Community News

‘The Tempest’

Trickery, romance and revenge set the stage at the Long Beach Playhouse Sept. 1-29 for one of William Shakespeare’s late masterpieces, in which sprites, goddesses, monsters and fools hold court. In this fanciful classic that is often described as the darker twin to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a deposed noble turned sorcerer uses powerful magic to raise a great storm, shipwrecking the vessel bearing a group of conspirators onto the sorcerer’s mysterious island home. There, attended upon by a daughter, a magical sprite and a deformed servant, the sorcerer leads their enemies through a mysterious dream as circumstances transform vengeance to reconciliation and forgiveness.

The 14-member cast is a mix of returning actors and those making their debuts on the Playhouse stage. Returning actors include: Stephen Alan Carver, Hayley Jackson, Lee Samuel Tanng, Holland Renton, Amara Phelps, Stephen Biggs, Alex Shewchuk and Tyler Gray. Those making their debut are: Jessica Bell, Benjamin White, Gillian Gonzales, La Vonna Miller and Sarah Hoeven.

The director for this show is Mary Shaugh and this is her first show at the Playhouse. Her talents as a director and performer have taken her from New York to Los Angeles. She is an accomplished opera singer with a passion for bringing timeless stories to audiences.

Tickets are $24-$14 and 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.

Fall Semester Registration

Classes are open in a variety of subjects for the Fall Semester at Long Beach City College. Sign up today for all courses taking place Aug. 27 through Dec. 15, with short-term classes running in between.

LBCC offers students affordable classes taught by experienced instructors that can be taken as transferable units to a university or for personal enrichment. Performing arts, visual media arts, welding, English, science and math are a small sample of classes with seats still available. Online classes are also available.

Members of the public who are not currently enrolled at LBCC can apply now online at www.lbcc.edu and click on “Get Started.” Payment is due at the time of registration.

CSU on Straight Talk

CSU Chancellor Timothy White will be the guest on this week’s edition of Straight Talk. He joins host Art Levine to discuss the 2025 Graduation Initiative and the importance of increasing graduation rates for CSU students.

The chancellor also discusses his successful efforts to increase diversity among CSULB presidents. During his tenure, CSU had appointed 17 presidents, of whom 17 are women.

This show will air starting Saturday, Sept. 1 and Sunday, Sept. 2 at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on LBTV Channel 3.

The show is also viewable on demand at straighttalktv.com.

Unconditionally Open

Liberation Brewing Co., Long Beach’s scrappy new production brewery located in Cal Heights/Bixby Knolls neighborhood at 3630 Atlantic Ave., is announcing the close of their four-month-long grand opening season. To celebrate, Liberation Brewing will host Long Beach’s own Chef Paul Buchanan and Primal Alchemy as they prepare food to pair with Liberation’s libations on Saturday, Sept. 1, starting at noon.

Since the opening of LBC’s opening season in April and official opening day on May 3, the brewery has achieved complete openness. In that time, partners Dan Regan, Michael Clements and Eric McLaughlin have broadened the list of beers on tap from three ales to 13 offerings.

Info: (562) 824-1254.

QFilm Festival

The 25th anniversary, 2018 Long Beach QFilm Festival will take place Sept. 6-9 at the historic Art Theatre located at 2025 East 4th St. and the neighboring LGBTQ Center of Long Beach, both on Long Beach’s renowned 4th Street. Discounted full-festival and 5-film passes are now available for purchase for a limited time only through the QFilms festival page at www.qfilmslongbeach.com. Individual tickets are currently on sale.

Now celebrating its 25th year, Qfilms is Long Beach’s longest-running film festival since 1993. The fest annually presents narrative features, documentaries and short films that embody the rich diversity and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) communities. More than 1,500 people attend each year to savor a mix of West Coast, California and local premieres as well some of the most acclaimed features on the film festival circuit. Numerous filmmakers and cast members of the films to be shown will be present for audience discussions after many screenings.

Audiobook Speaker

The California Writers Club of Long Beach is holding its monthly meeting on Saturday, Sept. 8, in the community room at the Ruth Bach Neighborhood Library, 4055 Bellflower Blvd.

The meeting is 3-5 p.m. with networking starting at 2:30. The club’s September speaker is Tom Jordan, who will talk about “Writing Out Loud: Turning Your Work into an Audiobook.” Tom has narrated almost 20 books available on audible. Learn why and how it’s done and how to market audiobooks. The meeting is free.

For more information, please see www.calwriterslongbeach.org, info@calwriterslongbeach.org.

Day Tours

The Lifetime Learning Center at Long Beach City College presents two day tours:

• Pasadena Architectural Tour & Gamble House with Jonathan Daugherty on Thursday, Sept. 13, at $85 per person. Contact Carol Conley: (562) 938-3048.
• Malibu’s Past & Present with Jonathan Daugherty, Tuesday, Sept. 18, at $85 per person. Contact Carol Conley: (562) 938-3048.

Practice & Pedagogy

The Long Beach Museum of Art (LBMA) and LBMAX are pleased to present Practice and Pedagogy, a group exhibition of mixed-media works by Long Beach City College (LBCC) faculty. The “Practice and Pedagogy Exhibition” will run from Sept. 8 to Oct. 28, with an opening reception on Saturday, Sept. 8, where the artists and curators will be present.

Ten LBCC faculty artists will be featured in the show: Kristin Beeler, Carolyn Castano, Christopher Chinn, Eli Daughdrill, Brian Doan, Ann Mitchell, Michael Neal, Gerardo Monterrubio, Stas Orlovski and Coleen Sterritt.

Exhibition programming will include a curatorial walkthrough, panel discussion and artist workshops. Arguably there is no place where art practice and pedagogy are as inextricably linked as in California. Art schools here have played a pivotal role in the history of modern and contemporary art, functioning as hotbeds for new ideas and experimentation.

The exhibition is free and open to the public. LBMAX Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday noon-5 p.m. and every second Saturday Art Walk: 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

2018 Beach Walk

Dr. Grant Uba is leading the charge again this year for the 6th Annual 2018 Beach Walk supporting the Health and Life Skills programs at Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach on Sept. 15. The goal is to beat last year’s earnings and raise over $40,000 for the clubs.

Walkers are being asked to donate or fund raise at least $30 to participate in the three-mile walk along the Belmont Shore walking path, starting at the Granada Launch Ramp, 5000 E. Ocean Blvd., at 7 a.m.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach provides a handful of comprehensive Health and Life Skills programs. Our Brent’s Club program teaches members about drug prevention, while our SMART Girls and Passport to Manhood programs work with the separate genders to address social issues, promote responsibility and reinforce positive behavior. The Clubs also have a Cooking Club and weekly Healthy Habit lessons where members learn about healthy eating and cook from recipes that they can take home and make with their families. As obesity and crime rates are increasing in the United States, Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach’s Health and Life Skills programs work to help our members navigate a successful life.

Interested walkers and supporters can find all needed information at www.bgclublb.org/BeachWalk or call (562) 595-5945.

Sunset Sip

The Guidance Center hosts “Sunset Sip 2018: Be the Hero of Your Own Story” presented by The Peck Family starting at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15 at the Hotel Maya. The evening will consist of unlimited wine tastings, a delectable dinner, silent and live auctions and interactive experiences.

Proceeds support critical mental health services provided by The Guidance Center to disadvantaged children and families struggling with mental illness or abuse. Tickets are $125. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Visit www.tgclb.org.

Free Magic Show

The local chapter of The International Brotherhood of Magicians will hold its annual Stage Magic Competition on Saturday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m. at the Senior Center, 3333 Saint Cloud Drive, Seal Beach.

Come, enjoy the show and vote for your favorite performer. Admission is free. Info: www.ring96.com or email cliffg37@verizon.net.