In recognition of Black History Month, Long Beach’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine will once again host performances of “Black Mosaic,” a free music and dance showcase that celebrates and honors the history and contributions of the Black community.
Long Beach community members can attend any of the three performances happening across the city this month. This year’s performances will also feature local elementary school students showing off their talents, officials said.
“This year, as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, it is inspiring to see our local youth bring the stories of Black culture and history to life,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “These performances remind us that this history is living and carried forward by the next generation as we build a more inclusive future together.”
“Black Mosaic” is a collection of literature, poetry, music and plays that illuminate the richness of Black history and culture through creative and engaging performances by professionally trained actors, according to a press release. New this year is local youth learning the art of acting, the press release said. Students from Burbank Elementary School’s LB WRAP After School Program will be part of this year’s cast, providing them the opportunity to express their creativity and learned skills to the Long Beach community.
Performances will feature works ranging from William Shakespeare to Maya Angelou, and will weave together the layered and complex moments of Black history through humor, reflection, resilience and critique, the press release said.
This year’s performances of “Black Mosaic” will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 1950 Lemon Ave.; 6 p.m. Feb. 19 at the Doris Topsy-Elvord Community Center at Houghton Park, 6301 Myrtle Ave.; and 6 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Long Beach Senior Center, 1150 E. Fourth St.
“Black Mosaic” is a community-centered performance initiative curated and directed by Melanie Curtis Andrews, a lifetime human rights advocate and co-founder of the former Inner City Shakespeare Company. This is the second year that the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department has partnered with Andrews to host these community performances, according to the press release.
“I am honored to continue my personal tradition of creating events for Black History Month, especially since this is the 100th year,” Andrews said in a statement. “My play entertains and teaches – I am honored to work with such talented young artists, many of them Long Beach residents.”
Long Beach also announced the establishment of its new performing arts collective.
Over the past year, the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department’s Partnership Division has collaborated with Andrews to establish the LB Performing Arts Collective, an effort to bring performing arts programming to underserved neighborhoods in Long Beach, officials said.
The new arts initiative is dedicated to engaging diverse youth and community members in the performing arts through collaborative productions, mentorship and creative engagement, the press release said.
“We are committed to offering quality and accessible youth programming within our parks and open spaces,” Stephen Scott, director of Parks, Recreation and Marine, said in a statement. “The establishment of the LB Performing Arts Collective is an opportunity to expand our partnerships with local performing arts organizations to bring new, culturally relevant performing arts programming opportunities that reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.”
The LB Performing Arts Collective supports the priorities of the department’s Parks Make Long Beach Strategic Plan, such as expanding arts and culture programming in parks across the city; increasing programming at parks in North, West and Central Long Beach; creating spaces for community-led culturally specific programming with culturally marginalized groups; and connecting with educational institutions and nonprofits to expand programming.