PALM BEACH PLAYHOUSE 1932 Vintage ART DECO THEATER PROGRAM Infamous Gilded Age Heiress ROCKEFELLER McCORMICK Would Look Quite Handsome Framed!
In 1930 Muriel McCormick Hubbard, the infamous daughter of the richest couple in Chicago, heiress to two of Americas' great Gilded Age fortunes opened and operated the Palm Beach Playhouse in a former Royal Palm Way nightclub. A well attended vanity theatre which attracted noted actors, directors and patrons lasted only two seasons, existing programs are basically impossible to find, I can't find another example. The Supporting Members reads like a who's who of America's wealthiest.
PALM BEACH PLAYHOUSE PROGRAM March 15 1932, Presenting Miss Edith Wynne Matthison In "AS YOU LIKE IT" By William Shakespeare, Directed by Charles Rain Kennedy.
Published by the Palm Beach Playhouse, Palm Beach Florida, March 1932. First and only edition, softcover, illustrated blue green wrappers printed in silver and blue ink on the front cover, 9" x 6", side staple bound, 19 pages, includes names of members, editorial, and many advertisements for the local establishments catering to the old money, blue bloods and tycoons who inhabit the island. VERY GOOD Condition: covers have a touch of age toning, front cover has a light vertical crease, rear cover has some neatly penned names, half-dime-size top edge chip and four scrapes in each corner (perhaps from old tape removal), internally a half-dollar-size blue stain/offset on the first page but printing remains legible beneath, neat blue penned markings around the two letter C's on page 19, and some light signs of age, overall a very well preserved Old Palm Beach relic, the silver and blue printing on the front cover remain very bright and attractive, a lovely Deco design that would look great framed.
Muriel McCormick Hubbard (1902-1956) AKA Mrs. Elisha Dyer Hubbard. Daughter of Harold McCormick (International Harvester) granddaughter of John D. Rockefeller (Standard Oil). Actress, participant in séances and spirit communications, spiritual bride, philanthropist, served in the U. S. Women's Army Corps during World War II, art collector. McCormick, received a charter to operate Palm Beach Playhouse Inc. "to encourage a taste for music, literature and the arts through presentation of dramatic or operatic representations" at Palm Beach, Florida. She underwrote the entire enterprise.