By Crystal Harrell
The best of Broadway, entertainment legends, virtuosos, superstars and a tantalizing roster of great dance, comedy, and music are all coming to the Coachella Valley’s famed performing arts venue—the McCallum Theatre. With more than 60 great shows and over 100 performances, the new 2023-2024 season has something for everyone to enjoy.
Among the highlights are three Broadway debuts—The Cher Show, Pretty Woman, and Mean Girls—as well as a new McCallum Theatre Adventure Speaker Series. Also included is the City of Rancho Mirage family fun series, Les Miserables returning for the first time in 30 years, the Manhattan Transfer final world tour, Barry Manilow’s A Gift of Love VI, a salute to the music of Legendary Hollywood music man John Williams, classical superstars Renee Fleming and Lang Lang, the return of the TEN Tenors and Pink Martini, Mitch’s Picks and Jeffrey Siegel’s Keyboard Conversations, and much more.
As of November 18, 2022, the Board of Trustees of the McCallum Theatre announced that masks will no longer be required for admission to performances at the Theatre. Proof of vaccination and photo identification or passport are required for entry through May 18, 2023.
The wearing of masks is optional, but encouraged. Patrons who are not feeling well or have recently come in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 are advised to stay home.
Named for a pioneering desert family, the McCallum has gained acclaim as one of the country’s finest presenting theaters by audiences, entertainers and peers alike. Ticket sales consistently place the McCallum in the top 50 theaters in the world. Education programs have served more than one million local schoolchildren, educators and community members, while top entertainers praise the venue and its audiences.
Since its launch in 1997, McCallum Theatre Education (formerly known as McCallum Theatre Institute) — the education department of McCallum Theatre — has served nearly one million students, educators and community members with performances and arts education experiences. In close partnership with local education agencies, McCallum makes the arts available and accessible to youth in the area through its dynamic education programs. In addition, projects like Palm Desert Choreography Festival and Open Call Talent Project serve as powerful vehicles for developing artists and present exciting and affordable performances open to the general public.
McCallum Theatre Education seeks to enhance the role of the arts by inspiring greater awareness of their educational, cognitive, emotional and spiritual power. By encouraging an active and experiential study of the arts, McCallum Theatre Education advances the belief that all human beings are inherently creative. The education programs developed by the McCallum are designed to build on that creativity by equipping individuals with the skills necessary for a life-long engagement with the arts and an understanding of their essential contribution to enlightened citizenship.
The McCallum Theatre has over 200 Ambassadors who serve on the Volunteer Usher Team. As a not-for-profit performing arts center, the ushers play a significant role in the ability to present quality entertainment and fine arts to the community. The ushers have a long tradition of fine service, dedication, and loyalty to the McCallum, which explains why so many have remained since the Theatre’s opening in 1988.
To purchase tickets to a show or to become a Volunteer Usher, visit the official website at www.mccallumtheatre.com.
