The Palm Springs Follies Monthly Communique
WWW.PSFOLLIES.COM May 2007

A Message From The Follies Man

Darlin's,

If you cannot see the images, you need to be sure your computer is first connected to the internet.All good things come to an end, according to the proverb, so after nearly 200 performances and a final matinee on Sunday, May 20, the Follies cast and I will bring down the curtain on Season 16 and hang up our tap shoes for awhile. That leaves you just a few remaining chances to catch the incomparable Mimi Hines, the electric Dancing Gauchos, and the amazing quick-change antics of Tatiana and Victor Manjos. And just a few more opportunities to witness the exuberant recreations of the most popular dance crazes (the jitterbug, the Charleston, the mambo and more) that highlight our 16th season offering, Gotta Dance!

Beginning May 21, I’ll give the cast a few weeks off to rest. They are thoroughbreds, undeniably, but even race horses get a chance to rejuvenate between seasons. And the vacation allows our dancers to do things they neglect when they are performing nine shows every week. Things like hugging their grandchildren, weeding their petunias and catching up on back episodes of Dancing with the Stars. (Imagine how surprised they’ll be to discover Democrats now control both houses of Congress, Paris Hilton is headed for the slammer and Rosie O’Donnell is leaving The View!) But the Long-Legged Lovelies and Follies Gentlemen will be back in August to learn new lyrics and harmonies, and to master brand-new choreography.

Alas, summer isn’t so idyllic for the Follies crew and I. Although designers have been working on next season for more than 18 months now, the entire crew, the Company Dance Manager and I go to work full-time on the new show the very day after this season closes. Feathers don’t fluff themselves, you know. And until we can teach silk worms to cough up Swarovski crystals, every costume for next season must be adorned by hand. I’ll keep you updated on our progress during the sultry months ahead, but rest assured we will be hard at work to make sure Season 17 is the best Follies ever!

The GovenatorGov. Arnold SchwarzeneggerCapitolSen. Jim Battin and Mary Jardin at the top of the CapitolIn other news this month, my partner, Follies Co-Founder and Director of Marketing Mary Jardin, just returned from accepting an award in Sacramento. The Follies was named “Small Business of the Year” by our gracious (and insightful) State Senator, Jim Battin, at a ceremony headed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Senator Battin’s press release about this event is included below.) After the formal festivities, Senator Battin kindly took Mary and her high heels on a tour of the capitol building and up 13 flights of ladders and stairs to view the cupola above. Judging by the photographs, either Mary decided to try a hairstyle she saw on MTV in 1983, or else Mary and the poor senator were buffeted by the gusts of hot air for which the state capital is well known.

ImageUCLA's Dr. Gary Small being interviewed by PBSOur May 4 symposium, co-hosted by the UCLA Center on Aging, proved to be as entertaining as it Imagewas enlightening. Center Director Dr. Gary Small explained his "eight essentials for keeping your mind sharp and your body young" in a keynote address and then the four eldest Follies cast members and I joined him for a lively panel discussion. The event is described in greater detail below, but just between you and me, I can reveal that the evening was videotaped by Public Broadcasting station KCET for airing at a later date. Apparently PBS, unlike the other networks, has discovered there is life beyond the “coveted 18 to 49 demographic.”

Well, that’s it for now, but I’ll be in touch over the summer. And speaking of keeping in touch, the Follies online forum will be active throughout the off-season so that you can keep in touch with other members of the Follies community. You can get started there any time by clicking here.

Riff Markowitz

Riff Markowitz
"The Follies Man"

The Doctor And The Showgirl: A Story With A Happy Ending
UCLA, Follies Symposium on Aging Delights Crowd of 500

ImageDr. Gary Small and Riff Markowitz"So, two old people go into a bar...," deadpanned Follies Impresario Riff Markowitz as he opened Living Better Longer, a symposium presented through a first-time partnership between the UCLA Center on Aging and the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies at Palm Springs' Historic Plaza Theatre on May 4. "I know that sounds like the beginning of an old joke, but it isn't a joke: Old people actually DO go into bars. And they live and love and make a difference in people's lives. The list goes on and on of what old people are capable of doing and this is what we'll be exploring tonight."

Image(Panel from left) Hank Brunjes, Glenda Guilfoyle, Dick France, Dorothy Kloss, Dr. Gary Small and Riff MarkowitzFor the next two hours, an audience of over 500 listened as Markowitz, UCLA Center on Aging Director Dr. Gary Small and the Follies' four oldest cast members discussed Dr. Small's eight tips for successful aging and delivered a message of hope for what's possible in one's 60s, 70s and 80s.

"Interviewing the Follies cast is really a dream come true for someone in my field," said Dr. Small as he began his keynote address. "I'm always looking at the science and trying to explain it to people, but to really see it here, with people who know how to do it, they are truly 'science in action.'" Panelist Dick France, who is the Follies' oldest male cast member at age 77, ImageDr. Small's keynote addressresponded later with this personal history: "I had a heart attack in 2003 and had to have quadruple-bypass surgery. I was afraid my career was over, but six months later, I was back on stage. So now I do everything I can possibly do to live."

But the event wasn't just for seniors. Rancho Mirage resident and Baby Boomer Mary Moody-Lewis said afterwards, "It was a great evening. I was pleased to learn that I'm already doing five of Dr. Small's eight tips for living better longer. Now I need to work on the remaining three. And the panel discussion with the Follies cast was an inspiration. You couldn't help but feel more alive by listening to their example."

ImageDr. Small and Riff Markowitz presenting Dorothy Kloss with her Guinness AwardThe evening concluded with a presentation by Markowitz and Small to 83-year-old Follies cast ImageDr. Small signing his bestsellersmember Dorothy Kloss. Miss Kloss received a Guinness World Records certificate declaring her the "World's Oldest 'Still Performing' Showgirl."

In his concluding remarks, Follies Man Markowitz summed up the evening: "Folks like Dr. Small and his colleagues are changing concepts of what it is we 'old people' do. I think we've proven here tonight that we can function well in our later decades, but we need to find another way of addressing ourselves other than as 'old.' And the world must start seeing us in a different way. The Follies cast members you've met tonight aren't 'super people.' They are You and You are Us. Each of us can excel and continue to excel right through to the end."

Senator Jim Battin Selects "The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies" As 37th Senate District Small Business Of The Year

Battin Header

Senator Jim Battin Selects "The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies" As 37th Senate District Small Business Of The Year

Sacramento, California (May 2, 2007)  - Senator Jim Battin (R - La Quinta) honored "The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies" today as the 37th Senate District Small Business of the Year at an awards ceremony in Sacramento.  Battin selected the Follies because they represent the true essence of small business ownership in the community.  Ms. Mary Jardin, co-owner of the Follies with Mr. Riff Markowitz, traveled to Sacramento to participate in the awards ceremony sponsored by the California Small Business Association.  

"The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies is an excellent example of a small business success story.  Their long standing successful business history as a unique leader in imageSen. Jim Battin and Mary Jardinquality entertainment is world-renowned," said Battin.  "The Follies exudes entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, hard work, and dedication - the very elements that make small businesses the backbone of our state.  With everything the California legislature has done to drive business away, the least we can do is recognize the important contribution [that the Follies] makes."

The awards ceremony was sponsored by the California Small Business Association in conjunction with President Pro-Tem Don Perata and Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, as well as California State Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and the Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines.  The event was held at the Sacramento Convention Center.

Mr. Riff Markowitz and Ms. Mary Jardin are owners of the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies, which is now in its sixteenth season.  Mr. Markowitz has personally appeared in every season of the production and not missed a single performance, which is why he was unable to personally attend the ceremony in Sacramento today.

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THE FOLLIES ONLINE STORE: WHAT'S HOT?

ImageCorresponding with a fellow Follies aficionado?

Want to show your family and friends what all the excitement is about?

Tired of the same old photos of breathtaking desert vistas?

Follies full-color, 4"x6", postcards are now available through the Follies online store. Each pack contains 10 photos of best-loved scenes from recent editions: Pretty Girl costumes, Follies Online Storeswinging 1940s scenes, and our red-white-and-blue finale.

And all for a very reasonable price.

Go directly to the Follies online store by clicking here.

VISITORS' INFORMATION PAGE

Visitor InfoWe 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 browse 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 your next Follies visit. This page also includes parking information and street directions to make getting to the Follies as easy as possible!

HOW TO RESERVE YOUR FAVORITE SEATS

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 open seven days a week.