By Tim O’Bayley
Fundraising event unites former cast members and creative team for a fun look back on the making of the long-running show’s historic pilot episode.
Acclaimed television producers David Lee and Peter Casey and celebrated actors David Hyde Pierce and Peri Gilpin will participate in a special fundraising event called Team Frasier Reunites to Save the Plaza Theatre. The cast and creative team of the well-loved television show “Frasier” will take the stage at the historic theater for a fun look back at the making of the pilot episode of the highly acclaimed and long-running television series on Saturday, March 19 at 1 PM. Tickets are $125. Following the event, there will be a VIP “Meet the Creators” catered champagne reception on the theatre’s stage from 3-4 pm. The reception is a separate ticketed event priced at $50. For more information or to purchase tickets go to SaveThePlazaTheatrePS.com.
The event is a fundraiser in support of the restoration of the Plaza Theatre, originally opened in 1936 and currently in need of refurbishment. David Lee, Frasier’s executive producer and co-creator, recently pledged $5 million for the restoration of the theater. A board of directors of movers and shakers has taken this effort to heart and is reaching out to preservationists, theatre aficionados, and civic-minded individuals and organizations in search of financial support to raise the rest of the $10 million required for the restoration.
“We are absolutely thrilled that David and the others connected to the show have offered this exciting event,” said Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation president J.R. Roberts. “David’s donation jump started the theatre’s fundraising campaign, and he has now graciously offered this special look back at a show we all loved. We also thank the cast and production crew for also lending their support to this important project.”
David Lee will lead the audience through a compelling special insider’s step-by-step retrospective about the making of the pilot of Frasier, which ran on NBC for eleven seasons, from 1993 to 2004. The 264 episodes of the series are still aired worldwide today. Following this, cast members David Hyde Pierce (Niles) and Peri Gilpin (Roz) and Co-Creator Peter Casey will join Lee in answering questions from the audience. The event will run approximately 2 hours.
About the Plaza Theatre Restoration Project
The City of Palm Springs recently launched a campaign to raise capital to fully restore one of its most iconic buildings – the historic Plaza Theatre. Originally built in 1938, it was used for film premieres and screenings, nationally broadcast radio theatre programs, and other performances. In its later years, the theater was home to the long running “The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies.” Over the decades, the building has deteriorated, so the City of Palm Springs has initiated a capital campaign to restore the beloved structure to its former glory.
The comprehensive restoration and rehabilitation plan will provide essential infrastructure repairs, installation of new theatrical equipment, and structural improvements to ensure that the building meets today’s fire prevention and American Disabilities Act mandates. This historic theatre has played an impressive role in Palm Springs much like the Radio City Music Hall has in New York. When the restoration is complete, the Plaza Theatre will be poised to continue to provide the city and its visitors with top notch entertainment for years to come.
In addition to attending this event, there are many ways in which the public may play a significant role in the Plaza Theatre restoration, including becoming a Founder, securing a Naming Opportunity, or donating. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. For more information or to donate to support preservation and restoration, contact Foundation Chairman J.R. Roberts at 760-218-6330 or visit SaveThePlazaTheatrePS.com.
Background/About the Theatre:
Seminal Palm Springs architect Harry Williams designed the theatre in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. The theatre opened in 1936 with the premiere of the George Cukor film, “Camille,” with its legendary star, Greta Garbo, who allegedly slipped into the back of the theatre after the lights went down. Garbo’s co-star in the film, Robert Taylor, attended with Barbara Stanwyck.
Over the years, the theatre was the venue for memorable performances by entertainment giants Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. Performers Jack Benny, Bob Hope, and The Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy Show broadcast live radio shows from the Plaza, bringing national attention to Palm Springs. It also was one of the most popular movie theatres in the growing Palm Springs community and was the venue for a number of motion picture world premieres, including “My Fair Lady” and “Music Man.”
In the late 1980s Sonny Bono created the Palm Springs International Film Festival at the Plaza Theatre. In 1991, a vaudeville-type revue called “The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies” launched and ran there for 23 years. The long-running show brought international exposure to the theatre and in many ways helped revitalize downtown Palm Springs.
Establishment of Historic Protection
The Plaza Theatre was declared a Class 1 Historic Site in 1991. This designation prohibits any structural changes that do not adhere to the original design. The theatre is in dire need of repair and restoration and the City of Palm Springs is committed to bringing it back to its original luster as the heart of the City. For more info contact Foundation Chairman J.R. Roberts at 760-218-6330 or visit www.SaveThePlazaTheatrePS.com
