THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE Comes to International City Theatre

A good ol' boy in the Florida Panhandle in desperate need of work finds unexpected success-as a lip-syncing drag queen! International City Theatre presents the The Legend of Georgia McBride, a crowd-pleasing, music-filled, laugh-out-loud comedy by Matthew Lopez. Performances take place June 10 through June 26 at ICT's home in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. Two low-priced previews are set for June 8 and June 9.

Directed by Jamie Torcellini (previous ICT Productions of The 39 Steps, Life Could Be a Dream and The Andrews Brothers), The Legend of Georgia McBride stars Taubert Nadalini (This is Us on NBC, Sterling on HBO) as Casey, who is struggling to make ends meet as an Elvis impersonator at Cleo's Lounge. Now his wife (Karese Frizell, seen in Mamma Mia! and Ragtime at Smothers Theatre) has just told him she's pregnant. Not a good time to get fired. But Cleo's is not doing well, and owner Eddie (Tom Trudgeon: Arcane: Enter the Undercity with Secret Cinema; Antigone X, Machinal, The Duchess of Malfi at Cal Rep) has replaced Casey's act with a B-level drag show. Soon Miss Tracey (Jeff Sumner: the Genie in Disney's Aladdin-A Musical Spectacular, Annie at the Hollywood Bowl, national tour of Happy Days) and Rexy (Donzell Lewis, reprising the role he played at Crown City Theatre, upcoming film Dope Queens, The Book of Queer on Discovery+) are shaking things up at the club. And teaching Casey a whole lot about show business in the process.

"This show is the perfect antidote to the anxiety and stress we've all been feeling," says ICT artistic director caryn desai [sic]. "It's flat out hilarious, with fantastic costumes and fabulous dance numbers. But it's also quite touching. Audiences are going to love it."

The Legend of Georgia Mcbride premiered at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in 2014. That production was subsequently produced off-Broadway at MCC Theater a year later, where it was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for outstanding new off-Broadway play. The New York Times called it "stitch-in-your-side funny... full of sass and good spirits." Since then, it has been in constant production at regional theaters across the country.

The creative team for the ICT production includes set designer Tyler Scrivner, lighting designer Donna Ruzika, costume designer Kim DeShazo, sound designer Rebecca Kessin, 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 John Freeland, Jr.

Recognized by Long Beach as the City's resident professional theater company, International City Theatre is the recipient of over 400 awards, including the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle's prestigious Margaret Harford Award for "Sustained Excellence" and the LADCC's 2016 Polly Warfield Award for an "Excellent Season." In addition to its professional theater productions, ICT offers six community and educational outreach programs each year. The company's commitment to the community also includes ongoing collaborations with Long Beach's African American community and other groups and organizations. Former Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe called ICT "a cultural treasure."

The Legend of Georgia McBride runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., June 10 through June 26. Two preview performances take place on Wednesday, June 8 and Thursday, June 9, both at 8 p.m. Tickets are $49 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (except June 10, opening night, for which tickets are $55 and include a post show reception), and $52 at Sunday matinees. Low-priced tickets to previews are $37. Proof of vaccination is required for admission, and masks, covering both mouth and nose, must be worn throughout the performance.

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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