Dezart Performs, the Palm Springs-based performing troupe, holds a play reading Festival every year in April.  At the end of the four-day festival an “audience favorite”, is selected based upon the number of ballots received with the highest marks.  The Festival winner then receives a fully produced production in December: sets, costumes, lights and sound, props, music, the works.  This season’s award-winning play is being presented at The Palm Springs Women’s Club on Cahuilla Road.

     The 2011 Festival and Audience Favorite is  “The Old Bird”, a comedy written by playwright Lynn Wells Nelson, directed by Charles Rinaldo, and starring Louise Tonti as Jeanne Clement, the world’s oldest person at 122 years of age.

     Also in the cast are: Louise Ross as Nicole, Jeanne’s young friend, who offers strong support (there is wonderful on-stage chemistry between the two women), Andrew Hamling as Henry, John Alex Houlton, as Bernard, and Peter Nicholson as the Reporter.

     Louise Tonti has always been a fine actor.  But, as the 122 year-old Jeanne Clement she is absolutely triumphant.  She was born to play this role.  Every look with those wonderful dancing eyes, every gesture, every nuance of her performance is a delight to watch, and rings so true.  For example, watching Tonti age and grow older before your eyes, these are mesmerizing moments not to be missed.  Her performance is not cliché, in that she affects old age, one actually feels one is in the presence of a real 122 year-old person. Great stuff!

     The story is set in the 1960’s in Paris France.  The action takes place in a Paris apartment, on a park bench and in a nursing home.  The story, in my opinion however, is more suitable for a TV documentary rather than a play.  By employing a series of quick scenes spaced between longer scenes, the play’s construction blunts the pacing and forward movement of the narrative.   When the play settles on character development and dialogue, even for a short time, the piece seems to gather momentum. Also, I feel the addition of some French/Parisan mood music would have bridged those somewhat long scene changes.

     Just when things begin to get interesting between the characters, as in the longer scenes, we jump in another direction only to begin more quick scenes.  I wanted to know more about Henry (Hamling) and Bernard (Alex-Houlton), and even the Reporter played by Nicholson – all supporting roles nicely played, but alas, it was not to happen.  Having said all of the above, the performance by Louise Tonti mitigates any perceived “negatives” and is worth the price of admission alone.

     The production produced by Michael Shaw and Daniela Ryan is wonderfully served by a functional set designed by Randallyn Curry; with lighting by Dylan Feldman, and is technically supported by Clark Dugger. There are only a few more performances left to catch this entertaining show. For reservations and tickets call 760-322-0179 or go online to www.dezartperforms.com .

December is almost always a Christmas-themed month when it comes to entertainment and the theatre and the movies in particular.  The Palm Canyon Theatre (PCT) has decided not to break with that tradition.  They have, however, chosen to present a somewhat different approach to the normal Christmas season story.

     Irving Berlin’s wonderful score from the movie “White Christmas” starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera Ellen, becomes the basis for turning the perennial Christmas movie favorite into a stage-book musical from R & H Theatricals of New York, directed by PCT founder Dr. William Layne.

     Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye are pretty much imbedded in the minds of moviegoers, and are tough acts to follow, along with Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen if one is planning to produce a stage version.  Undaunted and not intimidated by the beloved movie, the Palm Canyon Theatre mounted its version with a wonderfully technical production, complete with a revolving stage, “Cyc’s” of Vermont, and New York City, and pleasing musical tracks selected by Music Director David McLaughlin.  J.W. Layne, the theatre’s Artistic Director and resident Scenic Designer, has few equals when it comes to sets and lighting designs.  This production has both a sweep for its larger scenes and the intimacy required for the more poignant moments

     Luke Rainey as Bob Wallace (the Bing Crosby role), and Erik Bradley as Phil Davis (the Danny Kaye role), are faced with the challenge of stepping into some pretty big shoes.   But Rainey and Bradley’s efforts pay-off as they infuse their own particular brand of comedy and singing efforts into the PCT production.

      The story in short, revolves around two army buddies (Rainey and Bradley) who go into show business following WW II, becoming big television stars during the 1950’s.    

When word reaches them that their old army commanding officer, General Waverly (Ken Lindsey), who is having difficulties in keeping open a Vermont Inn he has sunk his entire Army retirement into, the two decide to bring their TV show to the Vermont Inn for a Christmas TV Special as a way of helping generate publicity and customers for their former commanding officer and his Vermont Inn.

      Along the way, they meet two show business singing sisters Betty and Judy Haynes (Nikki Hock and Jamie Leigh Walker).  Rainey and Bradley take an immediate liking to, and quickly incorporate the “Sisters Act”, into their planned TV Special.  From there it’s a case of boy (Rainey) meets girl (Hock), boy loses girl, boy finally gets girl.  There are a lot of production numbers, gorgeous costumes, and dancing sequences that make  “White Christmas” a pleasant Holiday divertissement.

     The show performs Thursdays at 7 pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 2 pm through December 18^th.  Call the Box Office for tickets and reservations at 760-323-5123.