lunch (included in the $49 ticket price) will be served.

March 15 Julie Gilbert on Robert Redford’s Ordinary People and His Extraordinary Life

April 4 Julie Gilbert and Barry Day on Noël Coward’s Brief Encounter

** Workshop

+ February 23 Performing Your Life: Storytelling Workshop Hosted by Mike Daisey

** Lectures

+ March 1 The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Lecturer: Richard René Silvin

+ March 8 The Life, History and Grand Performances of World Famous Jazz Pianists, Lecturer: Roni Stein-Loreti

+ March 13 Charmed Lives: Up Close and Personal with Fabled People, A Presentation by Pamela Fiori, Moderated by Steven Caras

+ March 26 Loving Lilly: The Legacy and the Lady, Lecturer: Steven Stolman

+ March 29 Capitalists and Communists, America in Russia, Part II 1933 to 1999 – FDR and Stalin to Clinton and Yeltsin, Lecturer: Dr. Stephen R. de Angelis

+ The Writers’ Academy at the Kravis Center

Conducted by novelist, biographer, playwright and teacher Julie Gilbert, The Writers’ Academy encourages, nurtures and develops creative writing skills in most genres of expression.

+ January 2 Kickstart Your Writing Ability

+ January 8-March 19 Writers’ Circle

+ January 9-February 13 Writers’ Launch

+ February 20-March 27 Writers’ Launch II

Casual Dining by the Breakers

Bistro Teatro offers the perfect casual pre-theatre dining experience, serving light fare in the Center’s Mezzanine level lobby during most Dreyfoos Hall performances. For more information, please call 561-651-4444. Open before and during intermission for Dreyfoos Hall performances only.

How to Purchase Tickets:

The Kravis Center will hold its Public Ticket Sale Day for most 2017-2018 season presentations (excluding individual tickets for certain Kravis On Broadway shows, individual performances for Adults at Leisure Series, Young Artists Series and Kravis Center Pops Orchestra) beginning 9 am on October 7 at 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. Guests may order their tickets at the Kravis Center’s official website at kravis.org, by phone at 561-832-7469 or 800-572-8471; in person; or Kravis Center donors have the privilege of ordering tickets in advance of Public Ticket Sale Day. The Kravis Center offers priority seating to donors according to their level of giving and by the date orders are received within each donor level. Membership begins at $100. 

Performance Notes:

+ Premium Seating is available for select performances in Dreyfoos Hall and is as follows: Rows AA - E; Rows F-N Seats 1, 3; 2, 4; 101, 102 and 113, 114.

+ Premium Seating includes complimentary champagne (underage patrons will be offered a complimentary non-alcoholic refreshment) served 45 minutes prior to curtain in the Ellen and Robert M. Jaffe Windsor Room located on the orchestra level of Dreyfoos Hall and a 15 percent discount at the Kravis Center’s Gift Shop in the east end of Dreyfoos Hall Orchestra lobby.

+ All performances take place at the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. Tickets are available at the Kravis Center’s official web site www.kravis.org, by phone at 561-832-7469 or 800-572-8471 or at the Kravis box office.

Ways To Save:

+ Visit the Kravis Center’s official website when purchasing online by visiting www.kravis.org to be sure you pay face value for your ticket, not expensive brokers’ prices.

+ Group Tickets Are Available

Group discounts are available for most Kravis Center presentations. 

+ Student & Educator Rush Ticket Program

By presenting a student or educator ID at the Kravis Center box office one hour prior to select Kravis Center self-initiated presentations, students/educators will receive up to 50% off any section ticket (excluding Premium Seating and Kravis On Broadway presentations) from orchestra to rear balcony, based on availability. Rush Ticket Program sponsored by Suzanne G. Reis Arts Education Fund.