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A Message From The Follies ManGreetings, Darlins'
And for our central and southern Florida fans, you may have already heard Follies cast member Leonard Crofoot interviewed on the popular radio show Growing Bolder on WFLA and WBZT, but now anyone can listen online. Valentine's Day was last month and we read a lovely (love) story in the Prescott Daily Courier Last month, I mentioned that you never know who you might be seated next to here at the Plaza Theatre. We recently welcomed a group who were left with two extra tickets, so the leader offered them to a couple dining in an adjacent restaurant. They thanked him and said they would be inside when they were finished with their meal. After the gentleman left, a Follies staffer asked the couple if they knew who that man was? She went on to explain that he was Bob Hope's son who was inviting them to sit with the entire Hope family for their annual Follies visit during the Bob Hope Golf Classic. The next Finally, I would like to thank you for the many gracious comments about the Follies that you've posted this season on online travel sites such as TripAdvisor, IgoUgo and Yahoo Travel. Recently, a couple left the theater and asked me, "We tell ALL our friends back in Iowa about how wonderful your show is, but they always answer, ‘We already know.' How do you advertise to the entire country???" I replied, "We do have a secret weapon in our advertising arsenal, which I'll reveal right now: It's YOU! Folks - like you - telling friends and families about our little show is what has allowed us an unprecedented 18-year theatrical run."
Until the next time, just stay alive!
Multi-Talented John Davidson Makes Follies DebutHandsome Crooner Has Shone in Nightclubs, Film, Television and Broadway
Starting out 44 years ago, fresh from a degree in Theater Arts at Denison University, Davidson co-starred in the Broadway show, Foxy, opposite the legendary Bert Lahr. From there the credits for the everlastingly youthful singer and actor multiply exponentially. Theater: Lead in Broadway revival of Oklahoma; lead in Rodgers & Hammerstein's original State Fair; lead in regional and national productions of such hits as The Music Man, Camelot, Carousel, Man of La Mancha, Chicago, Neil Simon's Rumors, Will Rogers Follies; his very own theater for three years in Branson, Missouri. Movies: Starring or supporting roles in The Happiest Millionaire, Edward Scissorhands, Airport 80 and others.
Nightclubs: Introduced to Las Vegas audiences by Jack Benny in 1966, he has headlined at the Las Vegas Hilton, the MGM Grand, Caesar's Palace, the Riviera, the Desert Inn, the Golden Nugget and Harrah's.
Davidson and his wife Rhonda, whom he met in Branson while she was singing with Vicki Carr, even found the time to create a popular game, Borderline, that educates children in world geography. He has three achieving children in John, Jr., a business consultant; Jennifer, a professional ice skater; and Ashleigh, who appeared with her father on the national tour of State Fair and, while still a high school honors student, has her sights on a career in the arts.
"Dancing With The (Follies) Stars"Last Friday, we were excited by a return visit from Dancing With the Stars professional dancer Kym Johnson. Getting ready for the March 9 premier of her hit ABC series' eighth season, this was Kym's final respite before the grueling ten-week competition. We encourage everyone to call in his or her votes for our "Adopted Aussie" and star dance partner, David Alan Grier. She and Follies cast members were observed huddled in the theater lobby after the show, so maybe our veteran dancers were sharing with her a few of their prize-winning tips learned after 60- and 70 -year careers!
If You've Attended This Season's Follies, We'd Like To Ask . . .As you're probably aware, theater has been especially hard-hit by the current economic situation, perhaps best exemplified by the 14 Broadway shows that closed in January alone! In an effort to assist our industry "weather the storm," the Follies has agreed to partner with several national organizations in helping to identify what the theater-going public is most interested in seeing. If you have attended a Follies performance since January, we would like to ask you to complete a brief online survey regarding your preferences and observations about this year's show. Our industry - along with much of America - has a tough task ahead, but your input would be extremely helpful in making the Follies' 19th Edition (opening October 28, 2009) even more fabulous!
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His film debut was in the 1967 Disney musical The Happiest Millionaire. While that title is something of an oxymoron in today's economy, the film's (ever-youthful) co-star, John Davidson, makes his Follies debut in just a few days on March 10. You can read all about him below, but folks tell us they've been excitedly awaiting his star appearance here on the Plaza Theatre stage since we announced him last season.
Last week, the (also) ever-youthful Dorothy Dale Kloss and I were the honored recipients of the prestigious Kentucky Colonel Award, the highest civilian recognition bestowed by the commonwealth. Selected by the Kentucky Governor and 
We've also included the 
about a couple – both widowed – whose first date was right here at the Follies. Soon thereafter, they were married. I'd like to think my regular onstage admonition, "It's later than you think," may have provided some of the motivation.
words uttered by the diners were, "Waiter!!! Cancel our order!" Apparently, the couple had come to Palm Springs just to attend the tournament and had been on the golf courses all week with no notion that they would soon be seated with the family of the tournament's founder and namesake.
But whether people "spread the word" around the pinochle table, via parcel post, over the backyard fence or online doesn't really matter. It's that you enjoyed a few hours of laughter, great music and dance, a nostalgic look back to a simpler time, and the inspiration provided by our extraordinary cast . . . and now want to share this with other folks in the hopes that they too might experience the same. And for this, we thank you.
When it comes to show-stopping entertainment, you name it, John Davidson has done it! And the "it" is just what audiences will see when this multi-talented dynamo debuts at The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies on March 10, playing through May 9, 2009. 
Television: Three years as host of Hollywood Squares; The John Davidson Show for two years; 80 appearances on The Tonight Show - the only singer to achieve that milestone; regular host of The Kraft Music Hall, That's Incredible! and The $100,000 Pyramid; even a dramatic role on Streets of San Francisco. And that's not all.
In recent years he has written and starred in his autobiographical musical, Father/Son (& Holy Ghost), derived from growing up as the offspring of two ordained American Baptist ministers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Through it all the Big Smile of Papa has dominated. You don't think of handsome, mop-haired John Davidson without envisioning the beaming countenance that exudes natural exuberance to frame his unique singing and performing talent. He comes to The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies as the celebrity guest for the spring run, aglow with the fervor to please an audience with which the 67-year-old veteran star can identify.
If you'd like to attend the Follies but no longer drive the freeways, don't forget about our rapidly expanding 
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