Parker Playhouse opened in 1967 on land provided by the City of Fort Lauderdale in Holiday Park. Dr. Louis W. Parker, an inventor who contributed to both the television and space industries, funded the project. The almost 1,200-seat, million-dollar theater was designed by influential and prolific Palm Beach County architect John L. Volk, who began working during Florida's 1920s real estate boom and went on to design many impressive residential, civic, and public buildings. Resplendent with marble, red crystal, and elaborately painted ceiling panels, the theater operated continuously for over fifty years and hosted innumerable theatrical and musical events that enriched the city's cultural climate. Parker partnered with producer Zev Buffman to bring legendary performers such as Elizabeth Taylor and Carol Channing to the venue. Extensive renovations funded by fundraising were completed in 2021, including a front addition, partial retention of the original front facade in the newly created lobby, restoration of decorative painted and coffered ceilings in the side lobbies, and refurbishment of the main theater space.