The Carpenter Performing Arts Center’s newly announced 2026-27 season doesn’t arrive with an obvious overarching theme.
There’s no single idea tying together a Broadway legend, a former congressman, an international dance company, a Grammy-winning soul singer, and the author of “Eat, Pray, Love.”
Instead, the season seems built around two complementary pillars: the personal and the global.
On one side are artists whose work is rooted in individual stories and lived experience, such as best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert, who brings the perspective that made “Eat, Pray, Love” a worldwide phenomenon.
Then there’s former Congressman Adam Kinzinger, known for his role on the January 6 Committee, who offers a firsthand account of contemporary American politics; and Emmy Award-winning comedian Samantha Bee who turns current events into sharp comedy, all tied together with Broadway icon Patti LuPone, who boasts a career defined by expressive storytelling.
That emphasis on personal connection extends to the Carpenter Center’s intimate Cabaret Stage, where performers including Ann Hampton Callaway, Niki Haris, Tierney Sutton, Stella Cole and Bria Skonberg will bring audiences closer to the stories behind the songs.
At the same time, the season looks outward. Internationally acclaimed dance companies Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana and MOMIX will showcase artistic traditions and movement vocabularies that reach far beyond Long Beach.
In this way, Carpenter Center’s lineup of concerts and cultural offerings reflects a broader curiosity about the world, inviting us to experience different perspectives through music, dance and performance.
Broadway icon Patti LuPone comes to Southern California for shows in Costa Mesa, Los Angeles and Palm Desert between Feb. 18-23 with the 25th anniversary Matters of the Heart concert tour. (Photo by Emilio Madrid)
Samantha Bee attends the 71st Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 22, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., speaks as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol holds a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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Broadway icon Patti LuPone comes to Southern California for shows in Costa Mesa, Los Angeles and Palm Desert between Feb. 18-23 with the 25th anniversary Matters of the Heart concert tour. (Photo by Emilio Madrid)
The result is one of the Carpenter Center’s most eclectic lineups in recent memory.
“(This) is one of our most diverse seasons yet, featuring twenty-seven fabulous artists,” Executive Director Megan Kline said in a news release. “We’ve also kept our existing subscription pricing and tiered pricing to make live entertainment affordable for everyone. I can’t wait for our arts community to enjoy virtuosic performances, transformative dance, intimate cabaret, and thrilling music — all at their doorstep.”
Taken together, the artists above (and more not mentioned here) reflect what the arts do best: serve as a gathering place for many different kinds of conversations. Some are deeply personal, while others connect audiences to traditions and ideas from around the world.
Both experiences belong on the same stage.
The Carpenter Center’s 2026-27 season begins this fall, and will run through May 2027. For a full lineup of performances and tickets, visit carpenterarts.org.
‘Godspell’
Since its debut in 1971, the show “Godspell” has often been labeled as a religious musical because it draws its source material from the Gospel of Matthew. But that only tells part of the story.
Opening on Saturday, June 27 at the Long Beach Playhouse Mainstage, “Godspell” features a book by John Michael Tebelak and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, who would later become one of Broadway’s most celebrated composers with “Pippin,” “Children of Eden,” and “Wicked.”
Directed and choreographed by Sonya Randall, with musical direction by Stephen Olear, this quirky production hopes to call attention to the real heart of “Godspell.”
At its core, “Godspell” is more about community than it is about doctrine.
Schwartz himself has often noted that the show’s appeal extends beyond any particular faith tradition. Because rather than presenting a sermon, “Godspell” explores what happens when a diverse group of people comes together around a shared set of values — compassion, generosity, forgiveness, and love.
Through a series of playful parables, comic sketches, and emotionally resonant musical numbers, “Godspell” remains remarkably relevant more than five decades after it first premiered.
Those musical numbers remain one of the show’s greatest strengths. Schwartz’s eclectic mix of pop, folk, and vaudeville includes enduring favorites like “Day by Day,” “All for the Best,” and “By My Side.”
This production stars Kenny Giles as Jesus and Quinn Vann as Judas, with a supporting cast of storytellers who bring the musical’s collection of parables to life.
“Godspell” runs until Wednesday, Aug. 26, so head to lbplayhouse.org for ticket information.
Alex’s Bar
Some nights at Alex’s Bar are about discovering your next favorite band. Others are about rediscovering your childhood.
Next week, we get both.
“Summer Indie Night” arrives June 25 with a free showcase featuring DIY Valentine, Theplaceonrugby, Keller Frank, and Velvet Darling. The four-band lineup promises a night of local and independent music in one of Southern California’s most beloved live-music spaces.
Alex’s Bar has long served as a launching pad for emerging artists, and “Summer Indie Night” continues that tradition with a bill designed for anyone looking to hear something new without spending a dime. The show begins at 8 p.m. and admission is free.
The night before, however, nostalgia takes center stage.
Pokémon Trivia will get underway at Alex’s Bar on Wednesday, June 24, challenging trainers to test their knowledge of the franchise’s original era: Generation 1, spanning 1996 through 1999. Questions will cover the games, television series, and movies that introduced millions of kids to Pikachu, Charizard and the original 151 Pokémon.
For many millennials (this writer included), Gen 1 Pokémon is a lifeline to a simpler time.
It’s navigating your tiny character across Kanto from the backseat of your parents’ car at night, illuminated by passing streetlights because the original Game Boy wasn’t backlit. It’s hearing the Lavender Town theme, the triumphant battle music and the Pokémon Center melody so many times that they became permanently embedded in your brain.
It’s choosing between Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle as though the decision carried life-altering consequences.
The trivia night at Alex’s leans into these shared memories.
Sign-ups begin at 6:30 p.m. Teams of two to six players can compete for a cash grand prize, and costumes are strongly encouraged.
Organizers expect the event to reach capacity, so if you want to become a Pokémon Master, you should arrive early.