Desert Ensemble Theatre Co. to Stage ESPERANZA, MISS GULCH RETURNS & More During 2014-15 Season

Fresh off of eight Desert Theatre League Award nominations for last season, Desert Ensemble Theatre Company has revealed its 2014-15 season. Producing Artistic Director Tony Padilla and Artistic Director Rosemary Mallett have announced an eclectic range of world premieres, regional premieres, concert-readings and cabaret for the company's fourth season. All performances will take place in the Pearl McManus Theater at the Palm Springs Women's Club, 314 S. Cahuilla Road in Palm Springs.

The season opens on Friday, October 17, 2014 with a benefit performance of Broadway DeLights, featuring three of the area's top vocalists - Keisha D, Charles Herrera and Jerome Elliott. Charlie Creasy is music director for this lively cabaret-style evening of songs spanning decades of American musical theater. A portion of proceeds will support DETC's scholarship fund for motivated high school students moving on to college theater studies.

On January 24 DETC offers a concert presentation of Esperanza, a new musical with a book by American playwright Ken Luber and score by Italian composer Salverio Rappezzi. In a rudown sports bar about to be foreclosed at midnight, three fallen star athletes find themselves waiting for a phone call that will change their lives while reflecting on their own follies and mistakes.

March 13-15 and March 20-22, DETC performs the world premiere of Family Meeting and The Comeback. This is an evening of two new one-acts by prolific award-winning Palm Springs playwright Tony Padilla. Family Meeting is a drama about a family looking for the "fun" in dysfunction; The Comeback is a farce that includes an aging movie star, a séance, a con-man, and of course, love.

The season closes with the Palm Springs premiere of Fred Barton's 1983 New York cabaret cult classic Miss Gulch Returns, with Jerome Elliott as the feisty Kansas spinster from The Wizard of Oz. Charlie Creasy once again provides music direction. Michael Holmes of The Judy Show will serve as creative consultant for this bawdy love letter to the original Miss Gulch, the late Margaret Hamilton (April 17-19 and April 24-26).

Tickets for all productions will be available through the company's website, www.detctheatre.org or by calling 760-565-2476.

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