Talking Beowulf and Miles Davis with local arts champion Helen Borgers

PHOTO by DAVID GUETTLER

“My earliest memories are of being read to,” says Helen Borgers, artistic director for the Long Beach Shakespeare Company and a renowned KJAZZ 88.1 FM show host. “Detective fiction, P.G. Wodehouse—even in those days, it was pretty rare to read, though.”

Frustration might not be the exact word Borgers would use to describe the state of arts and performing arts in the United States—can anyone suspend his disbelief anymore?—but she admits keeping the Shakespeare Company running is a more than a little challenging: “If everyone woke up reading Beowulf, that’d be great!” Borgers laughs.

Still, Borgers, a recent recipient of the Long Beach Arts Council’s Distinguished Arts Professional award, has much to be happy about: her adaptation of Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon (now playing at LBSC) was selected by the Hammett family as the official adaptation; she’s a celebrity among jazz listeners in Boise, Idaho; and the new management at KJAZZ is perfectly happy to let her play songs over 8 minutes—“We can play Kind of Blue!” says. Now, if only Long Beach could wrangle a bit more live jazz: “Note to Al Williams: start a club!”

El Dorado Nature Center “It’s a peaceful, wonderful place—completely away from the city,” says Borgers, who interned at the Center while in high school. “The wild life is untouched.” And her favorite little critters? Foxes and birds.

7550 E Spring St | Long Beach 90815 | 562.570.1745

Museum of Latin American Art “It’s astonishing that this is right in the middle of the city,” Borgers says—she’s a fan, naturally, of the museum’s frequent reading series. “It’s a great cultural center. I’m proud to have it here.”

628 Alamitos Ave | Long Beach 90802 | 562.437.1689 | molaa.org

Long Beach Symphony Orchestra Of the 72-year-old symphony, Borgers can only gush: “It’s thrilling that we have a symphony of this caliber!”

110 W Ocean Blvd Ste 22 | Long Beach 90802 | 562.436.3203 | lbso.org

Four Olives Cafe “[Owner] Doug Orr has always supported the Long Beach Shakespeare Company without any conditions,” Borgers explains. “He really believes in community—anything going on, he’s at the heart of it. On top of it, he’s this incredible artist.” Any favorites? “The Sirloin Penne Pasta. It’s my usual.”

4276 Atlantic Ave | Long Beach 90807 | 562.595.1131

Tags: best of, helen borgers, kjazz, Long Beach