Local Woman's Theater Dream Comes True

For Colleen Kelley the lack of opportunities for actors and performers in the Coachella Valley was a bleak reminder that she could not do what she wanted most: to be on stage.

Over the years, community theaters have come and gone, not being able to make it for one reason or another. And Kelley, an accomplished actor, saw a huge need not being met. The 20-year valley resident decided to do something about it.

“It started on Facebook, actually,'' Kelley said. "I posted a group called, ‘Let’s put live theater on El Paseo,’ because that is really my ultimate dream. It’s a great place for a theater.”

She thought that, maybe, a few theater-lovers would reply and they could talk about what to do.

“I got so many responses from people it was overwhelming,” she said.

Out of that post, the Palm Desert Stage Company was born.

Kelley’s hopes of creating an active theater community were starting to materialize.

“It was all just dreams until we had a stage,” she said.

The Arthur Newman Theatre at the stopped producing shows and the theater become available for rent.

The company staged their first show in 2010, presenting “Lend Me a Tenor,” directed by Eric Olson. The play was a hit and the Desert Local News review proclaimed: “The Palm Desert Stage Company has made an impressive entrance on the Coachella Valley theatrical scene.”

And then, in March, the company staged the musical comedy, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” to further acclaim.

Kelley is very “hands-on” with her fledgling theater company and finds herself in charge of designing costumes, painting sets, marketing and advertising.

“And yes,” she laughs, “working the Box Office.”

But for this coming season, she won’t be taking an on-stage role.

As Producing Artistic Director, Kelley plans two productions a year. The next offering will be a new take on an old favorite. “It’s a Wonderful Life – A Live Radio Play” is set to start auditions June 4, with call-backs the following day. The production is scheduled to run December 1-11, Thursday through Sunday, during both weeks.

The play presents the familiar Christmas classic as if it was being performed “On-air” by a seasoned 1940’s radio cast, with all the bells and whistles, literally. A small cast of actors will perform all the parts and the Newman Theater audience gets a behind-the-scenes look at the action.

Coming up next in the season, will be the musical comedy, “I Love, You’re Perfect. Now Change.”

Colleen Kelley still has dreams of opening a theater on El Paseo, but for now, she loves her new home.

“It’s a great, little intimate venue,” she says of the Newman Theatre. But to survive, Kelley admits the Palm Desert Stage Company will need the ongoing support of the local community. She is currently self-funding the enterprise.

“People in Palm Desert want to go to live theater,” she says, “It’s important for us to get the word out that we’re here.”

Discounted season tickets go on sale soon at www.pdstage.com.