Fellow Travelers
An opera by Gregory Spears with libretto by Greg Pierce
Set against the backdrop of the Lavender Scare in the 1950’s, FELLOW TRAVELERS tells the story of two young men employed by the Federal government who begin a romantic relationship under the vengeful eye of McCarthyism. Eventually, they are forced to make impossible choices in a story that ends with a stunning act of betrayal.
This story was the basis for the 2023 CBS/Paramount mini-series starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey.
The evening’s program, a presentation of the Palm Springs Opera Guild, delivers the most powerful and tender scenes from the opera based on the best-selling 2007 novel by Thomas Mallon.
Running time: Approx. 2 hrs (including intermission and a panel discussion with the cast and creative team)
There will be a reception after the panel discussion catered by Lulu California Bistro.
PIANIST BRUCE STASYNA
DIRECTED by Kevin Newberry
PRODUCED by Jecca Barry
More about the Lavender Scare
The Lavender Scare was a moral panic about homosexual people in the United States government which led to their mass dismissal from government service during the mid-20th century. It contributed to and paralleled the anti-communist campaign which is known as McCarthyism and the Second Red Scare. Gay men and lesbians were said to be national security risks and communist sympathizers, which led to the call to remove them from state employment.It was thought that due to the stigma around homosexuality, gay people were vulnerable to blackmail, which could lead to a breach in national security. Lesbians were at less risk of persecution than gay men, but some lesbians were interrogated or lost their jobs.The Lavender Scare normalized persecution of homosexuals through bureaucratic institutionalization of homophobia. Former U.S. senator Alan K. Simpson wrote: “The so-called ‘Red Scare’ has been the main focus of most historians of that period of time. A lesser-known element and one that harmed far more people was the witch-hunt McCarthy and others conducted against homosexuals.”
FELLOW TRAVELERS is a guest presentation of the Palm Springs Opera Guild, and is not a regular offering of Dezart Performs’ 2025/26 Season.
“[A] heart-wrenching yet musically lucid drama ... The opening act is a near-perfect example of fast-flowing musical drama ... With its smart music and sharp-edged romantic drama, Fellow Travelers seems assured of lasting appeal."
"...the intimate power of Spears’s musical voice, which is unlike that of any composer now working—a kind of shivery, fraught simplicity…Spears has an eerie ability to suggest interior landscapes that go unseen, interior lives that go unspoken. In giving us glimpses of hidden selves, his music becomes universal in reach.”
Mar 17 2026 - Mar 18 2026
Show TimesTuesday - 7:00 PM
Wednesday - 7:00 PM
DEZART PLAYHOUSE
605 S. Riverside Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92264
Ticket Info
$106 (includes fees)
for premium seats
$91 (includes fees)
for standard seats
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The Cast
Andy Acosta (Timothy Laughlin)
Andy is a Cuban-American tenor and luxury real estate expert based in San Diego, seamlessly blending two world-class careers.
As an internationally recognized opera singer, Andy has performed on major stages, including The Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, the Ravinia Festival, Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, and San Diego Opera, earning wide acclaim for his powerful voice and magnetic acting. He has performed leading roles in contemporary world premieres and classic repertoire alike, most known for his performances of Timothy Laughlin in Fellow Travelers, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Arcadio in Florencia en el Amazonas, and Tony in West Side Story.
Offstage, Andy brings the same passion and precision to Southern California real estate. Raised in a family of property investors and with over $50 million in recent sales, he combines market expertise, sharp design instincts, and a commitment to honesty and client service. His background in performance and design gives him a unique edge in understanding the beauty and potential of every property.
You can see and follow more of Andy online @theandyacosta on Instagram or @acostagroup on Youtube.
Joseph Lattanzi (Hawkins Fuller)
Joseph commands attention for his “robust vocalism,” “unmistakable charisma,” and “undeniable star potential.” The baritone established himself as a major artist in the current landscape of opera with his portrayal of Hawkins Fuller in the world premiere and many subsequent runs of Gregory Spears’ Fellow Travelers. The New York Times said “Joseph Lattanzi was splendid as Hawk, his buttery baritone luxuriant and robust.”
His ever-growing repertoire includes leading roles ranging from the classic to the contemporary; from Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Rossini’s Figaro to Bates’ Steve Jobs and Aucoin’s Orpheus. Lattanzi has enjoyed many seasons on the roster of the Metropolitan Opera and has performed at many other major opera houses including San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, and Atlanta. Please visit JosephLattanzi.com to learn more.
Amber Monroe (Mary)
Amber is a soprano recognized as “a crystalline lyric soprano and a superb singing actress” by Seen and Heard International. Her 2025–2026 season sees her role debut in the title role of Francesca Zambello’s production of Aida with Washington National Opera, as well as her European debut in the same role with Theater St. Gallen in a new production by Ben Baur house. Ms. Monroe also makes her house debuts with Seattle Opera, San Diego Opera, and Portland Opera singing Mary Johnson in Fellow Travelers, and covers the role of Sister Rose in Dead Man Walking with San Francisco Opera. Concert work includes Handel’s Messiah with the Chattanooga Symphony.
The 2024–2025 season saw her return to Washington National Opera in the role of Serena in Francesca Zambello’s production of Porgy and Bess at the Kennedy Center, and to Pensacola Opera as Nedda in Pagliacci. She also sang the role of High Priestess and covered the title role in Aida with both the Baltimore Symphony, conducted by John Heyward, and Dayton Opera. Additional debuts included with the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Lucienne in Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt, conducted by Andris Nelsons; the National Philharmonic singing Verdi’s Requiem; and with the New Jersey Symphony singing a concert of Gershwin with Paquito D’Rivera.
Additional operatic highlights include Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni with Opera Columbus; Nedda in Pagliacci with the Glimmerglass Festival and El Paso Opera; Countess Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro at Kentucky Opera; Clara in Porgy and Bess with Opera Western Reserve; Esther in Ricky Ian Gordon’s Intimate Apparel with Arizona Opera; and Mimì in La bohème with the Chattanooga Symphony. Ms. Monroe originated the role of Clarissa in the world premiere of Gregory Spears’s Castor and Patience with Cincinnati Opera and performed the title role in the Midwest premiere of Nkeiru Okoye’s Harriet Tubman: When I Crossed that Line to Freedom with Cleveland Opera Theater. She has also workshopped Jeanine Tesori’s Blue at The Glimmerglass Festival and Kevin Puts’s The Hours, commissioned by The Metropolitan Opera.
Bruce Stasyna (pianist)
Bruce has been praised by Broadway World as a conductor of “vigorous authority”. He has been on the conducting rosters of New York City Opera, Boston Lyric Opera and San Diego Opera.
In San Diego, Maestro Stasyna made his conducting debut with “nuance and finesse” leading a new production of As One in 2017. He has since led new productions of Maria de Buenos Aires in “an assured reading, full of color and undulating fire”, Così fan tutte “bringing out the beauty and excitement of Mozart’s score while providing nimble and tasteful support for the singers”, Il Barbiere di Siviglia “under conductor Bruce Stasyna, the orchestral accompaniment is gorgeous and bright” and the world premiere of Ghosts by Nic Reveles “under the astute direction of Bruce Stasyna, members of the San Diego Symphony gave a winning account of Reveles’ subtly crafted score”.
In addition to his work on the podium, Maestro Stasyna has held positions as Chorus Master for the New York City Opera, Minnesota Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Washington Concert Opera and Des Moines Opera. He was Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for the Green Mountain Opera Festival, Music Director of Vero Beach Opera, and Head of Music and Director of the Young Artist Program at Palm Beach Opera.
Kevin Newbury (director)
Kevin is an opera, theatre, and film director. Career highlights: three PBS Great Performances Broadcasts: Bernstein’s MASS (Ravinia Festival), Doubt (Minnesota Opera) & Bel Canto (Lyric Opera of Chicago); Liz Phair’s 2023 Guyville Tour; dozens of world premieres, including Kansas City Choir Boy (starring Courtney Love, Prototype Festival/National Tour), GRAMMY-winner The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs (Santa Fe, Seattle, San Francisco Operas), GLAAD Media Award Winner Candy & Dorothy and five operas with composer Gregory Spears, including Fellow Travelers (NY Times “Best of 2016”), Castor & Patience (NY Times “Best of 2022”) and The Righteous (upcoming: Santa Fe Opera). Co-Founder: Up Until Now Collective.
Jecca Barry (producer)
Jessica is an independent theatre, opera, film, and music producer. She is the founder and creative producer of Fin Productions, and a co-founder of the Up Until Now Collective. Jecca’s practice focuses on developing work with artists that are challenging the conventions of the performing arts industry. From 2012-2022, she served as Executive Director of the acclaimed production company Beth Morrison Projects (BMP) and was a Co-Director of New York’s annual PROTOTYPE Festival from 2017-2022. Jecca has overseen the commissioning, development, production and touring of over 30 new theatre, music-theatre, and opera works, and has toured those works to over 40 national and 20 international venues.
