Volta, my dear, you vaulted our experience to new heights!…read more The wonder of human movement is constantly celebrated by Cirque Du Soleil and this contemporary show had a hip, new edge to it with great music and incredible talent. Still featuring their incredible live musicians, this show is a mesmerizing treat. Suitable for all ages, the performers of Cirque Du Soleil never cease to amaze me at the wonders of the human body. I loved this show, as much as O in Las Vegas. This show is tied for my favorite Cirque Du Soleil's.

Easy four stars. Cirque Du Soleil is back in my good graces after going to the last tent show in…read moretown, Amaluna which was a bore-fest. Volta rocked it from start to finish. The two solo comedy filler acts went on way too long, the washing machine bit, and the beach bit, but the guy put everything he had into them. Lots of work for not much punch. The rest of the acts were fantastic. They were all a lot of fun to watch and the live singing that went along with it created a wonderfully ethereal ambiance. I loved it. Here's a good tip: There really aren't any bad seats so even if you are way in the back you really aren't that far back. That being said, I was seated in section 204. It was close to the center pole and obstructed my view a little bit. You would be much better off sitting in the center part of either section 203 or 204 so your view will not be obstructed. I posted the seating chart in my review if you want to check it out. Sitting off to the sides will not detract from your wonderful experience. As I said, the seats are all good. You can generally find a good deal on tickets during the week from Goldstar and other vendors of discount tickets. I got my tickets directly from Cirque Du Soliel when they were having a black Friday sale. I wanted to change my ticket but there's a $15 charge and I would have to pay full price. There's a $2 and $11 service fee on tickets. No way to avoid it. Parking is $25. I knew that. I need to figure out a place to leave my car and walk. Beating the parking fee isn't easy to do around there though. The restrooms are usually good but this time the doors would not shut on several that I tried, and the restrooms weren't as clean as they usually are. It's pricey for snacks and drinks. A bottle of water is $6. This really is a fun show. My friend that went with me and loved it so much she is going back to see it again. If I can get a super good deal on tickets, I might go too!

Love this theatre. There is never a bad seat in the house. Parking is easy and you can pay at the…read moremeter or online - how convenient!!! TIP: Ladies, go to the restroom BEFORE the performance instead of intermission. Trust me, the line moves quickly and there is plenty of time before the show. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat had a more contemporary story line. Great concept. Excellent cast, voices and choreography. Costuming and wigs were on point. Exiting the parking lot was very easy and in no time at all. Can't wait to return to this theatre again. Ok, bye.

Why I will not be returning to the Carpenter's Center of the Performing Arts and to any Musical…read moreTheatre West Productions, or for that matter to any Live Theatre in SoCal. I will find other forms of entertainment. Before I tell the why of my first sentence. I want you to understand that for 22 years I had season tickets to a live theatre in Glendale till they went under due to Covid and owners' divorce. I've have seen a lot of live theatre what happened at the Carpenter Center is the last straw. Goodbye live theatre. First the Actors, Actress, and Musicians. Thank you for sharing your talents. As a person who can miss all the notes all the time, I truly appreciate your talents and abilities. I hold the Producers and Directors responsible for the Show. As for the Carpenter Center, Musical Theatre West, and other places and production companies. I'm done. When you advertise you are doing "Joesph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" or any other production this is what I expect to see. If you are making a new adaption of the play, let everyone know before they spend their hard-earned money. This visual experience is part of the performance. Your new adaption was for the most part very poor. As my mother of 85 said, "I kept closing me eyes hoping it would change." I laughed, yet never having been to a "Chip and Dale" review it's the only thought that came to my mind to describe what was being presented. Last note Bruno Mars is not a King, sorry, a very disappointing part of the performance. You didn't want Elvis okay, then use a King... Michael Jackson, the king of pop or James Brown the king of Soul. I just love the Pharaoh as Evlis.

We hired comedian Scott Wood for our Christmas dinner. Scott was Amazing and so funny. I laughed…read morethe entire time. He even got a at standing ovation. He was clean and engaged with the audience. Made my event so successful. Thank you Scott My communication with Steve Jameson, the coordinator, was easy and he always responded quickly. I highly recommend the comedy machine. Pam Byers

It was the perfect choice for hiring a comedy machine for My 8 years old daughter's birthday…read more Magician arrived on time, the theme was appropriate for 8 years old kids, and the magician kindly let the kids take photos with him. The kids and parents both had a great time. I am definitely requiring them for 9 years old my daughter's birthday party again. Oh! I am not sure that they have different acts though...

I drive by this theater weekly and never realized it was there. Local theater is a unique…read moreexperience and it's intimate. Beyond grateful to be invited to a local production (yes, we paid for our tickets), as this was the first time experiencing theater in a setting like this. The actors are from our local and surrounding communities. Tickets are affordable and supporting local artists/talent is important. I appreciate a great night of entertainment!

I'm a Long Beach native, and I finally was able to visit the Playhouse after so many years of just…read moredriving by it. I saw Night of the Living Dead on the opening champagne gala night. It was a great experience and superseded my expectations! It was a fun experience and very homey. There is also a concessions bar with some limited snacks, but a very good drink selection for a small playhouse. The play was great and the actors were amazing. The parking is limited but there is parking in the neighborhood. I would definitely recommended to check out a show here if in Long Beach!

So happy to have found the Aurora Theater. Wanted to find a venue for a small covid safe birthday…read morecelebration, where we could have a movie night for our family. With our Disney+ account, the owner Charles was able to set up for us a completely private screening of the new Raya and the Last Dragon film. The independent play house seats 40-50, but was the perfect size for the 10 of us to spread out and be socially distanced, yet feel together. The inside of the theater is beautiful, with vintage seating from the 1940s. The price was affordable, as they are running a special rental price of $20/person for 3 hours. Charles was great to work with. He put so much work into his theater, and his passion for it shows. He is flexible and open to ideas. If you are looking for a safe and unique place to have a movie or game night with your group, I would highly recommend this theater!

The Aurora Theater is the perfect spot. We had a small screening and Charles was so kind and…read moreaccommodating. He mDe our experience smooth and seamless. Great communication! I highly recommend

Dance West is a great place to learn ballet as an adult…read more Most ballet studios are not adult friendly. Most ballet studios only reward tweens and early teens who have small bones, long legs, flexibility, nicely arched feet, small heads, tapering fingers, and parents that can pay for them to come 1-2 times a day, 6 days a week. Not so at Dance West. Mike & Monique, the owners, are serious about ballet and yet they temper it with the understanding that only 1% of their tweens and teens wants to be a professional dancer and that all of their adult dancers dance because they love it. They make ballet fun and hire teachers for tap, jazz, and hip hop that keep that attitude of fun. This is the least snooty dance studio I've been to, and I've been to A LOT of dance studios. Back when it was in Seal Beach, the class schedule & studio brochure used to note that eating disorders were not tolerated. Only by eating a healthy diet and healthy meals would dancers become strong enough to meet the demands of dance, it said. The connected company, Metropolitan Ballet Company, has won choreographic and performance awards in Europe on several occasions.

I really love Dance West. The classes are great for all ages and it is a great place to learn to…read moredance. There are many options from taking a single class, dance team, even classes for adults. The owners take a lot of pride in their studio and are involved with the local community. Their prices are affordable and some of the best around for quality instruction. I would definitely recommend this studio.

This review is for Disney on Ice: Magic in the Stars…read more We came to the honda center for it, and felt like the stadium seating was larger and further with a smaller rink/stage, compared to Ontario's Toyota Arena. It was definitely a lot harder to see if you're seated too high up compared to Toyota Arena. The rink got colder as the show went on, so definitely bring a jacket. My kids didn't enjoy this show as much as the Frozen and Encanto one we saw last year. This show had very little special effects and more "couple" dances, but they all looked very similar after you see the first one or two. We did enjoy the cars performance because it was a little different, and then moana's act at the end. My daughter's favorite princesses are Elsa and Ariel, but Ariel never appeared for this show. There were 2 songs from Frozen 2 though! Even so, we had a nice afternoon here with the family.

3.5 star. Overall. Great event to bring small little kids…read moreto since there are lots of action and short segments of performances followed by one after another. Great for younger kids with shorter attention span, say pre-schooler and elementary kids. Personally, for me as an adult, it's not something I would watch on my own or if I'm going to attend with just fellow adult friends. The show feels a bit amateur and all over the place. I prefer performances with a better plot and theme that strongly ties in together. It's as if this show is put on for the sake of trying to lump in all Disney characters into one show however possible. But little kids like it and that's all that matters. Sacrifices of parenthood. The venue is "okay". Food is super expensive ($20 for 2 slices of pizza) and not even that good. No outside food allows whatsoever and you can't bring bags bigger than 8x5 or something small like that (they tell you on the website). Parking is $20.

My daughter and I finally decided to join Nonosina after my friend nudged me to go for the longest…read moretime. I was nervous to try something new with very little dance experience. I danced cultural shows in high school, and briefly danced at another studio but that was it. After struggling and thankfully recovering from postpartum depression and anxiety, I wanted to find a place where I could take care of myself physically, mentally and emotionally. I also wanted to do something with my daughter and find a sense of community. I've gained and learned so much more than from when I first started there. I've witnessed how much both my daughter and I have progressed and developed as dancers and individuals. From building self confidence improving basic moves, learning about the Polynesian culture, and love and joy from friendships formed while being there. It's become our second home. Nonosina has a strong foundation, focusing on the fundamentals of Polynesian dance culture. In the beginner classes, they spend time on teaching the basics, technique and cultural meaning behind the steps and music. They also offer advanced classes for experienced dancers with amazing and choreo and beats. There's a good reason why it's still thriving after over 61 years with hundreds of students. It's a busy studio with the leaders taking care of its hundreds of students and also making an impact outside with Moana movies and other cultural ventures. But it doesn't take away from how the Nonosina team invests time, care and passion into its students. Aunty Ricky, Tiana and Kayla, Jaidan, Leila and Courtney pour so much love, care, mana, cultural knowledge into the students there. I would highly recommend trying it out there if you have an open mind and heart to learn. Theres a wealth of knowledge, passion and talent that they offer there. I love being at Nonosina and I'll always be grateful for the House of Gram (the founder of Nonosina) for the genuine and meaningful impact it's had on my life.

I love Nonosina. I used to dance with them when I was in high school, black pro team. Honestly one…read moreof my favorite experiences in life. Aunti Riki, Tiana, and Mevina are the best teachers, VERY TALENTED. I may be biased but NONOSINA IS THEE BEST POLYNESIAN DANCE TEAM WORLDWIDE. Hoping to get my daughter in their class soon because I truly believe in this team, from the energy to the arts to the culture it's honestly so beautiful and magical.