I
knew that Palm Beach Dramaworks was no ordinary theatre house as soon as I
walked in the door of their iconic building (formerly known as The Cuillo Theater) located at the base
of Clematis Street. Geoff cheerfully greeted me from behind the thick box
office window, came out, and offered me a Pellegrino. I like this place already, I thought.
The
purpose of my visit was to interview Gary Cadwallader. Samantha Mighdoll, the
Marketing Manager, introduced me to Gary as we walked to the conference room. I
admired the building’s vintage-modern décor with its trendy playbill posters
and glinting grand piano under the stairs—displaying that this place is a
purveyor of inspiration.
As
Director of Education and Community Engagement, I learned that Gary oversees
several stimulating programs that enlighten both youth and adults in the world
of drama. From what I can see, he’s perfect for the job.
Gary
has been with PBD for about eight months. He was in Orlando for several years
and, before that, in Daytona Beach—a total of 20 years in the industry. PBD is fortunate to have such a wealth of
experience in Gary.
One
of his favorite programs for adults is called Dramawise. This day-long activity (including lunch at a
downtown restaurant) starts with an in-depth discussion about an upcoming
play. A study guide is provided to help
the class delve into the script’s major themes, characters and social
implications. The playwright’s perspectives and background are also explored,
and attendees get to meet sound, lighting and costume design teams to talk
about production details. When participants see the play they previewed in Dramawise,
their enjoyment is multiplied exponentially!
Gary
was busy last season writing grants for several youth programs. He won $100,000 for what is called the One
Humanity Tour. The program is
PBD’s response to recent conflicts between law enforcement and the community.
The One Humanity Tour innovatively presents an age-appropriate play that
tackles issues of character, responsibility, and respect with the intent to
help middle school students positively deal with adults and peers.
Another
award Gary received was for his effective PNC Arts Alive program. This
school-based ethics project focuses on the protection of intellectual property,
and is designed to build respect for copywrited material. Teachers daily
confront classroom plagiarism. With easy
access to internet content, it takes little effort to “borrow” a song or a
story without compensating or crediting its originator.
Palm
Beach Dramaworks conducted high school field trips in February for their
current play, “Collected Stories” (showing Feb 3 through Mar 5th).
Ethics expert, Dr. Christopher Rice, led post-production talks on honesty in
schoolwork and in everyday life.
Mr.
Cadwallader is an actor and director himself, so he is especially excited about
Dramaworkshop—PBD’s talent resource
program. Playwrights are encouraged to submit
new plays for critique and development. The organization finds real gems
through this process, and the winning script is often included in a subsequent
season.
In
addition to these wonderful community courses—plus their regular shows—PBD
offers Dramalogue, a lecture
series hosted by theater professionals that promises lively discussion and
interaction.
When
asked about the personal benefits of the stage experience, here’s what Gary
said:
Since the time of ancient Greece,
authors and philosophers have seen drama as a catharsis for “renewal and
restoration.” While watching a comedy, laughter and joy are great stress
relievers. A good drama boosts
endorphins. When conflict and a happy resolution are experienced (a
well-written comedy also includes deep conflict), the viewer receives a sense
of relief. Therefore, good theatre is not only good for the mind, but also
essential to emotional well-being!
PBD
features the best actors in South Florida such as Elisabeth Dimon, Cliff
Burgess, Dennis Creaghan, and Margery Lowe in their full season of engaging
productions.
Don’t
miss Collected Stories currently
showing through March 3rd and Arcadia
(an intriguing play set in two centuries that searches out the complexities of
art, science and our innate need for community) coming March 31- April 30th.
Palm
Beach-ers don’t have to hop a plane to NYC to get their thespian fix. They have more than enough great theater right here at Palm Beach Dramaworks--the kind of drama we all need more of!
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