DETC presents 2017-18 Season Opener HERE'S TO THE LADIES

Here's to the Ladies, a musical revue, will be Desert Ensemble Theatre's 2017-18 Season Opening Gala for its seventh season. For the first time since the event's inception in 2014, this show will offer a second performance: Friday, Nov. 17 includes a pre-show reception at 6pm followed by a 7pm performance; and Sat., Nov. 18, a 7pm performance only.

The event takes place at the Pearl McManus Theater in the Palm Springs Woman's Club at 314 S. Cahuilla Road. Tickets are $25-35 and can be purchased in advance through the company's website, www.detctheatre.org, or by calling (760) 565-2476.

Here's to the Ladies features three of the Desert's most sought-after singers-Keisha D, Charles Herrera, and Theresa Jewett. It is conceived and directed by four-time Desert Theatre League Award winner Jerome Elliott, with music direction by Charlie Creasy. The evening will feature numbers sung by or about diverse women characters of Broadway with selections from Candide, The Color Purple, Wicked, Purlie, The Light in the Piazza, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Spamalot, and more.

Elliott stated: "I am thrilled to create a musical season opener for DETC for the fourth consecutive year. This event raises awareness of our high school theater internship program and the net proceeds fund college scholarships for two of our exceptional interns."

Keisha D won Best Vocalist in the McCallum Theater's prestigious Open Call competition in 2008; her richly soulful song interpretations have earned her a wide following in clubs, cabarets and theatre companies. Charles Herrera is a powerful, award-winning singer, actor, and cabaret artist who performs at several Desert venues, as well as in the tribute show Palm Springs Jump! playing monthly at Michael Holmes' Purple Room. Recent Desert Theatre League Award winner, the dynamic soprano Theresa Jewett has had a varied career spanning musical theatre opera, classical theatre, and cabaret. She has earned acclaim on stages in New York, California, South Carolina and Florida. As musical director, composer and accompanist, Charlie Creasy has worked throughout the U.S. in nightclubs, theatres and aboard cruise ships.

DETC's season continues on Feb. 16-25 with Election Day, a fast-paced political comedy by Josh Tobiessen. >From Mar. 9-18 the company performs The Thespian Radio Hour, a nostalgic comedy by Tony Padilla. The season concludes Apr. 13-22 with Charles Busch's witty satire The Tale of the Allergist's Wife.