International City Theatre Opens 2027 Season with 'Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical' — Casting Now in Long Beach

International City Theatre is launching its 2027 season with a production that hits every note a working theatrical professional could want: a biographical musical with a legendary American subject, an intimate venue with serious creative pedigree, and a casting process that is actively underway right now. Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical will begin rehearsals on January 26, 2027, at ICT's home inside the Beverly O'Neill Theater in Long Beach, California, with previews set for February 17 and 18, an opening night on February 19, and a closing date of March 7. The window is tight and the opportunity is real.

The musical chronicles the life of Rosemary Clooney, one of the most recognizable voices of twentieth-century American popular music and a cultural figure whose story spans Kentucky roots, Hollywood celebrity, personal devastation, and hard-won redemption. The show moves through her signature songs, including Come On-A My House and Mambo Italiano, while engaging seriously with her struggles with mental health and addiction and her remarkable late-career comeback. For actors, that range means this is not a nostalgia revue. It is a full dramatic arc, and the title role in particular is an extraordinary performance opportunity.

The book is by Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman, who have collaborated extensively in the musical theater world. Their previous work together includes other biographical and jukebox-adjacent musicals, and their approach to Tenderly has been noted for its emotional directness and dramaturgical care, treating Clooney's life as a full human story rather than a greatest-hits showcase. Directing and choreographing the production is Cate Caplin, whose work in the Los Angeles theatrical community spans both intimate and larger-scale productions. The fact that Caplin is handling both direction and choreography signals a production where movement and storytelling will be deeply integrated, something performers auditioning for this show should be prepared for. Music direction falls to Daniel Gary Busby, a respected figure in regional musical theater with deep experience guiding singers through mid-century American popular repertoire.

International City Theatre is one of Southern California's most enduring mid-size regional companies. Founded in 1985 and operating out of the Beverly O'Neill Theater in the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, ICT has built a reputation over four decades for producing work that punches above its weight, regularly attracting Los Angeles-based talent and earning recognition from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle and other regional theater awards bodies. Artistic Director Caryn Desai has shaped the company's identity as a home for intimate, character-driven work, and her decision to open the 2027 season with Tenderly signals confidence in the material and in the audience appetite for this kind of biography-driven musical. For actors and crew based in greater Los Angeles, ICT is a known and respected credit.

Casting is being handled by Michael Donovan, CSA, and Richie Ferris, CSA, a pairing that carries significant weight in the Los Angeles theatrical and film-television casting community. Donovan has extensive credits across regional theater, Broadway, and screen work, and his involvement with an ICT production of this profile is a strong signal that the casting net will be cast wide. Agents and actors familiar with his process know that submissions should be professional, timely, and tailored. With rehearsals starting in late January 2027, the casting timeline is active now, and those pursuing consideration should not wait. Lead roles in a biographical musical of this scope, particularly the central role of Rosemary Clooney herself, will require singers with serious vocal chops in the American Popular Song tradition alongside genuine dramatic capability.

Long Beach is a practical and appealing location for Los Angeles-area performers and production staff. The Beverly O'Neill Theater is a well-maintained venue with professional production infrastructure, and the city's proximity to the broader LA theater and entertainment community means that local hiring is the clear expectation across all departments. The production runs Thursday and Friday evenings, Saturday evenings, and Sunday matinees across a three-week performance run, which is a standard regional schedule that experienced theatrical professionals will recognize immediately. For stage managers, production managers, lighting designers, sound designers, and scenic and costume staff, the pre-production window is now open and conversations are likely beginning.

For the full production listing, confirmed crew contacts, casting submission details, and scheduling updates as they are announced, check the complete Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical listing on ProductionList.com. If you are a performer, a theatrical department head, or a production professional in the Southern California market, this is the kind of opportunity worth getting in front of early. ICT's productions consistently attract strong creative teams and serious audiences, and a season-opening slot with this subject matter and this casting team means the bar is set high from the start.

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