Darlin's,
It's February and love is in the air! Or maybe it's just pollen, but it makes us all light-headed and giddy nonetheless.
And what better Valentine's gift for your loved one than a trip to the Follies? We have nine shows during Valentine's week, so why not make reservations at one of our lovely Palm Springs Area hotels, enjoy a delicious dinner at one of our superb Palm Springs Area restaurants, then enjoy a performance of the one-and-only, the original, the world-famous Fabulous Palm Springs Follies.
Or here's a thought: buy your mother-in-law a Follies gift certificate and tell her to take her girlfriend, Madge. You're off the hook, and "Mom" and Madge are out of your hair - I mean, happily entertained - for a day!
This month's fifteenth-birthday-edition Follies continues with the incredible Four Coins, the hilarious comic impressionist, Janice Hart, the adorable Olate's Canine Capers, our incredible line of Long Legged Lovelies, those handsome Dapper Dans and, of course, yours truly, the humble Master of Ceremonies.
You'll probably notice a few enhancements to the Follies website since my last message. Follies Favorites can now log on from every page and enjoy the added benefits that come from being a member.
We also have a new "Follies Fanatics" webpage which contains downloadable photos. Our current gallery contains photos of folks who visited our booth at the recent Los Angeles Times Travel Show in Long Beach, California, to pose with a Follies-costumed showgirl. And more galleries will be added soon!
Our desert paradise season is now in full swing, but some good seats are still available here at the Follies, so we hope to see you soon. And for those of you who've already attended a performance this season, thank you for your many messages on how much you've enjoyed our fifteenth birthday edition. Some people watch television or read magazines while relaxing in their Barcalounger after a long day. I prefer to read your many letters and emails, and can't wait 'til the 'morrow when I return to our historic Plaza Theatre for another day of entertaining you, our beloved Follies patrons.
Riff Markowitz
"The Follies Man"
Dog acts are a perennial favorite at the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies, so it's only fitting that for this, our fifteenth birthday season, the Follies presents a return engagement of one of the world's finest packs of trained pooches: Olate's Canine Capers. These eleven canine superstars include poodles, terriers, small-breed mixes and one recalcitrant Yorkie (with moxie to spare!) who do back flips, jump rope, play "leapfrog" with their human counterparts, perform handstands and frolic up and down a playground slide.
The act's patriarch, José Olate, 58, was born in Chile and started his circus career at the age of 10 as an assistant to his family's dog act. Performed by three generations of Olates over 50 years, the clan traveled continuously throughout South America and Europe. When his parents retired, José carried on the family tradition, and now
performs with his wife, Martha, and nephew, Juan Carlos Olate.
Canine Capers remains one of the most sought-after dog acts, due in no small part to José's obvious affection for his animal partners. "Any dog can be a good dog," José insists, "with kindness, attention, love and affection."
"Old-timers will remember there was no such thing as a great vaudeville bill without a wonderful opening flash act," says Follies impresario Riff Markowitz. "And dog acts always fit the bill perfectly, although there are precious few remaining today. How fortunate we are to have the world's finest dog act back at the Plaza Theatre to help us celebrate our birthday season!"
With flawless comic timing and uncanny coordination, Olate's canines are proven crowd-pleasers, at the Follies and among animal lovers everywhere.
Famous folk are always visiting the Follies and, while we try to protect their privacy, we thought you'd like to know about some recent celebrity sightings at the historic Plaza Theatre.
As many of you know, the late Bob Hope was a great friend and regular visitor to the Follies. The accompanying photo is something we treasure for it memorializes one of his visits (with San Diego Chargers owner Alex Spanos and the Follies Man). Sadly, Mr. Hope is no longer with us, but his friends and family have continued the tradition. Last month and for each of our prior fourteen seasons during the Bob Hope Classic Golf Tournament, the Hope family and friends were our honored guests at a Follies performance.
Ralph Young, the Follies' very first season guest star and half of the world-famous singing duo "Sandler and Young," continues to enjoy each new Follies edition.
How fitting that the original TV exercise guru, Jack LaLanne, should attend the Follies with his wife, Elaine! Mr. LaLanne is often called the "Godfather of Fitness," so who better to appreciate the indefatigable cast of the Follies?
Teenage heartthrob, actor, singer and (now) author, Tab Hunter, recently made his annual pilgrimage to the Follies while on tour promoting his new book, "Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of A Movie Star."
Actor, producer and former professional football star, "The Hammer" Fred Williamson, never misses a Follies season.
Star of countless films including Young Frankenstein and Mr. Mom, and an Academy Award nominee for Tootsie, Teri Garr enjoyed her very first visit to the Follies after hearing about it for years. Miss Garr was in town to sign copies of her new book, Speed Bumps: Flooring It Though Hollywood.
Flowers fade, candy rots, and diamonds go missing down the garbage disposal. The only truly lasting gift is the wonderful memory provided by a trip to the Follies! (Okay, okay, a bit of a stretch, but work with us here.)
A gift certificate is the perfect way to provide just such a memory for a loved one in Palm Springs, even if you are far away. Simply call one of our good-natured reservations agents at 760-327-0225 and tell her, "I want to make someone happy!"
Don't delay as Valentine's Day is just around the corner! But if you don't remember Valentine's Day until February 13 (the day before), we'll be happy to overnight your certificate anywhere in the U.S. for a small additional charge.
Natascha Ahlborn, 70, was born and raised in Berlin, Germany, where she began her training in classical ballet. After World War II, she started dancing professionally in opera houses throughout Europe.
At Age 24
She soon moved into show dancing where her stunning height, beauty and incredible dance ability attracted the attention of producers. She has been featured in the Folies Bergere and the Lido in Paris, as well as the Casino de Paris in Las Vegas. She toured worldwide with the Nouvelle Eve de Paris, and in the Far East, Europe and the United States as a high fashion model.
An avid mountain biker, a regular ballet student and now studying voice, Ahlborn is enjoying her twelfth season as a Follies audience favorite.
"We are more than just bodies - our souls are truly ageless!"
Asked what has been her life's greatest challenge, Miss Ahlborn replied, "Pursuing a career in dance over the objections of my loving, but very practical, mother. I cleaned apartments and washed dishes just to pay for dance lessons. And Mother eventually changed her mind when she saw me dance professionally."
We partner with over fifty restaurants, hotels, attractions,
retailers and special services to assist you in making your visit to Palm Springs and the
Follies even more enjoyable. Please visit the "Visitor Information" page of the Follies
website or click here for a complete listing plus additional helpful details. Some vendors
even make special offers exclusive to Follies patrons, so please check before you visit.
This page also includes parking information and street directions to make getting to the
Follies as easy as possible!
The Follies box office is open seven days a week and can be reached by calling (760) 327-0225, or you can purchase tickets online 24 hours a day at www.psfollies.com and see your exact seat location at the time of booking. The Follies box office, located at the entrance to The Historic Plaza Theatre, is also now open seven days a week.