{"id":88165,"date":"2026-02-05T10:04:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T18:04:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/?p=88165"},"modified":"2026-02-05T10:15:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T18:15:28","slug":"theater-news-something-for-everyone-at-long-beach-theaters-this-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/eat-see-do-2\/do\/theater-news-something-for-everyone-at-long-beach-theaters-this-month","title":{"rendered":"Theater News: Something for everyone at Long Beach theaters this month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to Theater News, a regular column by longtime reviewer Anita W. Harris. Look for it most Thursdays. Or\u00a0<\/em>sign up<\/em><\/a>\u00a0for our Eat See Do newsletter to get it in your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

February is a busy theater month! And there seems to be something for everyone at Long Beach venues \u2014 a murder-mystery and Shakespearean tragedy that are entering their final weekends, and new shows including a spiritual drama, a \u201cwitty\u201d musical comedy, an inspirational musical \u201cmasterpiece,\u201d and a bawdy, gender-bending political play. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long Beach Shakespeare Company<\/strong>\u2019s \u201cJulius Caesar<\/a>,\u201d William Shakespeare\u2019s political tragedy, is entering its final weekend at the Helen Borgers Theatre, 4250 Atlantic Ave., with shows Thursday, Feb. 5 and Saturday, Feb. 7. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A soothsayer warns Caesar, \u201cbeware the Ides of March,\u201d but will February spare him? To find out, call the box office at 562-997-1494 or visit LBShakespeare.org<\/a> for tickets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Long Beach Playhouse<\/strong>, Agatha Christie\u2019s \u201cGo Back for Murder<\/a>\u201d is also entering its final weekend, in which a daughter must time-travel through memory and reenactment to find out who really killed her father. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene from Long Beach Playhouse’s “Go Back for Murder. Photo courtesy of the theater.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Then later this month, for three weekends beginning Feb. 21, the Playhouse will stage August Wilson\u2019s \u201cGem of the Ocean,\u201d directed by Rovin Jay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The play is set in 1904, the first of Wilson\u2019s \u201cPittsburgh Cycle\u201d of ten plays exploring 20th-century Black experience in terms of slavery\u2019s legacy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An Alabama man named Citizen Barlow arrives in Pittsburgh seeking the help of Aunt Ester, a spiritual advisor in the city\u2019s Hill District, a predominantly Black community. She sends Citizen on a spiritual journey aboard a mystical slave ship to visit the mythical home of the ancestors called City of Bones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Preview photo of Long Beach Playhouse’s “Gem of the Ocean.” Photo courtesy of the theater.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cConfronted with the plight of those who came before him,\u201d the Playhouse describes, \u201cCitizen must come to terms with his own guilt in this unsettling but compelling story filled with humor and heart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For tickets to both \u201cGo Back for Murder\u201d and \u201cGem of the Ocean\u201d at Long Beach Playhouse, 5021 E. Anaheim St., call the box office at 562-494-1014 or visit <\/em>LBPlayhouse.org<\/em><\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

International City Theatre<\/strong>\u2019s first show this year begins Feb. 18 \u2014 the musical comedy \u201cI Love You, You\u2019re Perfect, Now Change\u201d by Joe DiPietro. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The theater calls the musical a \u201ccrowd-pleasing comedy that explores the truths and myths of modern relationships.\u201d Relationships are sent up through a series of vignettes beginning with awkward dating, hopeful marriage and all that comes after, including in-laws and babies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHilarious and heartfelt, this revue is a tribute to anyone who’s ever loved, lost or simply wondered, \u2018What are you doing Saturday night?\u2019\u201d says the theater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sounds like a perfect follow-up to Valentine\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For tickets to \u201cI Love You, You\u2019re Perfect, Now Change\u201d at International City Theater, 330 E. Seaside Way, call the box office at 562-436-4610 or visit<\/em> ICTLongBeach.org<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Musical Theatre West<\/strong>\u2019s first show this year begins Feb. 13 and is also a musical but of an entirely different tenor, with \u201cMan of La Mancha\u201d set in a dungeon during the Spanish Inquisition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Promo image of Richard Bermudez in Musical Theatre West’s “Man of La Mancha.”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Inspired by Miguel de Cervantes\u2019 famous 1615 novel \u201cDon Quixote\u201d \u2014 about a nobleman who loses his sanity and transforms himself into a chivalrous knight battling imaginary foes like windmills \u2014 \u201cMan of La Mancha\u201d makes Cervantes himself the main character in a play within a play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story by Dale Wasserman, with music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion, has Cervantes mounting an idealistic defense of his life\u2019s work by transforming his fellow prisoners into characters from his novel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBold, theatrical and timelessly relevant, \u2018Man of La Mancha\u2019 is a masterwork of musical theatre that explores the thin line between reality and illusion,\u201d the theater says. \u201cIts powerful message of courage, hope and unyielding idealism [\u2026] challenges us to see the world not as it is, but as it should be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For tickets to Musical Theatre West\u2019s \u201cMan of La Mancha\u201d at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton St., call the box office at 562-856-1999 or visit <\/em>Musical.org<\/em><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, California Repertory Company <\/strong>\u2014 the producing arm of Cal State Long Beach\u2019s theatre arts department \u2014 is launching its spring season with two shows this month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLove Notes: An Evening Cabaret,\u201d performing in the campus\u2019s University Theatre Feb. 12-14 and 18-20, charms for Valentine\u2019s Day with \u201ca dazzling mix of songs about love in all its wild, wonderful forms,\u201d says the company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom flirty fun to sweet serenades, broken hearts to bold rebellions, all our feelings are on display when cupid comes to play,\u201d it says. \u201cFunny, romantic, and more than a little bit mischievous, love never sounded so good!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then on a more political note, Cal Rep will stage \u201cThe Assemblywomen\u201d in the campus\u2019s Studio Theatre for two weekends beginning Feb. 26, in association with Cornerstone Theater Company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Promo image for California Repertory Company’s “The Assemblywomen.” <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Adapted by Kate Attwell and Sunder Ganglani, the play takes a classical Greek comedy with bawdy humor, gender-bending disguise and sharp political bite and turns it \u201cinside out\u201d to become a celebration of collective liberation, the company says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat happens when democracy gets queered?\u201d the company asks. \u201cIn this riotous remix of Aristophanes\u2019 classic satire, the women of Athens slip into their husbands\u2019 clothes, hijack the Assembly and launch a radical political makeover fueled by communal living, liberated desire and a gloriously queer reimagining of civic power.\u201dFor tickets to Cal Rep\u2019s \u201cLove Notes\u201d and \u201cThe Assemblywomen\u201d on the Cal State Long Beach campus, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., visit <\/em>CSULB.edu<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There’s a murder-mystery, Shakespearean tragedy, a spiritual drama, a musical comedy, an inspirational musical masterpiece, and a bawdy, gender-bending political play.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":207,"featured_media":88169,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":"","_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_":"","_author_alias":"","cap-aim":"","cap-description":"","cap-display_name":"","cap-first_name":"","cap-jabber":"","cap-last_name":"","cap-linked_account":"","cap-newspack_employer":"","cap-newspack_job_title":"","cap-newspack_phone_number":"","cap-newspack_role":"","cap-user_email":"","cap-user_login":"","cap-website":"","cap-yahooim":"","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_email_html":"","newspack_email_type":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"hidden","newspack_hide_page_title":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_show_share_buttons":"","newspack_sponsor_byline_prefix":"","newspack_sponsor_disclaimer_override":"","newspack_sponsor_flag_override":"","newspack_sponsor_only_direct":"","newspack_sponsor_url":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_show_updated_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32367],"tags":[],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[32310],"class_list":["post-88165","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-do","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88165","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/207"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88165"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88165\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88173,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88165\/revisions\/88173"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88165"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88165"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88165"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=88165"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=88165"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}