Palm Beach loves a comeback, and few are as poignant as the revival of The Royal Poinciana Playhouse—now Glazer Hall—shepherded by Jill Glazer and her husband, Avie. After nearly two decades of passing an elegant, empty theater, the couple turned a shared “someone should” into a six-year mission to save a landmark and give the island a new cultural heartbeat. This season, Jill’s vision pairs intimacy with ambition: world-class dance and opera beside rock, pop, and family spectacles; splashy traditions (hello, Black Tie Mondays) alongside thoughtful flourishes (a Preservation Hall night with New Orleans flavors). We sat down with Jill to talk about the why, the how, and the joy of opening Palm Beach’s doors—again—to the arts.
Founders Jill and Avie Glazer
Why did you embark on this monumental project?
We had been living in Palm Beach for almost 19 years at the time, and every time my husband, Avie, went over the bridge, he would see this empty theater. One day, he finally came home and said, “We should really do something.” We weren’t looking to open a theater, but we loved the history of The Royal Poinciana Playhouse and wished it had been open when we were raising our kids. So, six years ago, we embarked on this journey to do something great for the town and to save a historical landmark. It has been quite a journey! But we are very excited to finally see the fruits of our labor come to fruition and all of our hard work pay off.
How will the programming be different from what is already offered in Palm Beach?
Because this is such an intimate theater, even if we host an artist you may have seen at another venue, it will be a completely different experience. We are also going to do things a little differently by offering special cultural add-ons to many of our shows. For example, when Preservation Hall comes on February 5, we will present a New Orleans-inspired dinner before the show—and maybe even a second line parade throughout the plaza! We will also feature world-renowned dance companies like American Ballet Theatre, which has never performed in Palm Beach before, and incredible opera stars like Renée Fleming on March 30, when we will reintroduce Black Tie Mondays, a tradition The Royal Poinciana Playhouse once hosted regularly.
We’ll also bring in great family shows, such as the Shanghai Acrobats on January 22, and fun rock and pop acts like Corinne Bailey Rae on January 23 and The Marshall Tucker Band on March 7. Musical icons will take the stage as well, including Judy Collins on March 3 and The Beach Boys on March 28. There are so many events we are thrilled to announce, with tickets going on sale to our members this week and to the public next Monday, October 13.
Of your soon-to-be-released scheduled events, which are you personally most excited about?
I am especially excited about Preservation Hall because I have such a strong connection with New Orleans. They are iconic. I am also incredibly excited about American Ballet Theatre—truly the best of the best. Honestly, I can’t pick just one. Even when it’s an artist I’ve never heard of, I listen to them online and instantly become a fan. For example, The Sixties Show, coming February 11, is the greatest 1960s recreation band I have ever heard!
We’ve been told you were very involved in the interior design details of this project. Why did you care so deeply?
This project has always been incredibly important to both Avie and me, so I wanted to be as involved as possible. We wanted to ensure that, while modernizing the building with state-of-the-art equipment, we also paid homage to the original architecture and history of the space. I truly feel that we accomplished that.
How will this impact your already busy travel schedule with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
We have become very good at multitasking! Somehow, we always manage to fit it all in.
Were you inspired by anything you saw during your summer travels?
We were inspired when we returned to Palm Beach and saw how excited people were that we were getting close to opening! I am so amazed and honored that people are truly behind this project. Our donors and supporters have stepped up in such a meaningful way to make it a reality.
If you could host any act at Glazer Hall—living or dead—who would it be?
Elton John. He’s an icon, and we’ve met him and his husband, David. They are wonderful people.
What is your favorite thing to do when you return to Palm Beach?
Get my coffee at Starbucks, walk around the plaza, and say hello to everyone. And now, of course, it’s seeing the progress in the theater.
Members can purchase tickets to eight inaugural shows this week; public on-sale opens Monday, October 13, as Glazer Hall raises the curtain on its star-studded first season. glazerhall.org