DESPERATE MEASURES to Launch International City Theatre 40th Anniversary
Performances will run from February 21 through March 9,
International City Theatre is launching its 40th anniversary season of premieres with the Los Angeles premiere of Desperate Measures, a foot-stompin’, knee-slappin’ musical inspired by Shakespeare's Measure for Measure. Saddle up for this joyous musical comedy with a score by award-winning composer David Friedman and book and lyrics by two-time Tony nominee Peter Kellogg. Todd Nielsen directs and choreographs the three-week run, February 21 through March 9, alongside music director Daniel Gary Busby. Performances take place at ICT’s home in the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, with two low-priced previews set for February 19 and February 20.
Amidst the joyful, Wild West, musical comedy fun, Desperate Measures—like Shakespeare’s unconventional comedy about ethics, sexuality and deception on which it’s loosely based—manages to ponder the true nature of love and justice. When a narcissistic governor (Christopher Karbo) sentences dangerously handsome Johnny Blood (Aaron Gibbs) to hang, Johnny must put his fate in the hands of a wily sheriff (Daniel A. Stevens), an eccentric priest (Jason Whitton), a saloon girl-gone-good (Madison Miyuki Sprague) and a novice nun (Gabbie Adner). Together, they face uncharted territory as laws are broken and hearts are won.
The 2017 Off-Broadway production extended three times at the York Theatre, where it was the winner of two Drama Desk Awards for “Outstanding Musical” and “Outstanding Lyrics”; the Outer Critics Circle Award for “Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical”; and the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for “Best New Musical.”
This year, ICT celebrates its 40th anniversary with a season of five premieres, including, in addition to the L.A. premiere of Desperate Measures, the American premiere of The Violin Maker by Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum and Ronda Spinak, revealing the stories behind a collection of restored violins damaged during the Holocaust; the Los Angeles premiere of a screwball comedy, The Angel Next Door by Paul Slade Smith; the world premiere of Masala Dabba, the newest family drama by Los Angeles playwright Wendy Graf; and the Los Angeles premiere of Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson–Apt. 2B by Kate Hamill, an irreverent, darkly comic, modern take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous sleuth and sidekick.
The creative team for Desperate Measures includes set designer Destiny Manewal, 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 stage manager is Donna R. Parsons.
Desperate Measures runs February 21 through March 9 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Two preview performances take place on Wednesday, Feb. 19 and Thursday, Feb. 20, each at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $56 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, except opening night (Friday, February 21), and $59 on opening night and at Sunday matinees. Low-priced tickets to previews are $44.
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