David Green - Page 24

Pippin and Next To Normal's Kyle Dean Massey headlines The Copa Palm Springs for one very special performance, October 9, at 8 pm in an intimate Cabaret that features "songs he loves but he's never had the opportunity to sing". Massey first joined the North American touring production of Wicked in 2007, as part of the ensemble and understudy for the lead role of Fiyero, before joining the Broadway production. He played Thalia in Broadway's Xanadu and Matthew in Off-Broadway's Altar Boyz as well as the role of Gabe in the Broadway musical Next to Normal, staying with the show until it closed in January 2011. He then returned to Broadway's Wicked in the leading role of Fiyero and  assumed the title role in the Broadway revival of Pippin.He was also featured in a recurring role as openly gay country star Kevin Bicks in the ABC television series Nashville. I had the chance to chat with Kyle as he was preparing for his Copa Concert, Here are a few excerpts from that conversation:

The Palm Springs Gay Men's Chorus, Machin' (headliner of last year's Tachevah), the spectacular Marina Mac, DJ Baz and many more surprise guests will be the featured artists at HALLOWEEN PALM SPRINGS, Saturday, October 31 from 6:00-10:00 pm on Arenas Road in Palm Springs. The event is FREE with donations being accepted at each of the entrances to support many local charities including Desert Aids Project and The Gay Men's Chorus.

The McCallum Theatre presents Jason Petty on Saturday, October 24, at 8:00pm. Jason, who wowed the McCallum audience with his portrayal of Hank Williams, is back with a new show Hank and My Honky Tonk Heroes. Hear the great songs of country music legends like Jimmie Rodgers, Roy Acuff, Ernest Tubb, George Jones and, of course, Hank Williams in this energetic show!

Dezart Performs kicks off its 2015-16 Season with the Outer Critic's Circle nominated dark comedy THE RECEPTIONIST, opening November 13 and playing through November 22. “The hilarious yet thought-provoking comedy written by Adam Bock raises unsettling questions about the consequences of complicity with evil”, says Dezart Performs Artistic Director Michael Shaw. “'Can I put you through to his voicemail?' will never have the same meaning once you witness this hilariously twisted comedy. Delivered with the utmost sincerity, it will ultimately send chills down your spine.”

The Eighth annual edition of Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival called it a wrap on Sunday night, September 20th, 2015, with strong attendance, a record number of screenings, and a 'diverse' selection of audience favorites.  "We screened thirty one feature films this year, fifty one short films, and thirty new media selections," said Michael C. Green, Festival Director, and Managing Director of The Palm Springs Cultural Center. "That's an incredible number of screenings in just three days (plus our opening night screening).'

Sarah Darling brings her special brand of country to the Copa Palm Springs for one very special performance, September 25 at 8:00 pm. Sarah's April 18th, 2015 Grand Ole Opry performance marked her 75th appearance on that historic stage since her debut in February of 2011. In July of last year, Country Superstar Brad Paisley paid tribute to her (after Sarah returned to Nashville from Los Angeles and her "Rising Star" competition), by singing a duet of "Whiskey Lullaby" with Sarah that brought the house down at the Opry.

Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival, opens its Eighth Edition on Thursday, September 17th and runs through Sunday, September 20th at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs. This year the festival is a third larger than ever before, and includes a New Media Spotlight on Saturday, September 19th.?? 'We are very excited to have been able to continue to grow the festival, and to increase our total number of screenings again this year,' said Michael C. Green, Festival Director. ' We're thrilled to be growing and, in many cases, exceeding our own expectations for the festival.'??

Dezart Performs' eighth season of innovative theatrical works in the Coachella Valley opens on November 13, 2015. It will be the dynamic performing arts group's biggest and best ever, promises Artistic Director Michael Shaw, and tickets are now available. What makes the 2015/2016 season so special is that not just two, but three provocative plays will be produced on Dezart Performs' home stage at the Pearl McManus Theater (in the historic Palm Springs Woman's Club)-one of them a World Premiere.

Although she's been away from the New York cabaret scene for several years, Francesca Amari is no stranger to it (having debuted at The Metropolitan Room in 2007 and appearing there again in 2008 and 2009). She returns to The Metropolitan Room in October with 2 performances of her critically-acclaimed tribute show to the late comedian/entertainer, Gilda Radner. In fact, Amari will perform "You Make Me Laugh: A Love Song to Gilda Radner" exactly 40 years to the day that Gilda Radner Made her debut on Saturday Night Live (October 11, 1975). She performs at 7 pm on Sunday, October 11th and Saturday, October 17th

Six exciting performances have been added to the roster of  the McCallum Theatre's 2015-2016 season, including Bill Maher, Hank and My Honky Tonk Heroes Starring Jason Petty, Last Comic Standing, Canadian superstar Jesse Cook, Wynonna and The Big Noise and the triumphant McCallum return of 2CELLOS.  Brochures with these added performances and the entire season should reach local mailboxes by the second week of September. Tickets for ALL performances go on sale on Tuesday, September 15th at 8:00am.

Daniel Tosh, host of the Comedy Central series "Tosh.0,' will perform at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, CA on Sunday October 11, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. with special guests.  All proceeds from this performance will go to various charities. Tosh's first big career break came in 2001 with a performance on the Late Show with David Letterman. He also made appearances on programs such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Comedy Central's Premium Blend.

American Idol Breakout Sensation David Hernandez brings his affable personality and dynamic vocal abilities to The Copa Palm Springs for one very special performance, September 12 at 8:00 pm.  In addition to American Idol, David has showcased his talents on The Ellen Show, The Today Show, MTV's TRL, EXTRA, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, Teen Choice Awards, TV Guides' Sexiest Stars 2008, Idol Tonight, Idol Gives Back and FOX-TV. A once-in-a-lifetime invitation came to David when he was asked to sing at the Inaugural Kick-Off Celebration ball for President Barack Obama. I had the chance to catch up with David as he is preparing for his Palm Springs concert. Here are a few excerpts from the interview.

Dezart Performs' eighth season of innovative theatrical works in the Coachella Valley opens on November 13, 2015, and it will be the dynamic performing arts group's biggest and best ever, promises Artistic Director Michael Shaw. What makes the 2015/2016 season so special is that not just two, but three provocative plays will be produced on Dezart Performs' home stage at the Pearl McManus Theater (in the historic Palm Springs Woman's Club)-one of them a World Premiere. In addition, the immensely popular, celebrity-studded benefit gala, "On The Air! An Evening of Radio Show Classics," will return to The Camelot Theatres for one night only on March 17, 2016.

Dezart Performs' award winning production of 'Invasion of Privacy' will be produced in Florida June 18-15 in the 606-seat Fine Arts Hall at Santa Fe College in Gainesville. Dezart presented the West Coast Premiere of the thought-provoking drama by Larry Parr, about a painful and dramatic episode in the life of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, 'The Yearling.' The drama is set in Florida's 'alligator country,' where Rawlins had settled after her novel's enormous success, and not far from where playwright Parr lives and works today. And now, after its huge success in California, 'Invasion of Privacy' heads to Florida, taking part of the Dezart Performs production with it.

Lindsey Alley brings her acclaimed one woman show to The COPA Palm Springs for two performances, January 16 and 17, at 8:00 pm. Lindsey has been performing in theatre, television and film since the age of six. In 1989, Lindsey was cast as a Mouseketeer on the Disney Channel's All New Mickey Mouse Club, performing alongside Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling and Keri Russell. She was one of only three cast members to appear in the pilot and all seven seasons of the show. On Broadway, Lindsey covered the role of Older Helen in Hollywood Arms (written by Carol Burnett and directed by Harold Prince). In 2006, her one-woman show, Look Ma...No Ears ran for six weeks at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York City. I had the chance to catch up with Lindsey, on her lunch break from rehearsals for the Broadway bound FIRST WIVES CLUB, as she was preparing for her Palm Springs weekend. Here are a few excerpts from that conversation.

In a much heralded return engagement, The COPA Palm Spings presents Chicago music and comedy legends Amy Armstrong and Freddy Allen for two performances, December 27 at 8:00 pm and December 28 at 7:30 pm in very special holiday show. Amy and Freddy have graced the stages coast-to-coast, in venues both large and small, and in over 20 countries with their one-of-a-kind wit and musical prowess. They have had the pleasure of opening and sharing the spotlight with Kathy Griffin, Mary Wilson and the Supremes, Phyllis Diller, Bea Arthur, Jennifer Holiday andJudy Gold, to name a few. In 2009, Amy & Freddy were featured on national television on Entertainment Tonight as part of their work with the NBC reality show 'America's Got Talent. They are also the proud multi-recipients of both the Gay Chicago Magazine 'After Dark' and Chicago Free Press 'Pressie' awards. I had the chance to chat with Amy and Freddy prior to their sell-out July performances at The Copa and I thought is was worth sharing again - here are a few excerpts from that conversation:

Stage, television and film chaunteuse Nita Whitaker brings a very special holiday show to the COPA Palm Springs for one night only - December 20 at 8:00 pm. The former Miss Louisiana and Hall of Fame Star Search Grand Champion Winner has shared the stage with the likes of Barbra Streisand, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bolton, Patti Austin, Broadway legend Ben Vereen, Josh Groban, Michael Buble' and Chris Botti, to name a few. She recently penned her first award winning memoir titled, 'Finding My Voice: My Journey through Grief to Grace' and produced her newest CD release just in time for the holidays. I had the chance to chat with Ms. Whitaker as she was preparing for her holiday concert at The Copa. Here are a few excerpts from that conversation:

Move Over Radio City! Stand aside all you Las Vegas Production Shows!! Live It Up Productions' ROCKIN THE HOLIDAYS, playing now through December 28 at the JW Marriott Desert Breezes in Palm Desert, is the DEFINITIVE holiday extravaganza - and well worth the drive in from San Diego, Los Angeles and all points between. The multi-talented cast of twelve singers and dancers (many Broadway veterans) deliver one of the finest holiday production shows I have seen in two decades and, believe me, I have seen my share. It is technical perfection as well - truly a visual feast for the eyes.

If you've been secretly praying for a good old fashioned love story wrapped up in a delicious Cole Porter score, dazzling costumes, highly polished performances and slick, high-energy production numbers then the current national touring production of ANYTHING GOES, which is docked at The McCallum Theatre for the Thanksgiving weekend, is the answer to your prayers. This most recent revival of the high-spirited musical farce (originally produced in 1934) is first class all the way.

Winner of three 2011 Tony Awards, including Best Musical Revival, ANYTHING GOES sails into the McCallum just in time for the holiday weekend, November 28 through 30. Cole Porter's most popular musical comedy features one of Broadway's most memorable scores including such classics as 'I Get A Kick Out Of You', 'Friendship', 'It's De-Lovely' and the title song, 'Anything Goes'. The successful 2011 revival was produced by Roundabout Theatre, directed by Kathleen Marshall, and also garnered a Tony Award for lead actress Sutton Foster in the role of Reno Sweeney, originated in 1934 by Ethel Merman and played over the years by the likes of Patti LuPone and Elaine Paige. I had the opportunity to speak with the current Reno Sweeney, Emma Stratton, as she was winging her way to the Southern California for the West Coast leg of the national tour. Here are a few excerpts from that conversation: