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Desert Hot Springs, CA PERMIT NO 00005
June 27, 2018 Vol. 12 No. 51
“Women Behind Bars”
Entire cast, played by Loren Freeman, Ruth Braun, Deb Harmon, Kimberly Cole, Kam Sisco, Adina Lawson, Yo Younger, Francesca Amari, Melanie Blue, Phylicia Mason, Miguel Adrballo. Photo by Mike Thomas Photography By Jack Lyons Theatre and Film Critic Member American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) Co-founders Jim Strait and Paul Taylor of the Valley’s only LBTGQ live theatre company has a winning production on their hands making it a
great way to announce their mutual retirement from the award-winning Desert Rose Playhouse (DRP), in Cathedral City. When the time comes, everyone would like to hang out his or her ‘Gone Fishin’ sign and leave their creative endeavors on a high note. Mr. Strait and Mr. Taylor have done precisely that. After six years of serving the valley’s
By Desert Star Staff Drawing more than 640 attendees to Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa on June 12, the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitor Bureau (CVB) recognized many industry workers and businesses making a substantial impact on our tourism industry. Four major awards were also presented to partners for recognition in Partnership, Sustainability, Destination Excellence, and Dedication. CVB President & CEO Scott White opened the event sharing highlights of the current status of tourism in the valley, as well as past and future statistics. In 2017, the valley welcomed over 13 million
visitors who spent $5.5 billion locally, a 37% increase since 2011. He noted the forecast for 2026 is to reach 16.8 million visitors. White thanked the hospitality community for working together to make the CVB’s marketing promises a reality for every visitor. Following White, JW Marriott Desert Springs General Manager and Chair of the CVB, Tom Tabler, showcased highlights of the CVB’s marketing efforts and highlighted a few areas of the tourism master plan, which notably includes a $2 million initiative to realizing a growing Salton Sea area with the passing of Proposition 68. Brooke Beare, evening
LBTGQ community with ‘its ‘blood, sweat, tears, as well as the ecstasy and adrenaline high that only comes with another opening night in a theatre. They deserve our Mahalo’s for six wonderful seasons of a job well done. Please note: Desert Rose Playhouse will still be producing plays for the LBTGQ audiences of the Coachella Valley. Messrs. Strait and
Taylor have been practicing their Hawaiian Island dialects which, no doubt, will come in handy in their retirement years. The changing of the guard at the Desert Rose Playhouse, so to speak, comes after the closing night performance of DRP’s current ‘Hot Summer Nights’ annual production series with “Women Behind Bars,” written by Tom Eyre,
and co-directed by Jim Strait and Robbie Wayne, and produced by Paul Taylor. Director Strait has assembled a cast of actors that the writers and directors of those 1930’ and 40’s Noir dramas about femme fatales and life in prisons (a staple of Warner Bros. Continues on Page 19
Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitor Bureau’s 2018 Oasis Awards
Palm Award presented to Thomas Soule, City of Palm Desert. From left to right: Scott White, President/CEO of Greater Palm Springs CVB, Lauri Aylaian, Palm Desert City Manager, Tom Tabler, Continues on Page 2 Chair, Greater Palm Springs CVB