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If you’ve been to the Carpenter Performing Arts Center, you’ve no doubt enjoyed seeing all the memorabilia of namesakes Richard and Karen Carpenter in the lobby.
Vintage 1970s photos, gold records and even Karen’s drumkit — all commemorate the brother and sister duo who both attended Cal State Long Beach before achieving international success with songs like “Close To You,” “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Yesterday Once More.”
This Saturday, April 26, Richard Carpenter will return to the CSULB campus to help the Carpenter Center celebrate its 30th anniversary with a concert to raise funds for its “Arts for Life” educational programs.
Richard Carpenter will join another legend — Renée Elise Goldsberry, star of the musical “Hamilton” — in a duet of the Carpenter hit “Rainy Days and Mondays.” The Tony and Grammy Award-winning Goldsberry will then continue the concert with songs from “Hamilton” and other Broadway classics.
Tickets for the concert start at $75, part of which is a tax-deductible donation supporting the “Arts for Life” program. Higher level tickets include reserved parking and a pre-show party featuring “heavy” hors d’oeuvres, a champagne toast and premium seating for the performance.
The very top-level ticket also includes a pre-party meet-and-greet with Richard Carpenter himself.
Through its donor-funded “Arts for Life” program, the Carpenter Center provides free or low-cost arts experiences to the local community, such as film screenings, talks and concerts.
The program also provides free arts instruction and opportunities to Long Beach Unified School District elementary students, including arts instruction, artist visits to schools, and field trips to see performances at the Carpenter Center. It also facilitates artist workshops for CSULB faculty and students.
The Center says that last year the program served over 2,000 elementary school students and 13,000 community members.
“Through ‘Arts for Life,’ Long Beach Unified students engage in hands-on, live experiences with featured artists, as well as attend a performance at the Carpenter Center — a first for many students,” according to the Center.
Executive director Megan Kline Crockett noted that artists and performers have “sparked joy” on the Center’s stage since its inception in 1994..
“We’re thrilled to celebrate our 30th anniversary with Broadway star Renée Elise Goldsberry and Richard Carpenter to raise vital funding for arts education that enriches and inspires our campus and community,” Crockett said.
The Carpenter Center’s “30th Anniversary Concert with Renée Elise Goldsberry featuring Richard Carpenter” will be Saturday, April 26, 8 p.m. at 6200 E. Atherton St., with a pre-show party for some ticket holders from 5:30-7:30 p.m. For tickets and information call 562-985-7000 or visit carpenterarts.org.