Arts & Entertainment

Summer Kickoff Concert

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) will welcome the summer season with a free concert featuring the Pop Vinyl Band. Concert goers can dance and sing along to pop, funk, soul, rock, Top 40, Latin and more. The concert will take place on Friday, May 23 at El Dorado Park West, located on Studebaker Road north of Willow Street.

The summer kickoff concert will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Concert goers are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs and picnic dinners to enjoy on the lawn.

“This concert is what summer is all about – coming together to step outside, relax, enjoy some great music and connect as a community” said Fourth District Councilman Daryl Supernaw. “We encourage everyone to join us in kicking summer off at El Dorado Park West. I can’t wait to see everyone out there.”

In addition to the kickoff concert, PRM will also host this summer a variety of other free, family-friendly events, including Movies in the Park, Long Beach Municipal Band Concert Series and ensembles at the El Dorado Nature Center. Visit longbeach.gov/park for more information.

Landmark Presents ‘Bright Star’

Long Beach Landmark Theatre proudly announces its upcoming production of Bright Star, the musical written by comedy legend Steve Martin and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Edie Brickell. The show received five Tony Award nominations in 2016, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. This enchanting production runs from May 30 through June 15, 2025, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m.

Set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ‘40s, Bright Star weaves a compelling story of love, loss and redemption through the life of literary editor Alice Murphy. When she meets a young soldier returning from World War II, their connection sets in motion a journey into her past that could transform both their lives.

Under the direction of Megan O’Toole, with musical direction by Curtis Heard, this production features a talented ensemble cast and a full orchestra.

“This production continues our season-long exploration of the unique passage of time and its profound impact on our lives and relationships,” says Artistic Director Megan O’Toole. “Like our breakthrough production of Groundhog Day this fall, Bright Star shows us how the past and present interweave to shape who we become.”

“We’re incredibly excited to share this side of Steve Martin’s artistic range with Long Beach,” adds Producer Jay Dysart. “Many know him as a brilliant comedian, but Bright Star showcases his exceptional gift for storytelling through music.”

The musical’s rich, authentic bluegrass score features live musicians performing on stage alongside the cast, incorporating banjo, fiddle, guitar and piano. The soaring melodies and heartfelt lyrics reflect both the show’s Appalachian setting and its themes of hope and perseverance. From foot-stomping ensemble numbers to intimate ballads, the music seamlessly bridges traditional American folk styles with contemporary musical theater.

Bright Star serves as the culmination of Landmark’s “Steve Martin Couplet,” following the much loved Workshop Series production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile, which thrilled audiences in March with a hilarious and witty tale of a fictional meeting between Picasso and Einstein in a bar in Paris at the turn of the 20th century.

Tickets range from $35 to $65 and are available for purchase online. Don’t miss this “shining achievement” of American musical theater, praised by critics for its emotional depth and musical authenticity.

Community Sing-along

In today’s fractured times, many people long for more community, more togetherness. So, for Mary E. Barton and musician Stan DeWitt, it’s a perfect time for group singing. “I’ve always loved that warm feeling of friendship when singing with others,” he reminisces, “whether it was in a choir or just around a campfire.”

DeWitt, executive director of the Long Beach Youth Chorus and Barton have collaborated to create a community-wide event to fit the times, “Sing-a-Long Beach.” They invite everyone in the community to join. The event is scheduled for 5 p.m. on May 31, at Recreation Park’s Bandshell, 7th Street and Park Avenue. It’s a free chance to sing many well-known songs with lyrics, accompanied by a small band onstage.

Celebrity song leaders will play a role, too, says Barton, so she is soliciting a list of well-known musicians in the area to be sure they can chime in for their favorite songs. Other song leaders will include LBYC staff, including Artistic Director Harlee Balajadia and several of the city’s major choirs.

“If you’ve sung in a school chorus, with your Scout troop, or at summer camp,” muses DeWitt, “you have all the experience you need to have a great time with us!” The lyrics will be online so you can view them on your phone or print them out.

While admission is free, attendees will be asked to “pass the hat.” Proceeds will be used for the Youth Chorus operations and particularly to fund their touring budget. “We really want to be able to take our young singers to tour different cities and give them a spectacular performance experience – and, of course, to share the beautiful music they create,” said DeWitt. In fact, the Chorus is making plans for its first major tour in summer of 2026 to New York City and a concert in Carnegie Hall.

Sponsors for the event include the Port of Long Beach, Councilmember Kristina Duggan and the organization “Live at the Shell.” The honorary chairman for the event is Rich Archbold, public editor, Long Beach Press-Telegram.

Long Beach Youth Chorus was founded in 2017 by DeWitt. Today, approximately 60 singers, from ages seven to 18, comprise several ensembles, Master Singers (high school), Young Musicians (second through fifth grade) and a separate cohort at the Intellectual Virtues Academy. The children learn to read music, to interpret many kinds of songs and to perform for an audience. “The poise they gain is remarkable,” says Barton, “and their sound is like magic. In several concerts each year, both together and solo, the young singers amaze their audiences.”

For more information about the chorus, see www.longbeachyouthchorus.org or email stan@longbeachyouthchorus.org or call (562) 972-3324.