BWW Preview: Desert Rose Playhouse, with Ten Desert Star Nominations, Discusses its Upcoming Season

Desert Rose Playhouse, the Coachella Valley's 501(c)(3) LGBT-oriented theatre, has received ten nominations for the Desert Theatre League's 2016 Desert Star awards, for three different shows: the drama, ANGELS IN AMERICA, PART ONE, and the comedies, c*ckand LOOT. Jim Strait and Paul Taylor, the spouses who serve as the company's artistic director and managing director, respectively, sat down with Broadway World to discuss the company's successes and its upcoming season.

Every year, Desert Rose presents what it calls a "gay heritage" production - a play that made a significant difference in the evolution of how theatre has portrayed gay people and issues of interest to gay people. Although Mr. Strait tries to "find things that [are] fun," the gay heritage productions often leave the audience members laughing through their tears, including Desert Rose's last two gay heritage plays, ANGELS IN AMERICA, PART ONE and LOVE, VALOUR, AND COMPASSION. Mr. Strait believes that, this season, the somber mood of the country militates in favor of light-hearted plays; he says that some of the company's offerings are "bordering on silly this year," to give people an escape from the almost unrelenting bad news on CNN and in the newspapers. Consequently, Desert Rose has chosen Charles Busch's hilarious double play, VAMPIRE LESBIANS OF SODOM and COMA, as its gay heritage production.

Having reviewed Desert Rose's productions for almost two years, I am familiar with some of the screwball musicals and comedies that the company has presented, among them the hilarious SCROOGE IN ROUGE (definitely not your parents' CHRISTMAS CAROL) and the biting spoof, THE DIVINE SISTER (in which Mr. Strait played a nun, sans his usual beard). Mr. Strait, while agreeing that the shows are zany, believes that they are nonetheless quality theatre. (I happen to agree with his view that a goofball show can be high quality; I look for literate puns and pointed zingers, which are abundant in Desert Rose's off-the-wall comedies).

I asked Mr. Strait if plays likely to appeal to lesbian audience members are scarce; the VAMPIRE LESBIANS/COMA double bill is the first production in the last two years that appears to be oriented as much to females as to males. He answered that lesbian-oriented scripts are available, but he and Mr. Taylor usually choose plays aimed at gay men because these tend to generate higher attendance figures.

While Desert Rose emphasizes its roots as a community theatre oriented towards LGBT works, part of its mission is to present what Mr. Strait calls "literate, good shows." Desert Rose advertises in mainstream places, and Mr. Strait and Mr. Taylor regularly appear on Joey English's radio show, which showcases Coachella Valley entertainment. Mr. Taylor added that Desert Rose "creates a program where we can attract [straight] theatregoers;" the company wants to broaden its audience base to those of any orientation who enjoy top-notch theatre in general.

Mr. Strait and Mr. Taylor received a letter this season that demonstrates that Desert Rose's attempts to reach out to the straight theatregoing population are bearing fruit. An apparently conservative Christian minister who, with his wife, attended JUNK, wrote what Mr. Taylor called the "nicest letter," conveying how the show had moved him. The writer felt a kinship with the older character in JUNK, who reminisced about getting dressed up as a child to attend THE SOUND OF MUSIC at a reserved seat movie theater - the same memory that the letter writer had from his own childhood. The gentleman wrote, "I learned some more about love from my experience that night," and indicated that he would like to attend other Desert Rose productions the next time he is in town. Mr. Taylor said the letter "validated" his aim to educate straight people about gay life.

The 2016-17 season consists of:

POZ, a stylish new comedy by Michael Aman, September 30 - October 23, 2016.
The story of Edison, a young man with leukemia who can't afford treatment and Robert, an older HIV+ man. Toss in an aging stage star, an eccentric medium, an old-school queen, a ghost, and you get a thought-provoking, unconventional love story. It's funny, it's tender, and it rings with truth.

THE SANTALAND DIARIES, by David Sedaris and Joe Mantello, November 18 - December 18, 2016.
Based on the true chronicles of humorist David Sedaris' experience as Crumpet the Elf in Macy's Santaland display, this Christmas classic riffs on a few of Sedaris' truly odd encounters during the height of the holiday crunch. A very funny and very real glimpse into the workaday world of Santa's helpers! Not for children.

Desert Rose's Gay Heritage Production
VAMPIRE LESBIANS OF SODOM and COMA by Charles Busch, January 20 - February 12, 2017.
VAMPIRE LESBIANS OF SODOM tells the saga of two fatally seductive vampiresses whose paths first collide in ancient Sodom. Their bitter rivalry as bloodsuckers but more importantly, as actresses, endures for two thousand years with stops along the way in 1920's silent movie Hollywood and contemporary Las Vegas. Joining VAMPIRE LESBIANS OF SODOM is its companion piece, SLEEPING BEAUTY OR COMA, the classic fairy tale retold in the sixties mod London fashion world. Contains very funny adult material and brief nudity.

SOUTHERN BAPTIST SISSIES by Del Shores, March 10 - April 2, 2017.
Storyteller Mark Lee Fuller tries to create a world of love and acceptance in the church and clubs of Dallas, Texas, while desperately trying to find a place to put his own pain and rage. The world Mark creates also includes two older barflies, Peanut and Odette, whose banter takes the audience from hysterical laughter to tragedy and tears. Contains adult material and brief nudity.

Clark Gable SLEPT HERE, by Michael McKeever, April 28 - May 21, 2017.
One of the silver screen's brightest action stars charms his way through the Golden Globe Awards ceremony accompanied by his wife. Meanwhile, back at the Chateau Marmont, his staff tries to figure out what to do with the naked dead male prostitute on his bedroom floor. A jet-black satire on what it means to be a "man" in the make-believe world of motion pictures, where nothing is ever what it seems and closets are used for so much more than hanging up your tuxedo. Adult material and nudity.

Save 20% off of single tickets prices by purchasing Season Tickets.

Five Production Friday or Saturday 8 PM performances: $ 140

Five Production Sunday 2 PM performances: $ 128

Season Tickets can be ordered online at www.desertroseplayhouse.org or by calling DRP's Box Office at 760-202-3000. Please note that the Box Office is closed from August 22 through September 30, 2016, although voice mail messages are being answered.

Single ticket prices for Friday and Saturday 8 PM performances are $35 each; and $32 for Sunday 2 PM Matinee performances. Single tickets for each production will go on sale 3 weeks prior to the show's opening. The theatre's Web Site is www.desertroseplayhouse.org .

Photo Credit: Morning Star Productions