Dezart Performs

Dezart Performs was founded in 2008 by Michael Shaw and Daniela Ryan at the Dezart One Gallery in the Backstreet Art District. Play readings of new works were performed in the main gallery with the actors and audience surrounded by art. Audience members were encouraged to vote on their favorite play, and that play was then produced the following season with a limited set, a few props and minimal lighting. One of the founding principles of Dezart Performs is to produce innovative, contemporary plays that audiences in the Coachella Valley would not see unless visiting a larger city like Los Angeles, San Francisco, or San Diego. Over the 15 years since it was founded, Dezart Performs has seen a steady growth in attendance, demonstrating that the Valley welcomes the kind of bold, thought-provoking work that it presents.