My husband and I returned after a decade to see A Christmas Carol. The nostalgia of being there, a…read morespot we grew up in as kids and later as volunteers and subscribers, made us giddy. Being at that specific production in the Pamela Brown made it that more enjoyable. Actors was great about sending reminders for our tickets, which we booked online. They also sent an overview of what to know when visiting the theatre. They have an attached parking garage that is $15. It can take you to various floors of the theatre; however, last night all guests had to enter through the main lobby to pass security. The main lobby is still gorgeous with its high ceiling. The bar offered wine, beer and cocktails plus a few snacks. Helpers stood at the entrance to help guide us to our seating area. Our show was in the Pamela Brown, which has floor and balcony seats. It is small and intimate (yes, a bit tight as well for adults with broad shoulders and thicker thighs than when we were 20 yrs!). No bad seat - and I appreciated the placement of each row being staggered and slightly lifted for better visibility. Actors also offers two other theaters - one is very, very small and you're on the floor with the actors. The other is round and amazing! I want to go to a show just to experience both venues again. I'm so happy to be back and I'm inspired to watch their programming in the future.

First time at this venue. We went to see the CandleLight Tribute to Queen & The Beatles. There's…read morenot a bad seat in the house. Great acoustics and a great show. The arrangements really were inspiring. The instruments mimicked the brass sections of many of the Beatles tunes they were playing. Yes, there a small "bar" for snacks and drinks. Another great plus? Parking is attached to the theater building.

We utilized the recently advertised BOGO promotion for the "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"…read moreproduction. Several of our friends coordinated the purchase of 3 sets of 2-ticket pairs to fill a table of 6 for a Sunday evening performance. The pre-show buffet is fantastic with a well stocked selection on the fresh salad bar (typical options as well as broccoli salad) and then a delicious hot dish buffet. We had green beans, corn, quinoa, Mac 'n cheese, baked potato, pulled pork (very, very good!), baked fish, fried fish, fried chicken (also very good!), and rolls. Our server, Eliza, is also one of the Footnotes (formerly AKA as Barnstormers) and was so fabulous with taking care of us and prompt. We ordered various desserts (selections include bread pudding, flourless chocolate torte, strawberry shortcake, rocky road chocolate brownie, hummingbird cake, peanut butter pie, ice cream) to enjoy during intermission and they were all so rich that my advice would be to share if at all possible. Gift shop at entrance had so many cute items. Lobby and restrooms were all well maintained. Support staff were welcoming and all seemed to operate as a team and like a well oiled machine. Parking lot is large, well lit, and very easily accessible for anyone with mobility concerns. Looking forward to the 2026-2027 season!

This was our first time seeing a play at Derby Dinner Playhouse after a friend gifted us a pair of…read moretickets, and we had a great time! The meal is served buffet style before the play begins, and there are plenty of options available on the salad and hot food bars. Everything was the correct temperature and safety gloves are provided to prevent the spread of germs when touching the serving spoons. We were conveniently seated close to the buffet tables which meant there was a bit of traffic going past us, but we were able to get our food early in the process. Servers bring your preferred drink to the table, including alcoholic drinks from the bar, and they also serve dessert and drinks (an extra cost) during one of the play intermissions. The play, The Bunco Squad Rolls Again, was a funny, locally-written play with a twist at the end. Some friends from college used to perform at the theater and now the daughter of a former classmate is performing there. I think we will definitely return to see other plays.

Arrived fairly early for an Ali Wong Live comedy show and prepared to be seated in an upper row of…read morethe balcony sections. An usher approached and offered the option of a complimentary upgraded ticket closer to the stage, which was a nice surprise. Truly feel there are no bad seats in this venue and sometimes bring my small binoculars to see if I'm missing anything (typically I'm not), but usually just sit back and enjoy the great audio quality with no complaints. My only grievance is toward fellow seemingly entitled, self-absorbed, impolite patrons who arrive late for the shows, typically with phone flashlights turned on bright who clumsily attempt to find their seats. They seem oblivious to stomping over other patrons in their quest to access seats they had selected in the middle of the row, loudly talking, and flashing blinding lights around. Rude, Rude, RUDE. I wish theaters would institute holding patrons at the door for specific entry into the theater as a group, perhaps 15 minutes into the show. Also, if you're 30 minutes late to an only 1-hour show, it'd be nice if it was either denied entry or perhaps directed to the back rows of the venue. End of rant. :)

What a spectacular building inside and out. A great place to watch a show, very comfortable and…read moreintimate, and the inside decor is simply astounding. Everyone mentions the ceiling and the faces, which are incredible, but there are so many more details to take in: castle-like doors and faux fireplaces, tile work, angelic statues and a starry sky ceiling in the main theater. Also, the Marquee Lounge is a great place to get pre-show drinks and snacks while also giving you a closer look at that ceiling.

Commonwealth Theatre Center remains an unparalleled training center and performance venue not just…read morein Kentucky but in the region as well. The productions are fantastic, yes, but instruction starts at a tender age for many young adults. While some do continue their studies in post-secondary settings, others build self-confidence, lifelong friendships and firm team-building skills that translate well in all facets of life.

What a great place for kids to learn, relate, and act. I've seen several things here and always…read moreenjoy it. Blue Apple Players are great as well. Art is worth the investment.

Our group of 10 all thoroughly enjoyed this production of Fiddler on the Roof as the final…read moreinstallment for the 2025/2026 season at CenterStage. We were fortunate to get tickets months ago for a show that easily sold out and opening night was fantastic. Actors were terrific as always. Singing, dancing, and dialogue delivery are all very entertaining. Set design and costumes along with the lighting and audio are all top notch. Stadium style seating is fairly comfortable, but definitely grateful for intermission to be able to stretch and move around a bit. Theater is nicely sized to enjoy views from any seat in the venue. Looking forward to the 2026/2027 theater season. Season tickets order form is available now to plan and lock in showtimes.

When you walk into CenterStage, you might at first feel like you've taken a trip back in time -- to…read morehigh school. The theater looks very similar to my high school's auditorium, with large polyester curtains covering the windows and the audience sitting on risers. But don't let that stop you! The talent I've seen come out of this theater -- which has created a name for itself over its past 100 SEASONS (wow!) for performing Broadway musicals -- rivals performances I've seen in New York and Chicago. The casts are truly phenomenal and fully committed to their characters. "Community theater" does not adequately fit this awesome establishment. They're so good that you'll easily forget you're in an auditorium and become sucked into the production. And they really make the most of the stage with inventive sets. I saw my first CenterStage production earlier this year with "Spring Awakening," a very raw and edgy play that explored such topics as rape, puberty, incest, abortion and teen suicide. And as the artistic director said before the play started, CenterStage does not shy away from avant-garde or controversial productions. They don't change a play to make it more PC but use that as fodder to explore more profound and adult subjects. I like that! And full disclosure: I was comped a ticket to see "Spring Awakening," so I wanted to make a return visit -- with me paying my own way -- before writing a review. Happily, I was able to do that this last week, when I saw "Sweeney Todd." This is another one that has a bit of an edge, though I admit their production was not gruesome just for gruesome's sake. They handled -- ya know -- Sweeney Todd cutting men's throats with his straight razor thoughtfully. There wasn't spurting blood, but rather, the shock value came from the actors' performances -- perhaps as it should be. I also like that CenterStage partners with non-profits on most of its productions. At "Spring Awakening," the theater raised funds for the Center for Women and Families. During "Sweeney Todd," the theater was raising funds for itself -- and more specifically, replacements for those ghastly curtains! Bravo! But they could put up paisley bed sheets over the windows if they wanted to -- I would still gladly come to their shows.

It's been years since I've been to the Kentucky Center and I love what they've done for upgrades…read more The quintessential art (crushed cars? flattened train?) that I remember from my childhood remain fixtures in the walls while the new (new to me) conductor's podium in Whitney Hall is dreamy and modern. The acoustics are well designed, carrying singers or orchestral performances to every seat. AND I haven't had to wait too long in a line for the ladies' room during intermission for the shows I've attended.

So many wonderful years attending shows here! I love our center seats in Row T and never want to…read moregive them up. What should you know? - the theater gets cold! Wear long sleeves or bring a layered jacket. - some seats are tighter than others, especially in the curve - they have an attached garage, but the Ali Center and Galt House offer great alternatives - come early for a drink or book a reservation at their newly renovated lounge - the smaller Bomhard Theater is great, and not really a bad seat - downtown traffic can stink! Give yourself extra time driving to the show and securing parking. - lots of restrooms, so don't let a long line worry you - book online or stop by the box office to secure seats - consider booking meal reservations at nearby restaurants, before or after your show - security is present and you'll pass through a scanner, at times being wanded or have your purse checked - check your tickets to learn which floor and which side to enter - if your seats are mid row, stop waiting to enter at the last minute. The rest of us are judging you and the drink you almost spilled on us. Enjoy the show!!

Cirque Louis is a brand new circus act, part of the 66 year Turners Circus in Louisville. However,…read more think more Cirque de Solei than Barnum and Bailey. I had the pleasure of going to see their premier performance at the Mercury ballroom and I was blown away. They had a number of acts grouped loosely around a story set around the Prohibition era. The circus concentrated mainly on acrobatics, which were fantastic, but also brought in jugglers, dancing, magic, and witty repartee. Including a veritable calvacade of bourbon puns. Perfect for the River City. The show seamlessly integrated these elements into an amazing experience, without any of the hiccups you would expect from a premier show. Imagine my shock when my wife told me that the performers were amateurs who were volunteering their time and efforts to put the circus together. They certainly put on a first class professional show. Cirque Louis will be putting on more shows in the Spring of 2016 and I will certainly going again. I highly recommend Cirque Louis to anyone looking for a unique experience and a great time.

This was like a very amateur version of cirque de soleil. Okay to watch maybe once and maybe would…read morehave been better if we had small kids who could enjoy it. Some of the acts definitely need more more practice but overall it was good.

The Alley is a great little theatre. It's located right off Main Street in the heart of…read moreLouisville's Whiskey Row - so it would be super easy (and convenient) to get a bite & a bourbon somewhere within walking distance before or after the show. (highly recommend Dish on Market) Also, most of the performances are in the evenings -- which means meter parking is FREE! (woo-hoo!) The shows are all pretty low-key performances with a focus on the play's content, (really) creative use of props and often, audience interaction -- versus grandiose sets and special effects. The theatre is small -- maybe seats 60? 90 if they bring in extra seats.. which they sometimes do. (check out their Evil Dead Musical -- it put them on the map for me) The actors are typically not using microphones but they are easily audible from every seat. If you love to be in the middle of the action with an actor literally within reach (or blood being sprayed on you (evil dead musical "splatter zone") -- then sit on the front row, or at the end of a row. The $18 advance/$20 day-of-show price is pretty reasonable considering -- there are no bad seats in the house, the shows are highly entertaining and often involve some amount of pop culture relevance and improv. BUT -- if you love frequenting the Alley & saving money, they offer a "SIXTIX" card for $80. It gets you 6 tickets ($120 value). You can use it to redeem up to 2 tickets at a time to any show. You can do this online, by calling the box office or emailing them. If you don't use the sixtix within a season, no problem -- the 6 tickets stay on your card until you redeem; like rollover minutes (but without all the fine print & secret charges) The theatre company offers lots of variety in performances (musicals & comedies mostly), but most involve off-color, NSFW content-- so leave the kiddies at home. This is the cards-against-humanities of theaters -- wonderful theatre for terrible people (and alcoholics, hipsters and locals). The snack bar features really cheap drinks, a few snacks and $3?, unlimited refillable popcorn! Beers range from $5 Sam Adams & on draft pours to $2 PBRs (to feed the hipsters)... and if you're into knick-knacky, nerdy things or local art -- there is a gift? shop full of these things right off their entrance on Main Street. Take the elevator or stairs up to the 4th floor & you're in for a fun & fairly cheap 2 hours of entertainment!

I wouldn't take me places in public but Karen is a glutton for punishment so off we went to the…read moreAlley Theater to see, "The Complete Works of Shakespeare Abridged." Once you get over parking down town it isn't a bad place to be! You enter on a first floor into a gift shop and ride an elevator to the theater. I am not a fan of elevators; luckily Captain Awesome let me walk down on our way out. One should only push his luck so hard. Once on the floor with the theater you encounter displays of upcoming shows and programs from shows that have run their course, there is also a bin for the programs you'd like recycled. They also have clean bathrooms and a bar that provides appropriately priced beers, sodas, wine, and snacks. Dude, you can get popcorn with free refills. I was as hungry and hangry as a fourteen-year-old. Karen made sure that I had popcorn and beer to prepare me for CULTURE! The only thing I didn't like about the Alley Theater was the seats were tiny/close together and I was cuddled up to Karen who was clearly not into it. Oh, the show was good and it wasn't uncomfortable in the theatre (in terms of temperature) and I had a great time outside of sitting in the seat where the audience participation happened. I'm high functioning autistic; I just want to blend into the woodwork when I leave the house. This was so painful and I hope I didn't ruin the show for people. They called it the "Bob seat" which was funny because that's what my buddy calls his penis and that buddy texted me a couple times during intermission. I'm sharing this because if I we hang out you'll wonder, "which friend?" If it's in my head it should be in yours, too. Let's suffer together. The acting was good and the play was fantastic. I didn't feel like I was at some uncomfortable, stuffy, avant-garde kind of thing and it wasn't overly formal. I can usually endure the theater pretty well if the show is good (I can't do with the droves of humans, the expected behaviors, the sitting) but I was able to enjoy myself at this show. That's just my personal issue but it was one that was accommodated by the design of the place. My friends love going to shows and this should be a way for me to participate instead of always turning them down. After the show the actors come out and interact with the audience which is so much fun, if you're into that. I am not. I don't like interacting with me and I don't expect other people to either. There are people who have good questions for actors or want to congratulate them on a good show. I did, of course, tell them I enjoyed the show and pretended I wasn't painfully uncomfortable participating so much. They had no idea and I did sit in the Bob seat. I'm not telling YOU where the Bob Seat is. You'll just notice me not sitting in it again. I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to experience culture, especially people like me who aren't good at it. Tip your bartender, that's the only money they make.

Decent bar and food prices at venue Venue has great seating…read morethroughout Venue books a variety of acts And prices are fairly reasonable

Iroquois amphitheater is a great venue to host outdoor events. I attended my daughter's orchestra…read moreconcert here with Louisville Youth Orchestra. It is a beautiful event space and the surrounding park and tennis courts were busy this day as it was a beautiful sunny day out. I appreciate that a majority of the seats are covered while some seats are uncovered, so you have options. Anywhere you sit is a great view because it's stadium style seats. I enjoy coming to this event space and I appreciate the local businesses nearby to dine before or after an event.

This small theatre is located in The Henry Clay building. It reminds on stadium seating for movie…read moretheaters. You are real close to the stage and the actors. We sat at the very top and still got that experience. We saw the play "Helper" here about gun violence that happens in a small town in a tavern. It has three actors who did an amazing job with all the dialogue that had to remember. The stage prop were on point from the cash register, bar, couch, food prop and more. I only wish we could've spoken to actors afterwards but due to threatening weather moving in it was cut. Also if the air conditioning worked but they had some issue with it. It is located at the corner of third street and chestnut on the third floor. Garage parking is near by for $12. The show tickets are around $25.

One of our friends had told us about a play he went to see recently and highly recommended some of…read moreus go to see. We had never even heard of this theater, it is inside the Henry Clay. So we decided to check it out. The play was Boatwright. SO good! Theater was small and cozy (144 seats), comfortable seats. Nice to have a more intimate theater. The play, very funny and good! 3 actors, and really did a great performance! We were able to purchase a beverage or glass of wine right outside theater, and they had cookies to enjoy while waiting. The restrooms are also conveniently right outside the theater. They have a short intermission period so you can get up and move around. The theater also has season tickets you can purchase to their plays. We will definitely be back to see more productions!