Musical Theatre University

Desert Social Season Lifts off at the Palm Springs Air Museum

Susan Stein Current Digital, Social Scene

Musical Theatre University
Students from Musical Theatre University in Rancho Mirage entertain guests at Casino Royale at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY GREGG FELSEN

The desert season opened with Casino Royale, the first-ever season-opening benefit by Lulu Catering and Events at the Palm Springs Air Museum.

Approximately 600 guests attended the inside-the-hangers and outside-on-the-tarmac evening that benefitted David Greene’s Musical Theatre University (MTU) based in Rancho Mirage and The Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs.

Upon arrival, guests received a generous wad of “funny money,” entered the Pond Hanger, mingled alongside historic fighter planes as they enjoyed couture cocktails served at various bars and feasted on mini-entrees from Lulu Catering and Events. The Bob Hope Stage came alive with an abundance of talent from MTU students, who presented ‘50s hits, music from the Four Seasons and finally transitioned to music from Les Miserables.

Davis Gaines, Broadway star with 3,000 performances of Phantom of the Opera, concluded the performance with a Guys and Dolls showstopper, “Luck Be a Lady ” which was a perfect segue prior to guests being ushered into the Miles Hanger … or The Royal Casino.

An elegant Bentley, Rolls Royce, and Lamborghini from IndiGO Auto Group served as decor amid various gambling tables with croupiers ready for action. Finally, guests found a use for that “funny money” that had been burning a hole in their pockets all evening.

Dessert stations by Lulu Catering and Events were hung on transparent wire from the hanger’s ceiling to create floating Lucite shelves that held cupcakes, fruit tarts, and other sweets created by Lulu.

The player who cashed in the most chips at the end of the evening was awarded a visit and test run on the track of the BMW Performance Center in Thermal.

Lulu California Bistro
200 S. Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760-327-5858
lulupalmsprings.com