Joel Baker News

The Montreal Clown Festival will return from April 25-28, 2024 at  Gesù and MainLine Theatre, featuring world-class talent from across North America. Learn more!

Les Michaels, the late Palm Springs resident and cabaret producer and singer who produced and presented Open Mic Cabaret events at various venues in both in Palm Springs and Los Angeles will be honored on what would have been his 72nd birthday as the Palm Springs Cultural Center presents The Les Michaels Memorial Project, A Celebration of Life Free Open Mic, hosted by Gregg Marx, Daytime Emmy Award Winner for 'As The World Turns,' Leslie Tinnaro, star of CVRep's recent hit show, 'Fun Home' and Clifford Bell,acclaimed Cabaret Producer and Director.

Les Michaels, the late Palm Springs resident and cabaret producer and singer who produced and presented Open Mic Cabaret events at various venues in both in Palm Springs and Los Angeles will be honored on what would have been his 72nd birthday as the Palm Springs Cultural Center presents The Les Michaels Memorial Project, A Celebration of Life Free Open Mic.

Les Michaels, a cabaret producer and singer in Palm Springs and Los Angeles who presented an ongoing popular Open Mic Cabaret Series at the Arthur Newman Theatre at the Joslyn Center in Palm Desert for many years, passed away unexpectedly on November 3, 2022 of a heart attack. Les Michaels is survived by his husband, Rick Valencia.

 Les Michaels, a cabaret producer and singer in Palm Springs and Los Angeles who presented an ongoing popular Open Mic Cabaret Series at the Arthur Newman Theatre at the Joslyn Center in Palm Desert for many years, passed away unexpectedly on November 3, 2022 of a heart attack.  Les Michaels is survived by his husband, Rick Valencia.

Les Michaels, a cabaret producer and singer in Palm Springs and Los Angeles who presented an ongoing Open Mic Cabaret Series at the Arthur Newman Theatre in the Joslyn Center in Palm Desert for many years, passed away unexpectedly on November 3, 2022 of a heart attack.  Les Michaels is survived by his husband, Rick Valencia.

Sunday, May 22, 2020, 'A Well Sung Life' starring Allen Jensen plays one show only at Arthur Newman Theater, 73750 Catalina Way, Palm Desert.

Palm Springs area singer and actress Leslie Tinnaro and pianist and singer Joel Baker will perform a celebration of the music of Karen & Richard Carpenter.

Frankie's tribute to Jerry Vale, who is his all-time favorite singer, is a well conceived non-stop show with all Jerry's big hits, along with the story and history of Jerry, told by the shows narrator, Luca Arias, and rounding out the show is music director Joel Baker on baby grand piano.

Los Angeles actress and singer Laura Wolfe will perform her new one-woman show 'Back In Business' on Sunday, November 14, 2021 at the Arthur Newman Theater in Palm Desert.

From the imagination of Sara Moore (Show Ho, Atomic Clown, Wunderworld) comes her latest innovative creation, THE SUPERS - A Science-Fiction Magical Realism Human Cartoon Opera about the extraordinary power of everyday heroes.

Peggy Gohl has been performing internationally most of her adult life. As a featured soloist she has worked alongside stars such as Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, George Burns, Regis Philbin, Jackie Gleason, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers, The Inkspots, Patrick Swayze, Louis Prima, and Joan Rivers, just to name a few! She studied at the Civic Light Opera, and worked alongside Gwen Verdon and Ray Walston in 'Damn Yankees', portrayed Ellie in 'Showboat' with Mickey Rooney and Ado Annie in 'Oklahoma' with John Davidson. Peggy was also the opening act for Magician David Copperfield as well as being featured at Radio City Music Hall (backed by a 65-piece orchestra).

Sonny Winnebago is the moniker of Welsh-Australian troubadour /musician Harvey Jones, who's spent the entirety of 2019 living out of his battered suitcase and beloved camper van, all whilst feeding other people's cats and dogs. He was born with hypermobility syndrome which allows him a heightened flexibility, creating a very dynamic and unusual performance style. His infectious music embodies a 'melody is king' approach to pop writing, drawing inspiration from 1970s figures Harry Nilsson & Cat Stevens.

On Sunday, September 8, 2019 at 2 PM, local performer Vicki Knight will entertain with her show entitled 'September Once More'. The show will feature songs from Vicki's past, singing songs for her days performing at nightclubs in Canada, along with some of those funny stories she is known. Joel Baker, another local favorite, will accompany Vicki on the baby grand.

You're invited to fasten your seat belts and prepare for laughter as Donald Houtz pulls back the galley curtain and takes you up, up, and away with 'Come Fly With Me'. It's a behind the scenes look of (what once was) one of the most glamorous jobs in the world.

Cabaret On Sundays Series presents Clifford Bell and one of his Cabarabia Spotlight shows with Clifford and his friends from Palm Springs: SHARON SILLS, BONNIE GILGALLON, and JOEL BAKER, and from San Diego: DAVID DOOLEY.

The popular 'Cabaret On Sundays' Series presented by Les Michaels of Life Is A Cabaret will begin the 11th season on June 2, 2019 with a total of 18 shows in the Summer Season that runs through September 29, 2019.  The cabaret shows are presented in concert format at the Arthur Newman Theatre located in the Joslyn Center in Palm Desert at 73750 Catalina Way.  All shows are Sundays at 2 pm and tickets are all $15 cash only and doors open at 1 pm. 

The Coachella Valley Repertory (CVRep), now settled into its newly renovated 210 seat playhouse in Cathedral City, has announced it will remain open throughout the hot summer months to present an exciting line-up of one night only summer performances beginning in June, 2019.

From May 4 to October 27, 2019, the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival will present over 100 free music, theater, circus, dance, poetry, and children's programs with artists from the Bay Area and around the world.