Audrey Liebross - Page 2

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.

The audience had one heckuva good time at the opening night of Desert Ensemble Theatre's (DET's) DO NOT REMOVE LABEL, a hilarious world-premiere farce that also includes serious elements and political satire. The play achieves a humor trifecta: Laughs from the clever script by DET's artistic director, Jerome Elliott Moskowitz; laughs from the great staging by director Michael Pacas; and laughs from the top-notch cast members' rubber facial expressions.

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.

CRIMES OF THE HEART, the 1981 Pulitzer Prize winner for drama and a Tony nominee for best play, is currently playing at Desert Rose Playhouse. The production is well-directed and well-acted, and the play itself is absorbing, with both shallow and deep moments. Desert Rose’s take on Beth Henley’s play is very much worth seeing.

Palm Canyon Theatre (PCT) deserves kudos for the fine singing, acting, dancing, and technical achievements in its production of Stephen Sondheim's INTO THE WOODS - the audience was highly enthusiastic the night I attended, for good reason. The show will play through Sunday, May 22, 2022.

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.

Palm Canyon Theatre’s musical productions, with their terrific costuming, top-quality dance numbers, live music, and professional singing, usually dazzle audiences. MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT, now playing at PCT, is no exception. The production is thoroughly professional in every way. Theatregoers who enjoy Monty Python’s zany humor will have a great deal of fun.

Although the technical aspects of the production are fabulous, the crown jewels here are what goes on on the stage. The sword fighting is impressive. Even the scene changes provide their own hilarious entertainment - while baroque music plays, a group of dancing and clowning nuns move the scenery. Saving the best for last, the acting in this production is extraordinary.

The latest extraordinary piece of theatre -- another must-see -- that I have had the privilege to attend is Desert Ensemble Theatre's production of Rajiv Joseph's ALL THIS INTIMACY, playing for one more weekend (April 1st to 3rd). The play has plenty of laughs, but it is not a comedy. It tells the story of a college professor who has impregnated three different women, and the fallout from this unintended happening.

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.

Palm Canyon Theatre's (PCT's) PALM SPRINGS GETAWAY is the world premiere of a handclapping, foot-stomping revue that describes the history of Palm Springs, California in a funny, mostly wholesome way. I enjoyed myself immensely at this high-quality getaway from events in the world. Judging from other audience members, so did they.

Desert Ensemble Theatre is currently presenting AJ Clauss's SALTY. The production is well worth seeing; the play forces people to think about major issues and the director and ensemble cast are fabulous. Although there are many funny and many sweet moments, be forewarned: the overall tone is sad and pessimistic.

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.

For three already sold-out performances, Broadway star Michele McConnell will appear with the Palm Springs Gay Men's Chorus (PSGMC), in the chorus's holiday show, SPARKLE, TWINKLE, JINGLE!, at the Palm Springs Art Museum's Annenberg Theater. Performances will take place Friday and Saturday, December 10th & 11th at 7 p.m., and Sunday, December 12th at 3 p.m.

GAVROCHE, a new musical based on Victor Hugo's novel, 'Les Misérables,' with book, music, and lyrics by Bonnie Gleicher, is having its California premiere at the Idyllwild Arts Academy. Idyllwild Arts' theatre department chair, Bonnie Carpenter, is directing the production, whose cast is made up entirely of Academy theatre arts students in grades ten through twelve. GAVROCHE will run from December 3rd-5th.

Desert Theatreworks' production of Ron Clark's and Sam Bobrick's farce, MURDER AT THE HOWARD JOHNSON'S, is funny and imaginatively staged, and improves upon the source material. It will run Thursdays through Sundays, through November 21st

JIM BORAX’S CALIFORNIA CABARET will appear at the Rancho Mirage Amphitheater on November 10, 2021, at 7 pm. The no-charge performance will feature Broadway hits and songs from the Great American Songbook.

THE PRODUCERS, the first post-lockdown Desert Theatreworks (DTW) show, is perfect to welcome eager audiences back - a true winner. Ron and Lance Phillips, the married couple that operates DTW, took the opportunity of the hiatus to completely rework the Indio Performing Arts Center, adding a new 250-seat main stage for musicals. As most people know, the Mel Brooks show is loaded with bad taste, but is hilarious nonetheless.

Desert Rose Playhouse has extended its run of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW. The additional performances will take place on Thursday, September 16, 2021, at 7 p.m.; on Friday and Saturday nights, September 17 and 18, at 8 p.m.; on Sunday, September 19, at 2 p.m.; and on Saturday night September 25 — actually, Sunday morning September 26 — at midnight.