David Green News

The Doo Wop Project starts at the beginning—tracing the evolution of Doo Wop from the classic sound of five guys singing harmonies on a street corner to the biggest hits on the radio today. See these talented crooners in action at the McCallum Theatre at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 19. In their epic shows, The Doo Wop Project takes audiences on a journey featuring foundational tunes from the Crests, Belmonts and Flamingos through the vocal artistry of Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and The Four Seasons, all the way to Doo Wop-ified versions of modern hits from Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz, Maroon 5, and Sam Smith.

When most people think of drama schools, Julliard in New York, The Goodman in Chicago, and UCLA in Los Angeles spring to mind. But just a two hour drive from LA is Palm Springs, California, the home to Musical Theatre University (MTU), the ultimate arts training program for high school students.

Lucie Arnaz, Jim J Bullock, Lorna Luft and Lindsay Wagner join the students of Musical Theatre University in a full-length, original holiday movie musical BLAME IT ON THE MISTLETOE which plays in theaters in Palm Springs, CA as well as streaming for one week, December 19-24, on Broadway On Demand. The holiday teen romantic comedy features a screenplay and lyrics by David Green and music by David Nehls (Great American Trailer Park Musical).

Diana, The Musical celebrated its official opening night last night, Wednesday, November 17 at the Longacre Theatre. Go inside opening night with our photos coverage!

The next Musical Theatre Melodies broadcast, hosted by Rob Morrison on 96.5 FM on Tuesday, November 2 will mark the 60th anniversary of the Robert Wright and George Forrest musical KEAN (from a play by Jean-Paul Sartre and the comedy by Alexandre Dumas).

The Palm Canyon Theatre is poised to kick-off a 25th anniversary season that looks like a 'love-note to Broadway' featuring some of Broadway's most beloved musicals alongside an original, new musical, 'Palm Springs Getaway', and a classical series featuring several dramatic and comedic favorites. Truly, something for every taste!  Individual tickets and season packages are now on sale for shows slated during the Palm Canyon Theatre’s 25th anniversary season. The Palm Canyon Theatre is the city’s oldest source of live theatrical entertainment running Broadway favorites and classic stage productions from September to July. Tickets are prices from $15-$36. Season packages, range from $100-$275. 

In late 2020, Opera Atelier learned that it was the recipient of an $83,000 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario, to provide greater accessibility to the company's free online Making of an Opera education program for Ontario youth.

The Desert's Premiere Concert Event just got starrier with the addition of Lucie Arnaz to the incredible cast of 26 celebrated Broadway Veterans! Michael Childers’ star-studded musical production of One Night Only “Back to the ’70s” will be presented on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 at 6:00 p.m., at the McCallum Theatre for the Performing Arts. This year’s show benefits Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary. One Night Only is now in its 15th successful year as one of the Desert’s most thrilling theatrical evenings.

Nearly three years ago, when radio veteran and founder of Gay Desert Guide Brad Fuhr helped launch KGAY 106.5, the airwaves and audience responded – big time!  Now, in a new agreement, Sunnylands Broadcasting has sold the popular franchise ensuring that “KGAY stays Gay”.   LGBTQ+ programming will be expanded with popular KGAY hosts returning to the airwaves today, Monday, August 2: John Taylor in the mornings and Chris Shebel in the afternoons. 

Like an oasis springing up in the Desert after a year of theatrical drought, the award-winning Dezart Performs of Palm Springs (www.dezartperforms.org) returns with a full four-play schedule that brings music, mayhem, mirth and an exploration of mental health to the fore in their 14thSeason. First up is the critically-acclaimed Todd Almond / Matthew Sweet musical GIRLFRIEND (October 27 – 30) taking place outside at the Rancho Mirage Amphitheater.  Kicking off the new year, the company returns to its traditional home at thePearl McManus Theater (at the historic Palm Springs Woman’s Club / 314 S Cahuilla Road, Downtown Palm Springs) with Katori Hall’s THE MOUNTAINTOP  (January 14 – 23), a bold reimagining of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s final night. Next is Heidi Schreck’sdramatic exploration of compassion and forgiveness as seen through the eyes of a nun in a Bronx soup kitchen, GRAND CONCOURSE (March 4 – 13). Rounding out the calendar is the one-person comedy/drama EVERY BRILLIANT THING (April 1 – 10) by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe and directed by Deborah Harmon. EVERY BRILLIANT THING was originally the final production of the 2020 Season, delayed by COVID. 

Scott Clinkscales, an award-winning Performer, Choreographer, Musical and Artistic Director with many of the pre-eminent theatres in both the Morongo Basin and greater Coachella Valley proudly announces his one man show: MY LIFE SO FAR THROUGH SONG – A COMING OF AGE CABARET, is coming to Theatre 29 for one weekend only, August 6 & 7 at 7:00PM. Clinkscales said, “My Life So Far Through Song, it’s a coming-of-age cabaret talking about my life and what I have gone through to get to where I am now.

The Executive Committee and Board of Trustees of the McCallum Theatre have voted unanimously at a special meeting to enact a requirement that all persons attending performances for the 2021-2022 Grand Reopening Season will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to gain admittance to the Theatre.   

The Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival (PSYPF), which promotes and encourages creative writing - in the theatrical form - open to all elementary, middle and high school students within Riverside County, has announced the Festival’s 2021 winners. The plays submitted were reviewed by a selection committee and winners were chosen. Each winner will receive a mentorship to enhance their play, a free to the public staged reading by professional actors in June 2022, and a $500 scholarship to help further their career in the arts.

On Sunday, March 15, 2020, Michael Holmes finished another sold-out performance of the signature “The Judy Show!” at Palm Springs’ Purple Room Supper Club — according to legend the first place “The Rat Pack” of Sinatra fame first performed. Little did Holmes realize his makeup jar would stay closed for 18 COVID enforced months. Now, assisted by a successful GoFundMe campaign fueled by fans from around the world, Holmes and a full season of internationally renowned performers will relaunch the famous and acclaimed venue beginning August 31 including two performances by the incredible Sam Harris  on September 3 and 4.

The Hermitage Artist Retreat announced today that Robyn Citrin has been elected as the new president of the Hermitage Board of Trustees. Citrin succeeds Leslie Edwards, who concludes her term as president and will remain on the Hermitage board. The Hermitage also welcomes Edward Swan, Jr. as a new member of the Board of Trustees.

After 16 months shuttered by the pandemic, the nonprofit Palm Canyon Theatre is running its first live stage production - You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Players will portray Charlie Brown and the Peanuts Gang based on the popular comic strip by Charles M. Schultz. The beloved Peanuts Gang characters jump off the page in this colorful and comforting musical. Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Sally, Schroeder, and Snoopy – the dog – experience the joys and perils of childhood in an often thoughtful and enlightened way.

After more than 15 months of a darkened stage as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Coachella Valley Repertory is welcoming back live audiences. “Welcoming patrons back to the Playhouse is an incredible feeling. Live arts are so important to the community, and the entire board, staff and volunteers are so excited to return,” said Ron Celona, Artistic Director.

Michael Childers’ star-studded musical production of One Night Only “Back to the ’70s” will be presented on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 at 6:00 p.m., at the McCallum Theatre for the Performing Arts. This year’s show benefits Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary. One Night Only is now in its 15th successful year as one of the Desert’s most thrilling theatrical evening.

With new state reopening guidance, members of the Alliance of Desert Theatres (AODT) are committed to restarting the arts, which will help our communities recover, reflect and rebuild. Most companies are planning full seasons starting this fall. Several are also offering live performances this summer, in-person summer youth programs and other workshops. AODT is a cooperative of producing theatre companies and live entertainment organizations in the Coachella Valley and Morongo Basin that network and take action in order to advocate for and nurture a vibrant performing arts community.

Coyote StageWorks, the Coachella Valley-based award-winning Actors’ Equity professional theatre company, announced that its founder and board of directors have decided to close the venerated theatre company after 13 years. Along with other theatre companies around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic forced Coyote to cancel its 2019-2020 season, and that closure has continued due to the uncertainty thus far in 2021. This period of forced introspection led Coyote’s leadership to conclude that this was the right time to permanently close the company while celebrating its many accomplishments and accolades.