Steinbeck called it The Mother Road. It was nicknamed The Great Diagonal Way, The Main Street of America and The Will Rogers Highway. Most commonly (and officially), though, it was known as Route 66.

Established in 1926 and decommissioned in 1985, it traveled from Chicago to L.A.  – 2,448 miles across the heartland of America.

But it was more than just a road: Through literature, television, film and music, it came to symbolize the American Experience of the Early- to Mid-20th Century.

Whether the westward migration of Dust Bowl farmers, two young bachelors in a Corvette seeking adventure, easy riders looking for their own personal America, or Dinah telling us to “See the USA in your Chevrolet,” Route 66 was the placeholder for all this and more.

The Follies’ 18th season will celebrate Route 66 with an all-new show entitled, “Get Your Kicks.” Our world-famous line of Long-Legged Lovelies and Follies Gentleman (all 55 to 85 years young!) along with “Follies Man” Riff Markowitz will “travel” this highway via music, dance, comedy and all the iconic imagery The Mother Road holds in our collective imaginations.

Add classic vaudeville acts and a lineup of three world-famous guest stars—Freda Payne, Susan Anton and John Davidson—and there’s no doubt about it: Follies 18 will be more amazing, more evocative, more inspiring… In short, the best Follies ever!

Freda Payne

Season Opening Oct. 28 – Dec. 31, 2008
|Click here to listen to a song.|
Kicking off the Follies’ 18th season is hit songstress Freda Payne. In addition to her million-selling single, “Band of Gold,” she’ll also be performing selections from her highly praised cabaret show, A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.  With a career that’s included touring with the Quincy Jones Big Band, performing at the famous Apollo Theater and recording over 20 albums, she now brings to the Follies stage what Variety calls “a truly unique voice that hits an amazing number of notes with a smoky, unusual quality.”

Susan Anton

Jan. 7 – Mar. 7, 2009 and May 12 – May 17, 2009
|Click here to listen to a song.|
The beautiful and talented Susan Anton first gained national attention as the Muriel Cigar Girl. Soon thereafter, she was starring on the musical stage in such shows as Broadway’s The Will Rogers Follies and the Great Radio City Music Hall Spectacular. She’s also appeared in hundreds of television and film projects, including the starring role in Goldengirl, a film in which she was nominated for a Golden Globe.

John Davidson

Mar. 10, 2009 – May 9, 2009
|Click here to listen to a song.|
In a show business career spanning over 40 years, the multi-talented John Davidson has received acclaim for his work in theater, television, film and nightclubs. On Broadway he’s starred in State Fair. He’s hosted such TV shows as Hollywood Squares, The $100,000 Pyramid, The Tonight Show (over 80 times) and That’s Incredible! plus numerous comedic and dramatic roles. His film work has included The Happiest Millionaire and Edward Scissorhands. And he’s headlined showrooms from Las Vegas to New York.

Variety Acts

As always, the Follies presents the most brilliant and unusual variety acts from around the globe.

From New York’s Big Apple Circus, the Moscow Circus and, most recently, NBC’s Late Night With Conan O’Brien, Irina Markova and her canines will be making their Follies debut.

And, by popular demand, you won’t want to miss the encore engagement by everyone’s favorite ventriloquist, Mr. Sammy King, and his wiseacre-feathered parrot, “Francisco.”

Online ticket sales for the Follies' 18^th season are now open. Log on now to www.psfollies.com and click the "Buy Tickets Now" icon.

The Follies Reservations Department and Box Office will open September 22, but why wait until then?!

Next month’s E-newsletter will include news about how all Follies cast spent their summers, but for now, here’s what the Follies’ two most-senior Long-Legged Lovelies have been up to:

The Palm Springs Follies’ Dorothy Kloss, age 85, was the closing keynote speaker for the Spotlight on the Southwestern USA conference held at the Palm Springs Hyatt Regency Suites in late May. This annual event brings together tour operators and suppliers from around North America to build relationships and learn about new tourism destinations.

In her address, Kloss told her rapt audience about the Follies audition process, the professional histories of fellow cast members and how they rehearse each new Follies show, while peppering her comments with amusing anecdotes about backstage at the historic Plaza Theatre.

She also described her own history of starting “in the biz’” (when Calvin Coolidge was President!), teaching a then-young Bob Fosse how to tap, her first big break at the

Dorothy giving a tap lesson.

Palmer House Empire Room, performing with the USO during the War, “visiting the boys” in military hospitals and her personal hardships, including beating colon cancer.

Kloss’ message was one of hope, humor and inspiration. A tour operator from Arizona told her afterwards that a regular tour passenger was battling his own cancer and couldn't attend this year’s Follies but Kloss was his inspiration. She immediately scribbled a note to him stating that she expected him to attend this year and she would be waiting. Kloss even gave fledgling “tappers” an impromptu lesson in an adjacent hall.

An afternoon spent with the indomitable Dorothy Kloss is not one anyone soon forgets!

Glenda Guilfoyle, age 75 and soon beginning her 14^th season as a Palm Springs Follies Long-Legged Lovely, was a recent guest on the Growing Bolder Radio Show, broadcasting on WFLA and KBZT, two of Florida’s most powerful AM radio stations. She discussed her early career as a Radio City Rockette, being handpicked by Walt Disney to dance in the Golden Horseshoe Review at his soon-to-open Disneyland Park, appearing on TV specials with the likes of Fred Astaire and Rosemary Clooney, and now still hoofing at the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies nine shows a week.

The interview can now be streamed from the Growing Bolder website by clicking here and then on the green arrow under Glenda's picture.

We partner with over 35 restaurants, hotels, attractions, retailers and special services to assist 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 with them before your next Follies visit. This page also includes parking information and street directions to make getting to the Follies as easy as possible!