New Performing Arts Seasons Debut in Long Beach
Long Beach’s performing arts scene comes alive with a diverse lineup of theater, music, dance and choral performances throughout the 2026–27 season.
From Broadway-style musicals and acclaimed plays to symphonic masterworks, holiday traditions and cutting-edge performances, the city’s stages offer something for every taste. Whether you’re looking for a night of big-name entertainment or an intimate artistic experience, Long Beach’s cultural institutions make it easy to discover something memorable close to home.
The Carpenter Performing Arts Center
The Carpenter Performing Arts Center (6200 E. Atherton St.) Fall 2026 season brings an eclectic mix of music, dance, comedy and conversation to Long Beach. The season opens with bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert (“Eat, Pray, Love”), followed by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Bilal with Yaya Bey. “Live From Laurel Canyon” celebrates Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, while jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton performs with pianist Tamir Hendelman. “The Doo Wop Project: Echoes of the Street” puts a fresh spin on classic harmonies, while Mumu Fresh blends gospel, jazz, soul and hip-hop. The fall lineup also features Gretchen Parlato and Indian American dance company Sa Dance Company performing RISE. For tickets, click here.
Long Beach Symphony
Long Beach Symphony’s 2026–27 season brings a mix of timeless masterworks, contemporary compositions and high-energy popular music. The Classical Series features five concerts at the Terrace Theater, including Faces of America at 250, with Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man and Gershwin’s Strike Up the Band; Entangled in Passion, featuring Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2; and Heaven & Earth, featuring violinist Randall Goosby performing Brahms’ Violin Concerto and Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony. The popular POPS Series returns to the Long Beach Arena with tributes to the Eagles, Cole Porter and Elvis, as well as Sugar & Booze, a festive holiday jazz concert featuring SNL and Broadway star Ana Gasteyer.
LONG BEACH CAMERATA SINGERS
The 2026–27 Long Beach Camerata Singers season features three memorable performances celebrating the power and beauty of choral music. Franz Schubert’s Mass in G offers an intimate, deeply moving musical experience at Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church. The ensemble’s annual holiday tradition, Handel’s Messiah, takes place Dec. 22 at Our Lady of Refuge. The season also presents Duruflé’s Requiem, a breathtaking work that blends ancient Gregorian melodies with the rich harmonic language of 20th-century French music. For Camerata’s full program of performances, click here.
INTERNATIONAL CITY THEATER
International City Theatre closes its 2026 season with two compelling plays at the Beverly O’Neill Theater (330 E. Seaside Way). The Los Angeles premiere of “Conscience” explores the moral and political pressures surrounding a consequential historical decision, while the West Coast premiere of “The Laugh Track” offers a sharp comedy about the television business, ambition and the pursuit of a hit. Make an evening of it with ICT’s dinner packages, which pair select performances with pre-show meals at popular L’Opera and Gladstone’s restaurants. For tickets and packages, click here.
LONG BEACH PLAYHOUSE
With two stages, the Long Beach Playhouse (5021 E. Anaheim St.) presents more than a dozen productions each year. The 2026–27 season offers a lively mix of horror, comedy, classics and musicals. The Mainstage season opens with “Night of the Living Dead,” followed by Noel Coward’s ghostly comedy “Blithe Spirit” and the annual holiday favorite “A Christmas Carol.” The 2027 lineup continues with Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None,” August Wilson’s “Two Trains Running,” “The Crucible” and the season finale, Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” For tickets, click here.
MUSICAL THEATER WEST
Musical Theatre West concludes its 2026 season with “Little Women,” a musical adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel featuring a soaring score and the timeless story of the March sisters. The 2027 season begins with the Los Angeles professional premiere of “The Prince of Egypt,” followed by the timeless classic “West Side Story” and the high-energy “School of Rock,” featuring young performers playing live onstage. The Los Angeles professional premiere of Tony Award-winning “Kimberly Akimbo” follows, with “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” closing the season in festive fashion.
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