NOT THE FAULT OF IMAGINATION STAGE: My wife, 3-year old daughter, and I were on vacation in Alexandria, and scheduled to see The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe on Saturday, June 30, 2012, in Bethesda at Imagination Stage. Unfortunately, the big storms blew through Virginia, DC, and Maryland and wiped out power in various places. THE FAULT OF IMAGINATION STAGE: 1. We had no way of knowing whether or not the show was still on as large portions of DC, VA, and MD still had power, so we left our hotel in Alexandria and drove 30-45 minutes to the stage. When we got there, 3 employees were sitting out front and informed us the production was off. I inquired as to why someone didn't contact us by phone or email, and they replied that unless they could access their ticketing system at their facility (not remotely, not from a laptop at home or Starbucks), they had no way to know who to contact. Understandable at some level, but frustrating nonetheless. Seems like a rather large flaw in the system. 2. When I inquired of the 3 about a refund, they said they'd be in contact the following week. They also said something to the effect of, "We'll do our best to work with you to reschedule," even though I'd already explained we were in from out of town and would simply need a refund. I reiterated that we'd need a refund (not a reschedule), and thought it was odd, but moved on. The following Monday, July 2, I received a mass email from them with a subject line that read, "Rescheduling for The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe". See where this is going?? I responded to the email and said, "Sir or Madam, Thanks for your email. Unfortunately, we were in from out of town visiting and cannot reschedule. Can you please tell me the process for receiving a refund?" I received a voice message the following day (July 3) from someone named "Nick", advising, once again, "We'd love to reschedule with you and if not will be happy to give you a refund, just give us a call." Though frustrated that I had to, I tried to call back that afternoon at 5:12pm. I got voicemail. I received a redundant email the following day (July 4) saying, "Hi Ryan,I'm so sorry you and your family will miss out on the show. Please give us a call tomorrow, we are closed today for the 4th, and we'll be able to refund your credit card for the purchase. Best, Brian D. Antin Director of Patron Services" I wrote back and responded, "Brian,Thanks for writing. I received a call from Nick at the box office yesterday and attempted to call back. I will call on July 5, 2012, but I'm not sure why I have to. I am requesting a refund, and would prefer not to have to call. I was on vacation in Alexandria and will not be back anytime soon, so I guess I'm just not sure what the purpose of my phone call is, and it is in an imposition on my time. Please issue the refund." So, at this point I'm wondering why, if he can email me on July 4, he can't just a) issue the refund, or b) call me since it is apparently necessary. Yet another July 4 response: "Hi Ryan, Unfortunately, with the way credit card security laws work, we are unable to save your credit card information. This is a security that is built into the system for your protection as a consumer. If you do not want to call us, I am able to issue you a credit that can be used at our organization at a later date, or we can convert the total amount of the purchase including the facility fees into a tax deductible donation. However, if you would like a full refund, the only way I am able to process it would be over the phone as we do not have your credit card information. To process the refund will take less than 2 minutes. If you are interested in either of the other options let me know and I'll have a tax deduction form mailed to you first thing in the morning. I am very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused, but we are doing our best to accommodate everyone in the most efficient way possible." I responded that "From a customer service perspective and the perspective of a fellow business owner, it looks like an attempt to keep money by making the process to refund difficult. In the end, it's just frustrating." I further instructed that he didn't need to write anything more. He did anyways, and re-explained their process and concluded with, "I can assure you, that holding on to your money was NOT our intention, nor are we trying to waste your time by making you call. We are doing our best in a tough situation." I did not have time to call the next 2 days, and on Friday (7/6/12) I received a call from "John" who did not try to reschedule me and did refund the card. He'd apparently been made aware of my discontent as he apologized that I'd "gotten caught in some phone tag." My suspicion is that if we'd gone to the show, it would've been spectacular, and probably will be for you too!!! My suspicion is that if you need a refund for any reason, it may be a rather large pain in the behind. read more

I was very impressed at the quality of the facilities at Imagination Stage. This is a first-rate theater which is perfectly tailored toward kids and their parents. Booster seats were available so the little ones can have a good view. There is a room on the side where restless kids can get their energy out without being disruptive to the show. The cafe and gift shop, though we didn't stop in, looked very nice. Apparently, they do all kids of performing arts classes and workshops for kids too. Probably a little inconvenient since Bethesda is a bit of a drive from Arlington, but certainly a great resource for local MoCo families. My one star deduct is for their performance of "Dr. Doolittle," which I thought was fine, but too nuanced and advanced for kids under 12. I understand other shows their are much better suited to younger kids. A nice facility and a good experience. read more

My kids enjoyed themselves immensely. It was interactive play that kept my children's attention entire time. Very well done and highly recommend. I look forward to the next play. read more

I have been bringing my daughter to Imagination Stage for several years. We love it! The plays are always excellent! Last week we saw The Little Mermaid. The entire cast did a great job. Age appropriate for a wide range of ages. The costumes looked great and the story line was easy for little ones to follow. The lady at the box office was polite and found our tickets with ease. We were helped to our seats which we appreciated. Every seat in the theater is a good seat. If you are looking for an entertaining experience with your child, I highly recommend seeing a play at Imagination Stage! One piece of advice-parking is free in the garage over the weekends, but you have to pay the meter during the week in order to avoid a ticket. read more

What a treat!!! We saw Seussical, it was great, but even better is the theater and the presentation. They do it right, everything organized and ready to go, kid-friendly all the way. No long drawn out pre-show stuff, they move you right to what you have come to see. Where was this when my kid was young? At least I got to bring her 5 & 7 year olds and their Dad...we had a great time, is perfect timing of 90 minutes, just right to keep kids engaged. We found easy street parking, there are lots of county lots nearby. Couldn't find on their website or using the recording on the phone how long the performance lasted, need to know how long something runs, please post. The gift shop I hope is open on the weekends, wish I had done some serious shopping there, unique pieces, not bad prices. Now tell me please, that there are blocks of tickets for inner city kids to come and thrill to live performance. Would I contribute some extra dollars to insure that kids who wouldn't have a chance to see theater otherwise could come to celebrate a birthday? You bet I would. Would be so easy to provide when there is not otherwise a full house, the most successful actors were inspired as children. Kids need to be exposed to theater whether their families can currently afford the price of a ticket or not. People would contribute, never let a seat go empty. read more

I guess it depends upon what you see, but we just loved suessical! The performances and costuming were terrific! My girls loved it and so did we. read more

The stage shows are technically sophisticated and very slick -- if a bit too cutesy-pie for my kids. But stay away from the classes! The teachers are overwhelmed young actors and I saw alot of yelling, running and hitting (the kids hitting each other, not the teachers hitting the kids) which the teacher didn't even try to stop. read more

A great place to take the youngest kids, especially the under 3 crowd. We do the Saturday Song circle and some of the shows. Great atmosphere and engagement. The price is very reasonable for the class/show time frame and age group. read more

Went with a school class and everyone was very interested/ engaged/ excited throughout the performance - Charlotte's Web. Great actors, great musicians, great performance. I look forward to going again on our own as a family, to see about the evening performances. What a fantastic school trip! read more

The ages listed for performances are usually misleading, apparently in an effort to lure more people to attend (there are always empty seats). The productions are always good for toddlers but if your child is over four years old, they will be bored during many shows. You really need to speak to someone who has actually seen the show -- rather than relying on the ages listed by Imagination Stage -- to determine whether it is appropriate for your child's age. It's a lot of money to waste. read more

This place is super ! We went to a show today, and I was just as delighted as my two kids were with the performance. In addition to great shows for toddlers and children, they offer fantastic classes. There's great street and garage parking, the staff are super pleasant, and the prices are very reasonable. A great choice choice for a Sunday afternoon. read more

I've been a fan for several years and over nearly two dozen shows. Stage design, acting, music, production are consistently great to excellent, and there's always a dimensions that appeals to parents. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 3 years ago was phenomenal-- of course a winner of many awards. One more reason to appreciate them -- they quickly refunded a purchase made in error! Oh, and their gift shop is terrific, especially for gifts and costumes. read more

Quality, imaginative children's theater. Took my 2yo to see "Aquarium" which just ended its run. The actors performing were young, committed and did a great job of engagin the toddler audience (this was a participatory show, as many of the ones aimed at the younger set are). This is a great asset for Bethesda parents of course, but I've talked to parents who've come from Takoma Park or further. Also nearby is Glen Echo park, with its children's puppet theater (and Dentzel carousel) - also worth a visit. read more

Just saw the Little Mermaid with a friend and her daughter. The production was excellent: singing was great, dancing fantastic, etc. The only thing was the actual story was weird -- we were all confused by the secondary Mermaid and Prince whom were dancing in the background all the time and mimicking what the actors were doing. The strangeness of the production was the only thing that kept me from giving it a 5. Will definitely go again. Great experience. read more

Pleased with the customer service received related to poor weather conditions and having to miss a show. Glad they were flexible.

I took 2 of my kids to see the BFG at this theatre. We were visiting DC for a week and they were tired of museums so I bought last minute tickets for an alternative to walking around. It was fantastically incredible. We went to the early show and afterwards they asked if we could possibly see it again. I liked it so much that I tried to buy tickets again. They did an amazing job of depicting the book. It was very easy to understand everything what was said and the plot of the play for a my 7 and 10 year olds. They were so disappointed at intermisison because they thought it was over and were thrilled that we got to go back in. The costumes were incredible, it was hilarious, the transition was seamless from acting to animation to the different speaking roles. They would be in character and then switch to describe what was happening which was very helpful for younger children. Best show that I've seen (adult or childrens). Thank you Imagination Stage! read more

Such a wonderful place. Been to two of the shows for the younger kids, and my kids loved both (Blue and Aquarium). Really interactive and keeps the kids entertained for the entire show. Online ticket ordering is easy. read more

WONDERFUL!! My little boy was mesmerized by his first show at I Stage. It was incredibly interactive and fun for all of us!! The theater is easy to get to, parking is free on the weekends and they have a lovely open space with a tiny café and gift shop. What a magical way to spend an afternoon. read more

We love to come to shows. The kids take part of the show very interactiv and fun for the entire family. Try to have new shows for the new year. read more