Tony and Emmy Award-Nominated singer and actress Lainie Kazan kicks off the new season at The Purple Room, the desert’s premiere supper club, headlining on Saturday, September 1, 2018. Additionally, The Purple Room’s owner and entertainer extraordinaire, Michael Holmes, will return with his highly popular weekly performance of The Judy Show!, featuring pianist Joel Baker. Beginning on Saturday, August 31, and then every Sunday evening throughout September, you’ll be over the rainbow as Holmes parodies Judy Garland’s classic 1960s television show with performances that are as frequently hilarious as they are moving. There’s a reason Judy was so beloved, and Holmes both captures and emulates that indefinable quality.
Sophistication and style continue throughout September as special guests perform on Friday and Saturday nights, with a roster that includes: multiple-award winning vocalist, actor and cabaret artist Charles Herrera; Grammy and Golden Globe nominated singer and actress Renee Olstead; Jazz wonder Carole J. Bufford; world-renowned Elvis tribute artist Scot Bruce; superstar ladies quartet Lady Luck; a Buddy Holly review; and two of the most famous, and notorious, drag queens of all time, Jackie Beat and Sherry Vine.
The Purple Room, located at 1900 E Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, California 92264, opens every day at 4:00pm, with Happy Hour in the bar and lounge all night long on Tuesday, and Wednesday through Saturday, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm, and on Sunday, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm. Dinner and free entertainment can be enjoyed every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday night (no cover). Ticketed shows on Friday and Saturday night begin with dinner reservations at 6:00 pm and performances at 8:00 pm. For The Judy Show on Sundays, dinner reservations are at 5:00 pm and the show begins at 7:00pm. Details and ticket information can be found at purpleroompalmsprings.com.
“Palm Springs inhabits an era and style of glamour that makes people pause, reflect, and enjoy. The times were more innocent, yet we had Frank, Dean, and Sammy entertaining and shocking us in such fun ways,” said Michael Holmes, owner of The Purple Room. “I’m so proud to serve the community of locals and visitors, and present a place that transports us back to the days of supper clubs and smartness, live shows and raw talent.”
Below are brief talent bios and links to their websites:
Lainie Kazan – Her Life in Song
Saturday, September 1
Dinner @ 6:00 p.m. | Show @ 8:00 p.m.
An internationally recognized performer with hits from Broadway to Hollywood, Kazan is known for her earthy voice and goddess-like presence. Perhaps best known to many for her role as Maria Portokalos in the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Kazan was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in the musical, My Favorite Year, and for an Emmy Award for her work on the television series, St. Elsewhere. Kazan will use songs to talk about her life, her loves, her Broadway shows, TV series, and movies, plus her years of running the Playboy Club nightclubs across the country. Kazan has quite the story to tell, so enjoy the joyous adventure!
Buddy Holly Tribute with Southbound and Company
Friday, September 7
Dinner @ 6:00 p.m. | Show @ 8:00 p.m.
Presented by Southbound and Company, The Buddy Holly Review captures all the excitement of the music created in the garage behind Buddy's house in Lubbock, Texas. The Buddy Holly Review gives a blistering rendition of some of Rock's greatest songs, including “That'll Be The Day,” “Peggy Sue,” and “Not Fade Away,” and “Oh Boy.”
Drag 101 with Delighted ToBeHere
Saturday, September 8
Dinner @ 6:00 p.m. | Show @ 8:00 p.m.
Delighted ToBeHere was named has been dubbed one of the funniest drag queens in America by the Huffington Post, and in 2015, debuted on America's Got Talent to rave reviews. Drag 101 is an uproarious, live-singing, full transformation drag show, where everything that happens in a drag dressing room happens on stage right before your very eyes, and all will find out what it really takes to be a QUEEN!
Jackie Beat & Sherry Vine – Battle of the Bitches
Friday, September 14
Dinner @ 6:00 p.m. | Show @ 8:00 p.m.
Legendary drag icons Jackie Beat and Sherry Vine reunite in a no-holds-barred, down 'n' dirty, anything-goes battle. Referred to by The New York Times as the Laurel & Hardy of drag, watch as the dynamic drag duo take each other on, song by filthy song. Blindly picking their topic from a hat, each determined diva will belt out one of her world-famous, twisted song parodies. After working together in Los Angeles, New York, Berlin and more, Jackie and Sherry have an electric onstage chemistry that some find shocking and most wanting more.
Lady Luck – That’s Life
Saturday, September 15
Dinner @ 6:00 p.m. | Show @ 8:00 p.m.
Lady Luck lights up the stage with star power! These dynamic divas bring a stunning and magical performance with music from all genres. After years performing on Broadway, Hollywood, London’s West End and the Las Vegas Strip, these powerhouse vocalists are entertaining audiences around the world with their spectacular harmonies and dynamic show that will leave you wanting more.
Elvis: The Early Years with Scot Bruce
Friday, September 21
Dinner @ 6:00 p.m. | Show @ 8:00 p.m.
With an uncanny resemblance to the young King of Rock and Roll coupled with his ability to sing, strum a guitar, and swivel his hips, Scot Bruce and his live show have traveled across the U.S. and all over the world. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Bruce, as Elvis, has appeared in music videos with Faith Hill and Sheryl Crow, and has been heard as the Resident Elvis with Mark and Brian on their highly rated Los Angeles morning radio show. Additionally, Bruce has appeared in recurring roles on the hit soap operas Days of Our Lives and The Bold and the Beautiful, performs regularly at Disneyland, and tours with the Legends of Rock & Roll – Buddy, Roy & Elvis.
Carole J. Bufford, Come Together: When the 1960s Met the 1970s
Saturday, September 22
Dinner @ 6:00 p.m. | Show @ 8:00 p.m.
After a sold out-run of “You Don't Own Me: The Fearless Females of the 1960s,” Carole J. Bufford returns to the west coast with an all new show now exploring the change in the musical landscape from 1965-1975, with music made famous by Cher, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Simon & Garfunkel, Dusty Springfield, Otis Redding, Linda Ronstadt, Creedence Clearwater Revival and more. Bufford is one of the most sought after young performers on the American jazz and cabaret scene, and recently enjoyed a highly praised ten-month, solo run at New York’s Birdland Jazz Club, and a monthly residency at Feinstein's/54 Below. Bufford has been featured in Michael Feinstein’s “American Songbook” series at Jazz at Lincoln Center, as well as numerous Pops performances with orchestras across the country.
Charles Herrera – I’ve Got the World on a String
Friday, September 28
Dinner @ 6:00 p.m. | Show @ 8:00 p.m.
Charles Herrera is a multiple-award winning vocalist, actor, and cabaret artist making his return to The Purple Room with his solo, enthusiastically-received show, I’ve Got The World On A String. The show features popular songs from pop, jazz, country and light opera, while showcasing musical arrangements for string instruments. Herrera is a classically trained vocalist who has performed on the world stage for over 40 years, appearing in musicals, operettas, and his own cabaret shows, both in the U.S. and abroad. He has appeared on stage with musical legends such as John Raitt, Joan Baez, and Ella Fitzgerald. This is his third solo performance at The Purple Room, and is a local favorite who earned four Desert Star awards for cabaret. Herrera dazzles the crows with his vocal prowess in a wide range of styles from country and jazz to opera.
Renee Olstead “LIVE”
Saturday, September 29
Dinner @ 6:00 p.m. | Show @ 8:00 p.m.
Born in Houston Texas, Renee Olstead has amassed 9 seasons of television appearances as a regular on the hit sitcom, “Still Standing,” and “The Secret Life of The American Teenager.” Olstead’s acting prowess is matched only by her vocal talent. At the age of twelve, Renee signed to Warner Brothers Records and completed two albums produced by 16-time Grammy winning producer David Foster. Olstead's eponymously named debut album received a Grammy nomination for Best Arrangement for “Summertime” and a Golden Globe nod for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture for “Christmas in Love”. Olstead has also received many honors for her philanthropic efforts, such as the Big Brothers Big Sisters “Rising Star Award”, PETA2's “Sexiest Celeb Vegetarian”, and PETA's Libby Award.