We are so happy we found Encore. If you are looking for a high-quality educational experience and performing opportunity for your child, where they learn not only stage skills, but also life skills, then this is the place for you. The production level of Encore shows is much better than other South Bay options, and the kids are held to high standards--onstage and off. Zero tolerance policy on bullying and name calling. Accountability and respect for one another at every stage of the experience. A sense of family that you won't find elsewhere. It's a special place. read more

Encore Theatre Group - The Addams Family Encore Show at Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Torrance, California

These people are great, but I need to say this. I understand you are busy but please make sure you send your emails to everyone. I had to rely on a friend who got the emails. But everyone there is amazing and highly recommended. Just make sure to send your emails! read more

Encore Theatre Group has been a safe haven for me and my daughter. We had previously explored a few other theater organizations in the South Bay area, and many of them offered an experience that was subpar, in my opinion. As a former professional dancer, I wanted my child to experience a high-quality production put on by professional educators interested in instilling a love of not only performing, but also working together as a team--the true community theater experience, which is what you get at Encore--but that was not what we got elsewhere. My kiddo would come home after sitting around with a lot of other kids in back rooms with no supervision (looking at phones, bullying each other, etc.) while the administrators worked with a small handful of kids so that every kid would have a few moments on stage for their parents to feel like they got their money's worth. I want to be clear--this is not what you get at Encore. They care deeply about each and every student. There is one-on-one instruction, when appropriate, but the majority of the experience is centered on working together as an ensemble, and the value of supporting one another as a team is at the forefront of the journey. The result is a high quality production that rivals professional organizations and gives kids true insight into what it looks and feels like to be a working professional in the performing arts. The mentorship that occurs from former and current dancers, singers and actors is invaluable. This is not your typical "recital" experience. These kids build friendships that last a lifetime, and they learn what it is like to be a part of a true community. It is magical. I am so grateful to have found them. I know that some of the reviews predate the current administration, so I can't speak to that experience, but I encourage parents to see for themselves by attending one of the free initial audition workshops prior to signing up/paying for a workshop. If it's for you, you'll know within minutes. read more

I was a big fan of Encore's musicals and liked their sense of community and all that feely-goody stuff, but had a bad experience over the weekend at one of their showings. I'm not sure if my experience has to do with Goldstar or the people running the performance--since I don't know what their business model is, I'm not sure who would be responsible in this case. My tickets apparently weren't at will-call, even though I had the email confirmation and my driver's license to verify my purchase. The ladies at the will-call window were very dismissive and had this "not-my-problem" attitude about it, instead telling me to go to the box office window. Thankfully, the lady at the box office was eager to help, and found out that they had simply mis-filed my tickets. Instead of apologizing or owning up to the mistake however, she blamed it on me, and said "it's because your name is so UNUSUAL" which I found insulting and offensive and a bit racist. My name has a last name and a first name, so what is so unusual about it? It is also made up of roman characters, and is 100% phonetic? So...their staff screwed up but it's my fault for having an "unusual" name?? The show was good, but the experience was ruined by the people at the ticket stand and their insensitive comment and the way they handled the situation in general. This was the third show with that production company but I'm not sure I will be back after this. read more

As a parent who spent almost $600 on this 2 week theatre camp, I am very disappointed with the production quality of the play my son was in. For almost $600 x the 30 or more kids + the money that people pay for show tickets, I expected more. The quality of the play was, to put it plainly, crappy- from the costumes, to the background, to the props, to the poorly working sound system. It also didn't seem as though the kids were taught much about voice projection or stage presence. If I could get a refund, I definitely would. The value of the effort put into putting on the performance, is maybe worth $50 for the camp, not the $600 they are charging folks, which is the same amount they charge for longer sessions. I just don't know where the money went. read more

My husband, 8 year old daughter and I just finished watching our very first Encore production "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST." My husband and I are musical enthusiasts and we didn't have any high expectations for this musical because we were unsure of how big or small the theatre company was. However, after watching the show, my husband and I turned to each other said "this musical was terrific!" It definitely went above our expectations. The casting of Belle and Gaston was on point. We will be sure to look out for future Encore productions. The original songs that the casts performed were sung very well. However the original songs lacked a bit of creativity. The original songs just seemed detached from the original play. But regardless, we still enjoyed the musical. read more

TL;DR at end of review. It is disturbing to read such high praise of encore, both in reviews on Yelp but also in other publications. The reviews and articles paint encore as a haven for children and a safe place where they can explore the wonderful world of theater. I am here to speak against those sugar coated reviews from parents who choose to ignore the emotional damage that could be inflicted on their children, and the ways children, teens and adults are manipulated under the direction of Encore's leadership. I have personally been lied to on a number of occasions. When 'begging' you to do shows, the management preys on emotions, basically telling you - "you would make a great (insert lead role here)" only to find out that this has been said to a number of students. By that time the cast list has come out and you've been given a completely different part or understudy only after you've paid your tuition. You're "asked" to do things during this wait period of wondering whether you'll get a role, and fear tactics are used in order for the managing supervisor to get their way. The aforementioned article quoted the director saying things like, "please don't turn your back to the audience," but please is not a word you'll hear often. The only time respect is shown toward actors is when there are reporters around, or people around that the company is trying to get to give them money. You'll either be shouted out at you, "I can see your rear end!" or make some sarcastic comment about how nice your back looks. Please do not give this company money or let your children be hurt by its leader and band of Stockholm Syndrome followers. As a concerned member of the community, and a former member of Encore for many years, I beg you to ask around before you put your child through the hell that could be caused for students. Ask those who were around from the inception of this company... Many of the original students are doing the best they can to heal and don't have anything to do with the company or the original leaders of it because of the pain and emotional trauma they've been caused. Please, I implore you, stay away from this toxic company because of the emotional, abusive leadership. TL;DR: if you are looking for a program to spend years in without growth, but rather come out the other end questioning your worth, talent, and integrity. Then by all means, this is the program for you. read more

Staff are friendly but do not disclose that their productions for youth (we signed up for Peter Pan this fall) are set for a cast of over 150! I have never heard of a play including 150 parts. We paid $500, plus there are additonal fees and fundraisers required through the production. My 9yr old daughter was cast as one of 30 Lost Boys and practiced for 1.5 hrs on Saturday s which was lead by teenagers and the actual adult directors only worked with them sporadically. When I asked why a teenager was "teaching" acting, I was told about their leadership program and the teen had gone thorough. That would be fine for a free theater program but needs to be disclosed to new members Before paying. If you do the math, over 150 kids at $500 tuition each they can afford to have qualified teachers working with each group the entire session. Do not go unless you are OK with your child being "cast" in this type of program. read more

paid $350 for 40 hrs lesson, ok not bad but your kids might become a hidden background prop. with little to no training. Just before the final show, they tell you that parents must pay extra to see their kids in the show!! what? I spoke with several kids (6 to 7 years old) in their program and they all found it boring. They told me the instructors get angry easily and yelled at them numerous times. I knew about this in the middle of the camp but I waited it out 'cause kids often evolve their opinions and see the final show for proof. The final show really proved what the kids told me. None of the lesser roles knew what they were doing or singing. They were pushed around to get on/off stage. The kids I know can and have performed in other programs just fine but only if they had proper training and instructions. The "background" kids seem completely lost in this one. This is a poorly run camp. If your child got chosen to play one of the major roles, you may be so happy and overlook everything else. If not or think that may not happen, forget this group. They overbooked kids and didn't know how to training so many. They took the money and were NOT up front with parents about what's really going to happen. read more

It is very disappointing that someone would post anonymously and say that they "hope someone on staff will read it." If you are paying money and feel you are not getting your value, then you should speak directly to the person you are criticizing. I can speak from personal experience to say that when I was upset with something, I have spoken directly to the director, Summer, and had my concerns validated and addressed. When you are running a theater group that is typically running two separate productions with many children and adults, there is simply no way that you can guess that someone might be upset about something. If you simply ask, Summer will take time to speak with you one-on-one and I know this because she has done it for me. In addition, unless you have done theater, there is no possible way you can appreciate the fact that they put up summer camp productions with all children (that includes tiny kids) that are over an hour long in less than two weeks! This entails getting to know the kids, playing games, keeping them entertained, THEN auditioning, casting, teaching songs, lyrics, lines, blocking, costumes, etc. Even with this, they still manage to put on adorable shows that are very well done. My kids beg to do Encore shows and they absolutely love it. I understand the negative perception it can give when Summer has done roles in shows - especially to a parent looking in from the outside. I am sure she will address it with anyone who has a concern. I can simply say this - as an adult, I really enjoy doing shows with my children, as well as all of the people in the shows that I now call friends. I cannot imagine it is much different for her. She has true excitement and enthusiasm when she gets to work next to all of these kids (including her own), most of whom she has known since they were 5 or 6. She also happens to be a good actress and uses that to provide examples to the other people cast in the same role. Again, if you have a problem with it, you simply need to take the time to speak with her. Now for the reasons I gave 5 stars: They have a lot of fun with the kids and adults. I had no idea until I decided to join one of the shows how much more than just rehearsing they do. They know everyone's names, they encourage everyone to participate in games that teach confidence, improv, quick thinking, etc. They have a wonderful student staff to whom they are teaching more than just acting - they are learning how to do choreography, blocking, voice instruction and more. The younger kids, including my two daughters really look up to them. I also noticed something that isn't evident unless you get to meet the kids that are in Encore productions - kids who may not "fit in" at school or might be shy and quiet are different when they are at Encore. They come alive with confidence, they sing, dance, act goofy, and laugh a LOT. Both of my daughters look forward to going to rehearsals and there are very few activities we have them in where they don't complain about going at some point. They do give kids who aren't as "talented" chances to have lines, dances, etc. As I explain to my kids, there are a lot of talented children in this group, you will only get a lead role if you are better than the other kids auditioning. That is real life. You get cut from sports teams, you don't make the cheerleading squad, you don't get accepted at every college to which you apply, and the job market is the cruelest of all. However, Summer and the Encore staff always include everyone and treats them the same as anyone who has been cast in a lead. They do shows that allow for good ensemble participation and they involve all of the kids throughout the process. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone has faults. If they address them properly then that is what sets them apart. Encore and Summer are not perfect and I am sure they learn new things everyday. They will take the time to speak with you, address concerns, and take suggestions without hesitation. That being said, my two daughters beg to be in every production and now they beg me to be in them with them. I am having a lot of fun with my kids and I can personally see the care and professionalism that is given to them while they are in these productions. We are proud to consider ourselves part of the Encore family. read more

I was reading some of the reviews here and was really upset with what I was seeing so I decided to write a quick note. I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, this has been a life changing experience for both myself and my daughter. It has created a bond between us and memories that will last us forever. I am so grateful for the opportunities that we have been given here at Encore and I cannot say enough amazing things about their director Summer. She is one of the most kind hearted giving people I have ever met! I felt that from her the first time we met. And she has a really tough job. I have no idea how she does it. I have been with Encore for over 8 years now and loved every minute. Thank you Encore for all that you do and bringing my relationship with my daughter back to life! And Thank You for the opportunity you have given us. No words can describe my gratefulness. Always a fan! read more

Some of our neighbor kids were in Romeo and Juliet, and we have been hearing them rehearsing at home and decided to come check out a real performance. Most excellent performances by all involved!! This was my girlfriend's first visit to live theater, and she was also very impressed and is looking forward to Little Mermaid this summer. I was in drama in high school, and can appreciate what they do with a small set and stage. (kinda got the bug to join them if I had the time) Just a little put off by the seating and temperature control; it got rather uncomfortable for a big person by the end, though the half-price glass of wine at intermission helped. read more

Our family has been involved with Encore since the beginning, and we are so thankful for what Encore has meant to our family. Originally, our children began preforming with the group and as a result learned much about success and disappointment! They developed skills watching the more seasoned performers on stage and slowly developed their own sense of confidence and security as they stepped out in auditions and performances. We experienced many tears and fears as they traversed the challenging road of auditions and performances! After a few years, adults were welcomed into the program and as parents, we jumped in. We have found that there are very few activities for kids that the parents can enjoy with them. As adults having a second chance at performing, and doing it as a family, Encore became a very special place to us! Our children have made wonderful friends that share their common love of theater and as a family, we have made friends that we cherish and continue to spend alot of time with outside of Encore! As any new organization, Encore has had it's growing pains, and we have all grown along with it. There have been struggles and challenges, but Encore has a history of working to better itself each year. Now, at it's 10 year anniversary, we feel that Encore is at it's best, with more growth to come! Looking back at the years we have spent with Encore, we can see that it has been invaluable to us! It has grown each member of our family and given each of us amazing experiences alone and together as a family and as an Encore family. It truly has been one of the main factors in keeping our family close, and we are truly grateful to Encore!!! The Werfelmanns read more

Encore is a wonderful company the helps to shape who kids are. We have sent our 5 and 4 year old to a couple of summer camps and they absolutely love it. This program not only offers a variety of activity with skill on singing, dancing, acting and memorization and learning to express. It assist to bring out the independence and leadership of the children. The staff is very professional and their camp productions are very impressive. We appreciate all they do and look forward to many upcoming performances. read more

Encore has been a great experience for me to learn and grow! I think it is an amazing place to put your children in. A great experience for them. I have been involved in a many acting theater companies, and Encore is by far the best company out there. They make it full of games, laughter and joy through out the show. read more

We have been a part of the Encore family for 3 years now and feel so fortunate to have found this amazing company and incredible group of families that are a part of it. The first time I went to an Encore show, I was expecting children's theater, as in kids being cute on stage. I was BLOWN AWAY by the professional quality talent, sets and the production as a whole. We signed up for the very next show and have been going non-stop ever since. The children learn to sing, dance, act, and other skills needed to be strong performers, but really they are learning SO MUCH MORE! From the auditions to the theater games to the rehearsals and the performances, they are working together as a group, they are overcoming shyness, learning to speak out. They are taught character such as being gracious when accepting leads and solos, and in accepting disappointment when they don't get the role they want. The director is always looking for opportunities to give lines and solo roles to ALL the children, to make everyone feel special. She has cast infants through grandparents, and encouraged this mother to get on a stage for the first time in over 20 years. And it was life changing, an opportunity with my children I will always cherish. Beyond all this, the reason I love Encore, and the reason this is where we will stay, are the families. The group of teenage performers, the ones who work so wonderfully with my 5 and 8 year old girls, are EXACTLY the kind of teenagers I would like my children to grow up to be. They are talented, kind, caring, responsible young people, and they are learning that here at Encore. read more

Encore has been a great experience for my son. He's learned a ton about theater, and a lot of different aspect of it because, at Encore, you aren't just an actor. You're also helping in a lot of other aspects backstage, even down to helping wallpaper sets. There are a lot of good life skills to learn here. My son started out getting smaller background roles, but through experience and coaching, has been able to get a number of lead roles. And that's something that a lot of the negative comments touch on: people not getting the lead roles the want. But it needs to be understood that there are only so many lead roles to be had, and if someone else is better at it than you, it's probably going to the other person. This should encourage you to work harder instead of give up and become bitter about it. The negative reviews posted here tend to seriously over dramatize the issues that they're bringing up. My son has been in the program for about 4 years and he hasn't been emotionally or psychologically damaged by it. No one is abusing anyone. In fact, Encore is quite literally his favorite thing in life right now. Yes, sometimes it's hard for him because there are a lot of complex social interactions with both older and younger people that can sometimes lead to conflicts. But when that happens, we encourage him to resolve the problem by talking it out with the other person in an appropriate manner, which he does, and he becomes a stronger person for it. Sometimes it's hard because maybe he doesn't get the exact part that he wanted, or because he didn't get the exact backstage job he wanted (which he enjoys by the way), or because of some other thing. But these are all growing experiences. Life isn't easy. I don't want him to think it is. I want him to be exposed to difficult situations so that when life is difficult for him later, he'll be able to handle it better. If he signed up for some program and just instantly got everything he wanted, that teaches him the wrong message. People aren't always going to give you what you want in life, and I don't want him to think they will. He'll just be horribly disappointed. I want him to learn to persevere through hard things. I want him to learn that you have to work hard for the things you love. I'm not going to tell you that Encore is perfect, but if you think it's going to be, or that any business is, you might need to reevaluate your thoughts about the world. My son has benefited tremendously from this program and I don't regret putting him in it for one second. read more

If you are looking for a fantastic theater experience for your children, Encore is.the place for you. My daughter and son are each in their third Encore show, and both plan to continue with the program as long as possible. The director and the staff create a warm, caring, and safe environment for.children to express themselves creatively through drama, singing, and dance. The kids have so much fun participating in theater games and exercises that they aren't even aware they are learning. My children cannot wait for rehearsal days! This is a low stress environment where children are valued and respected. Summer, the director, clearly understands children's needs and gives all children the chance to shine! Encore productions are professional and beautiful. The product is important, but the process is clearly the most important. My children have grown tremendously under the direction of Summer, whose nurturing ways bring out the best in my kids. They are more confident, bigger risk takers, and have developed their singing, dancing, and acting skills! I must mention that my husband also.does.the productions with my children. He loves it! read more

My 13 year old just finished up with Encores production of Peter Pan. She had the best time! As a parent I found the rehearsal practice schedule to be very easy and doable as they met once a week (Sat afternoon for an hour and a half) for about 4 months. The tech week ran very smoothly and my daughter loved every minute. She also participated in the summer 2012 camp School House Rock. It was her first time and she was given two solo parts, dancing and speaking parts. That small production was wonderfully done and so much fun to watch. Encore Entertainers, in my opinion, is a great place for kids to grow and learn the art of acting, being on stage and just having fun. read more

My daughter started w/ Little Mermaid summer camp when she was 8. To our surprise she came home w/ the lead role of Ariel. She had only done some children's church performances before blending into the group. Since this camp she's done 3 summer camps and 4 full shows w/ Encore, and got a lead role each time. She also talked her older brother into trying it out and this shy boy loved it. We were surprised again. He had not been comfortable in front of an audience before. Both kids got lead roles in their school musicals as well after that and we are still scratching our heads about their talent. They are now 12 and 15 and moved to focus on higher level competitive dance where they are both excelling (one in ballet, one in hip-hop). What I am trying to say here is that Encore brought up and developed their talents and confidence that were still to be discovered and gave them the confidence to shoot for more. Having a lead role or being a lead dancer in Encore is not for everyone; in addition to having talent, it is very hard work; those scripts are long and the memorization of them takes hundreds of hours of disciplined studying. Having a lead dance role takes great physical fitness as well as memorization of the moves and rhythm. Some people complain here that their kids are not getting good roles. I think the director Summer can see who has the right combination of discipline, concentration skills and talent. What's good about Encore it that it does provide different level and type of roles, and everyone regardless of skills can be in the same awesome production. The shows are incredible! We still go see them and enjoy them immensely even our kids have moved on. read more

This has been our first year with Encore, and my daughter loves it. The cost seemed high, but after I broke it down over the 6month time frame it actually is very good. I felt that the smaller roles were compensated with more showtimes, which was great for family to see her. Being my first year, I had lots of questions, and everyone was great about getting back to me. We will for sure be doing it again. read more

I have very mixed feelings about Encore Entertainers, I hope someone on the Encore staff will read this review to know how what the public thinks. If you or your child is EXTREMELY talented then you will have a blast! You will have wonderful training and a fun time. However if you are someone who's shy or less talented you will be glanced over and ignored for the most part. What I also found extremely irritating is the fact that the director gives herself the lead female (And sometimes male) roles. There are many amazing talented kids who deserve to play lead roles, however Summer, the director decided to give the roles to herself. Kids and adults are paying huge fees to be a part of the shows, and go through nerve wrecking audition process's to see the director give herself the lead. For example to she gave herself the role of Peter Pan as an understudy, but still preformed one of the nights even though the main Peter Pan was fine. When she wasn't Peter Pan she gave herself roles such as indian dancer, pirate, and grown up Wendy. Then for Seussical she gave herself the main female lead, Gertrude McFuzz and her husband the male lead, Horton. She was triple casted and the other 2 girls had less opportunities to play there dream role that they worked hard for and payed lots of money for (Both young girls were far more talented). And finally in the upcoming production of Oliver you can see her as, you guessed it! The female lead Nancy. She is not even double casted for the role, therefore giving her lots of stage time. I am very irratated with the lack of professionalism this group has behind the scenes. And I suggest you do not sign up if you doubt your acting ability in any way, because you will not be on stage very much. read more

I've been around Encore for almost 2 years now and it is by far the best place for kids to be involved in a theatre program. I've been involved in other programs and the atmosphere between Encore and the other is like night and day. The staff, both adult and student, genuinely care for the individuals involved in the program. My kids were involved in the summer camp last year and loved it. My oldest daughter has done 3 shows now and has made lifelong friends. The families involved in this program are great. When here, I feel like I am surrounded by family. The show quality of this company is amazing and I am proud to have my family involved. If you're looking for a great theatre program in the South Bay, this is it. Yes, it's pricy ($495 with discounts for signing up early and multiple registrations. There are also scholarships available and payment plans) but your kids will have an amazing time. Lead part or not, your child will learn lessons that they can carry throuhout life while having fun learning about live theatre. read more