World Premiere of 'Provenance' Set for Florida Two-City Run at Palm Beach Dramaworks and Asolo Rep

A significant new play is heading to Florida, and theater professionals up and down the state should be paying attention. Provenance, the world premiere of a drama tracing the century-spanning life of a single painting stolen by the Nazis, is set for a two-city production run beginning at Palm Beach Dramaworks in West Palm Beach in late 2026 before traveling north to Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota in early 2027. The production is currently in casting and pre-production, which means the window to get involved is wide open for the right talent and creative collaborators.

The play itself carries considerable pedigree before a single rehearsal has been called. Provenance was named the winner of the 2025 Jewish Plays Project, a prestigious development initiative that identifies and champions new Jewish-themed theatrical works and shepherds them toward full production. That distinction signals a script that has already survived serious artistic scrutiny. The story moves from Germany in the early 1900s to New Jersey in 2007, weaving intimate character studies into the larger arc of history, specifically the Nazi confiscation of Jewish-owned art and the long, complicated road of restitution and loss that followed. Productions built around this kind of multi-generational, multi-location narrative typically demand a strong ensemble cast, sophisticated set and lighting design, and stage management teams experienced with complex scene transitions and period work. Designers and directors who have worked on similarly ambitious historical dramas will find this material deeply familiar territory.

The co-producing partnership between Palm Beach Dramaworks and Asolo Rep is worth noting for anyone considering pursuing this project. Palm Beach Dramaworks, based in West Palm Beach, has built a well-earned reputation over more than two decades as one of Florida's most serious regional theater companies, consistently producing substantive dramatic work with a focus on text-driven storytelling. Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota is one of the largest professional theaters in the American Southeast, operating out of the Florida State University Center for the Performing Arts and carrying a long history of ambitious world premieres and co-productions with major regional companies across the country. Together, these two institutions represent genuine producing muscle within the Florida regional theater ecosystem. The Jewish Plays Project, headquartered in New York, rounds out the producing team as the originating developmental home for the script, adding a layer of new-play advocacy to the collaboration.

The production schedule is clearly defined and worth mapping carefully. First rehearsal at Palm Beach Dramaworks is set for November 13, 2026, with the production opening December 11, 2026, and running through December 27, 2026, with a possible extension through January 3, 2027. That opening window places the Palm Beach leg squarely in the holiday season, which is typically a strong attendance period for regional theater in South Florida. The Sarasota engagement at Asolo Rep begins with first rehearsal on February 16, 2027, opening February 27, 2027, and closing March 21, 2027. For crew and cast, the gap between the two engagements means a roughly seven-week window between the Palm Beach closing and the Sarasota rehearsal start, though it remains likely that design and production elements will continue to be refined during that period. Actors and stage management should factor that timeline into their availability conversations.

Casting for Provenance is being handled by Murnane Casting, the Florida-based casting firm with deep roots in regional theater throughout the state. Theater professionals, actors, and agents who are not already familiar with Murnane Casting should make that a priority. Given the play's scope — a story spanning a century with characters across multiple countries and generations — the role list is likely to be substantial, and the casting process for a world premiere of this ambition typically begins well in advance of first rehearsal. With the Palm Beach start date more than a year out, submissions and initial conversations are presumably happening now. On the production and design side, both Palm Beach Dramaworks and Asolo Rep maintain their own production infrastructure, but a co-production of this scale will almost certainly require coordination between the two companies' technical departments, particularly around scenic elements that need to travel between venues.

For working theater professionals in Florida and beyond, Provenance represents exactly the kind of project worth tracking closely. A world premiere with strong institutional backing, a competition-validated script, and a two-city run across two of the state's most respected regional houses is not a routine opportunity. ProductionList.com carries the full listing for this production, including production office contacts, the complete key personnel roster, and scheduling details as they are confirmed. Whether you are an actor pursuing an audition, a designer ready to bring your portfolio to the right people, or a stage manager looking for a meaty multi-venue engagement, checking the full listing is the right next move. The casting phase is active now, which means timing matters.

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