| Situated between West Palm Beach and Pompano | | | | of the Southern Theatre Conference, the Florida |
| Beach, Boca Raton is one of South Florida's most | | | | State Theatre Conference and the Palm Beach |
| beautiful towns. Among its past and present | | | | County Council of the Arts, Little Palm Family |
| residents are Iron Maiden drummer, Nicko | | | | Theatre is an altogether smaller affair. Its shows |
| McBrain, and prolific tennis player Andy Roddick. | | | | are performed at Jan McArt's Royal Palm Festival |
| Despite being home to just 20,000 people, its | | | | Dinner Theatre, on Boca Raton's Mizner Boulevard. |
| recent historical and political importance is certainly | | | | Their past productions have included Winnie the |
| notable: it was the site of the first anthrax attack | | | | Pooh musicals, and this is very much |
| in the USA in 2001, and is also a famous liberal | | | | representative of the type of performance art on |
| stronghold, with over 60% of its votes polled for | | | | offer at Little Palm Family Theatre: wholesome, |
| John Kerry in 2004. However, hidden underneath | | | | fun musical performances geared mainly towards |
| all of this is the Little Palm Family Theatre, a | | | | children. This highlights the clear lack of |
| wonderful and widely applauded community | | | | self-consciousness that community theatre |
| theatre which is completely run by volunteers.The | | | | possesses: community theatre is unlikely to use |
| idea underlying the community theatre is a popular | | | | this label for itself, as in their eyes there is no |
| one: all participants are amateurs, however the | | | | difference between their art and a standard |
| players are generally respected as highly as their | | | | theatre group. Yet the importance of community |
| professional thespian counterparts. The heart of | | | | theatre cannot be underestimated, as its value to |
| the ideals enshrined in the tradition of community | | | | society is crucial to building up a rich and vibrant |
| theatre is that it provides a forum for a wide | | | | cultural scene.Certainly, the Little Palm Family |
| array of amateur or aspiring artists to practise | | | | Theatre is an important focal point among many |
| their art in a public space that everyone can | | | | entertainment highlights in Boca Raton. The |
| access. Boca Raton's Little Palm Family Theatre | | | | Bocanuts Comedy Club, decorated with pictures |
| has been heralded for doing exactly that in a small | | | | of the Three Stooges and the Marx Brothers, is |
| Florida town where theatrical opportunities may | | | | popular evening hotspot, and the International |
| be harder to come by than its big cities.That said, | | | | Museum of Cartoon Art is sure to please visitors |
| the theatrical scene surrounding Boca Raton is far | | | | of all ages. Similarly, the Boca Raton Museum of |
| from dead: nearby West Palm Beach is home to | | | | Art attracts over 90,000 people each year, and |
| the Royal Palm Performing Arts Theatre, the first | | | | the Sports Immortals Museum possesses over a |
| of its kind in the county. Established in 1922, this is | | | | million pieces of sports memorabilia. With all these |
| also a not for profit organisation, made up entirely | | | | cultural attractions, as well as the conveniently |
| of volunteers who claim their sole wish is to inject | | | | placed accommodation at the Hilton Suites, Boca |
| culture into the community they serve. While | | | | Raton seems an essential stop off point in any |
| Royal Palm Performing Arts Theatre is a member | | | | tour of Florida. |