Things to Ponder: Les Dames Du Soleil Fundraiser

Last night we went to see "Les Dames Du Soleil present: Jungle Red...dahling". The evening was a benefit for the Desert Aids Project. It was a fun live stage show with a wide range of songs and wild outrageous costumes. The title of the show was based on the 1939 cult movie classic, “The Women,” which starred silver screen legends Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, and Rosalind Russell. (These ladies were also once regulars here in Palm Springs so they each have their own connection to the desert). For those of you familiar with this very good film may recall the gossipy manicurist who was dishing the rumors while painting on “Jungle Red” nail polish. This color name became synonymous with gold-digging, scheming, and social climbing-all perfect ingredients for a drag show in Palm Springs-perfect entertainment for a charitable fundraiser.

The Dames Du Soleil are a troupe of Palm Springs based drag performers who are wickedly funny, razor-sharp and pure professionals. Their quick pace of acts kept the audience entertained over the course of the evening. In addition to the money raised from ticket sales, there were raffle tickets, pledge sheets at every table and a live auction. The auction had all sorts of interesting things to bid on, from vacations in Puerto Vallarta, to Australia, as well as paintings, catered cocktail party certificates and timeshare properties. Hopefully it was a big success for the Desert Aids Project-it sure looked like it was.