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Greetings, Darlin's!
On September 25, the Follies box office reopens for our spectacular 16th edition. (And do I have a surprise or two for you this season!) As one of our "online" fans, you still have a few more days to purchase tickets on our website before they go on sale to the general public. Please don't delay in securing your favorite seats since, by all signs, this is going to be the most popular season ever! One of the reasons for this will be our sensational opening guest star, Miss Gogi Grant, who will headline at the Follies through December 31, 2006. You'll find information listed below about her illustrious career along with an audio clip of her most famous hit. I know you won't want to miss her! |
A little over a month from now, the Follies will be sharing a booth with the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism and the Palm Springs Vagabond Hotel at AARP's "Life @ 50+" National Event being held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, October 26-28, 2006. On Friday, October 27, from 3:30 to 4:00 p.m., the Follies and the Bureau of Tourism are sponsoring an informational presentation at the exhibit hall's "Sunglasses Stage." If you are near Anaheim on that date, we hope you can stop by the presentation as well as our booth to say hello and learn more about this season's Follies. And who ever thought we'd live to see the day when Elton John would be old enough to be the AARP's headline act? Follies Favorites will find more items added to their "members only" page this month including photos of cast rehearsals and other preparations here at the historic Plaza Theatre as we ready for our "earlier than usual" opening on October 31. (Halloween seemed a more appropriate opening day than Election Day, as in years past.) Finally, please read the important message below about our "Team Fab Follies" participation in the Desert AIDS Walk being held October 28, 2006. Your support will help make us the top team for this most important cause. Well, I must be back in the theater now to resume rehearsals. Be well and we'll see you soon at the Follies!
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I trust you all had a relaxing and "labor free" Labor Day . There are several theories on the exact origin of this holiday, but it appears to have been started through the efforts of East Coast labor unions in the late 1800s to designate the first Monday of September as a day to sanctify the honor and dignity of human labor. So, in upholding that tradition, I only rehearsed our Follies cast seven hours that day rather than their usual eight. 
Even during the 1950s--that golden age of American pop divas--singer Gogi Grant stood out from the rest because of the richness of 
her tone and the careful nuances of her phrasing. Still beloved and admired five decades later, Grant, 82, is making her debut as a Follies guest star.
Born Audrey Arinsburg, Grant was given her improbable moniker by a manager and it served her well. Her first release, the inspirational "Suddenly There's a Valley" in 1955, was a respectable success. But the "B" side of that single proved a monster hit. Recorded in just 15 minutes at the end of a long studio session, "The Wayward Wind" spent eight weeks at #1 on the Billboard pop chart (supplanting Elvis' "Heartbreak Hotel") and eventually sold more than two million copies. By some measures, it remains one of the Top 40 hits of all time.
Click here for a Gogi Grant audio clip.
There followed a number of hit singles for Grant, including "Who Are We?" and "You're in Love," and successful albums, including Suddenly There's Gogi and Welcome to My Heart. In 1957 she supplied the singing voice for Ann Blyth in the Warner 
Brothers film biography, The Helen Morgan Story. Although it was common at the time for studios to deny that singing voices were dubbed, such was Grant's stature that she was pictured on the album cover. The soundtrack remained on the charts for more than two years.
In 1967, Grant retired from professional singing to devote her time to raising her children. When she returned to the concert stage more than two decades later, she astonished fans and critics alike. Time had done nothing to diminish her unique voice, it had merely enriched her interpretations of classic, American songs. Variety hailed her as "an American Piaf" and the Los Angeles Theatre Guild awarded her its highest honor.
Grant went on to triumphant engagements in New York and London, and performances with symphony orchestras around the world. Her greatest hits CD, The Best of Gogi Grant, was released in 1993. The Fabulous Follies is indeed proud to welcome this legendary vocalist, who--like the Follies itself--proves that talent has no expiration date.
The 19th Annual Desert AIDS Walk will be held in downtown Palm Springs on Saturday, October 28, with a 9:30 a.m. "step off" from Frances Stevens Park. "Team Fab Follies" will again participate in this most worthy event in support of Desert AIDS Project, an organization that provides medical care and comprehensive support services to people living with HIV/AIDS in the desert community.
If you would like to join us that morning for the 2.8 mile walk, please call Jim Suguitan or Carl Hursh at 760-778-7654 for more details. You will also receive a complimentary Follies t-shirt by becoming a "Team Fab Follies" walker.
If you are unable to walk that day, please consider becoming a "Team Fab Follies" sponsor by clicking http://www.firstgiving.com/psfollies. We thank you in advance for joining our fundraising efforts that morning.
With as few as 10 people, you can give Follies gift and/or concession bags to everyone in your theater party! They'll all think you're a big shot, but-in reality-ordering a party package saves up to 65% from purchasing the same souvenir and refreshment items separately. Party packages must be ordered in advance, so simply click here for more information about this exciting add-on. You'll make your friends and family feel like they're attending the Academy Awards (without them having to report it to the IRS)!
While planning your next Palm Springs visit, why not consider the attractions, retail stores and special services shown below? Just tell them, "The Follies sent me!"
Cowboy Dinner Theater, P.O. Box 1094, Palm Springs, CA 92263, (800) 600-3082, www.cowboydinners.com. Hollywood, Singing Cowboys, American Indian tradition, Country and Western music come alive in a "Branson style" musical show of singing, comedy and audience participation. Elegant Illusions, 102 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262, (760) 320-9917, www.elegantillusions.com, accnt2@eiomfg.com. Original designs in masterworked jewelry, displaying the finest quality, lab-created gems. 20% off regularly priced items if you mention you saw this listing. Gadabout Tours , 700 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262, (760) 325-5556, www.gadabouttours.com, info@gadabouttours.com. Located in Palm Springs, Gadabout Tours provides tour and cruise vacations worldwide geared to the retired traveler. Home pickups in most areas of Southern California. Good Gauze of Palm Springs, 120 La Plaza, Palm Springs, CA 92262, (760) 323-9399, www.goodgauze.com, goodgauze@aol.com. The unique boutique just around the corner from the Follies. Cool cotton resort wear, cruise wear, accessories, hats and jewelry. Morongo Casino Resort and Spa, 49500 Seminole Dr., Cabazon, CA 92230, (888) 667-6646, www.morongo.com. Southern California's favorite Four-Diamond Casino Resort and Spa. The place for you to stay before or after the show. We welcome tours, and have special amenities for tours that stay while attending the Follies. World-class Sage Spa and gaming are here to keep you entertained, along with 12 food and beverage outlets and show venues. The largest Premium Outlet Mall on the West Coast is right next door. Complimentary shuttle and discount book for guests attending the Follies. Palm Springs Air Museum, 745 North Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, CA 92262, (760) 778-6262, www.palmspringsairmuseum.org. Visit The Palm Springs Air Museum "where history flies through the skies and your guides are the people who made history." See 27 flyable WWII war-birds (including a B-17), vintage automobiles and aviation art. Open daily from 10am to 5pm except Thanksgiving and Christmas days. Pure Inspiration-The Leonardo Da Vinci Exhibit, November 3 through March 25, 2007. Paradise Springs, 8689 Summit Pass, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240, (760) 321-7778, www.ParadiseSprings.com, Sales@ParadiseSprings.com. A 55+ Active-Adult Community nestled in the hills overlooking Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. A resort-style, guard-gated community of luxury homes. Pure Inspiration - The Leonardo DaVinci Exhibit, 745 North Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, CA 92262, (760) 778-6262, www.palmspringsairmuseum.org. See what it's like to be 554 years ahead of your time! A stunning exhibit of precise and interactive replicas of more than 60 machines designed and described by Leonardo Da Vinci. At the Palm Springs Air Museum, November 3 through March 25, 2007. |
RV Casuals Red/Purple & Other Unique Boutique Attire, 2947 W. Lincoln Ave. #102, Banning, CA 92220, (951) 849-0919, www.rvcasuals.com, rvcasuals@verizon.net. RV Casuals has the best quality, largest selection and best prices of Red and Purple and other unique attire around. Complimentary Lunch for Groups of 10 or more. Sky Valley Resorts, 74711 Dillon Road, Sky Valley, CA 92241, (888) 894-7727, www.skyvalleyresort.com, marketing@calientesprings.com. Discover a better way to affordable Desert resort home ownership with quality, hot mineral pools, golf, tennis and all the amenities. Spa Resort Casino, 401 East Amado, Palm Springs, CA 92262 . (760) 883-1000, www.sparesortcasino.com. For special Follies group discounts and pricing, contact Angela Fuentes by phone at (760) 778-1522 or by email to afuentes@srcmail.net. 24-hour Casino with 6 Restaurants, 228-room Hotel, full-service Spa and Fitness Center. Within walking distance of the Follies. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46-200 Harrison Place, Coachella, CA 92236. (866) 377-6829, www.Spotlight29.com , info@Spotlight29.net. For group info, call Diane Delfiandra at (760) 775-2853 or email ddelfiandra@Spotlight29.net . The Valley's largest casino! 2,000 slot machines and 30 favorite table games. The Rattlesnake is the most awarded restaurant in the Coachella Valley. The Face Place of Palm Springs, 1555 S Palm Canyon, Suite G106, Palm Springs, CA 92264, (760) 325-7055, www.thefaceplaceofps.com, thefaceplace@dc.rr.com. A beautiful day spa and gift shop nestled up close to the mountain just one mile south of the Palm Springs Follies in ''Plaza del Sol.'' Offering skin care, body work, massage, aromatherapy, reflexology, manicures, pedicures, and waxing. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, 1 Tramway Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262, (888) 515-8786, www.pstramway.com, pstramway@pstramway.com. Travel from the desert floor to a pristine alpine forest. With a restaurant, gift shop and 54 miles of hiking trails, there is something for everyone at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Village of Palm Springs, Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262, www.PalmCanyonDrive.org, info@PalmCanyonDrive.org. Welcome to the Village of Palm Springs! Nowhere in the Coachella Valley will you find such an exciting combination of great shopping, world-class dining, and thrilling entertainment. Share the legend, on Palm Canyon Drive. Union Bank of California-The Private Bank, Desert Region, 71-950 Highway 111, Suite B, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270, (760) 862-4750, www.UBOC.com. The Private Bank, Desert Region: The Private Bank provides comprehensive Wealth Management Planning. Our strategical focus is to help preserve and protect client's wealth. Wells Fargo Reverse Mortgage, 4590 MacArthur Blvd. Suite 200, Newport Beach, CA 92660, (877) 760-1776, robert.c.trommler@wellsfargo.com. Seniors (62+), contact Robert Trommler to find out how a reverse mortgage can help you pay off your current mortgage and receive tax-free income. Your Family Name, LLC, 172 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262, (760) 322-3103, www.yourfamilynameorigin.com, YourFamilyName@aol.com. Various products related to family name histories and coats of arms, including jewelry, swords, shirts and towels with crests. |
The Follies box office opens September 25, 2006, but you can purchase tickets online right now, 24-hours a day at www.psfollies.com and see your exact seat location at the time of booking.