A Guide to Palm Springs Theaters, Choirs, and Bands

Welcome to Palm Springs, a vibrant city known for its thriving arts and entertainment scene. If you’re a live theater and choirs fan, you’re in for a treat. Here’s a guide to some of Palm Springs’ top live theaters, choirs, and bands that will captivate and entertain you.

Palm Springs Theaters

Desert Ensemble Theatre

Desert Ensemble Theatre is committed to growing the art of theater by producing innovative plays that underscore the complexity of human interaction. They nurture the growth of artists of all ages, on and off the stage, and create an environment that rewards and cherishes them.

Their theater internships give high school students the on-the-job experience of working in professional productions. They work professionally, expanding and practicing what they have learned in school. As they continue to grow, they aim to provide additional services for kids who want to learn about technical theater. Whether they go into the field of technical theater or not, they will offer opportunities to learn a craft and the discipline they will need to excel.

The theater recently received 43 Desert Theatre League Award nominations for its 2022–23 season, with 21 nominations for its world premiere productions of “Do Not Remove Label” and “Kafka’s Joke.”

The season runs from October through April at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.

Dezart Performs

As an Equity-sanctioned professional theatre, Dezart Performs draws on the rich talent pool both locally and from the surrounding southern California region. This makes it unique in its ability to cast gifted amateurs alongside experienced professionals. This brings high-quality performance to Palm Springs that you usually only get in larger cities.

Now entering its 16th season, with an expanded schedule of four main productions, the company brings a consistent level of quality theatre to the desert, which its audiences have come to expect.

The season runs from November through April. They produce four shows a season, each running two weekends. See them at the Perl McManus Theater in the Palm Springs Woman’s Club. 314 S Cahuilla Road.

Palm Canyon Theatre

Founded in 1997 by Bill and Sylvia Layne, Palm Canyon Theatre is a nonprofit regional repertory theater company dedicated to the education of live stage production and the enrichment of the greater Palm Springs community and its visitors. Palm Canyon Theatre produces Broadway musicals, classic plays, one-night concerts, and cabarets.

The 230-seat theater is equipped with advanced sound and light technology that enhances the experience for the audience and theater groups performing there.

The show season runs from September to July producing 10 shows during the entire season.

The theatre is located in the historic Frances S. Stevens School, at the corner of Palm Canyon Drive and Alejo Road, 538 N. Palm Canyon.

Revolution Stage Company

Gary Powers and James Ownens co-founded Revolution Stage Company to elevate the city’s theater scene and nurture emerging talent. They produce high-quality, affordable entertainment that elevates theatre production standards and builds audiences who appreciate live theater. This venue offers exceptional live entertainment and a place for performers to present their best work.

Powers began his career at 17 in the show “Gypsy” with Angela Lansbury outside Philadelphia. His career took him to New York City, where he worked with renowned actors, including Sir Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, and Katharine Hepburn.

The theater offers the gamut of entertainment, from musicals to plays, comedy, improv, cabaret, and everything in between. This 150-seat theater also has a full-service bar and ice cream station.

Revolution Stage Company is located at 611 S. Palm Canyon Drive.

The Bent

This is an independent non-profit theater company dedicated to resourcing the talents of the LGBTQ+ community. Its performances are at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, located at 2300 E. Baristo Road.

Palm Springs Choirs

Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus

The Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus began in 1999 with a 24-member group called The Caballeros. As the chorus grew, they renamed itself in 2013 to the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus to better identify with the community.

Though the name changed, the chorus’s mission remains the same: To be a chorus of gay men who, through musical excellence, community outreach, and civic responsibility, are dedicated to entertaining, inspiring, and educating the culturally diverse community we live.

Beyond its annual seasonal concerts in April and December, the chorus continues to support its community partners by singing at high-profile events, including the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, the AIDS Assistance Program’s Evening Under the Stars, the Equality California Awards, Michael Childer’s “One Night Only” Benefiting Jewish Family Services, and a recent concert in Las Vegas benefiting Family Promise.

Most seasonal performances are at the Annenberg Theater in the Palm Springs Art Museum at 101 N Museum Way.

 Modern Men

Modern Men is the gay men’s chorus for the Coachella Valley. They deliver dynamic and entertaining performances that blend music, humor, and storytelling. Their engaging shows celebrate the LGBTQ+ community while delighting audiences with exceptional vocal harmonies.

Since joining Modern Men as Artistic Director in August 2016 and in his 53rd year in conducting, Dr. Stan Hill brings to Coachella Valley audiences his witty, humanistic, and iconoclastic approach to choral music and conducting. Well known in choral circles nationally, Stan served for 11 years as Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and then for 12 years as Artistic Director of Minnesota’s Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus before moving to Palm Springs in 2012.

Modern men perform a holiday concert in December and a spring concert in April. Currently, they are performing at the Palm Springs Cultural Center at 2300 East Baristo.

Palm Springs Bands

 Desert Winds Freedom Band

The symphonic band, marching band, jazz band, and pep band perform a formal Fall and Spring concert program and often a holiday or May concert as well.

The Symphonic Band or Concert Band has grown to over 100 members. In 2001, it began with just 17 members.

The Jazz Band is comprised of 21 musicians who perform classic big band numbers as well as more contemporary jazz and swing. Local vocalists from the valley are often featured at the Jazz Band performance.

Each year, Desert Winds Freedom Band looks forward to a prominent role in the Palm Springs Pride Parade, one of the fall’s most colorful and fun events.

​The Pep Band performs yearly at the Palm Springs AIDS Walk and other fundraisers or celebrations around the Coachella Valley, performing rousing marches and popular music.

Artistic Director Dean McDowell

Dean moved full-time from Columbus, Ohio, to the Coachella Valley in 2006.  The Desert Winds Freedom Band needed a permanent Artistic Director, and Dean was recruited for the position in 2007.  Under his seasoned leadership, the Band has grown into a highly esteemed, openly LGBT, and LGBT-friendly musical organization for the Coachella Valley.  Dean enjoys the challenge of bringing out the best of the band’s volunteer musicians, and the audience has responded in kind.  His priorities are designing future performances that continue to draw audiences, seeking greater visibility, and maintaining financial viability for the band.

 Whether you’re into thought-provoking dramas, uplifting musicals, or soul-stirring choir performances, Palm Springs has something to offer every theater and music lover. So, make sure to check out these incredible live theaters and choirs during your visit to Palm Springs for a truly memorable cultural experience.

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Annenberg Theater

Palm Springs Cultural Center

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