'City of Angels' brings 1940s noir to the Albuquerque Little Theatre stage

“City of Angels,” open at Albuquerque Little Theatre, explores the mind and world of a 1940s detective writer, Stine, as he strives to adapt his book into film and the real world starts to mirror the fictional.

“At one point, the two worlds collide, Arthur Tedesco, show director, said.

“(The audience sees) the fictional detective in the writer’s head as he’s writing the screenplay, we see it play out on stage.”

All the actors play dual roles, Tedesco said, which makes “City of Angels” more complex.

“All of these people that are in his life, in his Hollywood, as he’s adapting the story are also in his detective movie, in his head.”

It’s just his imagination, Tedesco said.

Tedesco said when the show premiered on Broadway, it was seen as one of the most complex productions Broadway had put on, both from the dual character roles but also the difference in the roles.

“We are trying to capture a certain flavor of the films of the ’40s. There was a certain pattern to their speech, a certain way of speaking for the movie characters,” Tedesco said. “So their real-world Hollywood characters are completely different than their film world characters.”

Tedesco said that this will be the debut of “City of Angels” in Albuquerque.

“It premiered 35 years ago on Broadway, and it’s never been produced in Albuquerque,” Tedesco said. “It hasn’t come through as a professional production, or been produced for the stage at all.”

He said that directing the production has been “a dream come true.”

“I about did a backflip when Albuquerque Little Theatre announced it in their season,” Tedesco said.

He has wanted to be involved with the show since seeing it on Broadway and has brought his own love for movies into the musical.

“I’d always hoped that someone would bring it to Albuquerque. I purchased a script about 20 years ago, just to have it in my files. And so I was thrilled they decided to produce it,” Tedesco said. “And for me, it’s very much an homage to the film noirs and the classic films that I grew up with.”

Throughout the show, Tedesco has sprinkled in film Easter eggs to pay homage to his love of films and he hopes those with a keen eye find them.

“It’s a wonderfully written show. It’s witty, it’s clever, it’s cute, it’s got great songs,” Tedesco said. “You could do it in a black box, but we have decided to go the opposite direction and bring it to all its glory.”

'City of Angels' brings 1940s noir to the Albuquerque Little Theatre stage