Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts s Volume 30 s Number 3 s Spring 2019 104718_Kravis_Ovations.indd 1 3/22/19 10:58 AM Raymond F. Kravis Center ceo notes in this issue for the Performing Arts As our 27th season at the Kravis Center BOARD OF DIRECTORS 3 Michael J. Bracci nears its final encore, I applaud you for Gospel Gala Chairman your continued support of our mission to John H. Kessler Vice Chair offer world-class performances and arts 4 Kravis On Broadway Laurie S. Silvers education programs with an emphasis on Vice Chair providing something for everyone. Because 8 Jeffrey A. Stoops of your involvement and generosity, the On Your Feet! Opening Night Celebration Treasurer Center is able to serve not only as a leader James W. Harpel Secretary among local arts organizations but also 10 Education Committee Events Penny Bank as an economic catalyst for Palm Beach Sherry S. Barrat County, encouraging tourism throughout 11 Stephen L. Brown the region. I am especially thrilled that our Alan Lebow Award Alexander W. Dreyfoos Kravis 2020: The Future is Now expansion Stuart Frankel Robert L. Fromer project, a $50 million endeavor, is on schedule 12 Lunch & Learn Bradley J. Hurston and receiving excellent support from the Irene Karp community. On our cover this issue, we’ve 13 Norma E. Klorfine featured the glass façade of the Dreyfoos African-American Film Festival Paul N. Leone Mark F. Levy Judith A. Mitchell Hall lobby, which is being expanded by 6,000 Magnifique Winter Intensive Chief Executive Officer David S. Mack square feet. Once completed, the lobby will 14 William A. Meyer accommodate more guests, decrease wait times at the bar and bistro Spotlight on Young Musicians Jane M. Mitchell and include additional restrooms and seating. Bill Peterson 15 Monika E. Preston I also am deeply grateful to our dedicated volunteers, many of whom Professional Development Joseph M. Sanches continue to serve the Kravis Center year after year. Our performances Richard Sloane would not be possible without our volunteer ushers, who deserve a 16 Judith A. Mitchell standing ovation, along with the volunteers who graciously give their Dress Circle Dinner Chief Executive Officer time on our Board of Directors and committees, and as Life Trustees. 17 LIFE TRUSTEES Other volunteer duties include handling hospitality, administrative and Meet & Greet customer service tasks. We applaud this outstanding group, who will be Social Calendar Patricia Cook honored at an invitation-only Volunteer Salute on April 15, in the Center’s Harold F. Corrigan Gimelstob Ballroom in the Cohen Pavilion, as part of National Volunteer 20-21 E. Llwyd Ecclestone Palm Beach Wine Auction George T. Elmore Week. I invite you to support your community and the cultural arts by Herbert Gimelstob becoming a Kravis Center volunteer. White Truffle Dinner Sponsors’ Vintners Dinner Shannon R. Ginn Barbara Evans Golden, Ph.D. Looking ahead, I am delighted to share that next season’s Judy Goodman Kravis On Broadway will be one of the most magnificent in the 22-24 Twelfth Annual Palm Beach Wine Auction J. Ira Harris series’ 12-year history. Hamilton is coming! The fantastic 2019-2020 Marshall Hess lineup also includes Fiddler on the Roof, The Play That Goes Wrong, A 25 John H. Howard Bronx Tale, Miss Saigon, Come From Away and Summer: The Donna Gala Kickoff Reception John E. Jenkins Amin J. Khoury Summer Musical. But the pageantry of Broadway’s most sought-after Sidney A. Kohl touring productions does not stop there. Wicked, the wildly popular 26-29 2019 Gala Garrison duP. Lickle tale of the witches of Oz, will be flying in for our 2020-2021 season, George J. Michel, Jr. providing our audiences with another mesmerizing performance as we Thomas R. Pledger 30 SHOWBusiness Daniel Edward Ponton continue to bring the best of the Great White Way to our community. Corporate Partners Business Speaker Series David B. Robb, Jr. Our 2018-2019 Kravis On Broadway series will come to a close with 31 Founder Member Dinner Carl J. Shapiro the West Palm Beach premiere of the breathtaking Disney’s The Lion 32 Corporate Partners Kathryn C. Vecellio King. Also coming to Dreyfoos Hall next month are the Dance Theatre Helen K. Persson Society Lee Wolf 34 Dress Circle Annual Campaign of Harlem, part of our innovative PEAK Series, on May 8 and the Chick Honor Roll Corea & Béla Fleck Duet, a Grammy Award-winning duo that blends 39 Honor Roll of Donors Linda Bryant Birdsey, piano and banjo, on May 17. For tickets, please visit our official website, 43 Young Friends Director of Marketing & P.R. kravis.org, or call the Box Office at 561.832.7469. Brandon Newman, Marketing Coordinator Cody DeCarlo, Marketing/P.R. Associate/ The Kravis Center offers amazing shows and arts education programs The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Social Marketing thanks to ongoing support from more than 11,000 donors and from not-for-profit corporation and all gifts made to the Center are tax- Ashley Douglass, Marketing Manager deductible to the extent provided by state and federal law. 100% of Coreen Gottschalk, Production Manager generous guests who attend our two fundraisers each season, the Gala Wendy Vogeley, Creative Manager such gifts are retained by the Center to support its operations. Sarah Blake, Marketing Assistant and the Palm Beach Wine Auction. As we plan for the decades ahead, s A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL I invite you to help the Kravis Center continue its mission through Designer: Trish Sceppa (MKMARKETING CREATIVE DIRECTOR) an enduring gift to the Permanently Restricted Endowment Fund. INFORMATION FOR THE RAYMOND F. KRAVIS CENTER Contributing Writers: Loretta Grantham, Endowment donors are honored as members of the Helen K. Persson FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, INC., A FLORIDA BASED Sharon McDaniel, NONPROFIT CORPORATION (REGISTRATION NO. CH3470), Wendy Vogeley, Society and are listed in Kravis Center publications (unless anonymity Slatkow & Husak Public Relations MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER Photo Contributors: Capehart Photography is requested) and invited to Persson Society events. To learn how the SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL FREE 1-800-HELP-FLA Jason Gillman Center can help you meet long-term philanthropic goals, please call our (435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE OR VISITING Lila Photo Jason Nuttle Photographer Development Department at 561.651.4320. THEIR WEB SITE AT WWW.FLORIDACONSUMERHELP.COM Mary Stucchi Photography REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL Jacek Photo Thank you for making the Kravis Center your Center as we set the OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. FEDERAL TAX ID NUMBER: 59-2245054 Please direct inquiries, stage for our 28th season of premier entertainment and community comments and suggestions to engagement. Our highly anticipated 2019-2020 season will be Ovations, Kravis Center Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Ovations Magazine, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. announced in early August, with donors receiving the first opportunity to Volume 30, Number 3 (Spring 2019) is published by West Palm Beach, FL 33401-6399. order season tickets, so please stay in touch by visiting kravis.org. Have a The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Inc., safe and delightful summer, and we will see you next season! s 701 Okeechobee Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL 33401-6399 All rights reserved. 104718_Kravis_Ovations_r3.indd 2 3/29/19 8:32 AM gospel gala A SOUL-STIRRING GOSPEL CELEBRATION! The mood was exuberant on February 1 when Dreyfoos Hall resonated with the uplifting sound of Gospel music. The 27th annual Gospel Gala, We Shall Overcome, A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., featured acclaimed artist, Damien Sneed. Captivating the audience with soulful vocals and recordings of some of Dr. King’s speeches, Sneed, along with his special guests and the Ebony Chorale under the direction of Dr. Orville Lawton, performed a variety of Gospel and Gospel Gala is hosted by the Center’s Community Relations Committee jazz hits. s Front row: Vanessa Young, Damien Sneed, Zenetta Miller 2nd Row: John Howard, Jane Mitchell, Orville Lawton, Sonja Kelly 3rd Row: Allyson Dupree Smith, Cheryl Jones-Pouncey, John Jenkins, Bradley Hurston, Constance Ward Sponsored by Jane M. Mitchell Damien Sneed, John Jenkins, Lee Hooks, Bradley Hurston Orville Lawton Jeffery Bland, Jane Mitchell, Mike Bracci Sonja Henry, Eilleen Jeremie, Norma Thornhill, Maureen Falloon, Lisa Molina Genieve White Bradley Hurston, Jane Mitchell, John Howard, Virginia and Damien Sneed, John Jenkins Ebony Chorale Ulysses Smith Matt and Carole Haley, Bradley Hurston, Damien Sneed, Rebecca and Haywood Rigsby, Marianne and Richard Spagna John Jenkins Ruby Findley KRAVIS.ORG {3} 104718_Kravis_Ovations_r2.indd 3 3/28/19 2:07 PM KOB 2019 Ovations.pdf 1 3/20/19 1:01 PM kravis on broadway KRAVIS ON BROADWAY 2019-2020: A HISTORIC SEASON! The 2019-2020 Kravis On Broadway season got off to an exciting start as we announced the new season on February 7, 2019 during a special event at CityPlace. Guests joined us at our exhibit at the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County’s The Satellite space which featured Kravis On Broadway, past, present and future! While enjoying wine, cheese and crafts, attendees were treated to a sneak peek of the upcoming Kravis On Broadway season featuring Fiddler on the Roof, The Play That Goes Wrong, A Bronx Tale, Hamilton, Miss Saigon, Come From Away and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. s January 28-February 16, 2020 “A REASON FOR CELEBRATION!” –NEW YORK MAGAZINE BASED ON SHOLEM ALEICHEM STORIES BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT OF ARNOLD PERL BOOK BY JOSEPH STEIN MUSIC BY JERRY BOCK LYRICS BY SHELDON HARNICK ORIGINAL NEW YORK STAGE PRODUCTION DIRECTED AND CHOREOGRAPHED BY JEROME ROBBINS ORIGINALLY PRODUCED ON THE NEW YORK STAGE BY HAROLD PRINCE DIRECTED BY BARTLETT SHER CHOREOGRAPHED BY HOFESH SCHECTER INSPIRED BY THE WORK OF JEROME ROBBINS 2018.