Kay Kudukis - Page 7

Ah, the old musicals, when PC didn't exist and, as the Cole Porter song says, Anything Goes. And so it went with the final production (with presenting partner The City of Rancho Mirage) of Desert Theatrical's 2021/2022 season A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, a tale about a slave named Pseudolus (Gilmore Rizzo) trying to win his freedom by helping his young master Hero (Matthew Tucker) be with the young woman he loves, Philia (Emily Unnasch), who he has only seen through the window of the brothel next door. Yes, she is a courtesan, but she's a virgin (of course she is).

The last play of CVRep's 2021/2022 season, Native Gardens by playwright Karen Zacarias begins with all of the best intentions, but with change comes a perceived as well as a real cost. It is a slow grower, but the penultimate moment is well worth the burn.

Every Brilliant Thing was a short story written by Duncan MacMillan. Actor and comedian Jonny Donahoe work-shopped it into a play with MacMillan before they took it off-Broadway. It is about suicide, and, surprisingly, it is not dark nor morose. It is, in fact, funny, touching and, in the broadest sense of the word, joyful.

I've mentioned before that I don't generally care for musicals. Never have. I did fall in love with West Side Story as a kid, but when other movies like Oklahoma!, Carousel, Paint Your Wagon, and yes, even Annie Get Your Gun came on tv, I was outta there. This is how it has been for most of my life (although I did get to see Wicked on Broadway, and wowzer!)

I was fortune to be able to see the last production Ron Celona will direct in his role as artistic director at CVRep. He's once again delivered top-notch entertainment in the form of Closer Than Ever.

On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led a march on Washington and gave a speech: 'I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.'

Winners of the 1974 Eurovision with their song Waterloo, ABBA had a flurry of catchy tunes that dominated the pop charts for 12 years. In 1992, Abba released their album Gold, which has sold over 30 million copies and is one of the best-selling albums worldwide.

Following a successful run of CVRep's second play of the season, Life X 3, the playhouse continues its season of Hopes, Dreams, and Expectations 2021-2022 with Closer Than Ever, a musical revue directed by Ron Celona, with music by David Shire, lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr., and musical direction by Scott Storr. The cast includes four actors with impeccable musical theater credentials: Michael Bullard, Jeffrey Landman, Janna Cardia, and Julie Garnyé. Tickets and subscriptions are on sale now at www.cvrep.org or call the box-office at (760)-296-2996 ext. 115.

Eight years in the making, PALM SPRINGS THE MUSICAL: Born to Sparkle is set to premiere on March 24, 2022 at Desert Rose Playhouse in Palm Springs and directed by Robbie Wayne. Wayne is the winner of the Desert Theater League's Michael Grossman Most Inspirational Award in 2019, and also for Outstanding Director of Desert Rose Playhouse's staging of The Sugar Witch the same year. The company and play also won for outstanding props and special effects.

This season, the show is based on The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (1956-1963) featuring the music of Dean Martin and a variety of guests including a few of Dean Martin's former Golddiggers.

Don't miss @FrancescaAmari as she sings the songs of Linda Ronstadt on January 30, 2022 @lesmichaelscabaret

When most people think of drama schools, Julliard in New York, The Goodman in Chicago, and UCLA in Los Angeles spring to mind. But just a two hour drive from LA is Palm Springs, California, the home to Musical Theatre University (MTU), the ultimate arts training program for high school students.

Pulp fiction got its name from the low-quality, pulpy paper the stories were printed on, not the content. However, 'pulp' became synonymous with trashy, back alley reading punctuated with cheap sensationalist thrills, fast-paced plot lines and bad writing. Tell that last bit to John Lange (aka Michael Crichton), Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Dashiell Hammett (The Thin Man, and Sam Spade) who have all had off-shoot careers in pulp.

Back on July 4, 1993, Matthew Sweet was recording a live album at Grant Park in Chicago. It was a beautiful sunny day and there was a cool breeze coming off Lake Michigan. My theater pals and I were sitting on blankets enjoying the weather and listening to Sweet, waiting to hear all of our favorites off his album Girlfriend. One of my theater pals was a boy who was my best friend.

Jefferson Mays is Scrooge again, and he's right on time.

COACHELLA VALLEY REPERTORY PRESENTS “SHADES OF ROMANCE” WITH TIMOTHY CONNELL 

Go behind the scenes at one of @PalmSprings most acclaimed theater companies.

@cvrep Theater Thursday features a conversation between Ron Celona and @JeanneSakata 11/5/2020

New musical based on The Palm Springs Fabulous Follies set to premiere in 2021.