Awesome theater and it was great to see a show on opening night with a packed crowd. This small place was a great date and I left feeling like I needed to study the English language. Very intimate and fun experience, clearly a labor of love. This is the best way to experience Shakespeare, live and performed! read more

I've had the honor of being an audience member at this theatre (amazing productions of The Comedy of Errors and A Midsummer Night's Dream), performing in altheir New Works Festival (which gives upcoming playwrights an opportunity to see their plays produced) and as a guest director of their 2025 production of Richard III. The Long Beach Shakespeare Company is a wonderful gem of a theatre that truly serves the community and gives the classics (and new works) a place to shine! read more

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Wonderful fully staged Shakespeare shows. Incredible radio dramas performed in front of a live studio audience with live sound effects. All of the current shows since they came back from Covid has had youthful yet mature energy that captivates its audience. read more

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A little jewel of a theater. Bixby Knowles is a lucky area to have such a venue. I understand it has been there for over 25 years. Producing classic Shakespeare new works. It is very small, but makes it all the more special to view a production. read more

I really enjoy working with this non profit theatre. The crew and management are so sweet and they really work hard to bring quality productions to the community in their quaint little space. Come to a show to enjoy the intimate experience of original works by local artists as well as the classics. You can also listen live on YouTube to some of their hilarious radio programs. read more

Long Beach Shakespeare Company - Performing Arts Near Me - Long Beach, California

If you want your drama up front, close and intimate, Long Beach Shakespeare Company! If you want your fantasy living and breathing right before your very eyes, Long Beach Shakespeare Company! If you want to be transported away, where poetry and literature bring you new insights for your modern-day life, Long Beach Shakespeare Company! Some might believe that magic is in the latest gadgets and technology, but there's nothing like seeing real magic happen when that technology pairs together with living breathing actors, performing wonderful scenes, speaking incredible lines of dialogue in a Live show, where anything can happen! And it does! But that's the thrill of it! The Human Spirit is what it's all about. So, if you want to be part of that Spirit and feel something and REALLY feel something, then join the company as they put on their next production at The Helen Borgers Theatre in Long Beach, overseen by Artistic Director Ms. Holly Leveque. Your answer to Fantasy, Fun N' Frolic: Long Beach Shakespeare Company! read more

Local, intimate theatre located in the little enclave of Bixby Knolls in Long Beach that does thought-provoking, classical pieces of theatre. So if you're into the likes of Shakespeare, Sophocles or Chekov to name a few, this is the place to be. The productions are professionally done in a small, intimate space with simple, yet beautiful set designs that evoke the emotional settings of the plays and the stories to be told. The theatre has a capacity of about 40 seats so seating can be limited and shows can easily be out of tickets. If you're interested in watching acting done up close and personal and have a love for the finer, classical pieces of theatre but are on a stringent budget, then this would be the place to be and experience theatre. read more

Long Beach Shakespeare Company - The lovely cast of the show, Comedy of Errors, by William Shakespeare, at the Long Beach Shakespeare Company. - Performing Arts Near Me - Long Beach, California

Seeing shows here and having been a cast member here, this Theater has a special place in my heart. It never fails to deliver the magic.

Holly and company are continuing in the great tradition of the former Artistic Director of the LBSC, Helen Borgers. I am particularly fond of their radio dramas but I never miss any of their productions. Thoughtful staging, great costumes, and superb acting. Book early as they often sell out. Best theater in town. read more

Highly recommended! A gem of a small theater! In the past year, the company presented a remarkably muscular and engaging Peer Gynt by Ibsen, a play that is usually so tedious as to be unplayable, but a success at LBSC thanks to a solid cast and an excellent adaptation and direction by artistic director Holly Leveque. Then a well-acted & well-cast Macbeth that made surprisingly good use of the small stage. And most recently the successful and well-attended New Works Festival. Looking forward to being back in So Cal to see the next season's work. Kudos to the director, actors & all. Ooops. Correction! It wasn't Macbeth--it was KING LEAR. My apologies. I WAS there. Didn't mean to confuse Lear with "the Scottish play." read more

...went with my mom to watch Titus Andronicus where this year the theatre group chose to focus on stories surrounding the subject of "villains" and so this story is one that was chosen to be played out. all in all the theater is quite quaint and small with a seating capacity of approximately 50 people. the actors whom we enjoyed performing were talented in their own right and so the show turned out to be rather entertaining. there was a brief intermission however for the most part we spent two hours exploring the ideology and story written by shakespeare. I'd go to another show again. if you like the arts and enjoy live performances then this theatre is a neat little place to try. I know my mom loves to go regularly - of course it helps Eduardo, her coworker, is an actor who costars in many of the plays performed here... read more

Long Beach Shakespeare Company - Performing Arts Near Me - Long Beach, California

Hats off for doing "Troilus & Cressida," one of Shakespeare's plays I'd honestly never thought would get produced around here. Not only that, they played Achilles and Patroclus as lovers. A woman next to me complained about this during intermission, uttering, "They changed Shakespeare to fit their agenda." The way LB Shakespeare Co. portrayed it matches with more classical sources, and either way, more power to you guys. Following the play, all of the actors lined up along the hallway and toward the door, graciously thanking every audience member for coming to the show. You feel great supporting these people. They perform in a small theater, but it's comfortable. Way better than many of the shoebox venues you commonly find in Hollywood and NoHo. I felt an update to my previous review was long overdue, especially since their dynamic appears to have shifted from free outdoor to ticketed indoor. I truly appreciate when companies put on the lesser produced Shakespeare. Seems like every year we get "Romeo & Juliet," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Taming of the Shrew," "Much Ado About Nothing," and "Twelfth Night" among the summer casts. You can really only watch Kate forced to marry then ultimately yield to Petruchio so many times. read more

We went to see the live radio production of "Alice in Wonderland" We both enjoyed it. The cast did a great job of making it believable as a radio play. Would have liked a short intermission to stretch. The seats are a little hard. But understand the difficulty of interrupting the play for a break. Overall it was a very enjoyable way to spend a Sunday afternoon. read more

It's March 15th and I'm headed to see some Shakespeare! Not Julius Caesar, but Othello. I moved to the area two years ago and have been to several plays here. Wonderful! Brilliant! Fun! Quaint! I absolutely love it here! read more

The 2016 YELP 500, Review #032: There are about 40 seats in this tiny theater, so if you are attending. A play here and don't know what to expect... think INTIMATE! For me what has repeatedly proven to be the best way to see theater is to never think big. I guess a simple way to term it is that you will feel as if you are part of the show. read more

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Came here for a ASL interpreter showing of Dracula on Saturday October 19th @ 8pm and I keep thinking about how offended this show left me feeling even weeks later. There were two so called "interpreters"... one male (he was decent as he would be good interpreter for maybe a small dinner party). Then there was "the other"... a girl with short blonde hair. She was not even close to being ASL interpreter! She would maybe say one word in a sentence/paragraph but even that word was scrambled up and eventually came out as the wrong sign. I am hearing so I can hear the words and know she is not even signing correctly the ONE word . We didn't come to see Dracula that night we apparently came to see the WORST ASL performance in history! My wife is Deaf and for me to sit there as she is clearly being disrespected by the interpreter was extremely frustrating. In total there were five of us at the event and we all from the beginning were blown away by the audacity of this theater company to promote this ASL performance . The actors themselves seem to put their all into it so it was sad to see their hard work go to waste by the "interpreter show". My advice to them would be be careful who you let interpret you... your hard work was lost in translation. read more

I purchased 3 tickets to see Wizard of Oz which was going to run on a Sunday. Since I live out of town I wanted to know what time it ended so that I could make subsequent dinner reservations; I emailed the theatre the Tuesday prior. Holly emailed me back saying " oh that show has been cancelled due to Covid". I said " No one has contacted me or reimbursed me and that's not even on your site." She said the " Webmaster" would sort that. I wait 3 more days; nothing. I email again and this time no reply. I email a 3rd time ( now the would be play has passed and no notification or reimbursement). Holy again states the Covid issue and they're working on reimbursement. Still zero refund nor much of anything. Pay at your own risk. I won't make this mistake again. read more

Awesome plays. I enjoy the intimate experience the Helen Borgers Theater offers. The audience becomes part of the play.sometimes planned and sometimes not. read more

Long Beach Shakespeare Company - The Emperor and Me - Performing Arts Near Me - Long Beach, California

Let me tell you something about this place. First off, its a great place for you to bring the kids and get acquainted with the theater. Second, the players in the cast really bring to life the characters they play. Do any of you know how tough it is to bring the energy night after night to a production like this? Listen, get off your ass and support small theater. for the price you are going to pay to feed your face at Hometown Buffet, you will be entertained, and who knows, you may come out a little wiser. For instance, I now have an interest in more stories about "The Shadow" Thank you Richard Goad for some great entertainment. read more

Long Beach Shakespeare Company - Theatre awesome! - Performing Arts Near Me - Long Beach, California

Fifty seats in the house. Very intimate theater in my home town. Always try to make it over there for the shakespeare which is at times uneven but always fun. read more

My face hurt when I left the theater today. I went with a work colleague to see The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged and don't think I stopped laughing for the entire hour and a half! An amazing performance by three amazing women; if it weren't their final show I'd go back and see it again. I was almost pulled onstage but was able to pull rank on my intern and send her up. Ashley decided to call her "Bob", and new nickname was born heheheh. After today I will certainly be returning again, and again... read more

Great theater, great actors, great art! Go support your local arts!

Small, fantastic theatre. Puts on lively and dedicated Shakespeare that offers a nice blend of staying true to the text while adapting for the realties of the production and the vagaries of the 21st century. Once in a while will have a truly brilliant performance. Absolutely worth the modest sum. read more

Intimate, very...so you feel part of the story. Shakespeare, done the right way. And their radio play? What a way to go back in time! FUN! Actors can be a hit or miss...but the costumes and the stage are always impeccable. The cherry on the cake? Their mascot, Hamlet the pig, who greets you at intermission wearing his Elizabethan collar. Keep the theater alive!! read more

Production of Machiavelli's "Mandragola" Hungry for an intimate, live-theater experience? Then try out LB Shakespeare in Bixby Knolls. Their current production, Machiavelli's "Mandragola" is delightful -- this farce is well-acted and well-directed. There is even original music composed by Edmund Velasco that is perfectly inserted between scenes. Yes, the theater (and stage) is tiny -- bring 35 friends and you will fill the house. You just can't go wrong for $20. I'll be watching for their "Merry Wives of Windsor" this summer at Bixby Park. read more

We recently saw a performance of Julius Cesar at LB Shakespeare Company. What a fun evening. As first time goers to a small intimate theater, we were impressed how the space was utilized efficiently. We absolutely loved the production. The acting was great, the costumes were amazing and the 'fake' blood enhanced the performance. Having the cast up close and personal really made you feel involved in the show. Hamlet the pig was in the lobby during intermission. That was a fun meet n greet. After the show, the actors come out in the lobby for their meet n greet. And special kudos to the costume designer, the 'fake' blood artist, the lighting guy and the director. Bravo, job well done! read more

I love this place. For such a nominal fee you get the real shakespeare experience. So far my favourite was Hamlet. I loved loved loved the kid who played Hamlet. He was amazing. Next will be Richard III. I am unfamiliar with that story line so it'll be interesting to see how i like it! Thank you long beach shakespeare players! read more

I was trying to come up with something cool and out of the norm for a birthday present for the roomie and I happened upon a review of "Much Ado About Nothing" by the Long Beach Shakespeare Company on Atlantic in Bixby Knolls area of town. So I'm thinking, I love The Bard, giving a night on the town for an inexpensive birthday present will make me look good... We both had a blast. The theater is tiny. But as someone said, "The play is the thing!" It is Shakespeare after all. This is the first play we have seen at LBSC and it was great. We were in the very front row of the small theater and the actors were practically tripping over our feet. The acting was terrific. The music was terrific. The scenery was very crafty for such a small space. Overall, brilliant. I am going to put myself on their mailing list to stay current with their productions -- and then go often. read more

I've seen several of their productions over the years, both in and out of their theatre. Every single thing I've seen has been an absolute pleasure. I love going to plays in their theatre. With some really nice restaurants nearby, I've enjoyed some very pleasant evenings full of food, wine and Will. (Try the Italian place just up the street!) This troupe never fails to please. Always delightful and often original. My favorite was in the '90s when they did a decidedly non-Shakespearian presentation of Dracula in a local Methodist church. More recently, their production of Hamlet was just fantastic. Clearly, this is a group of talented, educated and passionate people doing something they love. They seem to be a mix of professional actors and local amateur talent. (Emphasis on the word the word "talent") I saw something Shakespearian at the Broad recently that made me wish I was back in Long Beach watching this troupe. I've learned to trust this company implicitly. And it's great to hear that they've expanded their modest little theatre. "There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple. If the ill spirit have so fair a house, good things will strive to dwell with 't." read more

A hidden gem! My family and I attended our first performance to see Sherlock Holmes with my 8 year old daughter. The theatre is intimate and we enjoyed the production and meeting the actors afterwards. Will definitely be back for more productions as a family! read more

We always enjoy productions by the Long Beach Shakespeare Company at this small, intimate theater.

The Long Beach Shakespeare Company is a wonderful organization. In addition to Shakespeare, they also take on thought-provoking and edgy productions of contemporary works. Denis McCourt is an incredible talent and the productions he directs are absolutely riveting. That isn't to say they are necessarily lighthearted entertainment. For example, The Exonerated told of individuals who spent years on death row to later be discovered to be innocent. His production of Bent told of the horrific treatment of gays by the Nazis - and while it showed the depths of the human experience, it also showed that love can be found in the worst of circumstances. Long Beach is lucky to have Denis and the LBSC. read more

Thank you for coming out to Bixby Park, CA. to perform for us amateur Shakespearean fans!!! Thank you for putting all your effort into the play despite that the stage wasn't big enough for a fancy set....I thoroughly enjoyed it; thank you for taking time to take pictures with local Shakespeare fans. I'll come back online and add these pics with them later. I had the priviledge of going to the 13th Shakespeare Festival at Bixby Park, Long Beach, CA. with a guy friend of mine who's also into Shakespeare's works. It mattered with the company you hang with when going to a Shakespearean play. I can tell that all the actors have worked hard for making sure that the audience had a great time, and surely enough, I did. It's been a long time since I saw a play, this time I got to enjoy his "The Merry Wives of Windsor". The only thing I didn't like about the venue was that it was in a park where I had to sit on the ground with a blanket....which was fine for the environment, but it was slightly uncomfy----other than that, the performance was great! read more

I love their performances. The theater is small so there are no bad seats. This season looks like a lot of fun. They are celebrating the Bard's 450th birthday so there will be more Shakespeare related plays and lectures. read more