Photos: First Look at LEND ME A TENOR at International City Theatre

International City Theatre is presenting Lend Me A Tenor, the Tony-nominated screwball comedy by Ken Ludwig that's guaranteed to leave audiences rolling in the aisles with laughter. Todd Nielsen, who has previously directed numerous productions at ICT including Master Class, Let's Misbehave and How the Other Half Loves, directs for an October 21 opening at ICT's home in the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, where performances continue through November 6. Two low-priced previews take place on October19 and October 20.

See photos below!

Set in 1934, Lend Me A Tenor is a hilarious combination of slapstick, word play, romance and great opera music. Culture-climbers in provincial but pretentious Cleveland are threatened with embarrassment when "Il Stupendo," the Italian tenor they've imported to sing Pagliacci, may prove to be indisposed (or even worse) at the last minute. In this quintessential farce replete with six slamming doors and a phone that never stops ringing, members of the Cleveland Opera Company frantically try to keep the show going when the star can't go on. The antics accelerate at full tilt, with one case of mistaken identity after another.

The cast  includes Michael Scott Harris (Ragtime with Musical Theatre West, Shooting Star at the Hudson) and Jade Santana (Anna In The Tropics and Under Milk Wood at Open Fist) as world-famous singer Tito Merelli and his tempestuous, wildly jealous wife Maria; Barry Pearl (seen on Broadway in Baby It's You, The Producers, Oliver and Bye Bye Birdie) as Cleveland Opera Company general manager Henry Saunders; Nick Tubbs (Marry Me A Little and Forever Plaid at ICT) as Saunders' mousy but determined assistant, Max; Bella Hicks (national tour of Waitress, American Idiot at La Mirada) as Saunders' daughter Maggie, who also happens to be Max's girlfriend; Holly Jeanne (A Christmas Carol at ICT) as Opera Guild chair Julia; Kailyn Leilani (Disneyland's Frozen-Live at the Hyperion, Man of La Mancha at La Mirada) as sexy soprano Diana; and Matt Curtin (Rapunzel Alone at The Wallis and 24th Street Theatre, The Unseen Hand at the Odyssey) as a star-struck bellhop.

The creative team includes 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 is located in the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center at 330 East Seaside Way, Long Beach, CA 90802.

To purchase tickets and for more information, including up-to-date Covid-19 safety protocols on the day of each performance, call (562) 436-4610 or go to www.InternationalCityTheatre.org.

 

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