Lance Phillips

What did our critic think of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD at Desert Theatreworks?

Desert TheatreWorks has announced its first inaugural Theatre Fest, taking place from May 3rd to May 5th, 2024.

Desert TheatreWorks has announced its highly anticipated lineup for the 2024-2025 season, promising to captivate audiences with a diverse selection of productions that promise to entertain, inspire, and provoke thought!

For folks of “a certain age” (which I am not telling if I do or do not fall into that category), prolific songwriter and performing artist Carole King provided what could be the official soundtrack to their adolescence.  For those who have not quite crossed that age threshold, you would be surprised how well her music has endured and firmly taken its place in the American songbook, speaking to multiple generations with songs of hope, love and all that comes after.

Several things rush to mind in the thoughts of the prolific theatre-goer when a Neil Simon production is promised: smart & funny being chiefly amongst them.  Both are on tap at Desert Theatreworks in their current production of Simon’s “Plaza Suite”.  A collection of three vignette scenes connected only by locale, Room 719 of Manhattan’s once opulent Plaza Hotel, and the ramifications of love (gaining it, losing it and being frankly terrified by it). 

What did our critic think of 'CHRISTMAS WITH THE CRAWFORDS' PUTS THE 'FUN' BACK IN DYSFUNCTIONAL at Desert Theatreworks?

KINKY BOOTS is running strong for another two weeks and I highly encourage you to sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful piece of theater! They will “Raise you up” and “Celebrate you to ELEVATE you!” Don’t walk… RUN in those boots BABY- to Kinky Boots!

Desert Theatreworks' (DTW's) hilarious production of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG generates uproarious laughs at least once or twice a minute; I actually wanted the laughs to slow down because laughing so much made me cough. This show is a must-see.

Desert Theatreworks showcases its talented cadre of singers, dancers, and comedic actors in its current production, the musical comedy JIMMY BUFFETT'S ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE. Director Lance Phillips and musical director Douglas Wilson have done a superb job with this jukebox musical that features Buffett's tunes. A cast of twenty dances enthusiastically to excellent original choreography by rising Coachella Valley star Anthony Nannini, and impressively pulls off both sweet folk rock songs and belted numbers. The performances and strong visuals from the designers result in an enjoyable, cheerful evening, with numerous stand-out moments.

I had a great time attending Desert Theatreworks' terrific production of Agatha Christie's THE MOUSETRAP. I am unsurprised that the directing, acting, and technical aspects of the show are fabulous -- that is DTW's modus operandi. The script leaves the audience guessing and laughing. This production is top-notch.

If you’ve seen the original NUNSENSE, which consists of hilariously stupid (stupidly hilarious?) jokes and songs, you’ve seen NUNSENSE A-MEN! — same book and lyrics, same music, and same characters, but with a twist: The cast is entirely made up of men. DTW’s performers play their roles STRAIGHT rather than as if they were part of a drag show; if they wore stage makeup at all, they applied it with a light touch. Their earnestness adds to the hilarity, for example when rubber-faced, diminutive Raul Valenzuela glares at Charles Harvey’s Mother Superior, and the tall Mother Superior glares back. The even more diminutive Larry Martin, playing postulant Mary Leo, is a dentist in real life; he performs an excellent ballet routine. DTW veterans Mark Demry and Michael Hamlin round out the cast. They, too, are DIVINE; this ensemble cast works together seamlessly. They ace the singing and dancing (ballet, Broadway-style, and tap), and their chemistry is terrific.

There is a great deal of enthusiastic singing and dancing by a large, energetic cast in Desert Theatreworks' (DTW's) production of WHITE CHRISTMAS, with book by David Ives and Paul Blake, and songs and lyrics by Irving Berlin. Daniela Ryan directed this production, which features two choreographers - Stacy Casaluci-Grenrock, assisted by teenaged veteran DTW member Violet Feath (who also serves as dance captain) for the tap numbers.

What did our critic think of BAREFOOT IN THE PARK at Desert Theatreworks?

How can eight murders onstage bring an audience to laughter that almost raises the roof? I suggest you get to Desert Theatreworks' production of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder to find out for yourself! Great music, acting, directing and sets - this show has it all.

Desert Theatreworks (DTW) starts its 2022-23 season with a bang — its production of J. Dietz Osborne's and Nate Eppler's farce, SOUTHERN FRIED NUPTIALS, is a must-see. It is hilariously written, fabulously staged, and brilliantly acted.

Desert Theatreworks has mounted another must-see production with GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER, Todd Kreidler's stage adaptation of the beloved Spencer Tracy - Katherine Hepburn motion picture. The direction, the acting, and the technical design and execution of the comedic drama are first-rate.

There is a new must-see production in the Coachella Valley: Desert Theatreworks’ presentation of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, the rock musical mash-up of comedy, horror, and sci-fi, with music by Alan Menken and book and lyrics by Howard Ashman. The directing, acting, singing, dancing, puppetry, and all-around technical quality make for a delightful afternoon or evening of entertainment.

Desert Theatreworks has produced another winner: Neil Simon’s I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES. This story, with its emphasis on rekindling father-daughter love, is deeper than many of his plays. The two casts make the audience care about the characters. Director Daniela Ryan has done a superb job of coaxing brilliant performances from both.

In the past two decades I have had several opportunities to see Always, Patsy Cline and I always avoided the show, thinking 'A two-woman show can't be entertaining and besides, I don't like country music.' Please, please do not make the mistake I did. This show has only a few more performances in the Coachella Valley, and it is an incredibly entertaining and moving experience. Part celebrity concert, part Hallmark heart-warming tale, Desert Theatreworks' current production is a must-see!