Arts & Entertainment

Ted Turner Last Roundup

The world premiere of Mark Whicker’s compelling one-act of the life of Ted Turner, Ted Turner and the Last Roundup, opens Jan. 10 as part of the Long Beach Playhouse’s 2025 Studio Collaborative Season.

The man who brought satellite television and 24-hour cable news to the world and who devoted his late life to environmental causes, spends his waning days in Montana, trying to remember it all and wondering what it meant, all while dealing with a degenerative mental condition, Lewy Body Dementia.

“After reviewing all the submissions, I felt this play would be ideal to kick off our 2025 Studio Collaborative season,” said Sean Gray, artistic director for the Playhouse. “I was also thrilled to see James Rice, Noah Wagner and Amanda Karr attached to the project, as I am very familiar with their body of work and creativity.”

In his director’s notes, James Rice explained, “Ted Turner has always been a fascinating character to me. I very clearly remember the advent of CNN and the massive changes made to news broadcasting. Then came TBS, the Superstation and the changes to how we watch television. And lastly, Turner’s passion for sailing and his competitive spirit made him a beloved and sometimes polarizing figure in the sailing community.

“But working on Ted Turner and Last Roundup has shown me so much more of what shaped him as a man and iconoclast. I am thankful to the playwright Mark Whicker for his insightful script and to Noah Wagner and Amanda Karr for their enormous talent and their many contributions to this project. I hope you find this as entertaining and thought-provoking as I have.”

Ted Turner and the Last Roundup is a 2-person one-act with a running time of a little over an hour. Noah Wagner is a LB Playhouse staple, will be playing Ted Turner and Amanda Karr who recently was the assistant director and choreographer for the LB Playhouse’s production of Hamlet will be playing the Interlocutor.

“This is a show you don’t want to miss,” said Playhouse Executive Director Madison Mooney. “And please check out the rest of our Collaborative Series! A lot of great local artists putting up unique shows this year.”

The LBP Studio Collaborative Season offers outside, local theatre companies and performing arts organizations the opportunity to produce their own shows in the Studio Theater.

Tickets ($20) 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 from 3-8 p.m. and Sundays from 1-2 p.m. on scheduled matinees.

‘Murder of Roger Ackroyd’

Playing in the Long Beach Playhouse’s Mainstage Theater, Jan. 11 – Feb. 8.

Famed Detective Hercule Poirot has retired from sleuthing to garden near the small village of King’s Abbot. But when his friend and local patrician Roger Ackroyd is murdered in his country manor, Poirot is pressed to investigate.

To discover the killer, he enlists the aid of the local doctor to be his “Watson,” and the new detecting duo uncover a web of deceit in which every member of the household has something to hide. No one will foresee the shocking twist as the murderer finds there is no secret they can keep from Hercule Poirot.

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

‘Jersey Boys’ at MTW

Musical Theatre West (MTW) will open its 2025 season with “Jersey Boys,” The Story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.” Running Feb. 14 through March 2 at Carpenter Performing Arts Center, audiences are invited to experience the meteoric rise of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons – a journey through fame, fortune and the timeless music that defined a generation. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $20 and available by phone at (562) 856-1999 or online at musical.org.

“We are beyond excited to open the season with “Jersey Boys,” a show that celebrates not only the music but the perseverance and legacy of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons,” shared Paul Garman, Executive Director of Musical Theatre West. “Audiences will certainly feel the energy of these iconic songs and might even resonate with the emotional depth of their journey. With hits like ‘Sherry,’ ‘Walk Like a Man,’ and so many more, this show is a perfect blend of nostalgia, heart and sheer entertainment!”

Directed by TJ Dawson, Musical Theatre West’s production of “Jersey Boys” promises to deliver the high-energy, emotionally charged experience that has made this show a global sensation. Jersey Boys features extraordinary performances by Nicholas Alexander as Frankie Valli (MTW Debut), Anthony Carro as Tommy DeVito (MTW Debut), Taubert Nadalini as Bob Gaudio (from Bright Star) and Grant Hodges as Nick Massi (MTW Debut). Together, this talented group brings to life the timeless hits and gripping story of The Four Seasons.

Written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and directed by Des McAnuff, “Jersey Boys” made its world premiere in Southern California 20 years ago. It would go on to play for 12 years on Broadway and garner four Tony Awards, including Best Musical. A documentary musical more than just strung-together numbers, “Jersey Boys” chronicles in story and Four Seasons songs the emergence, success, and the ups and downs of the ‘60s group that included Frankie Valli, songwriter/keyboardist Bob Gaudio, guitarist Tommy DeVito and bassist Nick Massi. The show is constructed in four seasons, each narrated by a different member of the quartet, plus a finale.

Tickets start at $20 and are available for purchase by phone at (562) 856-1999 or online at musical.org. Fees may apply. Student rush tickets for $15 are available at the Box Office one hour prior to showtime, with a valid student ID. More information, a full line-up of performances and additional details can be found at https://musical.org.

Moran’s Solo Concert: Celebration of Duke’s Enduring Legacy

Jason Moran, “the most provocative thinker in current jazz” (Rolling Stone), celebrates the 125th Anniversary of Duke Ellington’s birth on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 8 p.m. in a solo piano concert at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center, located on the campus of California State University, Long Beach. Moran’s celebration of the genius of Duke Ellington follows his similar monumental touring works that have included tributes to jazz giants Thelonious Monk, Fats Waller and James Reese Europe.

The Artistic Director of Jazz at The Kennedy Center, Jason Moran brings his solo piano ascent up “Mount Ellington” to Long Beach with brilliantly reimagined solos of Ellington classics, from “I’ve Got it Bad and That Ain’t Good” to “Reflections in D.” In this inspired evening of Ellington, Moran illuminates why The Duke’s music is still captivatingly fresh and contemporary and demonstrates how the jazz giant’s career continues to inspire artistic freedom and cultural empowerment.

Jazz audiences can expect not only an impassioned exploration of one of the 20th century’s most important composer, band leader and pianists, but also a concert of brilliantly reimagined selections from Ellington’s canon that demonstrate pianist Moran’s incomparable talent and innovation – qualities that have earned Moran a prestigious MacArthur “Genius Grant” and made him a sought-after collaborator.

As with recent premiere jazz performances at the Carpenter Center – including those with Branford Marsalis and Samara Joy – select Bob Cole Conservatory of Music students at CSULB will have the opportunity to meet Jason Moran on the night of the performance.

Tickets ($55) are, available at carpenterarts.org.