California's International City Theatre will continue their 1999 season with Ken Ludwig's opera-based farce, Lend Me a Tenor, playing at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, Sept. 3-26.

The play, which takes place in Cleveland's high society circa 1930's, tells of the Cleveland Opera Company and their frantic push to get their production of Otello up, after their imported Italian star "Il Stupendo" dies.

The cast for Tenor includes Frank Ashmore, Jill Brewer, Kathy Davis, Kevin P. Kern, Alyse Mandel, Skye McKenzie, Patricia Thielemann, and Matthew Walker. Shashin Desai will direct.

Lend Me a Tenor was first presented at the Globe Theatre in London. It later played on Broadway, earning seven Tony nominations including two wins (Best Actor, Philip Bosco, and Best Director, Jerry Zaks), four Drama Desk Awards and three Outer Critics Circle Awards.

For tickets or more information, call (562) 938-4128. The Center Theatre is located at 300 E. Ocean Blvd. -- By Sean McGrath and Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent