WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts has unveiled its 2026-27 season lineup, bringing Broadway blockbusters, legendary musicians, world-renowned orchestras, dance companies, comedy tours and community arts programming to downtown West Palm Beach.
Kravis Center leaders say the new season was designed to connect audiences across generations through shared live experiences at a time when entertainment increasingly competes with streaming services and digital distractions.
“There is something for everybody,” said Phala Murray, senior director of marketing and public relations for the Kravis Center.
The season includes Broadway productions such as:
- “Dirty Dancing”
- “The Sound of Music”
- Alicia Keys’ “Hell’s Kitchen”
- “The Great Gatsby”
- “SIX”
- “Jersey Boys”
- “Oh, Mary!”
- “BOOP! The Musical”
Music fans will also see major performers including:
- Earth, Wind & Fire
- Wynonna Judd
- Buddy Guy
- Paul Anka
- Yo-Yo Ma
- Boston Pops
- Audra McDonald
- GIPSY KINGS Featuring Nicolas Reyes
“Buddy Guy, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, legend, Grammy Award winner,” said Marlon Clarke, director of marketing for the Kravis Center. “And Wynonna Judd, just an icon in her own right.”
The season spans multiple genres including classical music, cabaret, jazz, dance, comedy and immersive cultural performances.
Oscar Quesada, senior director of programming for the Kravis Center, said building a lineup of this scale requires balancing audience expectations with artistic risk-taking.
“It’s why we take risks,” Quesada said. “It’s why we program things that maybe you may not have heard of. We want you to take a chance on.”
Quesada said audience reaction ultimately defines success for the venue.
“When I come to a show and I see people up and dancing, smiling, laughing, they’re just having a good time, I know that my job was done well,” he said.
The Kravis Center also continues expanding community-focused programming beyond traditional concerts and theater productions.
That includes:
- arts education programs
- sensory-friendly performances
- daytime matinees
- a dementia-friendly chorus
- workshops and lifelong learning programs
- the PEAK Series
- family-focused performances
Tracy C. Butler, senior director of education for the Kravis Center, said the organization operates one of the largest arts education programs in South Florida.
“We have one of the largest arts education programs throughout all of South Florida,” Butler said.
The center’s educational programming serves Palm Beach County students through workshops, school outreach and live performances.
“It’s a magical feeling if you’re ever here and you see students coming in this place and looking up and like, ‘Wow, this is so incredible,’” Butler said.
The Kravis Center is also continuing its partnership with New York City’s famous 54 Below cabaret venue through “54 Below at The Rinker,” bringing Broadway performers into a more intimate performance setting in West Palm Beach.
“It’s a cabaret experience,” said Meredyth Davis, director of marketing for the Kravis Center. “You have to experience it to actually really understand the full vibe of what 54 Below is.”
The venue’s PEAK Series also returns with contemporary performances designed to spark conversation and emotional reflection.
“You’re gonna go to the theater, you’re gonna enjoy the show, but on the way home you’ll be thinking about that show and the message that it brings,” Clarke said.
Kravis Center leaders also said audience feedback plays a major role in shaping future seasons and programming decisions.
“We’re actually listening to our audience,” said Georgiana Young, vice president of programming and marketing.
The venue is also warning theatergoers about ticket scams and encouraging audiences to purchase directly through the official Kravis Center website.
“What we always say is just memorize Kravis.org,” Young said.
The Kravis Center recently completed a major sound system upgrade inside Dreyfoos Hall designed to improve the audience experience during concerts and Broadway productions.
The venue is now the first theater in the United States using Meyer Sound’s new Tigris speaker system.
The expanded 2026-27 season reflects continued audience demand for live entertainment experiences across South Florida, where arts organizations continue balancing large touring productions with local community engagement and educational outreach.
Tickets for many newly announced performances go on sale Oct. 9 through the Kravis Center website and box office.
The Kravis Center is also continuing to expand its arts education and community outreach efforts across Palm Beach County. Tracy C. Butler, senior director of education for the Kravis Center, said the organization operates one of the largest arts education programs in South Florida, serving students through live performances, workshops and school outreach programs. Butler said many children experience a professional performing arts venue for the first time through Kravis Center programs.
“It’s a magical feeling if you’re ever here and you see students coming in this place and looking up and like, ‘Wow, this is so incredible,’” Butler said. The center also offers sensory-friendly performances, lifelong learning classes and a dementia-friendly community chorus designed to make the arts more accessible to audiences of all ages and abilities.
FULL SCHEDULE
KRAVIS ON BROADWAY
- Dirty Dancing: The Musical — Oct. 28-Nov. 1
- Monty Python’s Spamalot — Nov. 10-15
- Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical — Dec. 22-27
- The Great Gatsby — Jan. 6-10
- The Sound of Music — Feb. 16-21
- BOOP! The Musical — April 6-11
- Hell’s Kitchen — April 20-25
- Oh, Mary! — May 11-16
CONCERTS & SPECIAL EVENTS
- Earth, Wind & Fire — March 6
- Wynonna Judd — Nov. 9
- Buddy Guy — Oct. 24
- Paul Anka — March 25
- Yo-Yo Ma and Solon Gordon — Jan. 11
- Chris Botti — Feb. 1
- Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour — Dec. 2
- Leslie Odom Jr. Christmas Tour — Dec. 15
- IPSY KINGS Featuring Nicolas Reyes — Feb. 5
- Boston Pops featuring Mandy Gonzalez — Feb. 6
COMEDY
- Killers of Kill Tony — Oct. 3
- Nurse John: Against Medical Advice Tour — Oct. 10
- Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue — Oct. 25
- Bored Teachers: “Is It Friday Yet?” — Feb. 7
DANCE & CULTURAL PERFORMANCES
- Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater — Feb. 13
- MOMIX Botanica — Nov. 18
- Burn the Floor Presents Maks & Peta Live! — April 14
- Tango After Dark — March 20
- Camille A. Brown & Dancers: I AM — March 27
FAMILY & COMMUNITY EVENTS
- Bluey’s Big Play — June 12-13
- Disney’s The Muppet Christmas Carol Live to Film — Dec. 12-13
- Velveteen, A New Musical — Dec. 5
- The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System — Oct. 28
- National Dance Day — Sept. 19
- Kravis Center Block Party — Oct. 17
CLASSICAL CONCERT SERIES
- Chamber Orchestra of Europe — Dec. 7
- Cleveland Orchestra — Jan. 24
- Munich Philharmonic Orchestra — Feb. 14
- London Symphony Orchestra — March 7-8
- Yuja Wang — March 21
- Itzhak Perlman: In the Fiddler’s House — March 16
TICKETS Tickets for many newly announced performances go on sale Oct. 9 at Kravis.org
Kravis Center Box Office: 561-832-7469
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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