We love coming to this intimate little theater! They do some great shows and we have never been disappointed! The box office staff is always very helpful. I am always so impressed at their sets and technical elements, in addition to the acting! read more

Empire Stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Love this place!! Came here for Seinfeld trivia with Sheba mason for the second time, (the first time being in 2019) and absolutely had a blast! Even though it's in a popular area of downtown Fort Lauderdale, the venue itself is on a side street and I've never had an issue finding parking. It has enough seating for about 35 people and I love the intimate vibe throughout all of their performances, and activity nights the Seinfeld trivia was really well done, with the sound the screen And the lighting all in cohesion to provide a fully immersive experience. At the end, I even won a Christmas ornament prize. After coming here for my first Seinfeld trivia nearly 5 years ago, I have attended one other time for a small performance, and thought that was very unique and well delivered as well. I love the local Homie feeling this place provides and I hope it continues to thrive! read more

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This is great little theatre that I was completely unaware of. Intimate and cozy, there really isn't a bad seat, even the "balcony" seats on the side of room have great views. Sound carries well and dialogue is easy to hear and understand. There was wine at our show but having just went to dinner none of us had any. The front house staff were polite and friendly, the restrooms are clean and stocked, and there's plenty of parking. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this venue, and the show we saw was outstanding. "Golden Girls Gone Wild" is a drag presentation of a Christmas episode of Golden Girls with the premise that Dorothy is finally getting married! The audience is the guest list for the wedding so everyone is greeted warmly and thanked for attending the nuptials and some people get asked to participate as part of the wedding party! A good time was had by all. read more

Empire Stage - a stage set with a christmas tree - Performing Arts Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Very small theater but we saw a well executed performance. Great location to grab dinner/drinks before or after the performance.

There aren't many cities or communities within the United States more diverse in every aspect, particularly in sexual orientations, than Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors and this is where Empire Stage so perfectly fits in. According to their own statement of purpose, they are an artist driven collective producing works for diverse audiences such as the LGBT Community. They present dramatic and musical works from the New York City as well as the South Florida artistic communities and have the goal of offering a supportive environment for artists to develop their skills as writers, actors, producers, designers, etc. Empire Stage is super small theater but for my tastes, that makes it all the better. Being small, every seat is nearly a front row seat. When seated you get to effortlessly see everything and there is little to zero need for those irritating mics and electronic voice enhancements. My most recent visit to Empire Stage was to see a performance of "Bathhouse: The Musical." As it is the story of Billy and his first time adventures into a gay bathhouse along with original songs based upon gay sex themes that humorously depict the adventures of men meeting men for sex, it would have hardly found a welcome as a performance at the Broward Center. The actors who not only had to act, but sing and dance, were all some of the best, most professionals I've seen. So, though this is a small theater, it packs a strong artistic punch. For what Empire Stage is, just a little 30 or so seating hole in the wall of an off street theater presenting LGBT oriented as well as other diverse themed works, it's a solid Five Stars in my book read more

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My husband and I had good experiences seeing shows in another local Theatre. We decided to give them a try. We bought tickets to Golden Girls Gone Wild. As soon as we arrived We knew we had made a mistake. This could hardly be called a Theatre. It was in a lousy neighborhood. I doubt 40 people fit. I've seen grade school kids put on a better show. We didn't have the heart to walk out so we endured the torture. Do yourself a favor skip this place and their lousy productions. read more

Small intimate theater with a one man show! Very fun, original and fun, lots of talent out there, Thanks to the staff for being so nice

When my family and I walked in, we realized we have made a mistake because we were the only ones in the audience who were straight. It was an interesting experience. This was a first for us, but we rolled with it. I love the small venue! However, unless you are a strong anti-Trumper, lefty and a member of the Gay Men Society, this place may not be for you. We saw 6 Characters without a Play which had one actor playing 6 characters who were from his past. He proclaimed to be a semi-famous actor/director/script writer, but I had never heard of him. It was a bit gloomy and dark and I thought it was a comedy. The other yelp reviews say they have comfortable seats and even couches, but only half of the chairs looked comfy. There wasn't much I took from the performance, but I'm sure it would be different if I knew more about what I was getting myself into. read more

Very entertaining!! I felt very safe with all the COVID protocols in place. The humor in all of it was just what was needed. I will go back and take my mom - she will LOVE the variety and the scandalous theme. read more

Covid has put a pin in so many things I enjoy in life. Watching live theater is one thing I really miss-so it was with great joy and anticipation that I brought tickets to Scandalous Nights. This variety show is produced for and by local cruise ship entertainers who have been grounded and out of work for a year now. The little theater has been spruced up and made COVID compliant by distanced seating ( 18-25 people max) I was greeted at the door by Fahrenheit Fran who took my temperature and I was offered a glass a bubbles or a bottle of water. Masks are mandatory and everything is accompanied with a squirt of hand sanitizer! Maxine Vaccine was the host and made everyone feel welcome in true blue Aussie fashion. Jeff the Juggler put on a great show ( my favorite is the trick with the shot glass) Amanda Austin-drag queen extraordinaire gave a fantastic performance and I truly enjoyed the many laugh out loud moments in her set! Angeliki was stunning with her saucy, sexy burlesque routine, (omg the outfits!) If you're missing the cruise life or just missing top shelf live entertainment, then Scandalous Nights is for you! read more

I thoroughly enjoy the theater experience offered at Empire Stage. This group is committed to smaller, 'indie' type material that appeals primarily to gay and gay-friendly audiences. And all of their productions are pretty darn good: always high quality, both in terms of the talent on stage and the talent behind the scenes. I attend several shows per season and I've never been disappointed. Most recently, I saw 'Bathhouse: The Musical!,' which is an enjoyable, silly, cheeky, risqué, towel-clad 75 minutes of singin' and dancin' fun. A really solid production, all the way around, which is the modus operandi for Empire Stage. And considering that the performance space itself is about the size of an average living room, they really do a terrific job with the staging of all of their productions. The front row literally is inches from the performers. There's no curtain, so they're doing black-out set changes. And the tiny sound/control booth is nestled (well, crammed) into the wings of the general seating plan. But those less-than-ideal factors are overcome easily. Again, I've enjoyed every production that I've seen at Empire Stage. Worth noting is that the seating area is almost as tiny as the stage itself. I think the capacity is about 50 seats total, broken down into three rows, with a few more seats on the sides/wings. So, the good news is that even if you're seated in 'the back row,' you're still in a good location. Most productions are general admission seating, with an occasional option for some reserved seating at a premium price. With that being the case, here's a tip: if you have strong preferences about the location of your seats, show up at the exact moment that the doors open. If the doors open at 7:30, then be waiting outside right at 7:30 on the dot, because by 7:45, the place will be about 90% full. Again, it's a very small, intimate venue. It fills up incredibly quickly - and most performances are sold out. Ticket prices are very reasonable. I think I've usually paid in the $25-$50 range for a ticket. Well worth the price. And a lot of the time, ticket holders are offered one glass (i.e., plastic cup) of wine with their ticket. Nothing wrong with that. Also worth mentioning is that parking is a little bit 'down home.' There are a few spaces available behind/next to the the theater building itself, but there really isn't a significant 'all purpose' parking lot exclusive to the theater or any of the surrounding businesses. The theater is situated along Flagler, in the mix of those odd-ball little streets right next to the train tracks. Most people end up parking in the grassy area adjacent to tracks. Yes, you pull right up onto the grass and park your car facing the tracks. It ain't fancy, but it works. Highly recommend the experience at Empire Stage. read more

Great little theatre! I had the pleasure of seeing The Graduate this past weekend. There is not a bad seat in the house. The cast was absolutely amazing. Excellent entertainment! read more

Empire Stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

I really hope this place makes it, especially with Promethean Theater closing its doors. I went here to see "Top Gun - The Musical" and had a blast. This is a tiny little theater, maybe 50 seats in all, and they are comfy chairs and couches not actual "seats" which just makes this place cooler. The actors were very good, the singing was great and they really played to their audience. I just loved the whole experience, from the ticket taker and friendly woman offering wine and snacks (for donation) in the lobby, to the couches and chairs you can snuggle on while watching the play, to the actors thanking you for coming as you leave. This is a sweet, quirky place and I look forward to coming back. read more

This place is a little tricky to find. Once I was there I was I was happy. It is a small stage with room for a very small audience. We went to see a show based upon author David Sedaris's experience working as a Macy's elf in Santaland. The actor was very funny and really played to the audience. There was some audience participation as well. I really enjoyed the show and thought this was a fun place to go. read more

Joan Rivers aka Joe Posa was brilliant as Joan. I have been to Ms Rivers shows several times and this show brings Joan back into our life. Fast paced and bawdy- this show will have you in stitches. Not for the timid!! read more

Empire Stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

We just saw "The First Step" at Empire Stage. Most powerful show I've ever seen in a small space like that. Every single performer nailed every last character they played in this fast paced show. Its playing two more days. This Saturday and Sunday. See it. Must see! read more

The venue is a little tough to find, but once you get there, all frustration is forgotten. I love small and intimate theaters like this. You're sitting so close to the actors that you feel like they're acting just for you. And the acting itself is great! I can't wait to go back and see more shows. read more

Me and a friend went to see Hells Bells last night. It was funny and the actors are very talented. This a small neighborhood venue. If you are homophobic please stay home. I think it is a great place and a fun thing to do if you feel like doing something different. Try seeing a show at this place...you will end up being pleasantly surprised! read more

Better casting for the play is needed desperately in this little jewel of a community theater. I have always wondered if the theater owner gives a discount to the producers if they include him in the cast of every single play they feature. Once or twice is good but using the same guy for every single play you go and see just sets a warning flag that either the producer has stardom fever or is just his playground to entertain himself. They also have a bad reputation for putting porn stars and male strippers on the shows and they call them "actors" even thou they have no formal training nor even experience in theater. One time one of the main characters (a porn star) did not even showed to the performance and someone else had to read the lines from the script. Maybe for the untrained eye who likes this types of "shows" is OK but for the people who are passionate about theater it is a stab in the chest that bleeds profusely. More talent search is encourage because the game is getting old. read more

Maureen L. One women show. Day of a garbage man. You don't have to be Irish or a NYer to enjoy this show. 90 min of wit, story telling and laughter. Mo is one talented women. Her show ends Mother's, but she should be booked again in the near future. read more

I really do love this place. It's very intimate (small, but in a nice way) and comfortable. I have seen 2 plays here that we so funny I nearly fell out of my seat laughing. Being so close to the stage and the actors creates an entirely different atmosphere than a large venue. Once there where couches and comfy chairs for the audience, but now the have been replaced with more traditional seating. I understand why they made the switch, but I do have to admit I liked the older seating. The wine and snacks at the entrance were a great touch. Great adult place for something different on a night out. I'd recommend you give them a try. read more

My husband and I went and saw City Theater at Empire Stage on 9.5.15 for Shorts Gone Wild 3. It was laugh out loud funny and one very reflective piece. I have been a fan of City Theater for over 15 years and I love the "Shorts". I liked the fact that everyone in the crowd was nice and just having a good time. Excellent talent at a very laid back venue. Extremely enjoyable if you can appreciate low key funky venue. read more

What a disappointing experience. I went to see Naked Boys Singing and traveled from Homestead on a Friday night. I hit horrible traffic and arrived 15 minutes late and saw somebody entering as i I was parking my car. Much to my disappointment the door was locked. There was a number to call and the person told me that I could not see the show because Iwas 15 minutes late. I explained I hit traffic and the person told me I did not know theater ettiqute. I asked for a refund and they told me no and I had to reschedule. I informed the person I could not because this was my only day off. I was so disappointed and I have never been treated so rudely. Obviously they never heard of customer first. Not only was I denied entrance the person argued with me, not once, not twice, not three times but when we called a fourth time we finally were told we were getting the credit. The most horrible experience and rude people. read more

A cozy intimate theatre with comfortable seats and every expression on the actors' faces entirely visible, every word - felt, every laugh - effusive. Why would anyone prefer Broadway with their high prices and actors who look like stick figures from the mid theater back? This is a true theatrical experience. I've seen shows Die Evil Twin Sister, Die, Mommie Queerest, and last week The Hebrew Hillbilly. Lots of parking available and always friendly at the box office. I love this theater. Looking forward to seeing what's next. read more

Without fail we've always had a great time in this flukey and funky theater. It's a small intimate setting, and each show we've seen has been thoroughly enjoyable - actually we laughed so hard.... David has been great, accommodating requests whenever he can. read more

So I went to the Empire Stage tonight to see Gilligan's Fire Island. It was a wonderful performance. The actors were funny and very talented. You must go see this before the show ends in August. There were times I could not stop laughing. You could see that the actors were enjoying themselves and loved what they do. This is a great little theater right here in Fort Lauderdale. I am going to be a lifelong member of Empire Stage. read more

My name is Sheldon Forman and I am now a big fan of The Empire Stage. My wife Shari and I went to see The Hebrew Hillbilly on Sat. night Nov. 7th. We got there at 6:35 P.M. because we purchased our tickets thru Goldstar and we were told you can pick-up your tickets at will call 90 minutes before showtime. While sitting in the lobby we were lucky enough to meet the star of the show Shelley Fisher. She made us feel so welcome and was she was happy to see us there. David Gordon the owner made sure that I walked into the seating area first because I have bum knees and disc problems in my cervical area. The show was over 90 minutes long without an intermission which is rough sitting thru but not on this night. The performance by Shelley Fisher is one that I will never forget. It was so easy sitting thru those 90+ minutes because the story, the music, and the singing voice of Shelley Fisher was terrific. Her acting style and wit is excellent and I would love to see her in other performances in the future.Shari and I bought her tee shirts and CD which we played all the way to Lake Worth where we live.This was a five star performance and I rate our experience at the Empire Stage A+. read more