City to open doors of restored Plaza Theatre for free community celebration ⋆ The Palm Springs Post

*The exterior of The Plaza Theatre during work to remove patio seating from an adjacent restaurant in an effort to expand its entryway. (File photo)*

The city of Palm Springs and the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre will host a free community open house and block party on Saturday, Nov. 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to showcase the restored theater.

Docent-led tours will be offered throughout the day, highlighting preserved elements and new technology incorporated into the structure. The public will be able to view the restored venue for the first time since restoration work began in 2023.

As part of the celebration, free live performances will be presented on the theater’s stage throughout the day. Modern Men: Coachella Valley Men’s Chorus will perform at 10 a.m., followed by Coachella Valley Voices at 11 a.m., Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus at noon and Musical Theatre University at 1 p.m.

The festivities will extend beyond the theater’s walls. South Palm Canyon Drive from Tahquitz Canyon Way to La Plaza will be closed to traffic and transformed into a festival space with community organization booths and music by DJ Mod Girl.

Attendees can book specific guided tour times at a booth in front of the theater. The theater’s box office will be open for ticket purchases with no convenience fees, and Plaza Theatre merchandise including hats, shirts and tote bags will be available for purchase.

Those interested in learning more about the venue’s history can pre-order a new book titled “Desert Dream to Silver Screen” and a recording from a Nov. 11, 2022 fundraiser called “Rock The Plaza: Concert To Save The Historic Plaza Theatre In Palm Springs.”

The restoration work was financed through a multi-year fundraising campaign conducted by the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation, which continues to raise remaining funds.

“It would not have been possible to accomplish this monumental project so quickly without the extraordinary work of our Board and construction team, which ensured that this project was able to proceed without delays and allow us to reopen this vital Palm Springs icon,” said J.R. Roberts, president of the Plaza Theatre Foundation, in a statement released Monday.

Following the community open house, the theater will officially reopen with an opening night gala on Monday, Dec. 1. The gala will feature Cynthia Erivo, known for her performance as Elphaba in the musical Wicked. Tickets for the performance and other upcoming shows are available at palmspringsplazatheatre.com.

The restoration project began in 2023 when the city contracted Architectural Resources Group to create the final design and oversee the renovation. The firm previously completed theater restoration projects including the New Mission Theater in San Francisco and The Alameda Theater.

*A rendering of what the interior of the Plaza Theatre might look like after it’s brought back to life during a restoration effort.*

“While much of the original design and materials of the theater were still intact, many had deteriorated or were covered up, and the building needed to be brought up to today’s standards and codes,” said Katie Horak, principal of Architectural Resources Group. “All historic buildings bring their own unique challenges and surprises, and we could not be more pleased with the outcome at Plaza Theatre.”

The theater, which originally opened in 1936, is expected to accommodate approximately 135,000 patrons per year after reopening. Early data from ticket purchasers indicates that approximately 50 percent are from outside the Coachella Valley.