by  June August

 Ten years ago I had the privilege of sitting next to multiple award-winning director/performer Karen Schmitt and “holding the book” during rehearsals of S’Wonderful, a musical revue presented by the Performing Arts Club of Sun City Palm Desert.  If you’re new to the Coachella Valley, Sun City is the premiere 55+ retirement community in the desert.  I’ll write about the sister community’s performing arts club in another article, but today I’m celebrating the 30th anniversary season of this theatre organization.

In 1993, with the last of the construction vehicles leaving, a group of men and women who loved theatre settled in Sun City.  Some had been pros.  Some were still working.  Some were alums of high school, college, and community theatre productions elsewhere.  Just because they were retired didn’t mean they had to stop living.  So they founded a chartered club in the community—a club dedicated to the performing arts — because they still loved theatre, and — if I may borrow a title from Andrew Lloyd Webber — Love Never Dies.  (As those of you on Team Phantom know, Webber’s sequel to Phantom of the Opera never opened on Broadway.  Stay tuned.  I’ll write about that later too.)

A few days ago, I attended the dress rehearsal of the 30th anniversary musical revue Showstoppers, once again directed by the multi-talented Karen Schmitt, who also performed in several boffo numbers in the show.  It was as if ten years had never passed.  Sure, a few faces were missing and there were many newcomers, but the ages of the 28 performers on that stage and the six-person technical crew ranged from 60s to 90s.

During a rehearsal break ten years ago, I said to Karen, “I notice that one of the men is entering quite slowly.”  She said, “It’s all right, June.  He’s recovering from knee surgery.”  A few others were probably recovering from something the other night, but it didn’t stop them.  Nothing stopped them.  They sang, they danced, they gave their all in a thoroughly entertaining show.  No one missed an entrance after dozens of costume changes.  That’s what I mean by “love never dies.”

If you’re reading this and live in Sun City Palm Desert and think you might like to become part of the excitement, the club is open to all residents.  If you live elsewhere and might not have heard about the acclaimed productions of the Sun City Palm Desert Performing Arts Club, watch this site (CVTWorld.com) for news about Sun City’s upcoming shows — musicals and nonmusicals.  I have it on good authority that tickets will be available at the door. You can also find information on the Desert Theatre League home site.