Long Beach’s resident professional theater company, International City Theatre, has unveiled its 37th season with five shows slated for 2022, including two that were postponed in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are so grateful to be able to put these two plays back on the schedule,” according to a statement from ICT artistic director caryn desai, who prefers her name in lowercase. “We are back to doing what we are meant to do — tell stories that help us better understand our world and our shared humanity.”
International City Theatre has tapped the Long Beach Performing Arts Center as the stage for its new season and will carry on with in-person shows unless otherwise prohibited by the city or state. On June 15, the state lifted nearly all COVID-19 restrictions, however in Los Angeles County people are required to wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.
ICT only just relaunched its live performances after its stages went dark 18 months ago with the debut of “Closely Related Keys,” a family-drama set in the weeks following the 2001, Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The Beverly O’Neill Theater hosted two preview performances on Wednesday and Thursday this week and today, Aug. 27, is the show’s grand opening performance. Tickets are $55 and may be purchased online, click here.
As an added safety precaution ICT is staggering seating between households in addition to mask mandates while indoors. All of ICT’s staff and performers are vaccinated and safety protocol is accounted by a COVID safety officer on duty at every rehearsal and production checking temperatures, reinforcing mask-wearing, providing hand sanitizer and requiring production to sign off on a daily safety declaration.
It’s yet to be seen just how the delta variant might affect in-person gatherings in the next few months, but as of now, here’s what you can expect to see next year at International City Theatre.
“Marry Me a Little” (Feb. 11 – 27; previews begin Feb. 9)
“Mary Me a Little” is a charming, bittersweet musical about two lonely New Yorkers who try and work up the courage to talk to each other despite living only a floor apart in the same apartment building. The musical weaves their imaginary conversations and asides through 17 lesser-known songs by composer and musical theater legend, Stephen Sondheim.
The musical was conceived and developed by Craig Lucas and Norman René and continues to be an Off-Broadway darling staged in theaters across the U.S.
“A Doll’s House: Part 2” (April 15 – May 1; previews begin April 13)
The sequel to the 1879 play by Norway’s Henrik Isben, “A Doll’s House,” Obie award-winning playwright Lucas Hnath invites audiences in “A Doll’s House: Part 2” to dive deeper into the reasons why protagonist Nora decides to leave her husband and children as told in the original play’s iconic and baffling ending.
“The Legend of Georgia McBride” (June 10 – 26; previews begin June 8)
Actor and singer Jamie Torcellini takes on the role of Casey—a down-and-out Elvis impersonator who discovers the world of drag—in the feel-good musical-comedy, “The Legend of Georgia McBride.”
This show by Matthew Lopez is returning to ICT after being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
TBD (Aug. 26 – Sept. 11)
ICT said it will be announcing the show set to run in August and September in the coming weeks.
“Lend Me A Tenor” (Oct. 21 – Nov. 6; previews begin Oct. 19)
“Lend Me a Tenor,” by Ken Ludwig, pokes fun at the opera world through the high jinks of a “world-famous” tenor singer, Tito Morelli.
This two-time Tony-nominated comedy is also returning to ICT after being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.