Community News

Music at the Point

Grammy-nominated and highly respected songwriter Harriet Schock is bringing her songs and charm to Grace First Presbyterian Church this Sunday, Nov. 20 at 3 p.m.

For most people, the first thing that comes to mind when the name Harriet Schock enters the conversation is “songwriter.” True, Helen Reddy’s recording of Harriet’s “Ain’t No Way to Treat a Lady” and subsequent Grammy nomination of that recording put Harriet’s songwriting talents front and center in the minds (and charts) of record company executives.

But what brought that song (and many others) to the attention of Helen was Harriet’s debut solo album, “Hollywood Town,” which received sufficient radio airplay to get serious notice. Her songwriting just happened to be part and parcel of who Harriet was, and still is, a musical storyteller who loves to perform.

As always, the concerts at Music at the Point are the most affordable to be found anywhere around. This concert is a free-will donation with a $10 requested donation per person. The concert will be held in the sanctuary of Grace First Presbyterian Church, at 3955 N. Studebaker Rd. Most people know the church as simply “that church at the point,” the intersection of Los Coyotes Diagonal and Studebaker Rd., thus the series moniker “Music at the Point.”

Autism Night Out

Join us Nov. 21 for a special event for families experiencing Autism and support our efforts to make Long Beach an Autism Friendly City. All ages, abilities and behaviors welcome.

Thanksgiving buffet style dinner (Adults $30, 12 & under $15, under 2 free – plus tax & tip). Networking, free figets, photo booth by the Whipple Group and free professional family photography.

Visit www.LBANO.com to pre-purchase your tickets/reservation time. Pre-purchased reservations are required.

Champion of Children

At their Dec. 1 gala, Young Horizons will present three awards to recognize local contributions to moving their mission forward. Young Horizons Child Development Centers is committed to providing childcare and high-quality pre-school learning to low-income children ages six months to five years.

The honorees to be spotlighted at the gala are:

• Marathon Petroleum will be awarded the “Champion of Children”
• Debra Fixen, property manager of Shoreline Village (Pacific Ocean Management), accepting the “Learning Award”
• Nancy Ramirez, Young Horizons teacher will receive the “Caring Award” for her 30 years of service to Young Horizons.

“The event raises funds to support our programs that serve low-income working families in Long Beach,” said Sarah Soriano, executive director of Young Horizons. “Young Horizons is state-funded, and needs to raise additional funds through grants, donations and events like our annual gala. We have five centers, and we rely on individuals like our honorees to help us fulfil our mission and make a difference in our community.”

Marathon Petroleum is the title sponsor of the gala. All the fun takes place 5:30-7:30 p.m. at The Grand Event Center, 4101 E. Willow St. The $125 per person ticket includes dinner, silent auction, a live giving opportunity and wine pull. Entertainment will be provided by Jazz Angels, a local jazz education non-profit.

Young Horizons’ primary purpose and activity is ensuring that low-income children develop the fundamental knowledge and skills they need to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.

For more information and to buy a ticket or make a donation visit www.younghorizons.org .

Senior Expo

Golden Future 50+ Senior Expo Returns to Long Beach on Saturday, Dec. 3.

This in-person event was created specifically for SoCal Baby Boomers and Seniors to explore options and resources available for retirement, learn about new products and services, and connect with others who share the same goal of healthy aging.

The expo will showcase a vast range of exhibitors from industries such as healthcare, financial services, government programs, diet and exercise, Social Security, Medicare and more! Attendees can also expect 50 exhibits, health screenings, networking, raffles, beauty makeovers, bingo, arts & crafts, job & volunteer opportunities and educational seminars from industry experts.

The Golden Future 50+ Expo will take place from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Best Western Golden Sails Hotel, 6285 E. Pacific Coast Highway. Admission and parking are free.

The Golden Future 50+ Expo is proudly sponsored by Syrentis Clinical Research and Optum.

Toyia Moore Borrelli, executive director with Golden Future Expos Inc. says, “After 2 years of being at home, we believe seniors are ready to return to in-person events. Our Long Beach/South Bay Edition is always one of our most popular events! With no admission fee, this one-day, in-person event will feature a who’s who of those who offer goods and services to the 50+ market. The objective is to safely provide baby boomers and seniors with information and resources that they may not be aware of or had access to during this pandemic. Attendees can go directly to http://www.goldenfutureseniorexpo.com to register or register at the door.” This will be the final Golden Future 50+ Expo for the year 2022.

‘A Child’s Christmas’

The Long Beach Shakespeare Company, celebrating 20 years with our 2022 season homecoming, presents “A Child’s Christmas in Wales,” written by Dylan Thomas, our final fully staged production of the season.

Dylan Thomas recounts his childhood in Wales and the simple pleasures of Christmas in a small seaside town. Snowballs, songs and presents are all part of the whimsical winter landscape as we follow a young boy through the most wonderful time of the year

At the Helen Borgers Theatre, 4250 ½ Atlantic Ave. in Bixby Knolls, the show runs from Nov. 25 to Dec. 11., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. General admission is $23 and students $13. No food or drink in the venue.

Tickets only available at LBShakespeare.org.

‘Cinderella’

Long Beach’s premier theater company announces its final show of the season, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, on select nights Dec. 2-18. With the help of a fairy godmother and an amazing cast, Cinderella will enchant dreamers of all ages ahead of the holidays. Ladies and gentlemen are invited to join Musical Theatre West for an enchanted evening at the Opening Night Ball pre-party to celebrate the official premiere on Dec. 3. Tickets range from $20 to $120 each and are available by phone at (562) 856-1999 or online at musical.org.

Based on the classic fairytale, Cinderella proves “impossible things happen every day!” Originally created for television and starring Julie Andrews in 1957, this version of Cinderella was remade twice, first in 1965 starring Lesley Ann Warren and again in 1997, featuring Brandy and Whitney Houston. The original Broadway production of Cinderella opened in 2013 and will make its first-ever MTW debut this winter.

Composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II have been hailed as the greatest musical theatre writing partners of the 20th century. Audiences will be humming along to the updated take on the classic fairy tale featuring some of the duos most beloved songs, including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible” and “Ten Minutes Ago,” alongside an up-to-date, hilarious and romantic libretto by Tony Award-nominee Douglas Carter Beane.

This magical production is directed by award-winning director and choreographer Peggy Hickey, best known for her work on the Tony Award-winning broadway musical “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Anastasia.”

Musical Direction will be provided by Dennis Castellano, a professor of musical theater at UC Irvine with credits including music direction of another Rodgers & Hammerstein classic, The Sound of Music at the La Mirada Theatre. Choreography will be by Broadway and MTW performer Bill Burns, whose magical moves were last seen on the MTW stage in the 2018 production of Elf.

More information, a full line-up of performances and additional details can be found at https://musical.org.

‘Pathways of Peace’

Please join us for the “Pathways of Peace” opening reception at Greenly’s 12th anniversary fundraiser show benefitting refugees and those affected by the war in Ukraine.

The $10 event is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Dec. 3 at 2698 Junipero in Signal Hill. www.GreenlyArtSpace.org.

Prince of Peace

The 49th annual “Portraits of the Prince of Peace” Pageant – since 1973 – will be held nightly, 7- 8:30 p.m. on Wardlow Road at Bellflower Blvd. on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10 and 11. It is suggested that you arrive by 8 p.m., as it takes about 20 minutes to walk the pageant.

This pageant is presented through the joint efforts of five Long Beach churches located on Wardlow Road: The Anointed Place, St. Luke’s Lutheran, University Baptist, St. Cornelius Roman Catholic and Long Beach Christian Reformed.

The pageant is an outdoor event featuring over a dozen separate visual presentations with living statues and live animals depicting the prophecy and birth of Jesus Christ. There are many participating musical groups that provide live music. The pageant is open to the public free of charge. Enjoy a pleasant evening stroll while you review each scene; ample parking is available. Or, if preferred, you may remain in your vehicle and drive the entire route.