This is a small black box style theater that puts on incredible productions. My family saw the musical "Once" (twice!) and the powerful play "The Messenger". Being this close to the actors allows audiences to catch great subtlety in the performances. Highly recommended. read more

0 star for theatre class. 5 stars for plays. I gave 3 stars when I wanted to give 2.5 stars. K OHanlon has her favorites even though she isn't the teacher of the class. She advised that my child not return to the theater class - my child was only 6 and was signed up for the appropriate 4-8 year old class. My boy enjoyed going to class, he said he didn't enjoy class ONE time and she ran with that message - I was told not to come back and not to sign him back up next time. She said this to me in front of an audience/parents before (the last day of class) performance. It was very unprofessional to not pull us aside in private to say this. It was disheartening for a mom to see that she was so quick to judge who can stay and who shouldn't. Perhaps, she has limited knowledge of how boys are different than girls but she definitely caters more towards the girls? I'm sorry if my boy was more active and more outspoken than the others. You can tell a lot about a person - have you seen her drive? You definitely don't want your kids near her. Anyway, I've also seen a play here in the past. For the size of the venue, the play was very well organized and professional. All the actors were all very well versed and seasoned. I would go back only to support the plays. read more

This was my first time at this theater. It was recommended by a friend since I love musical theater. As for the production (Scrooge) they did a great job. The sound and lighting were well done and the actors did well. It's a small venue so waiting for the bathroom at intermission is a challenge. The manager/owner has a lot of enthusiasm and energy to get things started. The push for season ticket holders was apparent including cute sayings and sing song slogans that were only known to regular attendees. My biggest con is the seating. I sat on an end, hugging the wall to my left. (D27). In order to see the musical, I had to turn to the side in my chair, careful to not hit the person next to me. This created a low back issue versus sitting forward and turning my head to the right to see the stage with a sore neck. Pro - the show Con - the seating Overall a fair experience. read more

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Nice small theater, saw a production of "Once" here, not a bad seat in the house, lots of free parking, ticket prices are reasonable, staff is very friendly and attentive. Highly recommend if you want to see a high quality production Orange County. read more

Watched NO MSG added plenty of times but first time at this location. Showed up early for "Comic Khan 2025" and grabbed a few cocktails before the show and some snacks for dinner. Cocktails were delicious and had the right amount of booze. The show was hilarious! Actors/actresses put on a few different skits and even through in some improv. They even did some bits involving the crowd which is always fun! read more

Chance Theater - Performing Arts Near Me - Anaheim, California

We have seen many great productions at chance theater. Recently we saw a magician (?) in a show titled, under the influence. It was absolutely horrible. Thankfully they blessed the audience with an intermission. We feel that anything "magic" is so passé, and when performed poorly..well we left at intermission. Microphone problems. Plenty of time wasted as the magician did several costume changes. Still not sure why? Lots of mistakes. Hopefully those responsible will not quit their day jobs. One good thing was the Houdini act, although everybody who watched the magician secrets revealed show knew how it was done. Hey chance theater, Can we get a refund? 3 stars for the venue and 0 stars for the act. read more

Such a hidden gem! My husband and I first discovered Chance last year when we drove by and saw the sign for RENT. We bought tickets (very reasonably priced) and had low expectations because we had never been to a community local theater production. Holy crap. We were blown away! We became members that night and have now seen so many shows! Members received free tickets to shows and lots of other perks. We love being able to support a local theater, and even more the shows are legit. We love the Q &A post shows. Highly recommend Chance Theater! read more

Took our kids to go see a show and noticed the bathroom signs. all gender single bathrooms make sense but to have an open gender bathroom with stalls was unsettling. I don't care what people identify themselves as, but would I be uncomfortable if a man walked out of the stall next to my daughter? Yes. Theatre itself was small and intimate. First and probably last time. read more

A beautiful theater with friendly staff, comfortable seating and a lively atmosphere. Enjoyed the production of Jane Austen's Emma the Musical. The cast was spot on and just magnificent. I look forward to future productions at this theater. Thank you for having me. read more

Chance Theater - Seeing Jane Austen's Emma the Musical!!! - Performing Arts Near Me - Anaheim, California

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Great local theater. I love live theater and go often (LA Mirada, Pantages, Segerstrom). I can't believe I didn't know this place existed till now. The theater may be small but the quality is not. The play The Chinese Lady was AMAZING. If you love theater, you MUST check this theater out. I became a subscriber before even setting foot in the building because of what they have to offer, and wow am I glad I did. I've been a member now a week and have been to 2 events already and another tonight. The staff is also so friendly, welcoming and helpful. You really feel the sense of community, and it makes me want to be part of it. Im excited for my new home away from home. Don't overlook this theater, you will regret it. read more

This is a great theater with a nice stage. I came here to watch Rent and the show was spectacular. It felt just as good as a Broadway show at a fraction of the price. I felt the chairs were better than other small theaters that I've been to and overall the stage was set up just as good as when I watched the Broadway version of Rent at Pantages. Singing was top notch and I'd totally be back when I see another popular musical being played here! Come support! Note - Plenty of parking outside. There's a pretty big lot. read more

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I was looking for a weekend activity for both my boys (ages 7 and 11) to do on a Saturday that was both educational and fun and I'm so glad that I was referred to the Chance conservatory classes. The kids were separated by age group and I cannot say enough great things about their experiences. The director, Mrs Ohanlon, was so professional, responsible, and really created such an inclusive environment for all the kids, no matter their age and experience. Ms Rachel and Mr Jake were their teachers and I'm so thankful to them for letting them just be creative, silly, and most important themselves while still learning about theater, improv, writing scripts, and so much more. The boys can't wait till they take their next class. Thank you so much to all who were involved in creating these magical experiences! read more

While unassuming from the outside, don't let that fool you because the quality of the shows and actors/actresses inside are Segrestrom worthy! We saw the Secret Garden as a family and were very impressed! The actors and actresses were outstanding - both in their emotive acting as well as their wonderful voices (it was a musical). The theater is intimate and all seats are good seats. We sat in the 3rd row (row C) right in the middle of the theater and thought we had exceptional seats. This was our first time at this theater but we will return for sure! read more

What an extraordinary little theater. I stumbled upon this venue upon looking for something to fill up Sunday afternoon. We thought it was going to be a small production play that I could just relax. But oh wow I definitely did not expect to be pulled by the intimacy of the play here. We were so enthralled by their production of Next to Normal, and it was clear the director and cast added their own spin to it in an exciting way. What made it amazing was that despite a very young cast, they gave an incredibly convincing performance full of passion that completely knocked out all the teenage roles better than broadway renditions would. I returned for the American Idiot, and it was just a completely amazing experience. In the conversation with the actors at the end, one audience member went to six different versions before and remarked this was just the rawest and most authentic one he has seen. The young age of all the cast just completely sold me on the punk rock attitude of the 00's. Been to too many theaters all over SoCal, but this is by far my favorite community theater. Seriously, how amazing was it to find such perfect cast for the main role with a marvelously raspy voice so much like Billie Joe Armstrong? read more

Chance Theater - Chat with the actors after every show - Performing Arts Near Me - Anaheim, California

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Came here for Chance-A-Thon, the theater's annual fundraiser. It was awesome! Friendly staff, clean building, and a cool setup. They have two small stages with stadium seating. It felt intimate but had wonderful lighting and sound. Despite having worked down the street for years, I never knew this was here. But now that I do, I can't wait to come back for more shows. (They're doing Rent later this summer!) Small community theaters are so valuable, and Chance had a great vibe. You can tell it's a tight-knit group. Would highly recommend coming here! read more

Took my daughter and nieces to spring awakening and wow it was amazing the cast was unbelievable so professional and thoughtful the subject matter was very deep and my gals of 14 16 and 17 were so interested and mature with the discussion afterwards it was an eye opener and bonding time I'll never forget thank u chance theater!!!!!! read more

Wonderful little theater; although it may not look like much from the outside (It's a bit in the middle of a mixed use business area), Inside is cozy yet spacious and very clean. Had a great time watching the performance! (No MSG added by Cold Tofu) read more

Highly recommend this gem of a theater. Very unassuming from the outside, but don't be deceived. Excellent venue, and not a bad seat in the house . Over the last 22 years, we've been to several performances, but the quality of the acting and the stage craft, as well as the choice of plays, compelled us to make the decision to become members a couple of years ago. We just came from an another outstanding performance, the play Tiny Beautiful Things, and it was superb. read more

I loved the show! I watched Rent! It was so great!! The set was professional, the actors were amazing, and the quality of the singing and attention to detail was perfect! I love love theatre and would definitely recommend everyone to check this place out !!! read more

This is a wonderful little community theater with very pleasant staff and decent seating. I've enjoyed several productions over the years and they never dissapoint. The cast is always great and puts their hearts into it. And the pricing is right! It's a great way to enjoy a date night or a night out on a budget and still enjoy a quality evening. read more

A wonderful theater company. Strong programming. A real feel for worth while, thought provoking, moving, and fun shows with a great mix of musicals, dramas and children's productions. A comfortable and intimate place to watch live theater. You can enjoy a beer or wine tasting before certain productions. I love their programs by resident playwrights and readings of new works in development. Their membership program is such a bargain and a great way to support this company and their work. Highly recommend them! read more

I've been coming to the Chance Theatre to see shows for the last 15 years. The artistic standards are high- acting, sets, lighting, and audience services are top notch. They program an ecletic variety of plays- musicals, adult themed plays, family musicals, comedies, and dramas. This is a professional theatre, not to be confused with community theatres. read more

Amazing, high quality shows. Sets, costumes, lighting, sound, acting and direction are superb and unexpected in such a small venue. Honestly, I've seen several productions here of shows I previously saw at the Ahmanson or Pantages, and Chance actually did a better job! They are also wonderful people, who care about their community and do lots of outreach to introduce people to live theater. After each performance, the cast comes out to discuss the play with the audience, which is often insightful and deepens the whole experience. And, if you can believe it, free parking! I see a lot of theater, and Chance is probably the best stuff in Orange County! Try it and you'll thank me. read more

I am consistently impressed with the quality of talent coming out of this little theatre. There are two stages and not a bad seat in the house! They do "talk backs" with the cast after the shows. There is a full bar in the lobby. They offer pay-what-you-can preview nights before a production officially opens to make seeing live theater accessible to more people. Becoming a member is the best deal in town! Free return visits!? Are you kidding me!? So. Much. Fun. Love this place! Highly recommend! read more

Great experience! I was renting the space from them- nice communication! Super friendly people! Thank you so much guys!

This is my favorite small theatre in OC. I've been going here since I was in college, and wish I could remember the first play I saw here. All I could remember is that they are the only theatre that I could think of that truly gives young and aspiring playwrights and actors , a chance (eh, see what I did there? ) to showcase their talents. They always pick such compelling, thought provoking and unique pieces to produce. And occasionally they mix it up with something light, fun and silly like "Fancy Nancy". They've actually grown and expanded quite a bit through the years (space and production wise). Another thing that I enjoy about this theatre is that they are so incredibly creative. I love how they could do so much with what ever resources they have , which compared to the bigger theatres in OC have much bigger donations and budgets. Please help out however you can to keep this little gem open for years to come! Cheers! read more

Chance Theater - "In a Word" by Lauren Yee - Performing Arts Near Me - Anaheim, California

Well, we were introduced to this theater earlier in the year when my mother-in-law to be gave my fiancé, "her daughter" and I tickets for my birthday to see their first main play of the year Hedwig and the angry inch which was a wonderful production. We both enjoy the Q&A after the show and everyone we've seen since, the next show we saw was tiny beautiful things which was absolutely! superb. Enjoyed it immensely then we saw a new play reading, "Call your mother" also surprisingly wonderful and enjoyed that and are looking forward to seening it in full production possibly next year. last night we saw Alma, which was extremely emotional, especially for my fiancé. All the shows we've seen so far are very relatable, Have wonderful stories and really help connect our community and world. I could not recommend more highly this charming theater, that houses two theaters with wonderful seating, each a nice intimate size in both. the staff and volunteers are all wonderful and informative and really seem to enjoy being part of the theater and now that we have signed up as members which I could not recommend more highly as it gives you so many benefits, including a better price & choice for seating. We're really going to enjoy all the shows for the rest of the season and the beginning of next season. I only wish I would've signed up to be a member sooner. Great job to everyone at the theater. Thank you for your hard work kindness, and wonderful productions, especially Ben and ShinShin who gave me great information over the phone about how becoming a member would work for us and so far it's been great. read more

Saw Rent over the weekend with my boyfriend. It was fantastic! Great performers and singing. My favorite was Angel, however they were all so good at their craft. Really spacious theater with plenty of seating and nice bar. read more

The cashier was kind.the play was good. . The price was good. The event. Was good.i never saw a play called fancy Nancy.

Saw Big Fish and it was incredible! The talent was absolutely amazing! Coming from someone who has been performing and dancing for 13+ years, this show was so beautiful. Each actor embodied their character and their voices.. wow! I cried so many times! The theater is small but is handled so professionally! There is a bar and you get to speak to the artists afterwards! Also, the production value was great! Will definitely be coming back :) read more

Great local play house. The seating is intimate with all seats being good. The cast is top notch and I have not seen a play I did not like. The parking is okay also read more

Chance Theater - Performing Arts Near Me - Anaheim, California

Small, quaint, adorable theater! A great immersive experience. You feel like the whole room is the stage! I would highly recommend

My daughter originally saw Stinky Cheeseman and Other Fairly Stupid Tales here and has ever since been talking about Chance Theater...this has been going on for over a year (she's seven). Tonight we risked it and went to see a PG-13 play of theirs (at her insistence) and I have to say, it was fantastic. We will absolutely be coming back to every kid-friendly production Chance Theater puts on from here on out. What a great show! read more

Chance Theater - Elise meets some of the cast. - Performing Arts Near Me - Anaheim, California

Just wow ! So I bought tickets to watch The "Cyclone" play 2 weeks in advance. And today 2/25/23 I drove 45 minutes took 3 freeways in pouring rain a flood warning rain storm in California in years to go watch the play & my teen daughter & I were so excited. Mind you I'm also disabled & got designated disabled seating to view the play. All this to be told AT THE DOOR that the show was canceled & they were refunding ppl or exchanging show tickets. The lady refunding me said they had known since 6:30 & show time wasn't until 8pm. This is 2023 they had plenty of time & ways to inform ticket holders of the cancellation thru a text, a phone call, an email, thru there IG, or website, facebook etc. But no they could have cared less. I drove in the pouring rain to support a small playhouse but I'm disappointed & with these high gas prices too. There was zero consideration for ticket holders. Never again ! read more

Tonight was the first time that my friends and I attended this theater to watch "Anne of Green Gables" the musical, and we absolutely loved our experience there! The Chance has such a small theater charm that made our experience there very intimate and personable! All of the actors and actresses put on such a wonderful and engaging production, and even invited people in the audience to come up to the stage after the show to talk to any of them, and to take photos with them! In addition to the wonderful performances from everyone tonight, and the heartwarming music from the pianist himself, the musical brought back wonderful memories for me, growing up as a kid and reading the "Anne" books! Furthermore, I felt like coming here was certainly a very nice and relieving change from attending some of the bigger theatrical and musical venues that I have been to before, like the Pantages Theater, which is a spectacular venue, but can feel extremely overwhelming and impersonal for a lot of concert or show-goers like me because it takes so much energy, time, and traffic to get to those types of venues. In contrast, the Chance Theater has plenty of parking and makes it very convenient for people to come and go, unlike some of the bigger theatrical or musical venues where parking can be such a huge pain. read more

Tonight I brought a small group with me, 14 members of my theater group and we were thrilled with the performance tonight of "Anne of Green Gables" it was just so fabulous! I wished they didn't even have to stop for intermission, I wanted the play to just go on, I was enjoying it so much. The cast was just exceptional, and Jeff made sure my group was given the best seats keeping us together. I can't wait to post their first show of the new season. What a great evening, thank you all so much Jeff for our assigned seats together, and the cast for a terrific play!! read more

Chance Theater - Part of the cast of Anne of Green Gables - Performing Arts Near Me - Anaheim, California

The Chance Theatre is such a phenomenal venue. My mom and I saw The Secret Garden Musical, today at 3 PM. We had front row, center seats, for $40ish a piece. Well worth the price. There is ample parking in the small, industrial strip mall. Once inside, it reminds you of a small movie theatre. The lobby area is very inviting. Theirs a cashier stand which basically is the box office. Flyers and brochures adorn a nearby wall, discussing acting camps, upcoming musicals and plays, and subscription information. The walls show poster-size images of what has been seen there and is coming at a later date. There's several sofa-style seats and chairs for casually waiting until doors. There's a mini bar full of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, plus snacks, that are competitvely priced. Restrooms are down a hall, which is lined with company cast. A far wall has the headshots of actors for the given performance. Once doors are announced, you head into an organized seating system with rows outlined clearly and seat numbers displayed on the armchair. The views are spectacular from any row. The sound, lighting, and special effects were all done well. The props for this particular play were carefully planned out. The cast was epic. Young and old, delighted us through their acting, singing and dancing. What a production! See you soon and thanks for the amazing time! read more

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Hello everyone and welcome to the Chance Theater. This theater was home to a summer program called: "Speak Up, Take a Chance" (get it??). For me, I am proud of the location because the staff is helpful with me and my friend Mark and Alexis. It is worth coming back to this place with some reviews and with this one, definitely coming back. Overall satisfaction is the best place and I thought it was GREAT. Also, I also was the co-director of the first play so PLEASE compliment, like, react or do whatever it takes to make this review possible! My name is Bryan and hope to see you soon at the next location as we continue our adventures of Yelping. read more

Chance Theater - Directing the first play! - Performing Arts Near Me - Anaheim, California

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Before I headed out to the Chance this week to see a show, I did some research on the theater and its past productions, as theater is a time and money commitment, and coming from a ways out of town, if it's not great, it can be difficult to feel like the time and money is well spent. I've spent my life going to musical theater as often as possible, including on Broadway for many years, in Los Angeles (at all the major companies), across New England, and in London, and I have to say that Chance impressed me. If you are from out of town or just wondering if it lives up to a Broadway-quality performance, have no fear. They cast exceptionally well (especially adult roles - kids can be hit or miss, as with all theater), and though the space is smaller than you'd find on the West End or at many local LA spots, they make good use of what they have, the lighting design and sets are well thought-out, and the costumes and direction seemed strong as well. The only area we found lacking was honestly some of the music, in that one musician seemed a bit off at times, but, with live performance, this can happen easily, and it didn't dampen our enjoyment or take us out of the show. There are definitely some "local" feeling elements (the audience taking pictures with the cast after the show, and a pre-show raffle?), but, again, the quality of performers is such that none of this should dissuade you or make you fear you won't get a good show for your investment. If they're doing a show you love, or one you are interested in, it's worth the time. Earned its 5 stars, and I definitely look forward to tracking what they do and returning in future. read more

Tonight we went to see the Broadway Musical "Big Fish". It was our first time at the Chance Theater and I have to say, we were pleasantly surprised. It was such a great Musical with interesting, funny yet touching story (many people cried), fantastic songs and music. The acting, dancing and singing artists were incredible! Especially the main guy. We love musicals and already saw several of them. I'm sure we'll be back to this theater again to see more plays and musicals. If you love musicals I really recommend to see Big Fish ! P.S. a glass of wine was only $5!!! And you can drink while watching a play read more