Arts & Entertainment

The Passion of Dracula

With Halloween just around the corner, the Long Beach Playhouse serves up a classic horror story with a twist in “The Passion of Dracula,” Sept. 21 to Oct. 19. Playwrights Bob Hall and David Richmond have reimagined the story with considerable, and just slightly racy, humor. Their version of the Dracula legend is based on the 1897 Bram Stoker novel and is set in 1911.

Dr. Seward presides over a mental hospital next to a quiet English village. But a new resident has caused quite a stir, the charming and seductive Count Dracula, an irresistible rogue whose lust for blood turns toward the village’s virtuous maidens.

The play was first produced off-Broadway in 1977, where it ran for two years and received solid reviews. It’s been described as fast-paced, exciting and a welcome escape from reality. Of the play, the LA Times said, “A Dracula with just the right flavor. All the original, blood-curdling ingredients are in place, but like good cooks, Hall and Richmond have added some spice and an extra tasty dollop of vampire-repellent garlic.”

“It’s a story everybody knows which makes it perfect for a bit of satire and parody, which the playwrights, and our director and actors, execute perfectly,” said Executive Director Madison Mooney. “This is a show for audiences who are ready to leave summer behind and get ready for ghosts, goblins and fall.”

“I’d describe it as a melodrama infused with satire and just a touch of camp,” said Sean Gray, producing artistic director for the Playhouse.

“I chose David Scaglione to direct the show because I knew he would find the humor and get the best out of all the actors. Last year he directed Frankenstein 1930 and audiences loved it. I know that will be true of this show as well.”

The nine-member cast includes returning actors Michael Hovance, Alan Bornemann, Andrea Stradling, Caitlin Zinn and Ben Trotter. Making their debuts are James Matthis, Guy C. van Emplel, Trevor Hart and Jay Miramontes.

Mooney added, “You’ll love this show! You’ll walk out ready to stock up on candy corn and carve pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns.”

Special Events

Pay what you can Dress Rehearsal Thursday Sept. 19 - community members can see this production for whatever they can afford

Ten Dollar Preview Friday Sept. 20 – all tickets $10

Opening Night Champagne Reception with cast on Sept. 21. Tickets are $35, sponsored by The Port of Long Beach

Tickets

Friday: Adults are $25, Seniors $20 and Students $20.

Saturday and Sunday: Adults are $30, Seniors $25 and Students $20.

Tickets are available at www.lbplayhouse.org, or by calling (562) 494-1014, option 1.

Performances are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The box office is open Wednesday-Saturday, 3-8 p.m. and Sundays, 1-2 p.m. on scheduled matinees.

Celebrate Oktoberfest

Catalina Museum for Art & History’s highly anticipated Oktoberfest returns for another year bringing Bavarian culture to Avalon on Friday, Sept. 27, 6-9 p.m. Attendees will be treated to the energetic sounds of The Hammerstein Band, renowned for their authentic Bavarian polka rock, who will lead the traditional Schnitzelbank sing-along, featuring both German and Catalina Island versions.

Guests can enjoy delicious bratwursts with all the traditional sides included in the ticket price, while German beer will be available for purchase for those 21 and over.

In the true Oktoberfest spirit, guests are encouraged to don their finest lederhosen and dirndls. Additionally, bring your own stein to partake in a drink and enter a special raffle.

Tickets are $30 for members, $35 for non-members and $15 for children ages 3-15. For more information about the event and to purchase tickets, visit catalinamuseum.org/calendar.

Symphony Opens Season

Long Beach Symphony present s the inauguration of its 90th Classical Season with extraordinary orchestral music and fanfare. It will open the evening with Beethoven’s Egmont Overture, the first piece ever performed by the “new Long Beach Symphony” in 1934!

It will complete the evening with Anna Clyne’s West Coast Premiere of Quarter Days, Dvořák’s “Goin’ Home” with Baritone Adam Richardson and Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, “From the New World.”

Event Details

Date: Saturday, Oct. 5

Time: Doors open at 6 p.m. for drinks and relaxation on the Plaza and 6:30 p.m. Pre-Concert Talk with Music Director Eckart Preu and guest. Concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

Location: Long Beach Terrace Theater, 300 E Ocean Blvd.

Tickets: Tickets are available now at https://aabn.short.gy/cisWMg or by calling (562) 436-3203, ext. 1

Pricing: Individual tickets start at $34. 5-Concert Classical Series is still available starting at $120.

Tribute to Courage, Freedom

The evening will begin with Beethoven’s Egmont Overture, a dramatic and stirring piece composed as part of the incidental music for Goethe’s play Egmont. The overture encapsulates the themes of resistance and triumph over oppression, mirroring Beethoven’s own deep belief in the ideals of liberty and justice. This powerful work, with its intense emotional range and explosive energy, commemorates the Symphony’s opening piece in 1934 and its lasting legacy.

Following the Egmont Overture, Long Beach Symphony will perform the West Coast premiere of Anne Clyne’s new work Quarter Days, inspired by T.S. Eliot’s poem Burnt Norton.

Baritone Adam Richardson, known for his roaring resonance yet gentle spirit, will join the stage for Dvořák’s “Goin’ Home.” Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, “From the New World,” composed during Dvořák’s time in the United States, reflects the composer’s deep engagement with American musical idioms, blended with his own Bohemian heritage. The New World Symphony is renowned for its lush melodies, evocative themes and its ability to capture the spirit of both the Old and New Worlds.

Long Beach Symphony invites all lovers of classical music to join us for this exceptional event, celebrating the enduring power and beauty of orchestral music and a celebration of Long Beach Symphony’s enduring legacy.