Recommendation to receive and file a report from the International City Theatre in recognition of National Arts Month.
And okay, we're going to go ahead and hear item 14, first item on the regular agenda, then we're going to public comment. Madam Clerk. 14. Item 14 is communication from Councilwoman Gonzalez. Councilmember Peers Recommendation to receive and file report from the International City Theater in recognition of National Arts Month. Councilwoman. Yes. So I'd like to say I'm so very excited. It's a very special evening because we have Karen Dhesi here, as well as many of our fellow many of my fellow board members. And it is a fantastic way to celebrate them through National Arts Month, which is October. In addition, if many of you did not know, they are actually our very own theater company. The ACT International City Theater has been a leader in the live theater world for over 30 years. In addition, this year they have not one, not only one, ten, 25 or 30 thereabout, almost 40 awards, basically envying theaters such as the Center Theater Group in L.A., the Geffen in L.A. and the South Coast Rep, among many others. And I'm so very proud to present them with a recognition today and also bring them up to say a few words I'd love to have carried up to the podium. We also have a presentation via video as well, and I hope we can get it right for you. So thank you so much. I'm Karen Deci, artistic director, producer of International City Theater. I want to thank Mayor Garcia and the Honorable Council as well for allowing me a couple of minutes to talk a little bit about these awards stage. Since L.A. recently announced their awards and I received almost 40 awards and one of the most important was named Best Larger Theater. And we were named we of South Coast Rep, the Geffen and the Center Theater Group in Los Angeles. As you can imagine, our budget is much smaller, but and we are the only company our size that was included for that award. And also last year, if you didn't know the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award gave us outstanding season, and that's out of hundreds of theaters in L.A. and Orange County. Why is this important? Quality work enables us to attract extraordinary talent. I'm talking about actors with Broadway credits, television and film. Why is this important for Long Beach? I and other cultural organizations play an important role in the city's future development. Residents seeking an urban urban experience need things to do. I City is also an economic partner with the number of jobs we give annually more than 150 for artist, SMG employees and ancillary businesses, graphics, printing, etc.. We also serve our community with six education programs that's in every district, all nine districts from elementary school age to low income seniors. With 32 years in this community, we've created many ambassadors with artist workers and patrons continue commuting from L.A. and elsewhere and going back to their cities and talking about Long Beach. Now, I would like to share a short. Video. I hope that tells our story. Thank you very much. BCT is one of the best things we have in our city. I grew up in a in a community that really didn't have anything like that. And it wasn't introduced to me as a kid, and I wish it had to watch her see it for the first time. I can only imagine what it would have been like for me at her age, from music halls. To West Coast premieres to classic revivals. I can't think of a single production that I haven't enjoyed. I knew immediately what quality level was in these productions. Just from seeing the first one or two that I attended. They're always outstanding choice of material, of scripts, of directors, of casts. The kinds of shows that they have been putting on. Over the years. Build on the diversity in our community. The casts are amazing. They are full of some of the best talents. What I think is going through our communities is really changed our life. They have programs that go inside the community. Reach out, grab them. And expose them to. Go to the they. Go into the schools. They have special programs on Saturday free for families. At the end, you do like a 45 minute show, and it's really fun to actually go on the stage and show people what you've been doing for the last six weeks. The PACT program is a program where the ICG personnel come into my school and they teach a theater arts. Program in the classroom. It ranks right up there with passing a playhouse marked paper for the Gap. And it's one of our finest houses, and I think it's one of the undiscovered treasures of Los Angeles theater. I see. T is opportunity giving enhancement, having people engaged in theater, and you allow yourself to grow. With the community. I want to go back and see every show by. I also want to recognize my board members that are here tonight and my staff person as well and thank them for their patience and support and your support. Thank you. Thank you so much, Karen. Thank you very much. Give her a round of applause, an actor or so. We are so thankful to have you guys in our community. Councilman Gonzales also offers some additional remarks. Yes, I would just I do have a little recognition for you. It's not a little too big one because you deserve it. But I would also say that if you haven't if any of my colleagues have not been to the theater, please go. The issues are thought provoking, really fantastic actors, but the issues are also very timeless for for today's the day and what we're dealing with. So thank you so much again. And if you can all come up, we'd love to have a photo with you as well. We have a motion. Yeah, I'm going to get that first. So we need a motion in a second. First. Okay. Councilmember Pierce, to any comments? I do have some comments. I just want to say I want to echo what my colleagues said, which is you guys are a gem. You know, when I first got elected, you do the insane run around where you get to meet as many people as I never met before and fall in love with the city. And while I love the presentation that the CVB gave us, I fell in love with the city. When you and I sat down and talked about all the programs that you do, the outreach that you do, the community engagement and then coming to the theater. So I think I've been to three shows now and every one I'm just blown away, the intimate setting that's there. And I just feel like Long Beach is that city that, as they said, is an undercover gem still. And while we can do the lights and the shows and everything else, it really comes down to a thought provoking art. And so I'm really honored that my colleague asked me to be on this agenda item, and I look forward to getting other people to come with me to future shows. So thank you so very much. I really appreciate having you guys in the city and all you do. Thank you very much. Any public comment on the IKT presentation? Hi. My name is Emily. I live in West Side, Long Beach. And I do have to say that raising my two boys in Long Beach, we were able to go to the International City Theater free programs on the weekend. And I they were things that I could say to my boys, look at this picture. Do you want to go to this? You know, they trying to get them into the arts. And I was able to at least get them in the door. We were able to park and and it was like intimate venue. We were right up front. We did this for years and I have to do things that are free with my art, with getting my kids in the arts. It has to be free or we just can't go, including parking. And they did that for my kids for the last 20 years. So that's real access in the arts. Thank you. Thank you very much. See no other public comment. Please cast your votes. Motion carries. Of course. I was telling you. It was nice. Thank you. Okay. Close. Thank you so much. Yeah. Okay. Just as an announcement. We are going to be adjourning the meeting later tonight in honor of Rick McCabe, who was a longtime city employee, as well as a member of the LGBTQ community and the former second District field deputy who passed away earlier this month. And there were some folks who wanted to honor him. I just want to make sure that people know that the we will be closing the meeting in memory of Rick McCabe, who had a lot of friends here at the city. And so that will be it at the end of the meeting. Okay. So we'll proceed with the city council meeting. Let's take up the consent calendar. We we took that out. Where are we now? Well, let's take a public comment.