This is a terrific venue in the Cultural District downtown, across from city hall…read more It is huge and takes up a full city block, has 6 levels and is over 400,000 square feet. Inside there's a number of theatres and theatre companies -Alberta Theatre Projects, Theatre Calgary, One Yellow Rabbit, and the Engineered Air Theatre. Plus the Calgary Philharmonic plays in the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Many awesome concerts play at the Jack Singer, too - the acoustics are are amazing! There's also a ticketmaster in the centre court for all your entertainment needs!

The EC is one of the largest entertainment halls in Calgary, in fact it occupies a full block…read moreoccupying 400,000 square feet, and that is about 10 acres. It is a 6 level complex downtown so it is near the train terminals and after 6 pm there is very cheap parking underground and free parking on the streets. There are 4 theatres at the EPCOR Center and one hall. EC provides theatre entertainment as well as music entertainment from all around the world. I watched an Argentinean guitar quartet there a half a year ago and although we were a little late we managed to be accompanied directly to our seats by a very pleasant usher. The concert hall is enormous, but there are various entrances that can take you very close to where you need to sit. The concert that night was glorious, this is fine classical guitar picking, that is very erratic and elaborate and I swear I could feel and hear every guitar string being plucked. The acoustics there at EC are fantastic and the seating is super comfortable. The roster of entertainment is so diversified at the EPCOR, in fact in January Chef Anthony Bourdain has been sold out since October. You may recall this guy, he travels all around the world eating anything that is exotic, and I believe the last time I saw him on television was seeing him eating cow testicles in Thailand. So expect incredible variety and high quality entertainment at the EC.

Our child has been in this school for three seasons. Each year has been better than the last. The…read morewoman that runs this school dedicates her life to teaching our children. She inspires them with the love of dance and gives them pride in themselves and their craft. She is particular, but this is to our, and our children's benefit. Her standards of costume, makeup and dance are high which always produces a fantastic recital. Fundraising is neccesary in order to keep this school running with extremely inexpensive fees. To have your child in a dance school for only $27 a month is unheard of. If you are looking for a school that is a fun place for your child to learn, gain confidence and possibly jump start a passion, this is the school.

I will never go here again, the owner is a complete control freak and she is hard on the kids. She…read moreis very particular about how she does everything and she is absolutely rude. Over talks you and this school does too much fundraising they cant even justify. The year end recital at the Jack Singer is nice bu not worth sacrificing your kids enjoyment for.

We've had season tickets for Vertigo since they were in the Science Center beside Mewata Stadium…read moreand really enjoy the productions. Some more than others, but it's always entertaining. However, A Killing at La Cucina misses the mark by a long shot. In a word - boring. Two people talking (one with a fairly heavy Italian accent that can't always be understood) and a suspect. No action except for a brief moment towards the end. Don't waste your money on this one!

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is an outstanding play. Acting is incredible, sound perfect, and the stage…read moresettings are simple, but perfect for the play. It is astounding to see 4 individuals carry this play off...Each so talented. First act does a lot of building of the story, but the second act is incredible. Job well done by all involved. An absolute must-see show!!

Had a meeting the other day to view this space as an events space and man did it blow me away. Set…read morein the heart of downtown, this 100 year old historic building still conveys its original pride in its golden leaf mouldings, the original theatre ceiling and original walls. Most of the architecture has been updated and the lobby area houses the sexy and sultry Velvet Restaurant. The main theatre is a jaw dropping thing to experience, from the catwalk you see an expansive area with rolling seats that can be set up as a classic theatre formation or can be set up against all four walls with the stage in the center. The hardwood floor is rich and dark and the brick wall is an interesting urban feel which could house really unique staging. The theatre was renovated by theatre diehard loyalists and you can tell the dedication that has been put into this venue as everything is so well taken care of. There is a killer mezzanine area, with a bar that presently has been popular for wine and scotch tasting events. The only criticism I would have is because of all the historic restoration they are not so open to hosting youth events there but it is understandable considering the fine details of the architecture. All in all the place is a superb location and akin to theatre spaces I have seen in New York City and Toronto, but it's not its grandness is all right here in Calgary.

A friend gave me tickets to a Charlie Chaplin event called Modern Times. People were decked out in…read more1920s outfits, drinking cocktails, and the amazing beauty of this old gem. They had Juno winning musicians masterfully creating the sound for this old film. I was blown away by the beauty and history of this theatre! I have since attended several events and loved them all. This theatre has heart and soul and artists to run it. It's an incredible space with more history and nooks and crannies that any other joint in our FINE City! Heading to their showing of The Princess Bride tonight, pass the popcorn. ;)

Simple (though sometimes still complex) sets, inspiring performances…read more We have been to their lunchtime plays on a number of occasions now, and I must say we are always blown away by the talent. Though this last time was even one up. The sheer talent of these two was mind blowing. It's a perfect way to have a midday date, to enjoy some time without the kids AND let school be your babysitter (saving money and time not having to find and pay a sitter) or to do something different on your lunch break to unwind and disengage for work stress. In my case "all the above". They are always so friendly, and the lunch crowd currently seems to be primarily the retired age crowd but the shows most certainly are wonderful for all adults. I've taken my mom and brother when they've visited and my husband and I have gone on a number of occasions then taking our time enjoy a luxurious lunch date after or bunch before. It is one of my favourite date ideas.

How do I start to describe one of the most understated venues in Calgary?…read more Lunchbox theatre is simply an amazing way to spend your lunch hour! The set up is simple, the price is fair, and the opportunity to watch emerging artists instead if sitting in one of the +15s with thousands of stressed out Calgarians is priceless! This theatre is celebrating 40 years in 2015, and that is no easy task! Think of what Calgary looked like in 1975 and try to imagine how a boutique theatre can still be around through multiple recessions. I highly recommend that you take one lunch out of your busy schedule and give this theatre a shot! Pack your own lunch and enjoy the entertainment! Quick Review on current show: Camp Victoria is a story of 3 women in Northern Canada in the late 1800's during the gold rush. They end up lost with an injured soldier and the adventures they go through in the woods. It's a very entertaining story watching these ladies justifying their use of 'medicinal' whiskey to fend off wolves and other sounds in the night. Try to get to the theatre while this show is still on, it's worth it!

Hired Smoking Gun to create a custom murder mystery with the caveat that none of my 22 dinner…read moreguests were to know what's happening until the plot unfolded before them. To say the evening was a hit is an understatement; my guests were completely fooled and all had a fabulous time! The event was EPIC. I highly recommend Smoking Gun!!!

Hilarious!! Many themes to choose from. we've had them four times and each time so different and so…read morefun and interactive!

We used to be frequent visitors before the pandemic and this is our first time event since…read more Noting bad to say about the event but the whole area deteriorated so much, that we didn't feel safe anymore after the concert. To many drunk, homeless and probably drugs going on. We had to call security to get out of the city hall parking garage because someone slept right behind the gate and didn't even move when the gate opened... Sorry Calgary, you have a serious issue...

We travelled from America to attend my uncle's graduation on June 22, 2023 at 2pm. As we were…read moreleaving the venue, my mom and i were going down the escalator and the Indian lady who was in charge of controlling who was going into the escalator didn't let me go on DESPITE my multiple times saying that "THAT'S MY MOM" and she pushed my hand off the railing. Yet, she let people go in before me with their mom and they were the same race as her. Staff needs better training and better interpersonal skills and needs to learn to treat guests especially who come for a graduation out of the country better and not physically. Horrible experience because of this and i'm disappointed such a distinguished college chose this place for a graduation.

We were highly disappointed at the amount of underqualified staff and uncertified coaches. There is…read morean elitist attitude among the staff and management team that leads to a disregard for safety because they have no regulating association to answer to. The coaches lack the training and ability to properly manage and supervise the large groups, leading to easily preventable injuries that they either don't notice or just don't care about. More safety concerns arise from the severely lacking documentation of incidents and accidents. The whole team is very unprofessional in their communication with both caregivers and children. Unfortunately, they fail to present an inclusive and welcoming environment that is physically and emotionally safe for all of their clients.

What a great way to spend a few hours as a participant or a parent. Fun to do and fun to watch…read more Focus on safety and controlled movements. If your kid is adventurous or if they enjoyed gymnastics and want to do something different with the same skill set this is the place. Staff are Amazing!!! Alex at the front is so welcoming and accommodating. Provides all the information you need with zero pressure. One of the most inexpensive activities for kids I have found. And after the class... you aren't kicked out for the next session. You are free to explore the gym for hours if you like on your own. Unsupervised but the staff are always on the lookout to make sure everyone is being safe. And I have to note hat I have never seen an activity completely free of bullying or kids being allowed to act in non inclusive ways. The vibe and feel of this place is amazing. Everyone is welcome. Everyone encourages one another. No one is left out.

I feel lucky to have the CPO around and they are a brilliant group of musicians that attract a lot…read moreof talented guests and special programs. If you are under 29 you're super lucky and have the opportunity to see many of the amazing shows for $15 for you AND a another $15 gets you a guest of any age and often you're getting some pretty nice seats out of the deal (unlike many other youth or student programs). You just have to register for cpossibilities on their website and you'll get a monthly e-mail about the shows you can get cheap tickets for. It takes a bit more planning ahead but it's worth it as probably 80% of the concerts open up for cposs. This is a program I liked (when I was young enough *sniff*) because I needed to get out of school before I could justify even that $15 for a night out but it allowed me to get involved and fall in love with music without the largish investment. Since music was not a large part of my childhood, that connection was something CPO did for me from scratch in my mid to late 20s. There are plenty of youth targeted shows .... superheros, star wars, star trek, bugs bunny, Nightmare Before Christmas, fantasia, ET, circus acts... these type of shows were gateway concerts for me into some more of the classics but it was nice to start with music I knew well from the movies. I think the only caution would be you may realize you are like me and have 11 CPO concerts in a season (after you're no longer getting cheap tickets but have development a taste for the good seats) and you only have 2 saddledome concerts in that same time frame. It makes me feel like I'm suppose to be a grown up or something now.

I really wish I could get out to hear these guys more often. I suppose that means that the times I…read moredo attend a concert are just extra special these days. This review is based on my CPO concert-going experience spanning 16 years, with some specifics on the last two concerts I attended. The CPO is truly one of the top orchestras in the country. The group has come a long way since its inception in 1955. Like all world-class orchestras, they offer the staples of concert series: Baroque (the Serenade Series), Classical and Pops. In more recent history, they have added a new music festival, a Tchaikovsky Festival and crowd-pleasing specials like Jeans & Classics, Video Games Live, Bugs Bunny on Broadway and Star Trek. Their Saturday Morning at the Symphony Series is also quite popular. I attended the Video Games Live 2.0 concert and one of the New Works performances in May. Their website provides a lot of information to help you make your purchase. The Box Office is extremely friendly, efficient and helpful when you need to contact them with a question or group ticket purchase. The VGL 2.0 concert experience was a blast! They had gaming stations in the lobby, a costume contest, CD's, t-shirts, giveaways, and the Nintendo people were there. Even the Blindfolded Pianist of Youtube fame made an appearance. It was a huge celebration of gaming. Members of the audience came up to play Space Invaders and Guitar Hero. The orchestra played the music to match the players' progress (or lack thereof). In contrast, the New Works concert was a celebration of our Canadian composers. This was held at the Rozsa Centre. The group looked crowded on stage, but it somehow worked. I loved how the newest cellist waded his way to the front of the stage to make some opening remarks. There are a lot of new, fresh faces in the orchestra and they are giving the CPO a cool, hip vibe. That's a good thing. Yes, the orchestra needs to sound good, but to attract younger audiences, they also need to exude a bit of that "coolness factor", whether they're playing Bach, Brahms, Alan Gordon Bell or Bugs Bunny. The artists came out to talk after each performance as well. Those Hagen-Daaz bars are a great treat too. Venues are top notch. The Jack Singer Concert Hall has wonderful acoustics. If you're going for sound, there isn't a bad seat in the house. If you want a good view, some seats are better than others. There is a good range of tickets, from dirt cheap to top of the line to meet any budget. Seating is really good at the Rozsa Centre. It's a smaller facility but everything sounds and looks good in there. It's got a more intimate feel to it as well. As for the "front of house" environment, they've recently made some updates in the lobby that make traffic flow smoother, but that's the EPCOR Centre's domain so I won't go more into that. It's really cool that they have orchestra members interacting more with the public with things like SMATS, opening addresses and the Ask a Musician section on their website. Berthold Auerbach once said that "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." Does the CPO deliver on this? Yes they do. They are a dedicated bunch and they play "con molto espressione". [EDIT: To be absolutely honest, I worked @ CPO a very long time ago. It's been over 12 years ago and I don't know anyone there anymore so I trust that it's safe to review without any conflicts.]