GO: REACH FOR THE SKY:TRADITION + INSPIRATION / SEPT. 11 – JUNE 2020
Music legend Herb Alpert has created totem pole art after being inspired by the work of the Hunt family, and Sunnylands has brought both collections together to display in Rancho Mirage. or the first time in the United States, the new Sunnylands exhibition brings together three generations of Kwakiutl art representing the Northwest Coast’s most significant carving family: Henry Hunt, his son Stanley, and grandson Jason. sunnylands.org
GO: ELECTRICITY PLAY / sept. 17 through NOV. 26
Two once closeted men share a hotel room after their 10th high school reunion in 1983. There’s an “electricity” that draws them back to that same room after each reunion for 4 decades. Their journey is our story. It’s funny, romantic and powerful. electricitytheplay.com
• READ NEXT: Our Review of This Play.
GO: MARX BROTHERS COLLECTION / THROUGH 2019
Bill Marx, the son of Harpo Marx, loans a stunning array of memorabilia from his famous family to the Rancho Mirage Public Library with the hope of revealing a powerful legacy. ranchomiragepubliclibrary.org or harposplace.com
• READ NEXT: Our Interview with Bill Marx, Who Talks About Creating Music with His Father.
GO: STEVEN FALES, CONFESSIONS OF A MORMAN BOY / THROUGH JAN. 2020
Steven Fales is launching a five-month residency at Hotel Zoso with its “Storytelling Tuesdays” series. The one-man show tells the story of what happened to Fales and his gay brothers and sisters in the Mormon Church at the turn of the millennium. mormonboyexperience.com
• READ NEXT: Steve Fales Chats About The Story Behind His Performance.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JAY JORGENSEN
GO: THE LEGACY WALL / THROUGH NOV. 23
The nationally acclaimed Legacy Wall LGBTQ history installation will make its debut in Pam Springs through Nov. 23. The Legacy Wall is a digitally interactive traveling installation that celebrates the contributions of LGBTQ people to world history and culture. You can see it from Nov. 12-23 at the Palm Springs Public Library. legacyprojectchicago.org
• READ NEXT: Our Interview With the Man Behind The Legacy Wall.
GO: DINNER WITH FRIENDS AT CV REP / NOV. 6-24
The complexities of marriage and friendship are examined with wit and intelligence in Dinner with Friends, Donald Margulies’ Pulitzer Prize-winning 1998 play about two married couples who have been friends for many years. cvrep.org
GO: PPR West Coast Pickleball Conference / Nov. 11
Increase your expertise of this ever-growing sport with a day of pickleball-focused panels, presentations, and speakers at the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens. The conference is hosted by the Professional Pickleball Registery, an organization that offers resources, education workshops, equipment discounts, and more to pickleballers of all stripes. pprpickleball.org
GO: Bringing Light to Life / Nov. 11
This one-woman play, based on letters, journal entries, and first-person testimonies, depicts American painter Agnes Pelton’s last day in her beloved Cathedral City home — and is all the more remarkable for its location, the actual Agnes Pelton house and studio. agnespeltonsociety.com
GO: KNOTS LANDING TRIO IN PERSON / NOV. 12
The Knots Landing trio of Donna Mills, Michele Lee, and Joan van Ark will reminisce about the long-running nighttime soap opera at Oscar’s Palm Springs. oscarspalmsprings.com
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY KAREN CADLE
GROOVE: John Bayless / Nov. 13
This Julliard-trained pianist honed his talents as a child by playing the scores of films he saw at his local drive-in theater by ear. As an adult, he embarked on a 30-year concert career, often presenting as many as 50 shows a year, before suffering a stroke that took his right hand out of commission. Bayless reflects on these highs and lows with a single-handed piano concert at the McCallum Theatre. mccallumtheatre.com
GROOVE: Melissa Etheridge / Nov. 14
Grammy- and Oscar-winning musician, LGBTQ activist, and cannabis-infused winemaker Melissa Etheridge performs classics like “Ain’t It Heavy” and “Come to My Window,” plus tracks from her newest album The Medicine Show at the McCallum Theatre. mccallumtheatre.com
• READ NEXT: Melissa Manchester Explains Why Her Tour Draws on the 1920s.
GROOVE: Sara Evans / Nov. 15
Sara Evans’ earliest gigs involved singing in her family’s band in Missouri. She grew up to become a Billboard Music Award winner with five No. 1 singles. Hear country hits including “Born to Fly” at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. fantasyspringsresort.com
GO: Desert Hot Springs Pride Festival / Nov. 16
Exhibitor booths, food trucks, art, live music, and dancing abound at this free festival for the LGBTQ community and their allies. The affair takes place at Cabot’s Pueblo Museum, a 35-room historic house built by one of Desert Hot Springs’ original pioneers. diversitydhs.org
GROOVE: Los Reileros Del Norte / Nov. 16
Spotlight 29 Casino shines its spotlight on norteño group Los Reilores Del Norte. The Chihuahua-born band is known for its unusual use of both saxophone and accordion, as well as its prolificacy: Since their founding in 1984, Los Reileros have released more than 50 albums. spotlight29.com
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY SPOTLIGHT 29
LAUGH: LESLIE JORDAN / NOV. 16-17
Leslie Jordan, the over-the-top actor-comedian known for popping up in Will & Grace and Sordid Lives, appears at the Palm Springs Cultural Center on Nov. 16 and 17. outlandishps.com
• READ NEXT: Leslie Jordan Chats About His Upcoming Appearamces on the Last Season of Will & Grace.
GO: Mandy Patinkin / Nov. 16
The gruff voice that once repeatedly uttered, “You killed my father. Prepare to die” (Patinkin played Inigo Montoya in 1987’s The Princess Bride) also does amazing things with show tunes. The actor and singer performs Broadway standards, American classics, and original music at the McCallum Theatre. mccallumtheatre.com
GO: JASON STUART BOOK SIGNING / NOV. 17
Actor and comedia Jason Stuart will read excerpts from his book, Shut Up, I'm Talking! Coming Out in Hollywood and Making It To The Middle, conduct a Q&A, sign copies, and have his best friend, actress and activist Alexandra Paul (Baywatch, Christine, Dragnet), hosting the event. bjustfabulous.com
• READ NEXT: Jason Stuart Chats About Carving Out His Career Navigating the Straight and Gay Worlds.
GROOVE: The Kingston Trio / Nov. 17
The original members of this record-breaking group (Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds, and Dave Guard) named themselves after Jamaica’s capital as a nod to the country’s rhythmic folk music. Reynolds’ son Nick, his cousin Mike Marvin, and their friend Josh Reynolds make up a new The Kingston Trio, playing the revered old songs at the McCallum Theatre. mccallumtheatre.com
GROOVE: DAVID SYME / NOV. 18
American piano virtuoso David Syme, will appear at Temple Sinai in Palm Desert. Syme’s long and colorful career includes performances at major concert halls in the United States and Europe, such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Wigmore Hall and other major venues. templesinaipd.org