WELCOME TO THE DESERT THEATRE LEAGUE, SERVING THE DESERT EMPIRE SINCE 1987
Supporting & Cultivating Theatre in the Coachella Valley & Morongo Basin
Recognizing the very best in Theatrical and Dance Performance Since 1987 - Celebrating our 34th year
2020 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENT
KEISHA D
The Lifetime Achievement Award
Keisha D was born and raised in Hollywood, California. She started singing as a small child and by her early teens was singing in the church and touring the country with the gospel group Hilltop Faith. She was awarded a full scholarship to Azusa Pacific University where she studied classical music. She finished school and then life took over. When she had children, Keisha continued to tour with them to jazz festivals and fairs. She received another partial scholarship in musical theatre from the California Baptist University.
Keisha moved to Palm Springs and performed in “Open Call” at the McCallum Theatre in 2008. She was immediately flooded with offers when she won Best Vocals.
Keisha has performed in numerous plays and revues at Desert theaters including Palm Canyon Theatre, Desert Theatreworks, and Desert Ensemble. She appeared as the Acid Queen in “Tommy”, the Fairy Godmother in “Cinderella”, Melpomene in “Xanadu”, and Motor Mouth Mabel in “Hairspray”. Keisha has also appeared in staged readings at Script to Stage to Screen.
Keisha’s love for music has not only been demonstrated on stage. She started a foundation whose mission is to connect disadvantaged students with an interest in music to the instrument necessary for a meaningful education. She has been a mentor in the school system and received the Shiny Apple Award from the Palm Springs Unified School District for 6 years. She has also worked with high school jazz students and assisted with choreography for the dance team. She even played the part of Motor Mouth Maybell in the school’s production of “Hairspray”.
Keisha D was inducted into the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars on January 17, 2020.
Desert Star Awards - 2020
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019-2020 theatrical season has ended, albeit prematurely. Fortunately, most Producing Members were able to complete the majority of their scheduled season before health guidelines terminated activities.
Consequently, DTL judges attended and adjudicated sufficient productions to permit issuing Desert Star Awards in most categories.
Accordingly, as has been the custom for a number of years, Desert Star nominations will be announced on the DTL website on August 1, 2020.
However, because of on-going health concerns and the impact that the coronavirus has wrought on the economic well-being of many in the theatrical community, the DTL Board of Directors has cancelled the October 18, 2020 Desert Star Awards gala and the live presentation of Desert Star Awards.
Instead, Desert Star recipients will be posted on our website in October. Thereafter, Awards will be distributed to the Producing Member for whom the winning individual performed. Recipients may arrange to collect their award(s) from their respective Producing Member.
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Better times will come.
Frank Berman
President
Desert Theatre League
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OUR HISTORY
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OUR HISTORY
The Genesis of the Desert Theatre League and Desert Stars Awards