Every town needs its own theatre guild, where the visionary artists and organizers can help to push forward the direction of the art form. Theatre guilds serve contemporary needs, but come from a much older tradition, where the labor was held at the same level as any other craftsperson, mason, or builder of another kind. In Palm Beach, the local guild is very active, and continues to help shape the community in rich and far-seeing ways.
It may not be something that tourists will ever even notice. They may certainly come to enjoy the splendid theatre offerings in town, with a number of theaters doing important and exciting work. Their times spent in Palm Beach luxury hotels will more likely be spent discussing a play than the work of the guild, but the guild does indeed help to make all these things possible in the first place.
One of the great strengths of the Palm Beach Theatre Guild has been their sense of restoration and renovation, coupled with a desire to help make the form of theatre flexible enough to continue to evolve. It’s an art form that depends on this flexibility, in order to continue speaking to evolving cultures and evolving concerns.