Palm Springs Follies holiday season in full swing

The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies bring the Holidays to life during last year’s event. Photo courtesy of The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies

Soaring medleys of “Silent Night,” “Ave Maria” and “O’ Holy Night” combine with a rip-roarious performance of “The Dreidel Song” by dancing rabbis. Shimmering snow falls to the strains of “White Christmas” on stage while a risqué burlesqued rendition of “Santa Baby” merge to make this year’s Follies’ Yuletide offering unlike anything audiences have seen in prior years.

The festivities culminate on December 31st, when the Follies present two special New Year’s Eve performances (a matinee at 3:30 p.m. and evening show at 9:00 p.m.), each with a champagne reception, hats, and noise-making accouterment to welcome in 2013. When the balloons and confetti drop at the stroke of midnight and the final strains of Auld Lang Syne play, The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies’ holiday season will have officially ended. Until then, however, the Follies will continue to present its all-new holiday production – with up to eight performance events per week – featuring both sacred and secular musical selections.

The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies celebrates Hanukkah with a rousing version of the Dreidel Song. Photo courtesy of The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies

As in previous seasons of giving, the Follies offers a drop-off location for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots Program. Anyone nearby during a performance may donate a new, unwrapped toy at the bin placed outside the theatre doors through December 15th. Follies fans have made the Plaza Theatre one of the top donor sites for the annual toy drive benefiting needy children.

During its 22 seasons, The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies has been seen by nearly three million patrons, and celebrates the music and dance of Mid-Century America with a cast ranging in age from 54 to 83 years “young.” The show features lavish, Broadway-caliber production numbers, and plays five days a week from November through May. The show is housed in downtown Palm Springs’ historic Plaza Theatre, a charming, neon-encrusted old movie house, an attraction in and of itself.

If You Go:

• Official Palm Springs Follies website
• Palm Spring Gay Tourism website
• Buy tickets through your travel agent or by calling the Box Office
• Box office phone (760) 327-0225

This news & events bulletin is based entirely on information received from The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies.