The Kravis Center in West Palm Beach

Written by Ron Ives

Located in beautiful West Palm Beach, The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts offers theatre and music lovers an unparalleled opportunity to witness many of today's most popular and talented performers. Since 1992 the Kravis Center has moved steadily forward in its mission to enrich the lives of those who share a love for the arts along with those who would otherwise not have the opportunity to experience the splendor of live theatre and musical performances. The Kravis Center is the final culmination of a community effort that has spanned several decades and countless hurdles due to funding and location issues. Thanks to a generous gift from the center's namesake, the doors were finally opened on November 28 with an opening performance that included The Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, Ella Fitzgerald, Isaac Stern, and Lilly Tomlin.

The Cultural Society at the Kravis

The Cultural Society at The Kravis is open to any individual who considers the arts to be a "vital enhancement to the quality of life" and is designed to increase the enjoyment of presentations through informational discussions with the musical guests and artists. Their mission is to encourage involvement and commitment to The Kravis by bringing together people from all walks of the community to share a common cultural interest and they accomplish this through a number of educational programs. For example, Kravis on the Road is a program that travels to local schools and extends the educational arts to young people in hopes that they may be inspired to learn more about themselves and the world around them. Teachers are even provided with a comprehensive study guide for each performance that is geared toward Florida's standardized FCAT tests.

Facilities at the Kravis

Visitors to The Kravis' three venues can expect to see a full range of performances from Sesame Street Live to The Glenn Miller Orchestra. Dreyfoos Hall is the Center's main performance venue and accommodates nearly 2200 guests. Its acoustic design is praised by audiences and performers alike and modeled by similar performing arts centers around the world. The Gosman Amphitheatre combines 600 fixed seats with room for more than 1000 on the lawn for incredible outdoor musical experiences. The Rinker Playhouse is flexibly designed to host performances that are better presented in smaller venues including cabarets and theatres in the round.

Performances at the Kravis

The 2001-2002 calendar year marks the 10th Anniversary for The Kravis Center. In celebration of this landmark they have played host to notables from across the performance spectrum including Tori Amos, Lou Rawls, David Cassidy, and The Gatlin Brothers. Musical and Dance performances have included Riverdance- The Show, Moscow State Symphony, Footloose- The Musical, and The Boys Choir of Harlem. This impressive facility is sure to please art lovers both young and old throughout their performance calendar.

The Kravis is easily accessible from I-95 in West Palm Beach. It is located less than a mile east of the Okeechobee exit adjacent to the Cityplace complex. Box office hours are Monday though Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free parking is available and valet parking is offered at most events. Handicapped accessible seating is available on a first come first serve basis. For more information call (561) 832-SHOW or 1-800-KRAVIS1.