In “striving to push the envelope further,” according to Artistic Director Michael Shaw, Dezart Performs announces its four bold and adventurous productions for the 2016-17 season.
“We have an opportunity to tackle some of the provocative issues that continue to stir the emotions of our audiences and community,” says Shaw.
Harvey Fierstein’s raucous dramedy, Casa Valentina, a 2014-nominated Tony Award for Best Play, returns us to the land of dirty dancing and borscht belt comedy, circa 1962. Nestled in the Catskills, you find yourself in an inconspicuous bungalow colony catering to a very special clientele: heterosexual men who delighted in dressing and acting as women. Based on real events and infused with Fierstein’s trademark wit, this moving, insightful and delightfully entertaining work offers a glimpse into the lives of a sorority of “self-made women” as they search for acceptance and happiness in their very own Garden of Eden. Set to run Nov. 4-13.
The second offering is 2012 Tony Award winner for Best Play and a 2011 Pulitzer Prize winner, Clybourne Park. Playwright Bruce Norris’s satire takes a razor-sharp jab at race and real estate in a fictional Chicago neighborhood. The two explosive outrageous acts are set 50 years apart. One spirited ensemble of actors plays two sets of characters. The play runs Jan. 13-22, 2017.
PHOTO BY SPENCER MALEY
(From left) Roger Perry, Joyce Bulifant and Millicent Martin perform a classic radio episode for Dezart Performs’ gala event, ON THE AIR!, at the Camelot Theatres.
On The Air! An Evening of Live Radio Show Classics takes over the Camelot Theatres for one night only to benefit award-winning Dezart Performs. Now in its fourth year, On The Air! brings together a cast of celebrity performers, recreating on stage some of radio’s funniest and most memorable shows from the 1940s and 50s.
There will be an exclusive post-performance VIP Reception where guests will have a chance to mingle with the show’s stars. On The Air! takes stage at 7 p.m. March 9, 2017.
Finishing up the season is Chapatti, an unlikely love story by Irish playwright Christian O’Reilly. Romance is a distant memory for two lonely animal lovers. When Dan and his dog, Chapatti, cross paths with Betty and her 19 cats, an unexpected spark ignites a warm and soft-hearted story about two people re-discovering the importance of human companionship. The play runs March 31 to April 19, 2017.
All shows with the exception of On The Air! play Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with matinees Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Pearl McManus Theater, located at the historic Palm Springs Woman’s Club, 314 S. Cahuilla Road, in Palm Springs.
Tickets for all performamces go on sale Sept. 2.
Dezart Performs
760-322-0179
www.dezartperforms.org