David Green - Page 13

Since the release of his 2004 critically acclaimed CD When I Fall In Love, Chris Botti has become the largest-selling American instrumental artist. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop music. His ongoing association with PBS has led to four #1 jazz albums, as well as multiple Gold and Platinum records and Grammy Awards.The McCallum Theatre welcomes the return of Grammy Award winner Chris Botti on Friday, April 12, at 8:00pm and Saturday, April 13, at 8:00pm.

Desert Ensemble Theatre Company's (DETC)'s Eighth Season continues from April 19-21 and 26-28, 2019 with Graceland and Asleep on the Wind, a charming pair of one-act plays by Ellen Byron. Humorous, lyrical and ultimately touching, these plays introduce three people who believe that Elvis could lift them up from the drudgery of their everyday lives.

The McCallum Theatre presents Something Rotten! for five performances, Friday, April 5, through Sunday, April 7. This hilarious musical comedy tells the story of brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom, two playwrights stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rock star Will Shakespeare. When a soothsayer foretells the next big thing in theatre involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, the Bottom brothers set out to write the world's very first musical! With the most singing, the most dancing, and the most gut-busting laughs on Broadway, it's something wonderful and something for everyone.

The McCallum Theatre welcomes the return of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain on Sunday, March 31, at 7:00pm. Since selling out the McCallum in 2016, audiences have eagerly awaited their return.With a repertoire ranging from Lady Gaga to "The Ride of the Valkyries," The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain tackles an ambitious range of music-on just four strings. This group of genre-benders performs covers (with vocals!) of pop, jazz, country, and classics from film, along with anything else they think is ripe for the picking. Formed in 1985, the group has become something of a national institution in the UK.

The McCallum Theatre presents Tony Award-winning choreographer and tap dancer Savion Glover in "ALL FuNKD' UP In Concert" on Saturday, March 30, at 8:00pm. This new thrilling show will highlight tap dance superstar Savion Glover's mesmerizing interplay of percussive genius as he and his six-piece band and a company of dancers illuminate original grooves and compositions as only a percussive master could. "ALL FuNKD' UP In Concert" marks Savion Glover's newest innovative expression that continues to procure tap as sound and sound to music. Glover dances to an eclectic soundtrack that includes new age to John Coltrane, in a tribute to his personal experiences with dance greats and the forefathers of tap.

The McCallum Theatre presents Rob Lowe in Stories I Only Tell My Friends: LIVE!  on Friday, March 29, at 8:00pm. Following his sold-out debut, Rob Lowe is taking his one man show, Stories I Only Tell My Friends: LIVE!, on a national tour. Inspired by the success of his two New York Times best-selling memoirs, Stories I Only Tell My Friends and Love Life, Rob has created an all-new peek behind the curtain at Hollywood, fame, fatherhood, marriage, and a life lived at the forefront of culture for four decades. From the Brat Pack to "The West Wing," to "Parks and Recreation" and beyond, Stories I Only Tell My Friends: LIVE! is packed with witty fun and insights spanning an iconic career

The McCallum Theatre presents the annual "Tribute to Glenn Miller and the Big Band Leaders" on Wednesday, March 27, 8:00pm. This year's tribute, stars the Tex Beneke Orchestra and features The Satin Dollz and Madeline Vergari.

The Legend Returns to Palm Springs... Lynda Carter, star of stage, TV and screen for one unforgettable evening of music and stories Saturday, April 6 at 7:30p.m. 'This Life,' a musical journey of her career, will include Lynda Carter's 8-piece band and 2 backup singers, showcasing to Palm Springs, the true breadth of her talents. A portion of the concert proceeds will benefit Temple Isaiah Palm Springs. Attendees will be able to purchase a limited edition lithograph signed by Lynda Carter made possible through the imagination of world-renown comic book artist Alex Ross.

The McCallum Theatre presents Piaf! - The Show on Tuesday, March 26, at 8:00pm. With a million tickets sold in more than 50 countries and acclaimed reviews worldwide,Piaf! - The Show is a musical celebration of the life and music of the legendary French chanteuse Edith Piaf. Starring Anne Carrere, a young French performer hailed as "Edith Piaf's legitimate musical heiress," Piaf! - The Show narrates the rags-to-riches story of the Parisian singer's career through her unforgettable songs, complemented by a visual tapestry of previously unreleased photographs and images of famous locations of the Edith Piaf era.

Through the generosity of Donna MacMillan, the McCallum Theatre presents Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel on Monday, March 25, at 7:00pm. This evening's program, "Rags to Riches" features "Rialto Ripples," "Fascinatin' Rhythms," and "I Got Rhythm" (George Gershwin); "Wall Street Rag" (Scott Joplin); "Invitation to the Dance, Op. 65" (Carol Maria von Weber); "Polka in G Minor" (Bedrich Smetana); "Polka from The Age of Gold" (Dmitri Shostakovich); "Finale of Piano Sonata No. 1" (Alberto Ginastera); "Circus Polka" (Igor Stravinsky); "Evening in Granada" (Claude Debussy); and "Stars and Stripes Forever" (John Philip Sousa).

The McCallum Theatre is tuning up for the 7th annual concert by the McCallum Theatre Concert Band, with conductor and McCallum Theatre President & CEO Mitch Gershenfeld, on Sunday, March 24, at 3:00pm. Highlights of this year's concert will be a performance of the beloved 'Carnival of the Animals' by Saint-Saens featuring pianist Jeffrey Siegel and a new text written and performed by David Gonzalez, and special guest appearances by Gavin MacLeod (narrator) and former TEN Tenor Chad Hilligus (guest vocalist). And, after the concert, there is free ice cream for everyone! I had the chance to catch up with Maestro Gershenfeld to get a glimpse behind the scenes of this season's concert. Here are a few excerpts from that conversation:

It's time to strike up the band for the 7th annual concert by the McCallum Theatre Concert Band, with conductor and McCallum Theatre President & CEO Mitch Gershenfeld, on Sunday, March 24, at 3:00pm. Highlights of this year's concert will be a performance of the beloved "Carnival of the Animals" by Saint-Saens featuring pianist Jeffrey Siegel and a new text written and performed by David Gonzalez, and special guest appearances by Gavin MacLeod (narrator) and former TEN Tenor Chad Hilligus (guest vocalist). And, after the concert, there is free ice cream for everyone!

The McCallum Theatre presents Emmy and Tony Award winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth on Friday, March 22, at 8:00pm, and Saturday, March 23, at 8:00pm. The acclaimed star presents an intimate evening of iconic songs from her best known shows, popular standards, and classics from Broadway.

"Pie in the Sky" written by Lawrance Thelen is a bitter sweet tale of the love between a Mother and daughter.  The pair share memories including Mamma's secret recipe for apple pie as they literally bake a pie in the process.  Rebecca Havely directs the production at the Groves Cabin Theatre in Morongo Valley, 8758 Desert Willow Trail.

He's a handsome Catholic widower, and she's got "good legs for a Baptist", also recently bereaved. Together, this down-home odd-couple of next door neighbors generate sparks, laughs and more than a bit of Faulknerian introspection in Audrey Cefaly's Maytag Virgin, the season closer for Dezart Performs. Directed by Deborah Harmon, this "Southern love story" is the ultimate offering of the critically acclaimed and almost completely-sold-out 11th Season from the award winning Palm Springs ensemble. The play runs April 5 - 14 at the Pearl McManus Theater (at the historic Palm Springs Woman's Club / 314 S Cahuilla Road, Downtown Palm Springs).

Coyote StageWorks, the Coachella Valley-based award-winning Actors' Equity professional theater company, will conclude its Tenth Anniversary season with the comedy "Greater Tuna" that will run for nine performances from March 22-31, 2019 at the Palm Springs Art Museum's Annenberg Theater.  "Greater Tuna" is a hilarious send-up of small-town morals and mores. Set in a fictional small town in Texas, this popular comedy stars two skillful, transformative actors who will take on 22 roles as they portray the town's wacky inhabitants. "Greater Tuna" was written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard and will star Alan Denny and Chuck Yates. The production will be directed by Larry Raben. "Greater Tuna" was the very first production Coyote StageWorks mounted ten years ago.

The McCallum Theatre presents Monty Python's Spamalot for five performances Friday, March 15, through Sunday, March 17. This outrageous musical comedy is lovingly ripped off from the film classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Monty Python's Spamalot tells the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and their quest for the Holy Grail. Monty Python's Spamalot features a chorus line of dancing divas, flying cows, killer rabbits, taunting Frenchmen, and show-stopping musical numbers! The Broadway production won three Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and was followed by two successful West End runs. 

The McCallum Theatre presents Mystic India: The World Tour on Thursday, March 14, at 8:00pm. Created by Director Amit Shah and AATMA Performing Arts in 2011, Mystic India: The World Tour is an internationally acclaimed Bollywood dance spectacular based on the concept of ancient India's transition into modern India. The colorful costumes and elaborate sets have been custom designed by Amit Shah and hand-made in India's film capital by a team of 40 designers and workers over the course of four years. The team of diverse, impeccably trained dancers from the AATMA Performing Arts dance company combines authentic Indian and modern techniques bringing the streets of Mumbai and New York into perfect harmony.

The McCallum Theatre presents BRAVO Amici on Monday, March 11, at 7:00pm. BRAVO Amici is presented as part of the McCallum Theatre's Mitch's Picks series. From the creators of the world's first opera band, Amici Forever, comes BRAVO Amici, which includes founder and original cast member Geoff Sewell. BRAVO Amici's mix of handsome tenors and stunning divas perform an uplifting, moving collection of well-known classical and contemporary songs. I had the chance to chat with cast member Travis Nesbitt, who 'cut his performing teeth' on the McCallum Theatre stage, about BRAVO Amici and all things Travis. Here are some excerpts from the conversation:

The McCallum Theatre and Jim "FITZ" Fitzgerald co-present Steve Tyrell on Saturday, March 9, at 8:00pm as part of the Fitz's Jazz Cafe at the McCallum series. A McCallum Theatre regular for more than fifteen years, Steve reinvents and re-popularizes classic pop standards for a modern audience.  Grammy Award winning producer and vocalist Steve Tyrell is the definition of a Renaissance man. In his nearly five decades in the music business, he has achieved success as a singer, songwriter, producer, music supervisor, and most recently, radio host.