Arts & Entertainment

Poetry in Motion

There’s something timeless about Shakespeare’s words. They ripple through centuries, surfacing in unexpected places and reinvented forms. This October, the Long Beach Shakespeare Company invites audiences to experience that continuum firsthand with its Third Annual Poetry Series, a weekend of performances that promise to be as daring as they are reverent.

From Oct. 3–5, the historic Helen Borgers Theater in Bixby Knolls will transform into a hub for poetry, spoken word, music and movement. The festival is less about nostalgia and more about conversation – between past and present, tradition, reinvention, community and stage.

• Oct. 3: Typewriter Poetry on Demand, 6:30 p.m., Pay What You Can; The Playful Stage, 7:30 p.m., Pay What You Can
• Oct. 4: Scheduled Poetry Reading: 2 p.m.; The Black Mosaic: 8 p.m.
• Oct. 5, Open Mic Poetry: 2 p.m., The Life and Undeath of Lucy Westenra: 8 p.m.

The lineup reflects that spirit of dialogue. On opening night, audiences can stroll through Bixby Knolls, encountering Poets on the Street crafting typewritten poems on the spot before diving into improv theater with The Playful Stage. Saturday offers a double feature: a curated reading by regional poets in the afternoon and Black Mosaic in the evening, a multidisciplinary celebration of Black history and culture curated by Dr. Melanie Curtis Andrews.

Sunday begins with an open mic that gives the community the microphone and closes with the gothic drama The Life and Undeath of Lucy Westenra, written by Cara Sanchez and directed by Linda Ravenswood, who helped found the Poetry Series alongside LBSC Artistic Director Holly Leveque and poet Brian Sonia-Wallace.

It’s a festival that asks audiences to consider how Shakespeare’s influence persists – not as a relic, but as a living spark. Whether through verse tapped out on a typewriter, a dance tracing the arc of resilience, or a play that reimagines Dracula’s hauntings, the work here is united by one throughline: art speaks across time.

LBSC’s Third Annual Poetry Series runs Oct. 3–5 at the Helen Borgers Theater, 4250 Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach. Tickets are $15 and schedule details are available at www.lbshakespeare.org.

The Big Sing Concert

For the first time in Camerata history, local members of the community will join our ensemble of professional singers and highly talented volunteers to perform musical masterworks on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 4:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church for our 60th anniversary season kick-off concert, The Big Sing.

Under the direction of Grammy-award winning conductor James K. Bass, the ensemble and invited guests have spent the past month preparing pieces like Hallelujah Chorus, Zadok the Priest and Ave Verum Corpus for the performance.

Searching For Goya

Spanish flamenco artist Soledad Barrio and New York-based Noche Flamenca make their first appearance on the Carpenter Center’s dance stage at California State University, Long Beach on Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. in Searching for Goya, a suite of 14 dances choreographed by Artistic Director Martín Santangelo and Bessie Award-winning Principal Dancer Soledad Barrio.

Drawing on scholarship from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Goya expert Mark McDonald, Searching for Goya is an evocative flamenco performance set to live music and vocals, inspired by the powerful imagery of Spanish artist Francisco de Goya and his reaction, through art, to the upheavals of his time.

Tickets, starting at $38.75, are available at carpenterarts.org.

Howls, Slimy Singing

You know about Christmas caroling, but have you heard about Halloween caroling? The Long Beach Youth Chorus does it annually. This year, the concert will take place at 6 p.m. on Oct. 26, through the Long Beach Rose Park neighborhood.

“This event is a blast for our singers!” said Stan DeWitt, executive director of the Chorus. Imagine starting a caroling session with “Deck the halls with poison ivy, fa la la la la, la la la la. Tis the season to be slimy.” Sing that with a straight face!

Among the charming homes of the central city area, the costume-clad youngsters share their hilarious take-offs on Christmas carols with neighbors around the historic circle at 8th & Orizaba Streets. “We want to bring positive energy and good vibes to the neighborhood with a nonprofit that helps develop choral singing for our youth,” according to Danielle Potter, president of the Rose Park Neighborhood Association.

Neighbors love it, continued Potter. “It’s so unexpected to see youth singing spooky Halloween carols throughout the neighborhood, and it brings a smile to our neighbors’ faces. It’s become an annual tradition. We want neighbors to feel connected to their community.”

Residents will no doubt recognize the melodies, but probably not the lyrics. “Ghosties We Have Heard on High” will sound familiar, while “I’m Dreaming of the Great Pumpkin” may send those neighbors on a hunt for candy treats for the young singers. There are many similar songs in that Youth Chorus scary repertoire.

“Who else can say they’ve done Halloween caroling?” joked DeWitt, who founded the Long Beach Youth Chorus in 2017. The Long Beach Youth Chorus mission calls for developing appreciation for music and musical talent among children from second grade through high school. Each singer is offered multiple chances to perform, from a cabaret format to the “Sing-a-Long Beach” citywide festival, to several formal, all-voice concerts in beautiful churches across the City.

This year, the Long Beach Youth Chorus is adding a first-ever tour of New York City, with the highlight being their performance at Carnegie Hall in June. As a nonprofit, the chorus is seeking donations to assure that all singers will be able to afford to participate. More information about support can be found at www.longbeachyouthchorus.org.