Excellent programs for students. Super productions, very creative. . Wonderful learning experience…read morefor kids. Look forward to seeing their shows.

My kids have attended a theater summer camp for five years through Actor's Garden, held at…read moreDominican University in the building with the two theaters. Each year they get to perform a play in the smaller of the two theaters, the 200-seat Martin auditorium. The larger theater is the Lund, also very nice. Acoustics, lights, ticket price, seat & air comfort-all great. There is an accessible bathroom on the main floor, all other bathrooms are downstairs. Accessible ramp to enter, come in through the east entrance, not the main entrance. Very clean, very warm & welcoming vibe. We've also seen a few larger performances in the Lund, like Billy Bragg a few years ago, and had a great time. Free parking, too.

Great studio!! The others I looked into were to advanced and to large for my girls. This place is…read moreperfect! Their Christmas recital was perfect just their studio and the dance had a story to it. I have been to my other granddaughter's recitals and I sit there for hours watching a bunch more dancers no story to it and my granddaughter for 3 minutes..

Impact is a pretty good studio, but isn't my favorite. The company is great and their dances are…read moreamazing. Although, my daughter recently took classes that are open to anyone and was not a fan. She also was on show stars for a little while but then left the year later. My daughter would come home with a pout face because teachers would yell or talk to her with dis respect. She also said that some teachers would comment on her technique constantly, even though my daughter was 6. I understand technique is a huge part in competitive dance, but this was not ok. My daughter would try to fix it, which I am unsure if she did correctly, but the teachers would not help with her mistakes and would instead embarrass her in front of the group of other girls and boys. Overall , not taking my child back. - Christy J.

I worked with Melissa and QP forcocktail hour music and ceremony music for my qedding at Adler. I…read morecould not have asked for a better experience. As a professional, Melissa is an incredibly versatile and creative talent. For my Western wedding ceremony, she coordinated with my young cousin, who sang a solo and tailored the performance accordingly. She adjusted the music throughout the ceremony to complement the live event. For the cocktail hour, with only a little direction, she devised a repertoire that included contemporary Indian film songs and the Top 40s. As a person, Melissa is a joy to work with - she is collaborative, personable, and authentic, bringing a lovely energy into the ceremony. I recommend QP without hesitation and know it will enhance your wedding experience.

I used Quartet Parapluie for our wedding this past July and I am so grateful I did. My husband and…read morehis dad are two generations of professional musicians so they can be difficult to please when it comes to live music. Needless to say, they were impressed which says a lot. From the time I signed on with them until wedding day, Andra and the group were as professional, elegant, and as talented as they come. Andra would always respond to my emails and inquiries in a timely manner, provided us with sound clips and CDs to help familiarize me with the songs they had available in their repertoire, and even met up with me to go over the ceremony details and song selections vs. just coordinating via email. Quartet Parapluie offers a wide variety of music - and have a long list of classical and popular songs to choose from. I wanted to walk down the aisle to a particular theme and they learned the music for me! Tip: If there is a song you cannot find sheet music for, you can pay them to write it up for you for a very reasonable fee. It's been a month after my wedding and it is wonderful to hear that people still remember the music - a detail that can get overlooked or remembered if done poorly. I will keep them in mind for any future events I have or for helping friends and family as they plan their weddings. These girls are as good as it gets. I would recommend them to anyone.

Love this place. Kathy and Joe are excellent instructors and fun to be with. We began taking…read morelessons when my husband gave me a gift certificate about 5 years ago and continue to take lessons because it has been such a great time. It is nice to have a night out with dance and dinner. I highly recommend DeMaira Dance.

I recently moved to this area and called a few schools before I decided on this one. From the…read moreminute I spoke to Ms. Kathy I could tell she was flexible and down to earth. I called another school before deciding on Demaira dance studio and the woman said their Summer beginner dance class was full. When I called here Ms. Kathy said I could do the drop in class and see if it was a "good fit" for my daughter. I LOVE and appreciate the flexibility of "drop-in" classes because with toddlers you don't want to commit because it may not work out. I had not purchased tap shoes for my daughter and Ms. Kathy was nice enough to let my daughter borrow and keep a small pair of tap shoes. So we "dropped-in" and my 3 1/2 year old who is shy to try new things gave this class a chance. It always takes her a few minutes to warm up but Ms. Kathy does have the "magic touch". Ms. Kathy does a combination beginner class for 3 and 4 year olds. The class starts off with 20 minutes of tap then 20 minutes of ballet and finally 20 minutes of tumbling. I LOVE that this class teaches a variety of dance styles, something I have not found anywhere else. I really needed to write this review because my daughter did take some ballet classes in the past in Chicago at a popular school on Southport and although the teachers were sweet they could not get her to participate for the full class. Ms. Kathy incorporates the different dance styles and makes the class fun for the girls. Ms. Kathy has been consistently friendly and my daughter has learned to look forward to going to Demaira Dance Studio. I really just want to thank you for your patience and consistency, Ms. Kathy! Ten Stars for you!

We saw Twelfth Night (July-Aug 2025) last night. I have been attending OPFT since we moved here…read more15+ years ago and this was one of the best Shakespeare productions they've had. I saw that the Tribune criticized OPFT's take for being too heavy on the comedy and light on the romance. I disagree; I thought that the emphasis on the comedy was a huge plus. Malvolio stole the show with Toby and Sir Andrew as great comedic support. Olivia's flip-flopping was also well executed for some good fun. The Fool had to compete hard for laughs.... I was delighted to find that this production had even our kids (11-13) laughing like crazy. This is excellent accessible Shakespeare in the park that is great for the whole family. Tickets for kids under 12 are just $5.

Why isn't there more outdoor theatre in the Chicago area? I mean, to some extent I get it (here in…read more2022, my car was dappled in slush and snow on April 8), but really this should be a bigger thing. As I think of it the only real options for this are Theatre on the Lake, occasionally when there's a Shakes in the park sort of thing happening, and Oak Park Festival Theatre in Oak Park. The work done by this company is really high quality, so you'll definitely get your money's worth and enjoy the performance if you enjoy the play. I came here in 2016 to see Pygmalion after a few years of saying I should go and then not doing so. OPFT has an illustrious history: The theatre was established in 1975 and has included such notable thespians (of course unknown at the time) as David Mamet as William H. Macy. Unfortunately, in November 2021 there was a fire that destroyed much of their equipment, historical documents, and I'm hopeful their fundraising efforts will prepare them to mount a new season this or next summer! Austin Gardens is in downtown Oak Park Parking is found on surrounding streets, or in the village parking lot (free after 6 pm). Accessibility is a bit harder to measure. It's a park, so it is as accessible as any park, but depending upon the type of accommodation you need, your mobility, etc. it may vary how accessible it is for an individual. They don't have wheelchairs or anything for patron use as far as I know, and as a park it may be difficult to hear at times. Alternatively, both the Green Line and the UP-W Metra line are within 3-5 blocks of the park, so that's a great choice for transportation, too. There are restaurants nearby, or for an even more fun option, bring your dinner to picnic before and during the play. Just don't disrupt your fellow patrons (so that means if you have things in wrapping and what not, maybe wrap in cloth or something that's not going to make a bunch of noise as you open it!).

I love this immersive play!…read more The new location is located in the South Loop on South Michigan Avenue. Beautiful new hallway smelling of varnish on the hardwood floors walks you back to the cutest set. There's a bar in the back yard. You can hang out and have cocktails, wine and beer before the play begins. There is an ivy covered wall, patio seating and a pergola. As the play begins, you are welcome to wander around the house, through different rooms during the show. With tons of plots and sub-plots you can catch different amazing interactions between the talented actors. There's drama, action and humor. The staff is friendly and welcoming. The actors are talented and interesting. I was intrigued the entire show. Complimentary cocktails are served during the play, which makes you feel you're a part of the party in the storyline. I really enjoyed myself and am so glad I attended. If you are looking to do something a little different, I highly recommend Southern Gothic!

If this playhouse keeps doing crazy awesome things like the show I saw here, they should do very…read morewell. I came here to see Southern Gothic. I knew this was an immersive play, but I really wasn't sure what to expect for the performance space since I was told it was in a house...They had constructed an entire house (kitchen, dining room, dining room, bathroom, porch, and patio) in the playhouse space. It was an amazing show, with an amazing company in an amazing space.

WOW! I'M speechless. My daughter signed up for Matilda this Spring 2023. She was so impressed at…read morethe dancing and singing instruction that she recieved. The teachers are amazing, patient and fun! Now my daughter has signed up for James and the Giant Peach. She is thrilled to be able to work with Ovation. The practices are convenient and it's not too far for us. I'm glad we found Ovation. It's a great oulet for my daughter's creative love of theater, singing and dancing.

It's a real shame that the favoritism is so rampant in a children's theater camp/program like this…read more Theater is supposed to be for everyone and in the 3 years we've attended, the woman running this has chosen her favorites while being so rude to so many parents and kids here who were not. I kept thinking it was a fluke or a bad day, but it's not, it's constant. It's not cheap, the productions and decent, but again, inclusion isn't what it should be. Forget it if your kid isn't a particularly strong reader. I won't be paying $$ for that woman's ego again. Hilarious that it's located in Oak Park, home of the "hate has no home here" signs

Teatro Vista advocates and encourages individuals to "explore the wealth and variety of the human…read moreexperience from a Latino perspective for all Chicagoans to enjoy." They work with over 3,000 students through educational outreach programs annually! Founded in 1990 by Edward Torres and Henry Godinez they made Teatro Vista "one of the nation's leading Lation Equity theater companies that has produced over 60 productions including 16 world premieres and commissioned numerous plays." Teatro Vista collaborated with the Goodman Theater recently to provide another amazing production..... "La Havana Madrid" a play that is based on a now extinct Chicago Night Club once located in the Lakeview area of Chicago. The play focuses on real life stories......of Latino/a experience in 1960s Chicago...read on... I went yesterday to see the play "La Havana Madrid"at the Goodman Theater and it was truly phenomenal!!! Complete with audience giving the actors and musicians a "Standing Ovation" and loud whistles and yell outs at the end!!!!! The floor level seats consisted of tables with chairs where viewers could eat and drink during the production-and feel first hand as if they were at the Havana Madrid Night Club in the Chicago Lakeview Neighborhood during the 1960s. The tables faced a stage with three steps, a live band that played latin based music and at the end of the play viewers were encouraged to dance as the band played on under the authority of the Bandleader and Bass Roberto "Carpacho" Marin! The play "La Havana Madrid" was written by Chicago native Sandra Delgado who is an award-winning actor, writer and producer who was born and raised in Chicago. Ms. Delgado played the lead role in the play as the night club singer who introduces (between songs) vignettes of half a dozen individuals from the 1960s who tell their story of arrival in Chicago from different Latin American Countries (Colombia for example) and Caribbean Islands including Cuba and Puerto Rico. Each story is a narrative about the struggles of leaving their homeland under a variety of circumstances and deals with the harsh environment of Chicago in which they experience the sadness of missing family, food, and culture of their homeland, while enduring discrimination and other economic problems ranging from housing to being taken advantage of due to their background during this time period as well as police brutality and violence. It is heavy on the heart (but provides some comic relief); however, it is a much needed set of stories that aim to inform and educate people about the diverse history of the Latino/a Experience in Chicago. All of the individuals and their vignettes come together at the La Havana Madrid Night Club in the Lakeview Neighborhood where the individuals sought sanctuary and a sense of belonging through music and cultural connections. The play was partially "inspired" by the 2006 Book by Tony Quintana (a well known Spanish-TV host and music-promoter). The book is De Naguabo a Chicago: The Tony Quintana Story, Memorias De Un Boric Ausente. (I tried to find it on-line to buy as I wanted to read it-but it does not appear to be available :( ?). Audience participation and involvement was fun and was encouraged through dancing, clapping, and verbal participation through learning and speaking some Spanish phrases. There were also two television sets on either side of the stage providing authentic photographs during each vignette relating to that era (1960s). Amazingly written, performed and executed by Ms. Delgado in association with the Goodman Theater and Teatro Vista which produces, develops and commissions plays that explore the variety of experience from a Latino/a perspective ad historically has 14 Chicago premiers and 60 productions according to the La Havana Madrid playbill. I am looking forward to Ms. Delgado's next play!!!! Unfortunately due to the restrictions of the Goodman Theater, recording or pictures were not allowed which I understand, but was "a bummer" because the music and acting and unique way that the play was executed as if you were in a night club would have been fun to share. You can see if you look carefully at my pictures a set of Congas (drums) behind the screen at the beginning before the announcement was made!

I'd been dying to see Our Lady of the Underpass, so when I saw free tickets pop up on goldstar.com,…read more I snagged them immediately! They show was really good - well acted and very well written. The play covers a lot of ground in its 80 minutes. It touches on issues of gentrification, racism, faith, loss, betrayal and more. The show is about far more than religion, which I hadn't expected - by the end I was in tears (the last vignette was my favorite). I had only two minor complaints - one character speaks extensively in Spanish, so I felt a little lost during her segment and I thought some of the attempts at humor seemed a bit off taken in the context of what is, overall, a fairly serious play. These are small issues, though - I highly recommend seeing this play before it ends its run on March 29th!