Palm Springs
(Coachella Valley)

HOW TO SUCCEED SUCCEEDS AND HOW! Reams can and have been written about the glories of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. With music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, and book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock & Willie Gilbert, the 1961 musical satire that landed virtually unanimous raves would go on to run…

VA-VA-VOOM TO VICTOR/VICTORIA The story of Victoria who becomes Victor impersonating Victoria has been around for a while.  It started as a 1933 German film.  Then writer/director Blake Edwards (Pink Panther) made a hit movie of it in 1982 starring his wife, Julie Andrews. It featured several songs by Henry Mancini and Leslie Bricusse. It…

TOOT-TOOT-TOOTSIE, HELLO! I was worried about attending a local production of Tootsie. I had seen the national tour and enjoyed it immensely. I worried that I might be so spoiled that I couldn’t enjoy any other production. My worries were unfounded. Desert Theatreworks’ (DTW’s) production of Tootsie was one of the most consistently enjoyable musicals…

At the end of last season, Desert Theatricals warned audiences that, due to renovations at the Rancho Mirage Amphitheatre, they would have to skip the 2025 season. Then, somehow, the construction work got postponed, allowing this delightful theatre company to schedule two musicals before the jackhammers begin. The first, Oliver!, was mostly a delight—like visiting…

If you need proof that Andrew Lloyd Webber was more consistent in creating great musicals before helping turn Broadway into the spectacle-driven British juggernaut of the 1980s, look no further than Jesus Christ Superstar, now playing at CV Rep through March 23. Few musicals have the staying power of this groundbreaking rock opera penned by…

IS IT REALLY HUMAN TO FORGIVE? Dezart Performs’ Grand Concourse—which opened on Friday—is a stunning interpretation of Heidi Schreck’s (What the Constitution Means to Me) introspective, emotionally rich drama about faith, service, and the limits of forgiveness. Set in a Bronx church’s soup kitchen, the play follows Shelley, a nun grappling with a crisis of…

GUARANTEED HAPPINESS AWAITS It was just slightly over a year ago that the newcomer Revolution Stage Company staked its claim as one of The Valley’s top production companies with their presentation of Avenue Q (see Stage and Cinema‘s review) There was a bit of concern when the company announced that it would be restaged for this…

THIS CLASSIC MUSICAL STILL SPARKLES By and large, I don’t understand why people are so eager to return to familiar musicals. We know that Curly and Laurie are going to get hitched and that Annie is going to enjoy a plush life with Daddy Warbucks. For that reason, I have avoided My Fair Lady for…

PERFECT, INDEED: TERRIFIC—AND TIMELY The Bent Theatre, Palm Springs’ queer theatre company now in its third season, continues to prove its significance not only for the LGBTQ+ community but for the greater theatre scene as well. Their current production of Perfect Arrangement —which opened last night—exemplifies this beautifully. Topher Payne’s script is a work of genius….

CHUCK YATES IS A TOUR DE FORCE AS TRUMAN CAPOTE Based on photos and video clips I’ve seen of Truman Capote, Chuck Yates has truly captured the successful-but-troubled author in Desert Ensemble Theatre’s production of Tru, a two-act monologue which proves that the proudly gay author was even more interesting than the characters he created for…

A LUSH, ROMANTIC JOURNEY THROUGH LOVE AND TRANSFORMATION Since Adam Karsten‘s arrival as Artistic Director at CV Rep, the quality and consistency of the theater’s productions have improved exponentially. The current production of The Light in the Piazza, directed by Karsten, takes this progress to the stratosphere. Mollie Vogt-Welch, Daniel Lopez, Logan Graye This 2005…

A TON OF LEGAL FUN If you’re seeking a deep, soul-searching drama that challenges your intellect and reshapes your worldview, Legally Blonde The Musical at Indio’s Desert Theatreworks may not be the ticket. However, if you’re looking for an effervescent evening of laughter, music, and toe-tapping delight, this production promises to be the perfect antidote…

WHAT A PIECE OF WORK IS FAT HAM Dezart Performs solidifies its reputation as one of the premier theater companies in The Valley—and possibly all of Southern California—with its current production of Fat Ham, running through January 26. Given the lack of diversity on Coachella Valley stages, it’s invigorating to see a play featuring a full…

TEEN ANGST HAS NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD The first time I saw Spring Awakening was at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre and I hated it. This chamber musical–so dependent on facial expressions–was awful in that 2,700-seat venue (though I love it for big musicals). The intimate production which opened last night at Palm Springs’ Revolution Stage…

39 STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION Adapted by Patrick Barlow from John Buchan’s novel and Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 film, The 39 Steps is a comedic thriller blending spy drama, physical comedy, and theatrical ingenuity. In the outrageous, hilarious spoof, now playing at CV Rep, Richard Hannay (Matthew Floyed Miller), a dashing Canadian visiting England, meets…

MORIARTY MARVELOUSLY MIMICS MENGERS Virtually every Hollywood star has an agent but one of the only agents who was known by name is Sue Mengers, the Dragon Lady of movie casting in the 60s, 70s and early 80s. She was legendary for the lengths to which she would go to get her actors in major…

YOU’RE NOT JUST IN GOOD COMPANY; THIS IS GREAT COMPANY Mention the name Stephen Sondheim to a musical theatre devotee and first they will bow their head for a moment of reverence, and then assure you that except for Into the Woods and Forum, his works are definitely not to be attempted by community theatres….