Live Music
Revel in the music of Michael Feinstein when he performs his Grammy Award–nominated Sinatra Projects Volume I and II at McCallum Theatre Mar. 1-2. The show is a reinterpretation of songs by Frank Sinatra and other greats, including Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Peggy Lee. Delight in the music of Florence LaRue and The 5th Dimension, as they join the Desert Symphony Mar. 14. The next night, lose yourself in a dazzling concert experience by Wynton Marsalis and The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Other shows at McCallum include country music legend Kenny Rogers, March 18; Boz Scaggs, March 26; jazz trumpeter Chris Botti, April 6; and McCallum Theatre Concert Band’s 25th anniversary concert/ice cream social April 7.
McCallum Theatre
760-340-2787;
www.mccallumtheatre.com
Jazz fans unite at the Jazzoo Concert Series held at The Living Desert Zoo & Botanical Garden. Enjoy standards and new favorites amid desert splendor and wildlife, with shows twice daily through March 24. March 3, Amanda King will perform selections from The Great American Songbook. March 24 is a salute to Frankie Laine’s 100th birthday, with vocalists Cat Conner, Michael Dees, Don Shelton, and Sue Raney.
The Living Desert Zoo & Botanical Garden
760-346-5694;
www.livingdesert.org
Sunnylands Center and Gardens in Rancho Mirage hosts free Music in the Garden from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. every Sunday in March. Stroll the splendid grounds amid the soothing sounds of various performers each week.
Sunnylands Center and Gardens
www.sunnylands.org
Art/Fashion
Sunnylands Center and Gardens will also take part in Fashion Week, with the Sunnylands Chic show March 19, featuring a reception and runway exhibition of Leonore Annenberg’s fashions. Designer Trina Turk will discuss how Sunnylands and the Annenbergs influenced this year’s collection in a free lecture March 21 at the Rancho Mirage Public Library. Aspiring artists seeking a more hands-on experience, head to Paint Out!, March 30 at Sunnylands. Bring your own easels and paint to partake in the festivities.
Sunnylands Center and Gardens
760-328-2829
or visit www.sunnylands.org for more.
Theatre/Dance
See West Side Story, which wows audiences decades after its theatrical debut, at McCallum Theatre from March 7-10. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, based on the Oscar-winning film, opens here March 22-24. Blue Man Group takes to the stage at McCallum March 29-31. The eccentric troupe’s performances meld comedy, music, and technology. McCallum closes its season with the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The performance marks 25 years since Alvin Ailey’s dancers first graced this stage during the all-star grand opening in 1988.
McCallum Theatre
760-340-2787;
www.mccallumtheatre.com
Mark your calendar for Spring’s remaining events: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 12-14 and 19-21; the Stagecoach country music festival April 26-28; the Indian Wells Arts Festival from April 5-7; the American Documentary Film Festival from April 4-8; the all-star fundraising concert gala One Night Only on April 24; the Festival of Opera and Art on April 14 and Opera Under the Stars on April 21; the Palm Springs Art Museum 99 Bucks Art Sale on April 13; the Desert Mountains Art Faire April 6; the Palm Springs Photo Festival April 28-May 3; and the play Tru from April 18-28.
