Arts & Entertainment

75 Years of Art, Culture and Community

The Long Beach Museum of Art (LBMA) announced its Permanent Collection Series of exhibitions: Preserving Progress, Crafted Beauty and Collective Vision, March 14 through May 4.

Preserving Progress is a selection of artworks from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project, established in 1935 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. This initiative provided crucial support to artists during the Great Depression, fostering the creation of hundreds of thousands of artworks across the nation.

The project emphasizes artistic resilience and community enrichment. These works supported artists and captured the spirit of the era, preserving a visual record of American life. This exhibition is further enhanced by generous contributions from Colonel Charles L. Heartwell, the first president of the Long Beach Water Department’s Board of Water Commissioners, whose donations helped establish the museum’s permanent collection. Among the early twentieth-century artists on display are Dana Barlett, Maurice Braun, Jean Mannheim and George Henry Melcher, who focused on the Topanga Canyon area and Santa Monica Bay.

Crafted Beauty. LBMA has a long-standing tradition of presenting artists who use wood as their primary medium. In celebration of the museum’s 75-year history of exhibitions, the complete collection of 45 woodworks donated in 2009 by Dr. Irving and Mari Lipton – renowned collectors of contemporary wood art – is now on display.

Dr. Lipton’s passion for wood art began in 1972 when he acquired his first piece, a jewelry box by Michael Graham, at the Westwood Art Fair for $35. This purchase ignited a lifelong pursuit, leading him to build one of the most significant collections of postwar woodwork. The exhibition showcases masterful works by influential artists such as Bob Stocksdale, Frank E. Cummings, Ron Kent, Todd Hoyer, Brenda Behrens and others.

Collective Vision - Collector’s Circle Museum Acquisitions. As part of LBMA’s 75th anniversary celebration, the museum honors the impact of the Collector’s Circle. In 1994, LBMA established this membership category with two key missions: to involve the community in selecting artworks for the permanent collection and to raise funds for acquiring significant works of art. The exhibition showcases the generosity of its members, whose support has enabled the acquisition of over 100 significant artworks across various media, enriching the museum’s holdings and exhibitions.

Collective Vision presents 50 selected works by renowned artists, including Southern California-based Hard Edge painters Helen Lundeberg, Lorser Feitelson and Karl Benjamin, Abstract Expressionist painter Orval Dillingham, California mid-century designer Evelyn Ackerman, enamel artist June Schwarcz and many more.

Midsummer Night’s Dream

The Long Beach Shakespeare Company invites audiences to step into a world of enchantment, mischief and romance with its highly anticipated production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Running March 28 - April 13, this timeless Shakespearean comedy is one of the Bard’s most beloved comedies and will be performed at the company’s intimate Helen Borgers Theatre.

Set in a mystical forest where fairies meddle in mortal affairs, A Midsummer Night’s Dream follows the intertwining fates of four young lovers, a group of bumbling amateur actors and the magical beings who manipulate their destinies. The play is a whirlwind of mistaken identities, playful trickery and dreamlike adventure, making it a perfect evening of laughter and wonder for audiences.

Tickets are available at LBShakespeare.org or at the Helen Borgers Theater, 4250 Atlantic, Long Beach.

Arts for Life Education

On Saturday, April 26, the Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center celebrates 30 years as a Southern California arts and culture destination with a fundraiser benefitting their Arts for Life program. Donors have access to a pre-show reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres and refreshments, catered by sponsor The Grand.

All attendees enjoy a stunning performance by the Tony and Grammy Award-winning star of Hamilton, Renée Elise Goldsberry. In a rare treat, Goldsberry will be joined by Center namesake Richard Carpenter for an opening duet to the Carpenters’ classic “Rainy Days and Mondays.” Goldsberry carries the celebration into the evening with soulful renditions of American Songbook hits and beloved Broadway classics, including from Hamilton.

“So many incredible artists and performers have sparked joy from our stage,” reflects Executive Director Megan Kline Crockett. “We’re thrilled to celebrate our 30th anniversary with Broadway star Renée Elise Goldsberry and Richard Carpenter to raise vital funding for arts education that enriches and inspires our campus and community.”

Proceeds from the event support the Carpenter Center’s flagship arts education program Arts for Life, which provides a wide range of interactive arts experiences for LBUSD schoolchildren, CSULB students and the community. In the last year alone, Arts for Life has served over 2,000 elementary school students and 13,000 community members. Through Arts for Life, Long Beach Unified students engage in hands-on, live experiences with featured artists as well as attend a performance at the Carpenter Center – a first for many students.

Tickets for the 30th Anniversary Celebration and Concert are on sale now. For tickets or more information, visit CarpenterArts.org or call the Carpenter Center Ticket Office at (562) 985-7000.

MTV 80s Dance Party

On Saturday, May 10, the Long Beach Symphony brings the ultimate throwback to the Long Beach Arena with Electric Avenue’s MTV 80s Dance Party. Under the baton of Evan Roider, this electrifying concert will transport audiences back to the golden era of MTV with symphonic renditions of iconic hits by Kenny Loggins, Tears for Fears, George Michael, Duran Duran, David Bowie, Queen and more.

With over 1,000 performances nationwide, Electric Avenue is renowned for capturing the essence of the decade that defined a generation. Now, they join forces with Long Beach Symphony to deliver a powerhouse performance featuring a symphonic arrangement of Prince’s Let’s Go Crazy that will have the audience roaring. Expect to dance the night away to rockin’ orchestral versions of Springsteen’s Dancing in the Dark, Huey Lewis & the News’ Power of Love, David Bowie’s Let’s Dance, Kenny Loggins’ Footloose, Queen’s Radio Gaga and many more.

Electric Avenue has shared the stage with some of the biggest names in entertainment, from The Walking Dead cast and Kid Rock to Pitbull, Joey Fatone and The Impractical Jokers. In 2019, they were hand-picked to perform at the red-carpet launch of Blinded by the Light, the Bruce Springsteen-inspired film directed by Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham).

The band has also toured with 80s legends like Pat Benatar and performed alongside members of Toto, Player, Talk Talk and Little River Band, as well as delighted audiences with Lionel Richie, Paul Simon, Idina Menzel, B-52s, Little River Band, Tracy Chapman, Robbie Dupree, Rita Wilson, Lindsay Ell, Boston, Collective Soul, Mother’s Finest, Sister Hazel, Yanni, Boyz II Men and more.

“The 2024-25 Pops season has been nothing short of spectacular,” said Kelly Ruggirello, president of Long Beach Symphony. “But this concert, in particular, has me thrilled. It’s a chance to come together, reminisce about cassette tapes and Walkmans, and relive the unforgettable moments that made the 80s an iconic era.”

Tickets: Starting at $35 – Available at longbeachsymphony.org/electric-avenue-80s-mtv-dance-party.