{"id":417980,"date":"2026-07-30T13:22:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T13:22:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/417980\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T13:22:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T13:22:08","slug":"theater-arts-artistic-cross-contamination-at-heart-of-new-event-in-long-beach-press-telegram","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/417980\/","title":{"rendered":"Theater\/Arts: Artistic cross-contamination at heart of new event in Long Beach \u2013 Press Telegram"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some of the most exciting work happening in the performing arts today exists in the spaces between traditional disciplines. Rather than presenting opera, dance, theater, poetry or visual art as separate experiences, a growing number of artists are blending them into immersive productions.<\/p>\n

This spirit of artistic cross-contamination is at the heart of \u201cANIMA: An Immersive Night of Opera, Poetry, Dance, Light Sculpture & Ritual,\u201d which will come to Long Beach on Saturday, Aug. 1, and Aug. 8.<\/p>\n

Conceived, directed and produced by Vida Patricia Rodriguez Castro at the SOLO Arts Center \u2014 Cultural Playground & Gallery, 236 Pine Ave., the evening is designed as a journey that combines operatic performance with original poetry, contemporary dance, light sculpture and ritual-inspired theatrical elements.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The exterior of the SOLO Arts Center in Long Beach on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The exterior of the SOLO Arts Center in Long Beach on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The exterior of the SOLO Arts Center in Long Beach on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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The exterior of the SOLO Arts Center in Long Beach on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Rather than asking audiences to sit and observe, \u201cANIMA\u201d hopes to fully invite them into an intriguingly curated environment.<\/p>\n

This particular production is billed as \u201cANIMA Andante,\u201d which followed the inaugural movement, \u201cANIMA in Metamorphosis,\u201d which explored the emergence of consciousness through vibration, movement and language.<\/p>\n

This time around, just like the first movement, the audience is invited into an immersive space where consciousness unfolds in real time.<\/p>\n

The performance, for example, begins in complete darkness before the gallery gradually transforms into a symbolic womb.<\/p>\n

Productions like \u201cANIMA\u201d reflect a broader shift occurring across the arts, as artists increasingly reject rigid genre boundaries in favor of collaborative works that appeal to multiple senses at once.<\/p>\n

For more information, go to shorturl.at\/bt0eO<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018A Chorus Line\u2019<\/p>\n

Few musicals capture the hopes, anxieties, and determination of young performers quite like \u201cA Chorus Line.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those themes hit home this month as JewelBox Children\u2019s Theatre presents \u201cA Chorus Line: Teen Edition\u201d at the Long Beach Playhouse, 5021 E. Anaheim St., putting a new generation of performers in the shoes of Broadway dreamers.<\/p>\n

Adapted specifically for teen actors and family audiences, \u201cA Chorus Line: Teen Edition\u201d retains the heart of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical while making its content accessible for younger casts.<\/p>\n

Set during a Broadway audition, the story follows a diverse group of aspiring performers as they compete for a coveted spot in the chorus. Along the way, each dancer steps into the spotlight to share deeply personal stories about ambition, setbacks and the love of performing.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a fitting symmetry in seeing teenagers perform a musical about young artists trying to find their place in the theater world. While the original show famously explores the sacrifices required to pursue a life on stage, this production also highlights the educational side of musical theater, giving emerging performers the opportunity to tackle character work alongside demanding choreography and memorable music.<\/p>\n

Audiences can expect many of the musical\u2019s best-known numbers, including the audition anthem \u201cI Hope I Get It,\u201d the heartfelt ballad \u201cWhat I Did for Love\u201d and the finale, \u201cOne.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show is up for only three performances \u2014 Aug.14-16 \u2014 so grab your tickets. To do so, go to lbplayhouse.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Long Beach Soul Collective\u2019<\/p>\n

A soulful cabaret will come to Belmont Shore on Saturday, Aug. 1.<\/p>\n

Hosted by Long Beach storyteller, producer and community leader Melanie Rae, \u201cLong Beach Soul Collective\u201d blends spoken word, personal storytelling and live music into a community experience at brunch spot Let\u2019s Yolk About It, 4722 Second St.<\/p>\n

Rae has become a familiar voice in our city\u2019s creative scene through \u201cSpeak Easy,\u201d the radio show she produces and co-hosts on KLBP Long Beach Public Radio, where artists, neighbors and changemakers come together to share stories that reflect the city\u2019s culture.<\/p>\n

This communal philosophy carries into her \u201csoul collective\u201d this Saturday.<\/p>\n

Live music from Philosophy and Acoustic Soul Express will intertwine with storytelling from Rae and friends, creating a cabaret that celebrates authenticity over spectacle.<\/p>\n

Admission is $20 and includes a drink, making it an inviting way to spend a summer evening supporting the independent arts community.<\/p>\n

For tickets, go to shorturl.at\/hZpKC<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Some of the most exciting work happening in the performing arts today exists in the spaces between traditional…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":417981,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[7,36858,37726,131,133,132,137,3738],"class_list":["post-417980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-long-beach","tag-california","tag-grunion-entertainment","tag-grunion-things-to-do","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\/417980","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=417980"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417980\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/417981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=417980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=417980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=417980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}