The Harriet Himmel Gilman Theater

Written by Ron Ives

The Harriet Himmel Gilman Theater is West Palm Beach's latest and most exciting venue. The Harriet, as it is affectionately known, occupies a building that was originally constructed in the 1920's as the First United Methodist Church of West Palm Beach. Thanks to a generous gift from its namesake, The Harriet was completely restored in 1998 by New York developers known as CityPlace Partners. It is unquestionably the centerpiece of West Palm Beach's vibrant CityPlace development. In addition to offering a superb line-up of musical performances, The Harriet also serves as an exciting new option The Fountains at The Harriet

for party, event, and meeting planners throughout the area.

Features of the Harriet in West Palm Beach

The Harriet is an extremely flexible venue. Boasting over 11.000 square feet, The Harriet is fully equipped with staging, lighting, sound, support equipment, and dressing rooms. Retractable seating conveniently allows the venue to accommodate dance, music, and theater productions, as well as concerts, exhibitions, receptions, fashion shows, seminars, community meetings, and special events. One of the area's most highly regarded caterers, Continental Catering, provides food and beverage service that proudly showcases any event held at The Harriet. The Harriet accommodates an impressive 900 guests for reception seating, 550 for banquet seating, 500-575 for performance seating, and 400 for conference seating. This venue is the perfect location for exhibits with a total capacity for 60 10' x 10' pieces.

Performances at the Harriet

During the course of its first season, The Harriet has lived up to its promise to provide its guests with an unforgettable experience. Last year The Harriet hosted The Harriet at City Place

musical performances by Bruce Hornsby, The Drifters, David Sanborn, and Lucy Kaplansky. This year's performers are expected to bring the house down with applause and excitement.

CityPlace and the Harriet

The neighborhood surrounding The Harriet has a special appeal that further enhances any event or performance. CityPlace offers a mix of prominent retailers, exciting restaurants, a 20-screen cinema complex, charming specialty shops, and residential and business accommodations. Visitors to The Harriet are sure to enjoy hours exploring the distinctive charm of CityPlace. Not to be missed are the stunning fountains that highlight The Harriet and serve as the perfect backdrop for enjoying refreshments offered by a number of vendors and shops.

For more information please contact the CityPlace programming department at (561) 366-1000 x 8.