Photo Flash: International City Theatre Presents THE ANDREWS BROTHERS

International City Theatre opens its 35th anniversary season with a madcap musical salute to the swinging '40s. Written and created by Roger Bean (The Marvelous Wondrettes, Life Could Be A Dream), and with director/choreographer Jamie Torcellini at the helm, The Andrews Brothers opens on Feb. 21 at ICT's home in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. Performances will continue through March 8, with two low-priced previews set for Feb. 19 and Feb. 20.

A USO show is threatened with cancellation when a certain famous trio of singing sisters fails to show up, so it's left to three earnest and determined stagehands to go on with the show. Mistaken identities, zany adventures, a bit of cross-dressing and the music of an entire generation highlight this valentine to the heroes of World War II.

The triple-threat cast - Michael D'Elia (Comic-Con: The Musical at Hollywood Fringe, Sweeney Todd at the El Portal), Max DeLoach (Westside Story, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Sunset Boulevard at the Moonlight Amphitheatre), Kelley Dorney (Nice Work If You Can Get It at Musical Theatre West, Lend Me A Tenor at La Mirada) and Grant Hodges (Singin' in the Rain at La Mirada) - is accompanied by a sizzling live band led by musical director Brent Crayon. Together, they deliver over 25 songs made famous by the Andrews Sisters, including "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," "Slow Boat to China," "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree" and "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive."

Last year, ICT opened its season with the '50s jukebox musical Life Could Be a Dream, also a Roger Bean creation. "Our audiences loved it," says artistic director caryn desai [sic]. "Bean's musicals are a delightful escape from the daily barrage of trying news. I want to open our 35th anniversary season on an upbeat note, and The Andrews Brothers is just the ticket."

According to Bean, "Here we create the atmosphere of a rag-tag USO team - a very real organization with an important and impressive history - sing songs familiar to many in the audience, and try to live up to the memory of a legendary singing group."

The creative team for the ICT production includes set designer Todd Faux, 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 and the production stage manager is Donna Parsons.

Bean is best known for the long-running off-Broadway hit The Marvelous Wonderettes (18 months at the Westside Theatre), along with the sequels Wonderettes: Caps & Gown; Winter Wonderettes; and Wonderettes: Dream On. The Marvelous Wonderettes received the 2007 Ovation award for best musical for its long-running Los Angeles production, and it continues to be an audience favorite, having had over 600 productions across the country. Mr. Bean also wrote and created the popular jukebox musicals Life Could Be A Dream, Summer of Love, Route 66, Honky Tonk Laundry and Why Do Fools Fall In Love?. He is the president of Steele Spring Stage Rights, a leading independent theatrical publisher in the United States.

For reservations and information, call 562-436-4610 or go to InternationalCityTheatre.org.

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