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Plaza Theatre (Palm Springs)
Encyclopedia
The Plaza Theatre is a historic theater located at 128 South Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs
, California
. Today, the theatre remains operational as the home of The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies
who have been featured on ABC
’s 20/20, The Today Show, the New York Times, and other national and international publications since its founding.
It was December 12, 1936 that the historic Plaza Theatre opened with the Greta Garbo
and Robert Taylor
premiere Camille
. The theatre's owner at the time, Earle Strebe, sold the very first ticket to Annette Freeman.
In the early days of Palm Springs began the Desert Circus for which an annual show was staged by Melba Bennett called the Village Insanities. Originally performed on the grounds of the Desert Inn, The Village Insanities would later perform at the Plaza Theatre under the name of the Village Vanities during the 1940s.
The historic Plaza Theatre remained active for many years finally becoming dormant in 1989 and at long last empty. It was at this time that television producer Riff Markowitz, The Hitchhiker, decided to renovate the cinema and create a "Broadway-caliber celebration of the music, dance, and comedy of the 30's, 40's, and 50's with a cast old enough to have lived it!".
the Plaza Theatre has run late October through may since 1990. The Managing Director and MC of the show Riff Markowitz
is perhaps most famous for his cult classic television series The Hilarious House of Frightenstein
or the much beloved HBO hit TV series The Hitchhiker. Among the theatre's latest stars are Dorothy Kloss
, the World's Oldest Showgirl
, Leonard Crofoot
, often remembered for his roles on Star Trek The Next Generation and Star Trek Voyager, and last but not least, Riff Markowitz, the creator, producer, compere and the star of the show. who also co-created the television series The Hitchhiker, and numerous other television series and specials.
The Plaza Theatre was the subject of a documentary, through the Follies, entitled "Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies
" directed by Mel Damski
, which was nominated for an Oscar in 1998.
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Today, the theatre remains operational as the home of The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies
The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies
The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies was the subject of a short documentary titled "Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies" which was nominated for an Academy Award...
who have been featured on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
’s 20/20, The Today Show, the New York Times, and other national and international publications since its founding.
History
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
and Robert Taylor
Robert Taylor (actor)
Robert Taylor was an American film and television actor.-Early life:Born Spangler Arlington Brugh in Filley, Nebraska, he was the son of Ruth Adaline and Spangler Andrew Brugh, who was a farmer turned doctor...
premiere Camille
Camille (1936 film)
Camille is an American romantic drama film directed by George Cukor and produced by Irving Thalberg and Bernard H. Hyman, from a screenplay by James Hilton, Zoe Akins and Frances Marion. The picture is based on the 1852 novel and play La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils...
. The theatre's owner at the time, Earle Strebe, sold the very first ticket to Annette Freeman.
In the early days of Palm Springs began the Desert Circus for which an annual show was staged by Melba Bennett called the Village Insanities. Originally performed on the grounds of the Desert Inn, The Village Insanities would later perform at the Plaza Theatre under the name of the Village Vanities during the 1940s.
The historic Plaza Theatre remained active for many years finally becoming dormant in 1989 and at long last empty. It was at this time that television producer Riff Markowitz, The Hitchhiker, decided to renovate the cinema and create a "Broadway-caliber celebration of the music, dance, and comedy of the 30's, 40's, and 50's with a cast old enough to have lived it!".
Today
Home to The Fabulous Palm Springs FolliesThe Fabulous Palm Springs Follies
The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies was the subject of a short documentary titled "Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies" which was nominated for an Academy Award...
the Plaza Theatre has run late October through may since 1990. The Managing Director and MC of the show Riff Markowitz
Riff Markowitz
Rafael Markowitz is the managing director, MC and co-founder of The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies, which performs at the historic Plaza Theatre in downtown Palm Springs, California, United States. He is also a writer, television producer and director.-Biography:Markowitz was born in New York but...
is perhaps most famous for his cult classic television series The Hilarious House of Frightenstein
The Hilarious House of Frightenstein
The Hilarious House of Frightenstein was a Canadian children's television series produced by Hamilton, Ontario's independent station CHCH-TV in 1971. It was syndicated to television stations across Canada and the United States and occasionally still appears today in some television markets...
or the much beloved HBO hit TV series The Hitchhiker. Among the theatre's latest stars are Dorothy Kloss
Dorothy Kloss
Dorothy Dale Kloss, , began dancing when she was 3 years old. While working with a young Bob Fosse in a Chicago class, she won a tap contest and catapulted to stardom doing her own act at the Empire Room in Chicago...
, the World's Oldest Showgirl
Showgirl
A showgirl is a dancer or performer in a stage entertainment show. Showgirl is also often used as a term for a promotional model in trade fairs and car shows, etc...
, Leonard Crofoot
Leonard Crofoot
Leonard John Crofoot is an actor, singer, dancer, writer and choreographer. He is also credited as 'Leonard Crofoot.'...
, often remembered for his roles on Star Trek The Next Generation and Star Trek Voyager, and last but not least, Riff Markowitz, the creator, producer, compere and the star of the show. who also co-created the television series The Hitchhiker, and numerous other television series and specials.
The Plaza Theatre was the subject of a documentary, through the Follies, entitled "Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies
Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies
Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies is a 1997 short documentary film directed by Mel Damski. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short....
" directed by Mel Damski
Mel Damski
Melvin "Mel" Damski is an American director and producer of film and television.-Life and career:Damski was born in Manhattan, New York having Russian Jewish heritage. He has two brothers and one sister. Damski grew up in New York and attended Colgate University on a football scholarship...
, which was nominated for an Oscar in 1998.