With 100 years under its marquee, The Art Theatre of Long Beach is looking forward to the future.
While the single movie screen and squished-together seats are a far cry from the IMAX offerings and reclining chairs in most theaters nowadays, the novelty is part of the experience at The Art. Rather than being defined by its age, the theater has remained open to transformation.
From its multiple names and exterior styles over the years, to its willingness to give the community new types of films, the theater is no stranger to change.
“We’re looking to the future kind of hopeful, and it turns out thinking outside the box was really helpful,” said Kerstin Kansteiner, vice president of The Art Theatre.
A peruse through its ambitious programming is proof enough of this sentiment — with showings as early as 11 a.m. and as late as 11 p.m. featuring foreign ventures, Oscar-nominated pictures, cult classics (in 16mm format, no less), independent films and documentaries accompanied by Q&As with directors and other creators.
Its February slate is already released, with a classic film calendar that nods to the past. The packed schedule features Oscar-nominated titles such as “The Brutalist,” “Flow,” Sugarcane” and “Anora” for those prepping for the Academy Awards in March. Lesser known titles offer the promise of discovery, with “From Ground Zero – Stories from Gaza,” “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” and “Time Passages” with a conversation featuring its director Kyle Henry.
A month at The Art is only complete with a few cult classics. In February, audiences can enjoy “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “Across the Universe,” “Psycho” and “Harold & Maude,” the latter two in their original 16mm format.
It’s a balancing act, trying to satisfy longtime patrons with first runs of new films and satiate a younger audience with foreign releases and classics.
“The goal is to provide a lineup that feels inclusive and comprehensive of all the different offerings and keeps it accessible,” said Kennedy Ghaill, program director for The Art Theatre. “We try to be an avenue for those who want to be a film buff, but who aren’t already.”
Carefully selected series of art films and late night showings have quickly become beloved staples at The Art Theatre of Long Beach, as they’ve seen an increase in ticket sales, their highest grossing fundraiser during their annual Oscars watch party in 2024, and for the first time in years, a need for more employees.
Much like their sister city Los Angeles, young audiences are fueling a revival of independent art houses, who prefer the eclectic films and experience to chain movie theaters.
A Brief Look into The Art Theatre’s 100 Years
Though the theater has remained in its same location at 2025 E. Fourth Street, it has held many different names and styles. Originally known as the Carter Theater, it opened to the public in 1924 with a Spanish Colonial Revival style, with red brick and textured stucco on the walls, Spanish clay tiles on the roof and ornate arches. It was owned by E.H. Lee.
The 1924 theater was flanked by two storefronts on Fourth Street: local confectionary Bennett’s Canary Fountain Lunch, which served sandwiches, cigarettes, cigars and fountain drinks; and Seibel’s Radio Service, which sold radios and radio accessories. The radio repair shop was replaced a year later by a barbershop.
Movie theaters were popping up all over the country in the ‘20s. Long Beach also constructed theaters on Pine Avenue, E. Ocean Avenue and E. Seaside Boulevard, none of which are still standing today. Under manager E. C. Heard, The Carter Theater showed first runs of newly released films on its single screens. Since movies were still silent, the theater was built with an orchestra pit and a Style D orchestral organ.
The theater’s exterior was overhauled following the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, which completely destroyed multiple buildings in the city. By 1934, the theater reopened with an Art Deco modern style and a free standing ticket booth, which still stands today. The theater was renamed the Lee Theater in 1935, and became the Art Theater of Long Beach in 1947, when it began to show American and European Art films rather than exclusively first-runs.
In 1973, Howard Lin bought the theater and doubled down on its artistic leaning by showing foreign art films, cult classics and movies not typically seen in major theaters. He also changed the programming three times a week, which was virtually unheard of for a single-screen theater at the time. Lin saw the theater through technological changes such as cable television, the VCR and DVDs. In 1992, the City of Long Beach declared the Art Theatre a historical landmark.
Kansteiner, who has owned various establishments on Fourth Street with her husband for over a decade, recalled that Lin would invite her and other neighbors to a free show if a film didn’t sell enough tickets. To sweeten the already saccharine deal, he had blankets he would give out for showings.
So it didn’t take much convincing when Lin was wanting to get out of the theater business, and Kansteiner’s husband suggested they step in and preserve the iconic establishment. Knowing it wouldn’t be a “huge moneymaker,” she and her husband took over the theater in 2008, and made the transition into a nonprofit in 2013.
“Looking back I’m like, ‘What were we thinking?’” Kansteiner said, reminiscing on how little they know about owning a theater when they took the leap. “Eleven years later and I feel like we’re now figuring things out a bit more.”
Learning on the Fly
One of the first major questions for the new owners of The Art: How would they show movies? The theater was still projecting old school films, complete with a toilet in the small upstairs room for the projectionist and a metal door to keep the theater safe in case the highly flammable film caught fire.
In 2008, studios were no longer producing these expensive films, and The Art had no way of showing movies on a hard disk. When they discovered they would have to shell out $65,000 for an updated projector, they worried they might not make it.
Once the projector issue was resolved, they had to learn how to work with movie studios. Some films they have to show for at least a week, sometimes longer. Others have to get at least one showing past 6 p.m., and if they want to “stack” films, they have to be from the same studio so there’s no competition. All this, while trying to bring variety for a diverse community.
“It’s a labor of love,” Kansteiner said. “Everyone on the board, they’re watching five movies a day and coming back with ideas. There are folks making popcorn on the weekends, people helping with check-in.”
Another avenue opened up for The Art when they received their alcohol license. They started doing themed nights with accompanying cocktails for special releases, and offering itineraries that paired with the wine bar. Once they realized people wanted more than a regular night at the movies, they returned to the roots of the theater for inspiration.
In 2017, the board invited local composer Jack Curtis Dubowsky and his ensemble to perform a live score to the 1921 horror fantasy silent film “The Phantom Carriage.” Audiences were transported to the original experience at The Art, with 10 musicians playing an original score composed by Dubowsky.
“You can’t really attract somebody for a movie anymore because they can do that from the couch, but making it an event … People love that,” Kansteiner said.
The Lakewood-based ensemble has returned to The Art Theatre over a dozen times since their 2017 debut, performing to films such as Charlie Chaplin’s “The Kid,” Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Lodger,” “Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans” and other titles. In what has now become a tradition, the Dubowsky ensemble performs the 1922 version of “Nosferatu” at The Art on Halloween every year. In recent years, attendees come dressed up as the characters, purchase soju and spend Halloween with the lonely count.
For those who have seen the film before, even at The Art, Dubowsky told the Signal Tribune that each show contains new elements as they aim to perfect their performance. Dubowsky watches the chosen film countless times over the course of five weeks in order to compose an original score. He’s adamant that the ensemble is not “just playing random garbage” to the films, but each character has a theme, and musical tension is added to already pivotal scenes to create a richer viewing experience.
“You’re seeing it in a historic theater with a live audience with a live score, and accidents and magic can happen,” Dubowsky said. “Because we have this home at The Art Theatre we’re able to refine the system and refine the score so every time you see the movie it gets better.”
For audiences who enjoy the “Nosferatu” shows, the Dubowsky ensemble is performing their original score to the 1922 horror “The Golem” on April 5 at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on The Art Theatre’s website.
When Risks Pay Off
With a few new traditions under its belt, it was time to try something new altogether. Thanks to new life in the theater staff and a supportive community, The Art Theatre has now done away with the traditional film model altogether.
Ghaill’s arrival at The Art Theater in 2019 was ushered in by an affinity for the strange. Having studied theater and box office management in college in Ohio, she knew how to entice audiences, and quickly began pitching ideas for thematic series to expand what people had come to expect from the theater.
Ghaill started with the “Century of Cinema” series, where every month focused on a different decade in film. They now have the “After Dark” series with cult classic films that show late at night, which Ghaill says appeal to a younger audience. For Art Theatre members, the “Art 11” series shows foreign films, documentaries and small releases which typically show at 11 a.m. and are open to the public, but free for members.
“It’s a dialogue,” Ghaill said. “I track several release schedules and trades, who’s going to early screenings, what’s got buzz on Twitter, Letterboxd, or Oscar buzz … and I talk to our patrons a lot. All of the stuff at The Art is in conversation with our patrons.”
After a few successful runs of smaller releases and public domain films, Ghaill realized “when we take those risks it usually pays off.” She was put in charge of programming in March 2023, and led the theatre’s biggest change yet: seven months of no first-runs, meaning no mainstream movie releases.
The months of March to September at The Art are now embodied by classic films, cult favorites, limited engagement releases, and films accompanied by a Q&A or conversation. For those who want to follow along with The Art’s new series, the theater now has its own Letterboxd account where current and upcoming films are posted.
The theater has also introduced several membership options with perks like free screenings, free popcorn, a monthly film program in the mail and other discounts.
“Long Beach has been very kind to the classic films,” Ghaill said. “I feel like I can’t fit enough into the schedule.”
She also teased at the theater having some exciting conversations, Q&As and guests in 2025, but said she didn’t want to name drop. Audiences will have to wait for the monthly schedule to see who is visiting the historic theater next.
For now, all efforts are focused on the theater’s annual Red Carpet Awards Fundraiser Gala on March 2, the biggest party and fundraising effort of the year. Attendees can watch the Academy Awards live in their fanciest clothing and make predictions on categories, win prizes and enter raffles while enjoying food and drinks. General admission tickets can be purchased for $100, and members can attend for $75.
To find out the next show at The Art Theatre, or other events, follow them on instagram @arttheatrelongbeach.
