McCallum Theatre Institute

McCallum Theatre Institute is the formal education department of McCallum Theatre, launched in 1997. Its first project was Imagination Station, a summer camp program that ran for nine consecutive summers, and its education programs have served more than one million local schoolchildren, educators, and community members. The Institute is involved with events such as the Dance under the Stars Choreography Festival, which later became the Palm Desert Choreography Festival in 2019 after renewed funding from the City of Palm Desert.

• Schedule: Box Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 12:00pm noon–5:00pm; hours vary on show days, closed on all major holidays, with limited hours June–August.
• Price: Handling fee of $8 per ticket; all ticket sales are final with no refunds, and fees are subject to change at any time.

McCallum Theatre Institute operates within McCallum Theatre, which is described as the desert’s premier performing arts center and has gained acclaim as one of the country’s finest presenting theaters. The McCallum Theatre’s mission is to entertain, educate, and enrich the Coachella Valley community through world-class performances and critically acclaimed education experiences. Education programs connected to the Institute include the Aesthetic Education Program, which began through a partnership with Lincoln Center Institute, and the Open Call Talent Project, first performed in 1999 as a co-presentation with the City of Palm Desert.

The Institute’s education role also includes support for the Dance under the Stars Choreography Festival starting in 1999, which became fully incorporated as an education event and later evolved into the Palm Desert Choreography Festival. Education Ambassadors assisted with the East Valley Dance Project beginning in 2007, and the Crisálida Community Arts Project, funded by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation, culminated in the staged production “East Valley Voices OUT LOUD.” Leadership connected to the Theatre and its education efforts includes Kajsa Thuresson-Frary as Director of Education, Mitch Gershenfeld as President/CEO, and President and CEO Ted Giatas, who joined the Theatre in 1999.

McCallum Theatre has received recognition such as being named both “Best Live Theatre Venue” and “Best Live Music Venue” by The Desert Sun. Ticket sales have consistently placed the Theatre in the top 50 theaters in the world, and in one first-quarter evaluation, Pollstar named McCallum Theatre the number one ticket seller in California and the number nine ticket seller in the world.

Last updated June 14, 2026.