Casting is complete for the West Coast premiere of Loving Repeating: A Musical of Gertrude Stein, directed by caryn desai [sic] at International City Theatre.
Cheryl David will star as Gertrude Stein with Shannon Warne playing "young Gertrude" and Melissa Lyons Caldretti as Stein's lifelong companion, Alice B. Toklas. Also in the cast, playing multiple roles, are Carly Bracco, Leland Burnett, Jay Donnell, Allison Eberly and Tyler Milliron.
The chamber musical, adapted from Stein's writings by Tony Award winners Stephen Flaherty and Frank Galati, begins previews on January 18. Opening night is January 21, and performances will continue for four weeks through February 13. International City Theatre is Long Beach's Resident Professional Theater at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. For more information and to purchase tickets, call 562-436-4610 or go to www.InternationalCityTheatre.com.
About the Cast
Cheryl David (Gertrude Stein) is a veteran stage actress whose most recent credits include Jewtopia (original cast in Los Angeles, New York and this year's return to Los Angeles); Sarah/Sarah; Majority of One; From Door to Door; Rumors; A Splintered Soul; The Boychick Affair; Atonement; Unspeakable Acts; and The Norman Conquests. Recent musicals include The World Goes ‘Round; Menopause the Musical; Borscht Belt Bistro; Fiddler on the Roof; and Is this Any Way to Start A Marriage?
Melissa Lyons Caldretti (Alice B. Toklas) most recently originated the title role in the world premiere of a new musical version of Jane Eyre for Fullerton Civic Light Opera. She traveled with the Broadway touring company of Les Miserables for three years and was the final Eponine when the show closed in 2006. Regional: Grizabella in CATS and the title role in Peter Pan (Cabrillo Music Theatre); the title role in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (MTG); Suzy in The Marvelous Wondrettes (El Portal); How to Succeed in Business... (Reprise); Annie(Sacramento Music Circus and McCoy/Rigby).
Shannon Warne (Young Gertrude) was last seen at ICT as Polly in The Threepenny Opera. Other credits include Grace in Annie (Musical Theatre West); Guenevere in David Lee's Camelot (Pasadena Playhouse); Rachel in Two By Two (Reprise!); the title role in the Los Angeles premiere of Violet (MTG); Estella in Great Expectations (Hudson); Milly in Seven Brides... (Cabrillo Music Theatre); Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme (Ahmanson); Tzeitel in Fiddler on the Roof and Kate in Pirates of Penzance (Sacramento Music Circus); and Chanel in the original production of Bark! (Coast Playhouse).
Carly Bracco (Ensemble) recently graduated from UCLA's Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program. College credits include Anne in A Little Night Music; Lizzie in Baby; Suzanne/Ensemble in Sweet Charity; and Shelley in Batboy: The Musical.
Leland Burnett's (Ensemble) credits include Blues for Mr. Charlie (Tricycle Theatre, London); Fiddler on the Roof; Full Monty; Jesus Christ Superstar; Oklahoma; Seussical; and Joseph (all at Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities); Baby (Electric Theatre, London); Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Bellairs Playhouse, London); and Biloxi Blues (Bellarby Theatre, London).
Jay Donnell (Ensemble) was in the national tour of Miss Saigon and has appeared in productions of Smokey Joe's Cafe (San Diego Musical Theatre); The Twenty-Fifth Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (North Coast Rep, Phoenix Theatre, PCPA); Joseph...Technicolor Dreamcoat, Kiss Me, Kate and Miss Saigon (SBCLO); Rent (Plan B Entertainment); South Pacific withReba McEntire and Brian StokesMitchell (Hollywood Bowl).
Allison Eberly (Ensemble) has been seen in Hay Fever (Newport Theatre Arts Center); How the Other Half Loves (Long Beach Playhouse); Kiss Me, Kate (CLO of South Bay); and has worked alongside Alice Ripley, Rex Smith and Patrick Cassidy.
Tyler Milliron (Ensemble) was last seen on the ICT stage in Cabaret in 2008. Other credits include Nixon in China (Long Beach Opera); A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Norris Center for the Performing Arts); the title role in Barnum (El Dorado Musical Theatre); and Milt Larsen and Richard M. Sherman's new musical Pazzazz! in Santa Barbara.
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