KNIFE TO THE HEART To Close Desert Ensemble Theatre’s 15-Year Run In Palm Springs

Desert Ensemble Theatre (DET) will conclude its 15-year run with KNIFE TO THE HEART, a comedy by Stan Zimmerman and Christian McLaughlin, running April 10 through April 19, 2026 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.

The play centers on expectant parents Marshall and Julie Ann Katz as a debate over circumcision escalates into a broader clash over tradition and identity. The story unfolds through a series of interactions involving family and friends, including an overbearing mother and a coworker whose perspective fuels the discussion.

“Over 15 years, DET has grown from a ‘small but mighty’ company into one of the Desert’s anchor theatres,” said Artistic Director Jerome Elliott Moskowitz. “We've championed quirky, offbeat work that provokes thought and laughter. For our final production, we wanted a play that reflects that spirit. Knife to the Heart delivers—blending humor with questions of faith, identity, and family, and sending audiences home with a full heart.”

Zimmerman directs the production, which features Bonnie Gilgallon, along with Jonathan Brett, Jessica Lenz, and Ricky Luna.

Zimmerman’s credits include work on The Golden Girls, Roseanne, and Gilmore Girls, while McLaughlin is an Emmy-winning writer whose television credits include Married... With Children and Desperate Housewives.

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