The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies: Last Hurrah

After 22 years, the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies announced it’s final season. The show will close it’s doors May 18th, but before the curtain goes down, their ‘Last Hurrah’ promises to be quite a spectacle.

It’s all of the glitz and glam of a Las Vegas review, but starring performers who lived in the golden age of Broadway. Everyone on stage is between 54 and 83 years old.

“The Follies is very unique, very Palm Springs,” said Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet.

“The show turned into much more than I ever thought it would,” said Riff Markowitz, star and creator of The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies.

Markowitz and Mary Jardin started The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies in 1992 at a time when downtown was struggling.

“They’ve been a vibrant business in our city during difficult times where a lot of other people left and they stayed,” said Pougnet.

As a result the follies have become a Palm Springs institution.

“I think I had no expectations, it was just a really wonderful idea and something to do on Tuesdays after I retired it turned out something to do all week long and it amazed me at how it lasted and became famous all over the world,” said Markowitz.

After nearly 3 million audience members, the show’s creators have decided to go out on top.

“I think that the same wisdom that told us to when to begin the follies and where to do it that same wisdom told us that it was time to stop,” said Markowitz.

Markowitz, who also performs in the show, says the 14 hour days have taken it’s total.

“The time is right for us to spend at least a couple of days a week with those people that we care about,” said Markowitz.

The final season will feature some of the greatest numbers over the last 22 seasons.

“It will be all out we are going to make every last minute and try to be aware of every last minute on stage,” said Markowitz.

When the doors close on the Follies after their final season, the City of Palm Springs says this historical theater won’t stay empty for long.

“I am very confident it will not be a hole in our downtown. It will actually be a vibrant new production, new venue, new space for someone to use,” said Pougnet.

From the Palm Springs Film Festival to touring Broadway shows, the city hopes the theater will continue to be a draw.

“Certainly we will miss the customers that come to see the Follies, but hopefully they will come back and enjoy other parts of the town,” said Pougnet.

“For most of us it truly is our last hurrah,” said Markowitz.

Tickets for the final season go on sale July 15th.