Thirteen men in black suits and white ties, standing in a courtyard at The Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs, sang their a cappella hearts out:
When I think of home, I think of a place
Where there’s love overflowing
Members of the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus were warbling “Home,” from the Broadway musical The Wiz. Dorothy sings the soaring ballad when she realizes the true meaning of “home” involves self-love, belonging, and acceptance.
“Home” is the chorus’ signature song. “We love the message,” says chorus artistic director Jerry Soria-Foust. “Singing in this organization with our chosen family feels like home.” Now, the chorus has a new performance home, too. The serenade in April 2025 took place during an event to announce the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus as the newly renovated theater’s inaugural resident artists.
The chorus is one of three groups chosen for residencies at the historic venue, which re-opens in December. The newly formed Palm Springs Symphony will be the theater’s symphony-in-residence, and the Modern Men Coachella Valley Men’s Chorus the ensemble-in-residence. The artistic directors of each ensemble shared why they are proud to be the first “residents” to call the theater home.
Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus
The Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus, which just celebrated its 25th year, had been in talks with the Plaza Theatre for two years about the residency opportunity, Soria-Foust says.
Beyond the “buzz and excitement” of being part of the theater’s re-opening, he welcomes the greater capacity — 700 seats at The Plaza vs. 433 at its former venue, the Annenberg Theater at Palm Springs Art Museum. In addition to selling more tickets, the chorus will also be able to offer more low-price tickets and give away free tickets to “causes we love,” Soria-Foust says. The nonprofit chorus, which has 120 singers of all experience levels ranging in age from their 20s to late 80s, prioritizes community outreach in its mission, serving organizations such as Martha’s Village and Kitchen and local schools.
Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus
Photo courtesy palm springs gay men’s chorus
“The increased visibility at The Plaza opens us to a wider audience,” Soria-Foust says, noting the chorus’ mission to change the world through music.
The chorus opens with “Bells, Brass & Sass” (Dec. 19–21), performed with a 14-piece orchestra. The program will include traditional and nontraditional holiday tunes, collaborations with Hula Palm Springs and Nigerian dancer Hassan Shaibu, an a cappella piece by Eric Whitacre, and a piece arranged for men’s voices specifically for this concert: “Love Is Love.”
The chorus’ spring concert, “Rhinestones and Rainbows,” will include Dolly Parton songs along with tunes by “crossover artists” like Linda Ronstadt, Kelly Clarkson, and Lady Gaga, “people who have defied genres and spoken up for our community,” Soria-Foust says.
Modern Men Coachella Valley Men’s Chorus
Modern Men formed in 2013 as part of the gay choral music movement based on the idea that “performing great music can promote positive ideals, and transcend human differences,” according to its mission statement. The original 50 volunteer singers have grown to more than 100, a mix of “professionals and blue-collar workers — the whole spectrum of humanity,” says artistic director Stan Hill, Ph.D., who’s been conducting the chorus for 10 years. Previously, the group performed at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.
The Plaza Theatre residency is “a wonderful distinction,” Hill says. He hopes the association with the theater “sparks some curiosity” among new concertgoers: “Once people hear us, they come back.”
Modern Men’s first concert at the venue, “Cool Yule” (Dec. 13–14), links to the history of The Plaza, which originally opened in 1936. “It’s all about jazz ,” he says. “It has that ’20s, ’30s, ’40s feel. We are bringing back the music that reverberated through that hall.” The
Desert Winds Freedom Band will accompany the chorus in a program of holiday tunes.
The April concert, “Sing Out!” will feature an audience singalong, and a professional string quartet and oboist. The program includes “Gabriel’s Oboe,” Ennio Morricone’s theme song from the film The Mission, and a ballet, “Love Medley.”
Hill is grateful that The Plaza is “reaching out [and] investing in” local musical groups in addition to hosting touring programs.
The new Palm Springs Symphony will present a five-concert season at The Plaza Theatre.
Photo COURTESY palm springs symphony
Palm Springs Symphony
Unlike the two choruses, the Palm Springs Symphony is new to the community, and The Plaza Theatre will be its inaugural performance home. The symphony was co-founded by three people whose names might be familiar to orchestra lovers in the Coachella Valley: Marilyn Benachowski, Roger Benachowski, and Tom Hartley, who all previously had leadership roles with The Desert Symphony.
Hartley, the Palm Springs Symphony’s conductor, says the trio came up with the idea for an orchestra a few years ago. When the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation began renovating the theater, the symphony, in search of a concert space, began meeting with the organization’s leaders.
The residency, Hartley says, “is a long-term relationship that allows us to do a collaborative partnership.” The symphony will present a five-concert season and offer its services to other artists performing at the theater.
The orchestra’s 35 to 40 members, Hartley says, are “friends who have played with and performed with us for years,” and include professional musicians from other symphony orchestras across Southern California, including many who record for films and TV.
The symphony also aims to create educational opportunities for young musicians in Palm Springs and beyond, and to invite students to the theater during rehearsals.
Hartley says the orchestra’s repertoire “will always be the classics, but we’re not your great-grandma’s symphony orchestra. We include a few surprises in every concert.”
The opening concert, “Sleigh Ride & A Joyful Christmas Concert” (Dec. 7), will include lush arrangements of Christmas songs and sing-alongs. “From Mozart to Modern: A Symphony Across Time” (Feb. 17), will take place on Fat Tuesday, so the program includes Dixieland music. “An Evening of Elegance” (March 31) highlights violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn. “May Musical Mischief: A Symphony of Surprises” (May 9) features pianist John Novacek playing Gershwin. An Independence Day concert, “Liberty: Celebrating 250 Years of America” (July 4), honors the country’s birthday.
“We’re not out just to make a buck,” Hartley says. “We want to have an impact in the community, and for people to say, ‘It’s really neat that the Palm Springs Symphony has a home at the historic Plaza Theatre.’ ”
Welcome home, musicians.
Information and tickets: palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events
