Michael Childers has done it again. On March 10 at the iconic Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs, his latest production, “One Night in Hollywood: Music From the Movies,” took guests on a magical journey from the early days of the silver screen to the present.
The production celebrated Hollywood’s rich history and illustrated how it has given us not only great movies but also some truly great music, many of which have been honored over the decades in the Academy Awards’ Best Original Song category.
For 17 years, Childers produced and was the brainchild behind the annual “One Night Only” shows performed at McCallum Theatre, which raised more than $4 million over the years for local charities.
“I have theater in my blood,” said Childers, who is known as a Hollywood photographer to the stars, on why he’s back with a new production. “I love working with theater and musical people, because singing is one thing I cannot do.”
As guests were settling into their seats prior to the show commencing, Palm Springs Council Member Jeffrey Bernstein appeared on stage to present a special proclamation from the City of Palm Springs declaring March 10 Michael Childers Day.
Directed by Scott Coulter, with musical direction and piano by Todd Schroeder and Tim Christensen on bass, “One Night in Hollywood” was expertly narrated by Turner Classic Movies host Dave Karger, author of “50 Oscar Nights.” Karger shared the stories behind the songs, including their place in the great sweep of Hollywood musical history.
“They really had a mind toward not having (this show) be ‘and next up is this person,'” Karger said. “That way it gives the show movement, more of a story, more of a meaning, more of a purpose and more of a flow.”
And flow it did. After an overture featuring the first two Best Song honorees, “The Continental” and “Lullaby Of Broadway,” singer-songwriter Amanda McBroom got the night off to a great start with a wonderful rendition of “The Way You Look Tonight.”
What followed was an evening of spectacular highlights, each song a classic, sung by world-class Broadway and stage performers. Some of the outstanding moments during the show included Nita Whitaker playfully advising the audience to “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” classical vocalist Maximo Mancuso bringing his artistry to “Moon River,” James Snyder making the ’60s vividly come alive with “Born Free,” McBroom belting out “Georgy Girl” and Julie Garnye singing “Alfie” and “My Heart Will Go On.”
Local performer Lizzie Sosa delivered a sensational rendition of “You Light Up My Life,” and award-winning Broadway performer David Burnham killed it with the James Bond classic “Live and Let Die.” Kelli Rabke completed a Bond one-two punch with “For Your Eyes Only.”
Director Coulter also took to the stage to croon “The Windmills of My Mind,” while Music Director Todd Schroeder teamed up with Michael Feinstein protégé Alex Getlin to perform Lady Gaga’s “Shallow,” followed by her leading the company and the audience in a rousing finale of the Irene Cara hit “Fame.”
“One Night in Hollywood” was performed to perfection and received by the audience, who responded with many enthusiastic ovations.
Proceeds from this event will benefit the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation and support its programming. The historic Plaza Theatre was revamped and reopened in December of 2025. Michael Childers remembers going to the Plaza Theatre as a child with his grandmother, so staging a show there and supporting the theater was definitely a labor of love.
Event sponsors included Mark Adams, The Berlanti Foundation, Joan Cortopasi, Peggy Jacobs, Angie Gerber and Steve La Salvia, Gayle Naylor, Joann Wellner, Chris Foster, Ted Chapin, Contour Dermatology, Suz Hunt, John Monahan, Ron Nyswaner, Phyllis Eisenberg and Linda Rider.
Madeline Zuckerman is owner and president of M. Zuckerman Marketing & Public Relations Inc., a marketing, branding, public relations and special events firm with offices in Rancho Mirage and Newport Beach, California. Zuckerman is a founder of McCallum Theatre, a Desert Arc Champion, a member of the Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation and a board member of the One Valley Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Coachella Valley Firebirds. She has been a guest reporter for The Desert Sun for 18 years.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Michael Childers ‘One Night in Hollywood’ benefits Plaza Theatre
Reporting by Madeline Zuckerman, Special to The Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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