We already have over 1,000 subscribers," says International City Theatre artistic director, Shashin Desai. "Audiences were willing, based on what they saw last year, to subscribe on faith alone."

Desai is referring to ICT's upcoming second year at their second home, at Center Theatre in downtown Long Beach, CA. Says Desai, "Under our agreement with Actors' Equity, we have the opportunity to expand to 300 seats [from 190] after three years, so a lot is at stake." The company began at its 99-seat theatre on the campus of Long Beach College and still do "more adventurous, lesser-known works" in that space.

Seven plays will comprise ICT's 1998 season; three at the Center Theatre, four at the campus venue. Here's the line-up:

At the Center Theatre on Ocean Boulevard:
All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten, a comedy based on Robert Fulghum's folksy-wisdom best-seller. (Feb. 13-March 8, 1998). Ernest Zulia conceived and adapted Kindergarten from humorous essays by Fulghum, with David Caldwell adding original songs to the vignette-style show.

Talley's Folly, Lanford Wilson's Pulitzer-winning comedy/drama about a hesitant courtship (June 26-July 19, 1998). Corpse!, Gerald Moon's comedy whodnut, about an unemployed actor plotting the murder of his twin (Sept. 4-27, 1998).

At the International City Theatre at Clark St. on the Long Beach City College campus:
Greetings, Tom Dudzick's story of a family faced with a miracle (Jan. 16-Feb. 22, 1998).

Emma's Child, winner of the 1996 Susan Smith Blackburn Best Play prize, Kristine Thatcher's drama tells of a childless couple trying to adopt (May 8-June 14, 1998).

Curtains, Stephen Bill's dark comedy about euthanasia gets its West Coast premiere, July 31-Sept. 6, 1998.

Catch A Falling Star by Lee Murphy looks at the skeletons in a Texas family's closet (Oct. 6-Nov. 15, 1998).

For information on ICT's 1998 line-up (subscriptions at both theatres may be purchased in combination or separately) call (562) 938-4128.

-- By David Lefkowitz