Stan Jenson - Page 5

Desert Theatreworks is finishing their season with a bang - a top-notch production of the truly smart and hilarious comedy, Jewtopia. Two friends, one Jewish and one Gentile, are looking for girls to date. The Gentile wants a Jewish girl so he will never have to make another decision in his life, the Jew wants a Gentile girl who can cook, join him in sports, and take care of repairs around the house. Their search pokes gentle fun at stereotypes, particularly those assigned to Jews, but the writing is extremely funny, and DTW's delivery under director Lance Phillips-Martinez is top notch!

'Message Plays' are a difficult breed. When they hammer you with their themes, they are more painful than an over-long sermon on a hot Sunday morning. However, when they click, as Desert Rose's production of Dare does on all cylinders, they deliver one of the highest functions of theatre: entertainment that educates. An outstanding company of actors, under the direction of Jim Strait, bring Texas playwright Allan Baker's new script to life, and our 'lessons' are eagerly lapped up!

Sisters are doing it for themselves at the Palm Canyon Theatre (PCT). Although Whoopi Goldberg's two Sister Act movies are well known, the Broadway musical that they spawned is a bit less familiar to most folks. That will not be the case from this point forward as PCT is filling houses with the valley premiere of the Broadway musical, Sister Act. With a top-notch cast and enthusiastic direction, we can only shout, "Hallelujah!"

Grease is still the word! Since its first appearance in 1971, Grease has become an indelible element of American culture. Indio's Desert Theatreworks has assembled a dozen of the valley's top young actors who have brought such an amazing level of talent, hard work, and enthusiasm to the show that it feels as if it had been written last week. I dare you to keep your toes from tapping!

Coyote Stageworks is an unusual and wonderful inclusion in the desert's theatre scene; unusual because it only produces two shows per year, but wonderful because both of those shows continually turn out to be excellent. Their current production, Dirty Blonde, adds another jewel to their crown.

Writer Lloyd J. Schwarz, a veteran of such television comedies as The Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island, has scribed a new stage comedy called Dinner at Five which has just commenced a five-week run in Palm Desert. Starring four familiar faces from 70's and 80's television, experiencing the play is a bit of a time warp, but much like Televisionland, it wafts us back to a gentler time, and provides an enjoyable evening out.

Palm Canyon Theatre has pulled off quite a coup by acquiring rights to Hello, Dolly, one of America's favorite musicals, while the revival is still packing houses on Broadway. In one year, we have had Bette Midler, Bernadette Peters (Bette's replacement), and now Se Layne all giving their take on the matchmaker of Yonkers at the turn of the 20th century

Dezart Performs has always aspired to quality rather than quantity in their productions, staging just three mainstage plays each season. I have never been disappointed with one of their shows, and it somehow seems that each new show tops all the ones that have preceded it. Rabbit Hole, the second production of their Gala Tenth Season, might just be the closest thing to a perfect production that I have seen in the Coachella Valley.

Nunsense, with book music and lyrics by Dan Goggin, has become quite a cottage industry since its debut off-Broadway in 1985. The original production ran for 3,672 performances, making it the second-longest-running off-Broadway show in history (behind Fantasticks). Since that successful opening, the playwright has concocted six sequels and three spinoffs. A couple of years ago, Desert Theatreworks presented Nunsense: The Mega Musical, one of the spinoffs, which was basically the original five-nun musical expanded to a cast of 17, with a couple of new songs added. They are currently presenting Nunsensations, the fifth of the six sequels.

Once again, Desert Ensemble Theatre has kicked off its new season with an Opening Gala, and once again, it was an unabated delight! I found myself smiling broadly throughout the 75-minute revue, and those around me were tapping toes, clapping, hooting, and occasionally singing along.

Desert Theatreworks continues their tradition of a Neil Simon comedy every season with Last of the Red Hot Lovers. Written in 1969, it is Simon's nod to the Swinging Sixties, with a nebbish middle aged man making three attempts at having a sexual fling outside of his 22-year marriage. Although firmly set in the Sixties, DTW's production is fast, frisky, and very, very funny!

Three cross-dressing entertainers bringing mirth and mayhem to a desert. Has there ever been a show more destined for Palm Springs? The production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert currently playing at Palm Canyon Theatre, deserves every full house, every standing ovation, and every word of enthusiastic praise it has received so far

There's nothing like a creepy tale told well for these cool October nights, and Desert Theatreworks delivers with The Woman in Black. This two-hander is the second-longest running non-musical in London, and still scaring British audiences today.