Richard Carpenter will return to stage

Carpenter Center 30th anniversary concert Member of the Carpenters will sing to mark anniversary of namesake Long Beach hall

Karen Carpenter and Richard Carpenter show the Grammy Awards they won in 1971, not long after the siblings were students at Cal State Long Beach, now site of the Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center.

Richard Carpenter, shown at his Thousand Oaks home in 2021, will make a rare singing appearance Saturday as the Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach turns 30. Damian Dovarganes — The Associated Press

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By Richard Guzman

riguzman@scng.com

It’s been decades since 1970s music icon Richard Carpenter has been on stage at his namesake theater. But this month he’s picking up the mic again Saturday to perform a duet in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach.

“People always go out of their way to let me know how much this center means to them and the city, so I think it’s it terrific and I’m very proud of it,” said Carpenter, who with his sister, Karen, topped the charts in the ’70s with hits like “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “(They Long to Be) Close to You” and “Superstar.”

The 1,054-seat Carpenter Center is on the campus of Cal State Long Beach and was named after the Carpenters, who both attended the university. It attracts about 150,000 people every year with dozens of performances that include musicians, dancers, actors, speakers, comedians and other artists.

“It’s been a mighty quick 30 years. We made the founding gift, gathered what was needed to get it going, and to me it’s been one of the major things in my life, and I think Karen would feel the same way,” Carpenter said of his sister, who died in 1983.

Past performers include musicians such as Brian Eno and the late Lou Reed, comedian Lily Tomlin and singer, dancer and theater star Shirley MacLaine as well as TV personality Bill Nye (“The Science Guy”).

Also onstage Saturday will be Tony and Grammy Award-winning star of “Hamilton” Renée Elise Goldsberry, and her show will open with a one-song duet with Carpenter of his hit “Rainy Days and Mondays.”

“We have so many incredible artists and performers that spark joy from our stage. We’re thrilled to celebrate our 30th anniversary with Renée Elise Goldsberry and Richard Carpenter,” said Olivia Johnson-Sather, marketing director for the center.

“We want to bring arts education to our campus, we want to inspire people and we want to spark joy,” she said.

Richard Carpenter, meanwhile is excited about getting back on the stage to celebrate the venue that carries the family name.

“It has to be over 20 years since I was on that stage. I’m very proud to take part in this celebration, and we’re going to do the one song and I’m very excited. It’ll be a very nice experience. It’s been awhile since I’ve been onstage,” he said.

When: 5:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton St., Long Beach

Tickets: Preshow party tickets start at $500, concert-only tickets start at $75.

Information: carpenterarts.org