Michael Pacas

What did our critic think of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD at Desert Theatreworks?

Several things rush to mind in the thoughts of the prolific theatre-goer when a Neil Simon production is promised: smart & funny being chiefly amongst them.  Both are on tap at Desert Theatreworks in their current production of Simon’s “Plaza Suite”.  A collection of three vignette scenes connected only by locale, Room 719 of Manhattan’s once opulent Plaza Hotel, and the ramifications of love (gaining it, losing it and being frankly terrified by it). 

It's the final week left to vote for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Palm Springs Awards! Voting ends on 12/31 at midnight. Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

There's just two weeks left to vote and we have the latest standings as of Monday, December 18th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Palm Springs Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

It's the final 3 weeks and we have the latest standings as of Monday, December 11th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Palm Springs Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

It's December, and the first standings of the month have been announced as of Tuesday, December 5th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Palm Springs Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

Palm Canyon Theatre opened their season last weekend with “Brigadoon”! This magical, classic story by Lerner and Loewe takes us on an unexpected, mystical journey back in time- or so we think. Two New Yorkers: Tommy Albright and Jeff Douglas travel to the Scottish Highlands for vacation. On their trip, they get lost and stumble upon a town seemingly living in the past called Brigadoon. The people of Brigadoon are living hundreds of years ago and they know no such thing as modern life. 

From the creators of My Fair Lady and Camelot, Palm Canyon Theatre presents the classic musical tale of a mythical and magical village located in the Scottish Highlands, BRIGADOON. Americans Jeff and Tommy, while on a hunting trip, stumble upon the town of Brigadoon, which they discover comes alive only once every 100 years. After falling for Fiona, a local woman, Tommy must choose between returning to the life he knows or giving up on the outside world and taking a chance on love in this mysterious place.

Desert Theatreworks' (DTW's) hilarious production of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG generates uproarious laughs at least once or twice a minute; I actually wanted the laughs to slow down because laughing so much made me cough. This show is a must-see.

This female-centric classic is a delight for all audiences as staged by Palm Canyon Theatre.

April 19, Palm Canyon Theatre will host one of the most anticipated cabaret performances of the season when Michael Pacas presents Big ‘n’ Easy.  Michael arrived in the Valley about six years ago, and he hit the ground running. 

I had a great time attending Desert Theatreworks' terrific production of Agatha Christie's THE MOUSETRAP. I am unsurprised that the directing, acting, and technical aspects of the show are fabulous -- that is DTW's modus operandi. The script leaves the audience guessing and laughing. This production is top-notch.

The latest standings as of Monday, December 19th, have been released for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Palm Springs Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

The latest standings as of Monday, December 12th, have been released for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Palm Springs Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

The latest standings as of Monday, December 5th, have been released for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Palm Springs Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

The audience had one heckuva good time at the opening night of Desert Ensemble Theatre's (DET's) DO NOT REMOVE LABEL, a hilarious world-premiere farce that also includes serious elements and political satire. The play achieves a humor trifecta: Laughs from the clever script by DET's artistic director, Jerome Elliott Moskowitz; laughs from the great staging by director Michael Pacas; and laughs from the top-notch cast members' rubber facial expressions.

How can eight murders onstage bring an audience to laughter that almost raises the roof? I suggest you get to Desert Theatreworks' production of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder to find out for yourself! Great music, acting, directing and sets - this show has it all.

Desert Theatreworks (DTW) starts its 2022-23 season with a bang — its production of J. Dietz Osborne's and Nate Eppler's farce, SOUTHERN FRIED NUPTIALS, is a must-see. It is hilariously written, fabulously staged, and brilliantly acted.

Desert Theatreworks has mounted another must-see production with GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER, Todd Kreidler's stage adaptation of the beloved Spencer Tracy - Katherine Hepburn motion picture. The direction, the acting, and the technical design and execution of the comedic drama are first-rate.

Although the technical aspects of the production are fabulous, the crown jewels here are what goes on on the stage. The sword fighting is impressive. Even the scene changes provide their own hilarious entertainment - while baroque music plays, a group of dancing and clowning nuns move the scenery. Saving the best for last, the acting in this production is extraordinary.