LONG BEACH, Calif. (Aug. 21, 2018) – International City Theatre has announced its 2019 season of five plays at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, where ICT is the resident professional theater company.
“ICT’s 34th Season has something for everyone,” says artistic director caryn desai [sic]. “Each production will open new doors to understanding, reflection and inspiration, Every subscriber will help us keep the doors open to a year of entertainment and education for our region.”
The season will open on Feb. 22 with the award-winning jukebox musical Life Could Be A Dream by Roger Bean. Return to Springfield High (where “The Marvelous Wonderettes” matriculated) and meet the “Crooning Crabcakes,” the boy group banned from the senior prom. The singing foursome is hoping for fame and fortune – if only they can win the local radio contest on Big Whopper Radio. Songs from this musical journey to the past include “Runaround Sue,” “Tears on My Pillow,” “Earth Angel” and “The Glory of Love.” Performances will continue through March 10, with two low-priced previews on Feb. 20 and Feb. 21.
Next up, The Price, will open on May 10. In Arthur Miller’s riveting masterpiece, called “one of the most engrossing and entertaining plays that Miller has ever written” by The New York Times,two estranged brothers meet after a 16-year separation to dispose of their late father’s belongings. Performances continue through May 26, with previews set for May 8 and May 9.
Beginning June 14, ICT will present the world premiere of Bestseller, a new comedy by internationally acclaimed playwright Peter Quilter (Glorious, End of the Rainbow) about writers, how they write, the stories they tell and the secrets they keep. When three young novelists arrive at an isolated cottage for a writer’s retreat, their hilarious and compelling books suddenly come to life. Performances continue through June 30; two previews take place on June 12 and June 13.
Beast on the Moon is Richard Kalinoski’s haunting, poetic play about a photographer and his mail-order bride who find refuge in Milwaukee from the Armenian genocide in Turkey. As they struggle to define family amidst their grief and displacement, these kindred strangers discover hope, healing, redemption and love. Winner of the American Theatre Critic’s Association Osborn Award and the Khorenatsi Medal, Armenia’s highest cultural award, this moving drama will open on Aug. 23 and run through Sept. 8, with previews on Aug. 21 and Aug. 22.
Finally Lanie Robertson’s Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill will bring Billie Holiday to life at ICT beginning Oct. 18. The iconic singer will take us on a journey through the highs and lows of her tumultuous life, interspersed with stunning renditions of her beloved repertoire. Through Nov. 3; previews are set for Oct. 16 and Oct. 17.
Recognized by Long Beach as the City’s resident professional theater company, International City Theatre is the recipient of over 400 awards, including the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle’s prestigious Margaret Harford Award for “Sustained Excellence” and the LADCC’s 2016 Polly Warfield Award for an “Excellent Season.” In addition to its professional theater productions, ICT offers six community and educational outreach programs each year. The company’s commitment to the community also includes ongoing collaborations with Long Beach’s African American community and other minority organizations. Former Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe called ICT “a cultural treasure.”
All performances take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. For more information about ICT’s 2019 season and to purchase subscriptions or single tickets, call (562) 436-4610 or visit www.internationalcitytheatre.org
