Modernism Week will offer many exciting live entertainment options during the 11-day festival that will take place in Palm Springs, California in February 2024. These events include a tribute to Jimmy Van Heusen (Frank Sinatra’s most prolific composer), songs celebrating the Disney songbook, an array of performances in collaboration with PSJazzFest, an on-stage murder mystery musical featuring characters created by Shag, a full theatrical production of a one-person show about costume designer Edith Head, and a hilarious presentation about the 1964 World’s Fair by humorist Charles Phoenix.
Modernism Week takes place February 15-25, 2024, and will feature more than 350 events including the Palm Springs Modernism Show, tours of iconic homes in more than 35 neighborhoods and communities, walking tours, and nightly parties. Also offered are a range of architectural double-decker bus tours, several fashion-related events, tours of the historic Annenberg Estate at Sunnylands, a classic car show, landscape talks and garden tours, walking and biking tours, and a series of compelling and informative talks with world-class speakers. All events are open to the public and tickets are on sale now at modernismweek.com. Some events sell out quickly due to limited capacity and high demand.
“We know that our guests really enjoy the array of live entertainment options that we offer each year during the festival,” said Mark Davis, Modernism Week Theater and Travel Producer. “This year we were thrilled to partner with the PSJazzFest to incorporate their legendary performers like Herb Albert and Taj Mahal into our programming. We are very proud to offer an exciting range of compelling live performances.”
Live entertainment events include:
Music
Award-winning singer Marissa Mulder pays tribute to four-time Oscar winning songwriter, Jimmy Van Heusen in “Swinging On A Star”: An Evening of Jimmy Van Heusen’s Songs with Marissa Mulder. Van Heusen was Frank Sinatra’s best buddy and wrote more songs recorded by Sinatra than any other composer. During his long and remarkable career, he wrote more than 1,000 songs, many of which are now considered American Standards. Marissa Mulder puts her stamp on some of Van Heusen’s most popular songs such as “Come Fly with Me” and “All The Way” as well as lesser known treasures like “Sunday, Monday, or Always.” Van Heusen’s songs are infectious, haunting, and timeless. February 20, $35, $50
Drummer Matt Johnson and The New Jet Set, featuring Adryon de León, present“Swingin’ The Disney Songbook” with Matt Johnson and The New Jet Set, Featuring Adryon de Leónin an evening of retro-cool jazz interpretations of beloved songs from Disney animated films. Featuring a world-class quartet that combines virtuosic musicianship and charismatic personalities punctuated by delightful movie images and period footage, “Swingin’ The Disney Songbook” is a dynamic tour-de-force of musical style and taste. February 21, $35, $50
Modernism Week and PSJazzFest have partnered to offer several significant musical performances on the stage of the Annenberg Theater. It starts out with Herb Alpert and Lani Hall Live at the Annenberg: PSJazzFest Opening Night!, where the two legendary performers take the stage to deliver a truly memorable opening night performance. February 24, $350, $75, $60
This is followed by The Cookers: Legendary All-Star Jazz Band Live at the Annenberg for PSJazzFest! featuring The Cookers, the greatest jazz super-band working. With each member of this legendary jazz group having four decades of experience in the jazz world, this performance will blow the roof off the theater. February 25 $75, $40, $25
Buzz-worthy young vocalist Veronica Swift will be featured in Veronica Swift Live at the Annenberg for PSJazzFest!. Swift has establishing herself as a skilled rock and soul singer as well as a dynamic performer. Her third album, “TransGenre” (2023), mixes jazz and classical with rock, soul, and funk while paying homage to greats like Janis Joplin, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, and Duke Ellington. Swift’s ability to transcend different styles and fully embody them with authenticity to tell a story makes her one of the most skilled singers in any genre and displays her theatrical approach as a performer and artist. February 25, $125, $65, $40
PSJazzFest will conclude with a performance by Taj Mahal Quartet and Sona Jobarteh Live at the Annenberg for PSJazzFest!. Blues legend Taj Mahal is a true legend in the music industry and celebrated worldwide for his remarkable talents as a multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and ethnomusicologist. He has pursued and elevated the sounds of the American South, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Hawaiian Islands. He brings his glorious voice and virtuosic multi-instrumentalism to this uniquely powerful evening of new world music with Sona Jobarteh, one of the fastest rising stars in the world music scene today. She is hailed as Africa’s first professional female Kora virtuoso from any of the West African Griot dynasties, breaking barriers, and challenging gender stereotypes. February 25, $295, $75, $60
Elegant Jazz Dinner at Smoke Tree Ranch & VIP ALL ACCESS Pass to PSJazzFest(2/24-25, $1000) For an unforgettable weekend of jazz, PSJazzFest is offering an exclusive all-access VIP jazz experience that features front-row tickets to all PSJazzFest performances plus, only for VIP passholder guests, an elegant jazz dinner at the exclusive private enclave Smoke Tree Ranch (Walt Disney’s desert hideaway) on Sunday, February 25 from 5 pm to 7 pm. The night includes cocktails and a sumptuous sit-down dinner, accompanied by the Lance Conrad Quartet.
Route 66: A Musical and Culinary Journey Across America(2/22 – 2/24, $195) Enjoy a one-of-a-kind interactive experience of music and ambience that pays tribute to Route 66 and its incredible influence on America. This event at PS Underground includes a four-course dinner, free-flowing cocktails, and the opportunity to hear an electrifying evening of timeless and classic songs that celebrate the allure of the open road.
Beatles & Beyond: Mod Music and Cocktail Party(2/18 and 2/23, $95) Enjoy a Mod 60s cocktail party and immersive multimedia live concert celebrating the music of the Beatles, as played in the unique style of the Gand Band, voted Coachella Valley’s Best band three times running. Attendees will hear their favorite Beatles songs and more reinterpreted with some of the desert’s top vocalists, and a huge theater screen will provide an immersive backdrop of Beatles era images and graphics. The party starts as you enter the large theater lobby with cocktails, passed appetizers, and music by Palm Springs Piano Bar.
Stage
Modernism Week is pleased to present several performances of the sexy stage show Shag With A Twist–A Murder Mystery Musical during the 2024 festival. This unique performance showcases the retro-cool world of the artist Shag, where some of his most beloved characters come alive in a colorful cocktail of song and dance. The setting is a swanky 1960s Tupperware party somewhere in Palm Springs, where true-crime podcasters Twinkie and Bun are determined to unravel the infamous case of the Tupperware Party Killer. The event, Shag With A Twist: Premiere, premiers on February 17; there will also be an evening performance hosted by Shag himself on February 18 and a matinee performance on February 19. Prices vary by date.
Back by popular demand, don’t miss the chance to see this full theater production of A Conversation of Wit, Wisdom, and a Whisper of Gossip with Edith Head. This one-person production starring the award-winning Susan Claassen is a feast of delicious behind-the-scenes stories that provide an intimate portrait of Hollywood’s legendary costume designer Edith Head. It is presented as a full theater set production with furniture, furnishings, photographs, dress forms, and costumes designed by Head. February 23, $45, $60
Talks
Charles Phoenix Presents “New York Cityland and the 1964 New York World’s Fair” (2/17, $50 and $65) This not-to-be-missed dream vacation slide show will celebrate the marvels of midcentury Manhattan and the futuristic 1964 New York World’s Fair. Lavishing commentary on spectacular vintage images from his massive collection of Kodachrome slides taken by tourists, Charles will sweep attendees away on a whirlwind time-travel adventure extravaganza that includes New York’s legendary landmarks, iconic modernist architecture, and the attractions of the 1964 World’s Fair.
Modernism Week top sponsors include Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, Brizo, Dunn-Edwards Paints, JennAir, Flor, Natural Retreats, and Willis. The City of Palm Springs is the Civic Presenting Sponsor. To receive Modernism Week updates, visit modernismweek.com and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).