Local Restauranteurs Paint Palm Springs Purple

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Calling their popular Palm Springs restaurant, Trio, their newest project's "big brother," the Purple Room at Club Trinidad supper club owners, Mark Van Laanen and Tony Marchese, are certain that a live-entertainment venue that also serves dinner will be a big hit with locals and out-of-towners alike. We asked them about the new Purple Room and its surprisingly storied past; here's what they had to say.

On the Purple Room's website, you note the venue's legacy and its past ties to legendary desert dwellers, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, saying "...With a nod to its history, we will be making history of our own..." How are you making good on that promise?

To help revive the legendary mystique of the Purple Room's storied past, we are committed to offering high-quality live-entertainment acts that appeal to a wide range of demographics. We have some great performers lined up in the months ahead... so desert audiences stay tuned!

What do you think Dino and the Chairman of the Board would have said about a gay couple owning the Purple Room? Would they hang out at the PR today?

Absolutely! Growing up in an Italian family with a strict father, I know old-school cats like Frank and Dino would admire our business savvy, and would definitely hang out at the coolest club in town. They were on the forefront of civil rights in their era, making Sammy Davis Jr. part of the Rat Pack when the country was still racially divided. Besides, they weren't the type of guys who cared about who slept with who. Fuhgeddaboudit!

How is the Purple Room different than other entertainment venues

in the Coachella Valley?

Our goal at the Purple Room is to offer live performers, no recorded tracks and all types of entertainment. There are now only two venues remaining from that era: Melvyn's and the Purple Room. The Purple Room is unique as a "supper-club" type of experience that you just can't find any more.

One of you is a chef and has an established culinary following with growing global brand awareness. That said, which is the star of the show at the Purple Room -- entertainment or dining?

Both. We are the only place in the desert with great food and live entertainment six nights a week. Our menu is traditional supper-club fare... contemporary Continental cuisine with a few classics thrown in.

Who will enjoy coming for dinner and a show? Is the demographic young, middle-aged, older; gay, straight; or everyone?

There's something for everyone to enjoy at the Purple Room. Just like the rest of Palm Springs, the diversity is such that labels are a non-issue.

Sharon McNight just finished a two-engagement performance of her irreverent, hilarious and provocative one-woman holiday extravaganza "Twisted Xmas: A Druid's View of the Holidays." Is the Tony-nominated stage and film star indicative of the talent you're lining up?

In December, we'll be featuring two shows on Sundays featuring impersonator Michael Holmes as Judy Garland. A dinner show called "Judy's Old Fashioned Christmas" will be followed by a more risqu� performance by Holmes in "Judy: After Dark!"

Also coming in December on Fridays and Saturdays The Grand Band, featuring Tony Grandberry; on Thursdays, Machin' (Spanglish jive); Wednesdays we have the Michael Holmes Trio and on Tuesdays: Barry Minniefield, The Singing Chef.

For a lavishly wrapped, totally decadent and lovingly handpicked Q&A with recent Purple Room starring attraction, Tony-nominated performer, Sharon McNight, visit ragemonthly.com.

There, McNight shares a candid critique about playing the Purple Room-as well as a snapshot recollection of Palm Springs' gay community and celebrity life in the desert, circa the 1980s. If you were there, you'll remember; if you weren't, you'll wish you had been.

The Purple Room Palm Springs is located at 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. For more information on their entertainment line-up or for tickets and reservations call 760.322.4422 or go to purpleroompalmsprings.com