{"id":365832,"date":"2026-06-18T15:33:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T15:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/365832\/"},"modified":"2026-06-18T15:33:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T15:33:10","slug":"theater-arts-carpenter-center-announces-2026-27-season-press-telegram","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/365832\/","title":{"rendered":"Theater\/Arts: Carpenter Center announces 2026-27 season \u2013 Press Telegram"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Carpenter Performing Arts Center\u2019s newly announced 2026-27 season doesn\u2019t arrive with an obvious overarching theme.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no single idea tying together a Broadway legend, a former congressman, an international dance company, a Grammy-winning soul singer, and the author of \u201cEat, Pray, Love.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead, the season seems built around two complementary pillars: the personal and the global.<\/p>\n

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 \u201cEat, Pray, Love\u201d a worldwide phenomenon.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

That emphasis on personal connection extends to the Carpenter Center\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

In this way, Carpenter Center\u2019s lineup of concerts and cultural offerings reflects a broader curiosity about the world, inviting us to experience different perspectives through music, dance and performance.<\/p>\n

\"Broadway<\/p>\n

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)\n<\/p>\n

\"Samantha<\/p>\n

Samantha Bee attends the 71st Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 22, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison\/Getty Images)\n<\/p>\n

\"Rep.<\/p>\n

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)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 3<\/p>\n

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)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

The result is one of the Carpenter Center\u2019s most eclectic lineups in recent memory.<\/p>\n

\u201c(This) is one of our most diverse seasons yet, featuring twenty-seven fabulous artists,\u201d Executive Director Megan Kline said in a news release. \u201cWe\u2019ve also kept our existing subscription pricing and tiered pricing to make live entertainment affordable for everyone. I can\u2019t wait for our arts community to enjoy virtuosic performances, transformative dance, intimate cabaret, and thrilling music \u2014 all at their doorstep.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Both experiences belong on the same stage.<\/p>\n

The Carpenter Center\u2019s 2026-27 season begins this fall, and will run through May 2027. For a full lineup of performances and tickets, visit carpenterarts.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Godspell\u2019<\/p>\n

Since its debut in 1971, the show \u201cGodspell\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

Opening on Saturday, June 27 at the Long Beach Playhouse Mainstage, \u201cGodspell\u201d features a book by John Michael Tebelak and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, who would later become one of Broadway\u2019s most celebrated composers with \u201cPippin,\u201d \u201cChildren of Eden,\u201d and \u201cWicked.\u201d<\/p>\n

Directed and choreographed by Sonya Randall, with musical direction by Stephen Olear, this quirky production hopes to call attention to the real heart of \u201cGodspell.\u201d<\/p>\n

At its core, \u201cGodspell\u201d is more about community than it is about doctrine.<\/p>\n

Schwartz himself has often noted that the show\u2019s appeal extends beyond any particular faith tradition. Because rather than presenting a sermon, \u201cGodspell\u201d explores what happens when a diverse group of people comes together around a shared set of values \u2014 compassion, generosity, forgiveness, and love.<\/p>\n

Through a series of playful parables, comic sketches, and emotionally resonant musical numbers, \u201cGodspell\u201d remains remarkably relevant more than five decades after it first premiered.<\/p>\n

Those musical numbers remain one of the show\u2019s greatest strengths. Schwartz\u2019s eclectic mix of pop, folk, and vaudeville includes enduring favorites like \u201cDay by Day,\u201d \u201cAll for the Best,\u201d and \u201cBy My Side.\u201d<\/p>\n

This production stars Kenny Giles as Jesus and Quinn Vann as Judas, with a supporting cast of storytellers who bring the musical\u2019s collection of parables to life.<\/p>\n

\u201cGodspell\u201d runs until Wednesday, Aug. 26, so head to lbplayhouse.org<\/a> for ticket information.<\/p>\n

Alex\u2019s Bar<\/p>\n

Some nights at Alex\u2019s Bar are about discovering your next favorite band. Others are about rediscovering your childhood.<\/p>\n

Next week, we get both.<\/p>\n

\u201cSummer Indie Night\u201d 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\u2019s most beloved live-music spaces.<\/p>\n

Alex\u2019s Bar has long served as a launching pad for emerging artists, and \u201cSummer Indie Night\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

The night before, however, nostalgia takes center stage.<\/p>\n

Pok\u00e9mon Trivia will get underway at Alex\u2019s Bar on Wednesday, June 24, challenging trainers to test their knowledge of the franchise\u2019s 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 Pok\u00e9mon.<\/p>\n

For many millennials (this writer included), Gen 1 Pok\u00e9mon is a lifeline to a simpler time.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s navigating your tiny character across Kanto from the backseat of your parents\u2019 car at night, illuminated by passing streetlights because the original Game Boy wasn\u2019t backlit. It\u2019s hearing the Lavender Town theme, the triumphant battle music and the Pok\u00e9mon Center melody so many times that they became permanently embedded in your brain.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s choosing between Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle as though the decision carried life-altering consequences.<\/p>\n

The trivia night at Alex\u2019s leans into these shared memories.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Organizers expect the event to reach capacity, so if you want to become a Pok\u00e9mon Master, you should arrive early.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Carpenter Performing Arts Center\u2019s newly announced 2026-27 season doesn\u2019t arrive with an obvious overarching theme. There\u2019s no…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":365833,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[7,3737,3739,131,133,132,137,3738],"class_list":["post-365832","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-long-beach","tag-california","tag-grunion-arts","tag-grunion-news","tag-long-beach","tag-long-beach-headlines","tag-long-beach-news","tag-los-angeles-county","tag-the-grunion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/365832","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=365832"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/365832\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/365833"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=365832"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=365832"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=365832"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}