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diversions
Carpenter Center
ready to open doors
By Todd Leland
Special to the On-line Forty-Niner
The Richard and
Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center is preparing to open
its 2001-2002 calendar season. This year, its eighth, the
Carpenter Center will have a schedule of diverse performances.
Bringing art and
entertainment to Cal State Long Beach and the surrounding
communities since its grand opening in October 1994, the Carpenter
Center will continue to do so this season.
"We have put
together a very expansive group of talent this season,"
says Carpenter Center Marketing Director Bethany Price. "The
season opens Sept. 12-13 with 'Dance, the Spirit of Cambodia.'
'Politically Incorrect' host Bill Maher will be here Nov.
10 and we end our season in May with the South Coast Chorale,
who have been with us at the center since it opened."
Among the returning
features is the "Club Carpenter Series."
The audience does
not sit in theatre seating; They are integrated into the performance,
Price says. They sit at small bar tables for two or four.
Larger parties sit at booths in the back.
These cabaret type
performances are making their second run at the Carpenter
Center due to a successful debut last year that produced numerous
sell-out performances.
"The Family
Matters Series" also returns, designed to immerse children
into the arts, the series consists of storytelling and wonderful
music.
Magicians perform
and stories like Cinderella are told in the mid-afternoon
when parents are able to attend with their children.
The 2001-2002 season
will also include the introduction of the "Richard Carpenter
Signature Series."
"We've wanted
to make a move into a celebrity series for some time now,"
says Peter Lesnik, CPAC executive director.
Carpenter, a CSULB
alumnus and benefactor to the center that bears his name,
now is giving the center the celebrity faces that Lesnik desired.
This season he will attend Nov. 17 to welcome country musician,
Glenn Campbell. March 23 he will again be on hand to introduce
Rosemary Clooney, the famous singer and actress.
Bringing comedy
to the Carpenter Center is also a new feature this season.
"The Comic Conversations Series" will begin its
first year with the appearances of Bill Maher on Nov. 10 and
Spalding Grey on March 2.
"My personal
highlight will be Bill Maher, but we have so many opportunities
for everyone to find their own personal favorite," says
Price.
KLON continues
its collaboration with the center through the "KLON Jazz
at the Carpenter Series."
"Nnenna Freelon
is a remarkable jazz singer and joining her is the duo of
Kenny Barron and Regina Carter, both established jazz musicians,
yet their duo is relatively new so that will be very interesting,"
says Price.
The Carpenter Center
also has an outreach program called "Classroom Connections"
that gives local students an opportunity to meet artists and
attend performances.
"We travel
to various schools in the community and bring visiting artists
with us to teach the children," Price says.
Students are invited
to watch a performance by those artists at the Carpenter Center.
Afterwards the children have an opportunity to ask questions
and learn about the performance.
"The Club
Carpenter Series," "The Richard Carpenter Signature
Series," "KLON Jazz at the Carpenter," "The
Comic Conversations Series" and the outreach program
"Classroom Connections" are just a few of the many
events the Carpenter Center has planned for the 2001-2002
calendar.
The Carpenter Performing
Arts Center is located at 6200 Atherton St. The theater holds
approximately 1,000 patrons. For tickets to all CPAC events
call (562) 985-7000 or purchase in person at the CPAC Box
Office at 6200 Atherton St.
Box Office hours
are Monday-Friday, 11a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, noon- 4p.m.Visit
the CPAC at www.carpenterarts.org.
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