Laugh-out-loud romantic comedy, 'The Angel Next Door', graces the stage at International City Theatre
In June 2025, International City Theatre (ICT) will celebrate its 40th anniversary in style, with a season that promises five world, American, and Los Angeles premieres. The theatre, located at 330 East Seaside Way, Long Beach, CA 90802, has been honoured as a "Long Beach Legacy Business" by the City of Long Beach's Long Beach Heritage.
The first play of the anniversary season is the Los Angeles premiere of "The Angel Next Door," a romantic comedy written by Paul Slade Smith. The play, directed by Cate Caplin, takes place in a well-appointed mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, and features an ensemble cast including Armand Akbari, Meeghan Holaway, Geoffrey Lower, Jessica Fishenfeld, Nick Lunetta, and Sky Palkowitz.
In "The Angel Next Door," a young writer, Oliver Adams, is in love with the character he wrote, Margot Bell, played by the comedic actress and singer Margot Bell herself. However, Oliver hasn't told her about the novel yet. The plot unfolds over a weekend with Margot, her Broadway co-star Victor Pratt, and the famous playwrights Charlotte and Arthur Sanders.
The second play of the season is the musical-comedy "Desperate Measures," directed by Todd Nielsen. This production, inspired by Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure," has a score by award-winning composer David Friedman and book and lyrics by two-time Tony nominee Peter Kellogg. The play revolves around Oliver's "angel" not being all that angelic and the power of theatre saving the play, Oliver's novel, and his heart.
Two low-priced previews of "Desperate Measures" take place on June 11 and June 12, before the play officially runs from June 13 to June 29 at ICT's home in the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center.
Cate Caplin, a theater producer, director, and choreographer who has won multiple awards, directs "The Angel Next Door." The creative team for the play includes set designer Destiny Manewal, lighting designer Donna Ruzika, costume designer Kim DeShazo, sound designer Dave Mickey, and prop designer Patty Briles.
For those interested in attending these premieres, tickets can be purchased by calling (562) 436-4610 or visiting InternationalCityTheatre.org. Don't miss out on the exciting lineup that ICT has in store for its 40th anniversary season!
[1] It should be noted that the playwright behind "The Angel Next Door" is not explicitly mentioned in the provided search results. However, there is another context where "Paul Slade" is referred to as the playwright for a rom-com titled "The Angel Next Door," which might be related or mistaken for the play in question. For accurate information, it's best to consult the theatre directly or check their official announcements.
[2] If "Paul Slade" is indeed associated with "The Angel Next Door," it would be consistent with his style of writing comedies, as seen in his other works like "Theatre People, Or The Angel Next Door," which is noted but distinct in its description. However, without direct confirmation from International City Theatre, this remains speculative.
- The community news in June 2025 will feature the 40th anniversary of International City Theatre (ICT), including the world premiere of "The Angel Next Door," a romantic comedy written by Paul Slade Smith.
- Moreover, entertainment enthusiasts can look forward to the upcoming season at ICT, which also includes the entertainment sector's news of the musical-comedy "Desperate Measures," a production directed by Peter Kellogg, inspired by Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure."
