A $1 million gift given anonymously to Palm Beach County's oldest playhouse will help keep it the least expensive for patrons in the county while giving it resources to fix major parts of its 103-year-old building, its director said.
The Lake Worth Playhouse received the donation in July, Executive Director Shoshana Davidowitz said. It will be a big financial safety net for the 10,000-plus square-foot theater at 713 Lake Ave. downtown as it looks to repair its aging roof and replace about a dozen air-conditioning units, some at $18,000 a pop, she said.
The anonymous donor lives in Palm Beach County, Davidowitz said, but she will keep their identity secret to protect them from other organizations asking the person for gifts, she said.
The $1 million
is meant for an endowment fund. It will be invested in stable accounts such as an S&P 500 index fund, Davidowitz said. Either interest or dividends would be used to pay for repairs or unexpected expenses, she said.
On top of that, the endowment will help the playhouse keep prices for their Broadway-style productions lower than other theaters across the county, Davidowitz said. "Could I make a ton of money raising my ticket prices? Yes, but that’s not the point," she said.
The nonprofit playhouse is charging $44 for main-stage shows during its 2026-27 season. Prices start at $45 at the Delray Beach Playhouse, $70 at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre and nearly $80 at Palm Beach Dramaworks in downtown West Palm Beach. Tickets for plays this season at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach start above $50.
The Lake Worth Playhouse netted just over $1 million in the 12 months ending June 30, Davidowitz said, up from $900,000 in its 2025 fiscal year.
The endowment "gives the community confidence in what we do," Davidowitz said. "When you see somebody has donated that kind of money … it does make you think, 'Oh, well if they think its worth it, maybe I should take a look.' "
The playhouse also received more than $12,000 following its announcement of the $1 million endowment Aug. 4.
More information about the Lake Worth Playhouse's upcoming plays and other events can be found on its website, LakeWorthPlayhouse.org.
Email news tips and ideas to Chris Persaud at cpersaud@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Lake Worth Playhouse has big plans for $1M gift. Here's what's in store
