Tag Archives: Long Beach

Theatre Review: The Outsider

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The Los Angeles premiere of The Outsider is presented by International City Theatre. Written by Paul Slade Smith. Directed by Brian Shnipper. Produced by caryn desai [sic].

Ned Newley (Stephen Rockwell) is afraid of public speaking, and his poll numbers are really bad. Even his chief of staff, Dave Riley (Nikhil Pai), thinks that Newley is destined for failure. However, political consultant Arthur Vance (Jonathan Bray) sees something special about Newley that might click with the voters. For that reason, Vance suggests that Newley should run for governor. Not only that, Vance also suggests that the bubbly but inept temp, Louise Peakes (Susan Huckle), should run for lieutenant governor. All she needs is some color-coded cards so she can answer the reporter’s questions.

Playwright Paul Slade Smith sees a trend in current politics, not only in America but in other countries as well, and writes an accurate description of the machinations of the political system to attract popular votes. By looking insecure or even ignorant, the character Newley appears to come to the voters’ level, less intellectual, more average-person type. And, how about Louise Peakes? Clueless and inept, she connects with the public almost instantly. These two characters represent the characteristics that people want from their elected officials nowadays.

The play goes beyond simple comedy. Analyzing what’s seen on stage, a question lingers in the air. What is democracy and who gets to define it? Both characters Newley and Peaks might not be the most prepared candidates to run the government, but what if they are exactly what the people want? In the end, who really runs the government?

The set is one single room, the Governor’s office, but is full of details and it looks stately. The comedy is always there, scene after scene. Susan Huckle steals the show with her hilarious interpretation of a character in a constant state of confusion and cluelessness.

In this election year, The Outsider fits perfectly in the collective consciousness. Its themes and characters feel familiar and are a vivid representation of the trickeries used by the political system to gain popular support for whatever interests the candidates and their respective teams are promoting.

The political animals observed in The Outsider are either oblivious of the current state of things or genuinely interested in satisfying people’s needs. Whatever the case, The message is the same: There will always be someone manipulating the threads of power from the shadows, for better or worse.

The direction by Brian Shnipper is a great example of how to utilize the space to create fluidity, leaving enough room for physicality to give that additional punch to the comedic situations. Even though the whole play happens in one single room, Shnipper makes sure the brilliant cast and the amusing comedy keep the audience entertained.

The Outsider

International City Theatre in the Beverly O’Neill Theatre
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
330 East Seaside Way
Long Beach, CA 90802

Performances: June 14 – June 30
• Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.: June 20, June 27
• Fridays at 7:30 p.m.: June 14 (Opening Night), June 21, June 28
• Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.: June 22, June 29
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: June 23, June 30

Tickets: ictlongbeach.org

Written by Paul Slade Smith. Directed by Brian Shnipper. Produced by caryn desai [sic]. Presented by International City Theatre.

Cast: Thomas Anawalt, Jonathan Bray, Susan Huckle, Nikhil Pai, Taylor Popoola, Stephen Rockwell, Natalie Storrs.

Creative team: Set designer John Patrick, lighting designer Crystal R. Shomph, costume designer Claire Fraser, sound designer Dave Mickey, and prop designer Patty Briles. Casting is by Michael Donovan, CSA, and Richie Ferris, CSA. The stage manager is Pat Loeb.

Theatre Review: Deathtrap

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International City Theatre presents Deathtrap. Written by Ira Levin. Directed by Jamie Torcellini. Produced by caryn desai [sic].

Mystery and humor are combined to create a play with plenty of twists and turns to keep the audience wondering who will be killed next. Since the beginning, Sidney Bruhl (Geoffrey Lower) gives off a strange vibe, an uncomfortable sense of danger and violence. With a devilish sense of humor, that is. His wife Myra (Jill Remez) seems to perceive the same tension in the air. When Clifford Anderson (Coby Rogers), Sidney’s previous student, shows up with the script of what Sydney thinks would be a Broadway hit, things turn upside down and the real danger starts to emerge. 

Playwright Ira Levin also wrote Rosemary’s Baby, a horror novel turned into a famous film in the late 60s. Even tough Deathtrap combines mystery and humor that makes it lighter than Rosemary’s Baby, the play has some pretty intense moments. Lower, Rogers, and Remez do a fantastic job bringing out the violence and humor of the script to make the audience feel on edge in a fun and scary way. 

The writing is excellent; it keeps the sense of wonder all the way through. The direction by Jamie Torricelli, The Legend of Georgia McBride, is on point, with a great use of the space and presenting an amazing scenic (Fred Kinney), music (Dave Mickey), and lighting (Crystal R. Shomph) design to reinforce the mystery of the story. This is a unique opportunity to experience what Dr. Julia Wilkins calls “relief theory”, the phenomenon of getting scared with laughter. It’s the perfect show for this Halloween season.

Deathtrap

International City Theatre
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
330 East Seaside Way
Long Beach, CA 90802

Performances: Oct. 20 – Nov. 5
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: Oct. 26, Nov. 2
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: Oct. 20 (Opening Night), Oct. 27, Nov. 3
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: Oct. 28, Nov. 4
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: Oct. 29, Nov. 5

Tickets: ictlongbeach.org

Written by Ira Levin Directed by Jamie Torcellini. Starring Michelle Holmes, Geoffrey Lower, Jill Remez, Coby Rogers, and Patrick Vest. Produced by caryn desai [sic]. Presented by International City Theatre. Creative team: Set designer Fred Kinney, lighting designer Crystal R. Shomph, costume designer Kim DeShazo, sound designer Dave Mickey and prop designers Patty and Gordon Briles. Casting is by Michael Donovan, CSA and Richie Ferris, CSA. The production stage manager is Donna R. Parsons.

Deathtrap poster
A scene from Deathtrap
A scene from Deathtrap
A scene from Deathtrap

Theatre Review: Exit Wounds

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International City Theatre presents the world premiere of Exit Wounds. Written by Wendy Graf. Directed by caryn desai [sic]. Produced by caryn desai [sic].

Linda Sadowski (Suanne Spoke) saw her family disintegrate as a consequence of a heinous crime committed by one of her sons. Rejection by the general public, death threats, and a devastating sense of guilt torn the family apart. The husband and the son left, leaving Linda with deep emotional and psychological scars to handle by herself. Over the years, Linda becomes a hoarder, living in a depressive and disorganized place, a manifestation of Linda’s internal devastation.

25 years later, her surviving son Matt (Michael Polak), finally shows up to visit her. He informs her that his dad passed away last year. He also tells her that he has a daughter and a son she hasn’t met yet. Linda informs Matt that she had breast cancer. The fact that they didn’t know about each other’s lives shows how disconnected they have been living from each other all these years. However, Matt know needs Linda more than ever. His son Danny (Hayden Kharrazi) is showing a disturbing behavior that seems too similar to the one exhibited by Linda’s deceased son. Her intervention is critical, as it can prevent the same tragedy that shattered their lives 25 years ago.

In Wendy Graf‘s Exit Wounds, the fascination with guns and missing the early signs of internal conflicts can lead to catastrophe. The eeriness of this play is the familiarity of the story. Again and again, we see it and hear it in the news. Another day, another tragedy, another missed sign of trouble. Graf dissects the emotional and psychological effects of a mass shooting tragedy from the point of view of the family’s perpetrator, not the victims. As controversial as this might sound, the reality is that such tragedies also leave a perpetual scar on the relatives of the perpetrator, a fact not covered by the media usually. In Exit Wounds, it’s up to the audience to sympathize or demonize the family in question. Were the parents careless? Were they aware of the signs? Do they deserve the suffering? Should we feel pity for them? One interesting question is: What can institutions like schools and courts do to help concerned parents with their troubled kids?

Director caryn desai [sic] creates a space with great attention to detail that feels dark and congested, externalizing Linda’s interior mess. Desai leads her three actors to build up the tension as the story unfolds. The initial comedic spin of the characters gives way to a much somber subject matter, leading to an emotional and moving display of guilt and sorrow, with a ray of hope at the end of the tunnel. Exit Wounds is a story that presents three generations that are trying to find redemption from a tragic past. It’s also timely, touching, and a meaningful conversation starter to find solutions for an urgent matter.

Exit Wounds

INTERNATIONAL CITY THEATRE
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
330 East Seaside Way
Long Beach, CA 90802

Performances: August 25 – September 10
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: Aug. 31, Sept. 7
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: Aug. 25 (Opening Night), Sept. 1, Sept. 8
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: Sept. 2, Sept. 9
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: Sept. 3, Sept. 10

Tickets: ictlongbeach.org

Written by Wendy Graf. Directed by caryn desai [sic]. Starring Hayden Kharrazi, Michael Polak and Suanne Spoke. Produced by caryn desai [sic]. Presented by International City Theatre. Creative team:  set designer Yuri Okahana-Benson, lighting designer Donna Ruzika, costume designer Kim DeShazo, sound designer Dave Mickey and prop designer Patty Briles. Casting is by Michael Donovan, CSA and Richie Ferris, CSA. The production stage manager is Letitia Chang.

Exit Wounds poster
A scene from Exit Wounds
A scene from Exit Wounds
A scene from Exit Wounds

Theatre Review: Into the Breeches!

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International City Theatre presents Into the Breeches! Written by George Brant. Directed by Brian Shnipper. Produced by caryn desai [sic].

As WWII is raging overseas, Long Beach’s Oberon Playhouse has decided to cancel the 1942 season’s opener, Shakespeare’s Henry IV and Henry V, also known as the Henriad. Since the men are fighting in the front, there are no male actors to play the parts. However, Maggie (Meghan Andrews), the director’s wife, is confident that her and a group of inexperienced female performers can save the day. Singing to the tune of “Amapola”, the ladies of Long Beach come together to prepare a show that will be either a fantastic success or a humiliating failure (with tomatoes included).

Coming up with a plan to convince Board President Ellsworth Snow (Nicholas Hormann) of the feasibility of the show, Maggie recruits newcomers Grace (Emilie Doering), June (Brooke Olivia Gatto), costumer Ida Green (Sydney A. Mason), Snow’s wife, Winifred (Holly Jeanne), and stage manager Stuart Lasker (Lee James). Maggie then pairs them up with the experienced diva Celeste Fielding (Leslie Stevens), who is eager to play Prince Hal. But due to a disagreement with Maggie, Celeste brings out her diva attitude and quits, putting the whole project at risk.

When Snow finds out that Ida, who is Black, and Stuart, who is gay, will be performing, he becomes extremely anxious about the possibility of a backlash from the conservative sectors. He finally accepts Maggie’s plan with one condition: Celeste must come back to the show!

Playwright George Brant relies on the women’s anguish and worries about their husband’s fate to tell a story of hope and liberation during a time when women’s expectations were limited to staying home as obedient housewives. The ladies experience a paradoxical feeling of constant worry, but at the same time, they also undergo a period of self-realization. The possibility of portraying the central roles in Shakespeare’s plays, gives a new meaning to their lives. Director Brian Shnipper uses those emotions as a metaphor of the establishment of a modern liberal order in which women entered the workforce in droves in the 1940s. With a creative scenic design, appealing costumes, and compelling performances from his actors, Shnipper stages a lighthearted play that captures the beginning of a new era in American history.

Into the Breeches! features drama, conflict, and humor in a visually appealing and enjoyable production that brings memories of a crucial time which changed the course of history for America and the rest of the world.

Into the Breeches!

International City Theatre
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
330 East Seaside Way
Long Beach, CA 90802

Performances: June 9 – June 25
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: June 22
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: June 9 (Opening Night), June 23
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: June 24
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: June 25

Tickets: ictlongbeach.org

Written by George Brant. Directed by Brian Shnipper. Starring Meghan Andrews, Emilie Doering, Brooke Olivia Gatto, Nicholas Hormann, Lee James, Holly Jeanne, Sydney A. Mason, and Leslie Stevens. Produced by caryn desai [sic]. Presented by International City Theatre. Creative team: Set designer Tim Mueller, lighting designer Donna Ruzika, costume designer Kim DeShazo, sound designer Dave Mickey and prop designer Patty Briles. Casting is by Michael Donovan, CSA and Richie Ferris, CSA.

 

Into the Breeches! poster
A scene from Into the Breeches!
A scene from Into the Breeches!

Theatre Review: Under the Skin

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The West Coast premiere of Under the Skin is presented by International City Theatre. Written by Michael Hollinger. Produced and directed by caryn desai [sic].

Suddenly, your absent father shows up at the door and asks for your kidney. Would you give it to him? Under the Skin delves into organ donation and the hilarious and difficult relationship between Raina (Allison Blaize) and her father Lou (Tony Abatemarco), who never attended any of her birthday parties when she was a kid. During his days as a player, Lou started an alternate family with Marlene (Tanya Alexander), who gave birth to his son Jarrell (Julian Smith). 

Things get more complicated when Raina meets Jarrell and the two start a conversation. Secrets are revealed and relationships may not be what they seem to be. In the meantime, Lou’s kidney failure continue to progress and time is running out to save his life.

Michael Hollinger‘s writting is a combination of tragedy and comedy that is engaging and leaves the audience in a state of wonder as the scenes move forward. The health deterioration Lou experiences later in life forces him to face his own failures as a father and husband. At the same time, this character shows the complexities of life experiences and the power of human connections, whether filial or romantic. The character of Raina shows the lifelong impressions experienced in childhood and the emotional scars left as a result of bad parenting. All of these textures of human interactions are displayed in this play brilliantly.

Director caryn desai [sic] unifies love, compassion, and the power of blood in a cohesive and entertaining manner, building up the intrigue and disbelief throughout the play. Desai manages to lighten up the seriousness of organ donation and add a touch of comedy to the ordeal of waiting for a donor while attempting to fix broken relationships. 

Under the Skin is a delightful story of redemption, love, and forgiveness. It is a story of rich characters and their unusual reactions when they get second chances in life.    

Under the Skin

International City Theatre
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
330 East Seaside Way
Long Beach, CA 90802

Performances: April 28-May 14
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: May 4, May 11
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: April 28 (Opening Night), May 5, May 12
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: April 29, May 6, May 13
• Sundays at 2 p.m.: April 30, May 7, May 14

Tickets: ictlongbeach.org

Written by Michael Hollinger. Directed by caryn desai. Starring Tony Abatemarco, Tanya Alexander, Allison Blaize, and Julian Smith. Produced by caryn desai [sic]. Presented by International City Theatre.

Creative team: Set designer Timothy Mueller, lighting designer Donna Ruzika, costume designer Kim DeShazo, sound designer Dave Mickey, and prop designer Patty Briles. Casting is by Michael Donovan, CSA and Richie Ferris, CSA. The production stage manager is John Freeland, Jr.

 

Under the Skin poster
A scene from Under the Skin
A scene from Under the Skin
A scene from Under the Skin

Theatre Review: Lend Me A Tenor

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Lend Me A Tenor is presented by International City Theatre. Written by Ken Ludwig. Directed by Todd Nielsen.

The Cleveland Opera is expecting an unforgettable night with Pagliacci, performed by famous Italian opera tenor Tito Merelli (Michael Scott Harris, Singing Revolution, The Musical). Henry Sounders (Barry Pearl), the Cleveland Grand Opera’s general manager, his assistant Max (Nick Tubbs, Marry Me a Little), and his daughter Maggie (Bella Hicks, Singing Revolution, The Musical) are all nervously waiting for Tito’s arrival at the hotel suite. Max’s job is to ensure Tito’s needs are met in a timely manner, but mainly, his job is to keep the booze and the women away from Tito as he’s a notorious drinker and womanizer.

When Tito arrives with his temperamental wife Maria (Jade Santana), Sounders leaves the suite, but Maggie stays behind and hides in the bedroom closet, expecting to get Tito’s autograph. When Maria finds Maggie hiding, she gets furious, assuming that Maggie is one of Tito’s lovers. Maria then writes a goodbye note to Tito and leaves the suite. As Tito is with Max in the other room, he doesn’t notice when Maria leaves. Eventually, Tito finds Maria’s note and panics, thinking that Maria has left him forever. As the tranquilizers and the booze kick in, Tito falls into a deep sleep. Later, when Max tries to get him ready to go to the performance, he is unable to wake him up, mistakenly thinking that Tito has committed suicide. Everything then is turned upside down, forcing Saunders to come up with a last minute plan to save his own skin. A plan that might give Max the opportunity of a lifetime. Max will take the place of Tito in the opera Pagliacci. What can go wrong?

The other characters in the play are Diana (Kailyn Leilani), the seductive soprano who tries to get her way with Tito. Julia (Holly Jeanne), the Chairwoman of the Cleveland Opera Guild, also a fan of Tito. The Bellhop (Matt Curtin, Rapunzel Alone), another Tito’s fan who is always trying to get Tito’s autograph and picture.

Max is an interesting character. He starts by showing his insecurities as a simple assistant who dreams of becoming a star singer. His brief interaction with Tito proved to spark his dreams to a higher level. Above all, the play shows the power of music. For Tito, music is a way of life. For Max, is a dream, a latent desire to express himself. The opportunity to show his talent in such an important event may not happen again. This is Max’s only chance in life to defeat his insecurities, despite the dishonesty of impersonating Tito to cheat the audience. It is Max willing to jump into the unknown what saves the day. 

It is also a story of second chances in life, mainly in terms of relationships. Maria and Tito, experiencing ups and downs in their marriage have to decide whether or not to try it again. For Maggie, it is Max’s impressive performance in Pagliacci what makes him even more attractive as a potential husband.           

Lend Me A Tenor is a sophisticated play that delights the audience for its comedy and constant action. Both Michael Scott Harris and Nick Tubbs show their excellent singing skills. The whole cast delivers a top-level performance from beginning to end. The scenic design with all of its details (scenic designer JR Norman Luker), the high key lighting (lighting designer Donna Ruzika), and the costume design (costume designer Kim DeShazo) provide outstanding and appealing elements to the stage. 

Director Todd Nielsen achieves an exciting production with the talented cast and creative team behind this comedy. The blocking allows the actors to deliver a highly kinetic performance that adds dynamism and physical comedy to the story. The last scene is a testament of Nielsen’s creativity. Producer caryn desai [sic] continues to show her exquisite taste for the most engaging productions to entertain the audiences of Los Angeles. Lend Me A Tenor is without a doubt one of the best productions of the year.       

Lend Me A Tenor

Written by Ken Ludwig. Directed by Todd Nielsen. Starring Matt Curtin, Michael Scott Harris, Bella Hicks, Holly Jeanne, Kailyn Leilani, Barry Pearl, Jade Santana, and Nick Tubbs. Produced by caryn desai [sic]. Presented by International City Theatre.

Creative team: Scenic designer JR Norman Luker, lighting designer Donna Ruzika, costume designer Kim DeShazo, sound designer Dave Mickey, prop designer Patty Briles, and hair and wigs designer Anthony Gagliardi. Casting is by Michael Donovan, CSA and Richie Ferris, CSA. The production stage manager is Donna Parsons.

INTERNATIONAL CITY THEATRE
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
330 East Seaside Way
Long Beach, CA 90802

Performances: Oct. 21 – Nov. 6
Thursdays at 8 p.m.: Oct. 27, Nov. 3
Fridays at 8 p.m.: Oct. 21 (Opening Night), Oct. 28, Nov.4
Saturdays at 8 p.m.: Oct. 22, Oct. 29, Nov. 5
Sundays at 2 p.m.: Oct. 23, Oct. 30, Nov. 6

Tickets: ictlongbeach.org

Lend Me A Tenor poster
A scene from Lend Me A Tenor
A scene from Lend Me A Tenor
A scene from Lend Me A Tenor
A scene from Lend Me A Tenor

Theatre Review: Valley Song

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Valley Song is presented by International City Theatre and directed and produced by caryn desai [sic]. The playwright is Athol Fugard.

The story develops in the South African region known as the Karoo, a vast semi-desert with sparse vegetation and wildlife and a few isolated farms. The protagonist, Abraam Jonkers (Michael A. Shepperd, A Midsummer Night’s Dream), lives in a small pumpkin farm with her granddaughter Veronica (Belle Guillory). They are considered coloured, a term used to refer to people of mixed ancestry. Despite not being the owner of the farm, Abraam is proud of his life—farming and attending church services. Living under the system of the apartheid, he has been conditioned to limit his goals and dreams to the farm, working for the White owner.

The beginning of the play shows a relative peaceful life in the farm. Abraam works the land while Veronica tends to the house. It is when conflict appears in the story that their lives turn upside down. Veronica has a talent for singing. She sings in the house and church. However, she has bigger dreams. She is planning on leaving the farm and try her luck in Johannesburg as a singer. When Abraam finds out, he is reluctant to the idea and is determined to prevent Veronica from following her dreams. Abraam’s concerns reveal the aspirations and final fate of Veronica’s mother. 

Abraam’s opposition to Veronica’s dreams is a consequence of how the system of segregation inflicted many negative ideas to the people of South Africa. For one, it instilled the idea of a superior race to the Whites, giving them access to better education, ownership of land, better jobs, and the control of the country. On the other hand, it suppressed the goals and dreams of a better life to most of the Black people, forcing them to a life of poor education, low-paying jobs, living conditions without basic services like running water, and violent police repression that turned deathly in many cases. For Abraam, the further he can go in life is the perimeter of the farm. Any aspiration of something better is nonexistent. When he finds out that a White man wants to buy the farm he has been working on for the last 40 years, Abraam’s only wish is to beg the White man to let him stay and continue to work on the land. He even intends to ask the White man to let Veronica work for him cleaning his house. But Veronica has other plans.

This is a fascinating story that resumes many of the ongoing issues of South Africa. Abraam represents the old generation of Black South Africans growing up in a segregated society. A generation that finds it difficult to let go of the past, conditioned to live perpetually in servitude. Veronica represents the newer generation of Blacks that feel empowered to dream of a better life. The Author, played also by Michael A. Shepperd, is the playwright himself, Athol Fugard. This character is a representation of those that dreamed and fought to overthrow the policy of apartheid and change the minds and hearts of South Africans to build a more inclusive society.

One of the characteristics of Abraam and The Author is their love for the Karoo, the land where they live and work. Throughout the play, there are references to the strong connection to that land and the farming of it as a generational way of life. The stage design (Yuri Okahana-Benson, set designer and Crystal R. Shomph, lighting designer) shows the colors and elements of the distinctive landscape of the Karoo.    

Fugard is one of the artists that defied the systemic racism of South Africa during the apartheid era. He has been writing about his experiences in multiple of his plays and has received multiple awards worldwide including an Oscar in 2006 for Tsotsi, adapted from his novel of the same title and the Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre Tony Award in 2011. 

Valley Song is a play that allows us to experience the textures of a society that is trying to break away from the past in hopes of building a country where justice and equality prevail despite the many challenges still pending today. Any resemblance to America?    

The creative team includes set designer Yuri Okahana-Benson, lighting designer Crystal R. Shomph, costume designer Kim DeShazo, sound designer Dave Mickey, prop designer Patty Briles, and hair and wigs designer Anthony Gagliardi. Casting is by Michael Donovan, CSA and Richie Ferris, CSA. The production stage manager is Sarah Dawn Lowry.

Valley Song

Written by Athol Fugard. Directed and Produced by caryn desai [sic]. Starring Belle Guillory and Michael A. Shepperd. Presented by International City Theatre.

INTERNATIONAL CITY THEATRE
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
330 East Seaside Way
Long Beach, CA 90802

Thursdays at 8 p.m.: Sept. 1, Sept. 8
Fridays at 8 p.m.: Aug. 26 (Opening Night), Sept. 2, Sept. 9
Saturdays at 8 p.m.: Aug. 27, Sept. 3, Sept. 10
Sundays at 2 p.m.: Aug. 28, Sept. 4, Sept. 11

Tickets: ictlongbeach.org

Valley Song Poster
A scene from Valley Song
A scene from Valley Song
A scene from Valley Song

Theatre Review: The Legend of Georgia McBride

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International City Theatre presents The Legend of Georgia McBride, written by Matthew Lopez and directed by Jamie Torcellini.

There is a place in Panama City, Florida called Cleo’s Lounge where Casey (Taubert Nadalini), impersonates Elvis Presley but is struggling to draw enough audience to sustain his act and the bar. Eddie (Tom Trudgeon), the bar owner, just replaced Casey”s act with a drag queen show led by Miss Tracey Mills (Jeff Sumner) and Rexy (Donzell Lewis). Meanwhile, Jo, Casey’s wife (Karese Frizell), just told him that she’s pregnant. To make things worse, the landlord of the apartment where Casey and Jo live, Jason (Donzell Lewis) just told them that if they don’t come up with the rent money, they’ll be kicked out. In that desperate circumstance, Casey needs to find a creative way to survive.

With no more choices, Casey quits his Elvis act and starts bar tending, but the money is not enough.  Despite arriving together, Rexy has a disagreement with Miss Tracey and decides to leave the show. With an incomplete act, Eddie and Miss Tracey force Casey to dress up and join the drag queen performance. Much to everyone’s surprise, Casey’s act becomes a hit and the crowd keeps coming back for more. With plenty of money rolling in, Casey is able to pay rent, utilities, and save enough money for the baby on the way, not to mention that the show saves Cleo’s Lounge from closing down. The only problem is that Casey decides to hide the true source of his income from his wife.

The story reveals a few things about the life of the drag queen performers and the insecurities of the people around them, even their honest supporters. Casey does not seem to care dressing up as a woman for his show; however, he still has doubts about the reaction of his wife. By doing so, he shows that he is a supporter of the drag community, but only in secret. This is true in today’s society, where many are still insecure about displaying their support to the LGBTQIA community in public.

Another aspect described in the play is the violence against the non-heterosexual individuals. Once back in the sow, Rexy recounts a violent experience in Houston, where two guys beat him up so badly that needed stitches in his head. Rexy puts it this way: “Drag ain’t a hobby, baby. Drag ain’t a night job. Drag is a protest. Drag is a raised fist inside a sequined glove. Drag is a lot of things, baby, but drag is not for sissies”. Theatre, after all, is a reflection of society at large and a powerful platform to protest.

As for the performances, Miss Tracey’s, Rexy’s, and Georgia’s costumes (Kim DeShazo, costume designer) are spectacular, a mirror of the uplifting tone of the play. Nadalini  has an engaging charisma and excellent voice that that is both emotional and exciting, matching the overall play’s message: A rainbow of positive energy.

The Legend of Georgia McBride

Written by Matthew Lopez. Directed by Jamie Torcellini. Starring Karese Frizell, Donzell Lewis, Taubert Nadalini, Jeff Sumner, Tom Trudgeon. Produced by caryn desai [sic]. Presented by International City Theatre.

INTERNATIONAL CITY THEATRE
Long Beach Performing Arts Center
330 East Seaside Way
Long Beach, CA 90802

Performances: June 10 – June 26
Thursdays at 8 p.m.: June 16, June 23
Fridays at 8 p.m.: June 10 (Opening Night), June 17, June 24
Saturdays at 8 p.m.: June 11, June 18, June 25
Sundays at 2 p.m.: June 12, June 19, June 26

Tickets: https://ictlongbeach.org/

 

Marry Me a Little

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Marry Me a Little is a musical featuring songs by acclaimed songwriter Stephen Sondheim. It was conceived and developed by Craig Lucas and Norman René, directed by Kari Hayter, and the musical direction is by Diane King Vann.

Two strangers, played by Katy Tang and Nick Tubbs, live in the same building, although they’ve never met before. However, both spend their time fantasizing about pretty much the same things: Life and love. This is a story about love and loneliness that can go straight to our hearts as most of us can relate to these characters, with their hopes, dreams, and that universal pursue of love and meaning to our existence.

Soprano Katy Tang is a graduate of the Herb Alpert School of Music, UCLA and further training at the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris, Alfred Cortot, a conservatoire in France. Her voice delivers an elegant texture to Sondheim’s lyrics that keeps the audience longing for more. Singing Marry Me a Little from the beautifully staged balcony in a dim light and her shadow on the wall was a sublime moment that added some delicate romanticism to this musical.

Nick Tubbs is an experienced actor who was a production singer onboard Princess Cruises and has experience playing a variety of characters in different stage productions. His voice has the vibe of a classic crooner with a modern twist. His vocal dynamics are a great match to Sondheim’s pieces to portray the playfulness and romance of this hopeful although lonely character.

The musical direction is by Diane King Vann, a masterful pianist with extensive training in both classical piano and musical theatre. The musical is directed by Kari Hayter, a director based in Southern California. She has been nominated for the LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award and for the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award.

Details:

Marry Me a Little
playing at the International City Theatre
330 East Seaside Way
Long Beach, CA 90802
Performance through Feb 27, 2022
Thursday – Saturdays at 8 PM
Sundays at 2 PM

Get your tickets here:

https://ictlongbeach.org/