I love the shows they put on at this beautiful little theater. It is an old building, a bit beat up…read morein the most endearing Berkeley way. A community theater at its best. You can see high quality shows at a very affordable price. The youth productions are particularly great for young kids. When our kid was young, we took them to see shows at BPH. They were great shows but also at the price point, if my 4 year old couldn't sit still and we had to leave the show, I would not cry over the ticket price. Our kid did summer camps at BPH every year and they are now part of the youth production. BPH has become their second home. The staff are deeply caring and supportive. Kids are incredibly kind, passionate about musical theater, and supportive of each other. It is a wonderful community where our quirky theater kid found their tribe and has a sense of belonging. Being different is celebrated at BPH. I highly recommend their camps and youth programs to kids who enjoy performing on stage.

Unable to get into my account to buy a ticket after multiple attempts they make it almost…read moreimpossible for the end user Additionally they do not answer the telephone when the box office is said to be open I would not recommend these people or else your blood pressure is normal

They were very organized and really helpful with finding your seats. I would come here again for…read moreanother show!

Always good times here. This turn around we did the tour for the holidays. There is a lot of fun…read morehistory to learn from the tour. Okay you get to see some is the back rooms and backstage areas. Additionally - the design of the building and decorations are wonderful. Check it out.

Can't believe it's taken me so long to write a review for Fox Theater! It's a great concert venue,…read morewith beautiful Indian-inspired architecture, harkening back to the days when American theaters were inspired by not-politically-correct ornamentations of foreign cultures in their escapist surroundings. Over the years, I've been here to see a variety of artists perform, including Evanescence, Lindsey Stirling, and most recently AFI. Fox Theater is Bart-accessible and in a safer part of downtown Oakland. If artists I want to see perform live come here, then this venue is a definite yes on my list!

The inside of the theater is beautiful. Thats pretty much it for a positive note…read more Seating is super tight. Sound was not very clear at the balcony level. Unless you are seated very close up, you are just looking at an ant. Drinks are close to $20 each. Also, if you order water at the bar, they tell you to go get water in the lobby. Bad service for that.

Fantastic improv classes & great community! The teachers are all different, but all excellent. I've…read moretaken at least part of 8 classes, and have had nothing but great experiences. You will learn not only how to improv, but also improve yourself as a human. Also, to anyone who has experienced sexism, racism, homophobia, or ableism in theater: not here, you won't. At least I think. I have never seen it. (And have been at theaters where this wasn't the case -- here's looking at you, Pan.)

I'm extremely disappointed with all out comedy. I had a bad experience a while ago but then tried…read moreto give the place another shot recently and left feeling disappointed. I feel like it's just not for me. Now, I'm giving 1 star because I have further concerns about their professionalism and customer service considering the owner kept changing their response to my other review to random rude replies. First they wrote in all caps saying I'm spam, then they said something like "your car wasn't even ever here".Maybe they are confusing me with another customer and not intentionally trying to manipulate the feedback to discredit my review, but I still can't recommend this place by the odd and unprofessional behavior toward customers regardless of who they think I am instead of offering the typical kindness that you'd expect from a business. It's safe to say I won't be giving this another shot in the future

Really bummed I couldn't continue with Pan Theatre. Great place to learn how to get back to having…read morefun with awesome people! I loved the experience and hope to one day return! Check out a show you definitely won't be disappointed. Improv is so much fun to watch and be a part of. The theatre is small which makes it great because the audience ends up becoming part of the show!

I passed a poster on Piedmont Avenue announcing Open Auditions at Pan Theater and thought, "huh, I…read moreshould take a picture of that for my husband John. I bet he would like it." Somehow, John convinced me that we should both audition. This is not usually my kind of thing, but it was Covid and any distraction from the monotony of the times was welcome. Now we are both all-in! Pan Theater Company is a courageous, generous, honest, challenging community. Everyone comes to improv without the baggage of the rest of their lives and they play together - with characters and storylines and emotions. I always come away from Pan Theater feeling lighter. I love this place!

Attended Slam Town's Ekpyrotica at the Continental Club this past weekend, and had an enjoyable…read moreexperience. The listed ticket time was 8:00 to 11-ish, but in reality it was more like 8:45-11:20pm (doors opened around 8:00pm, and the entry line went quick). The place wasn't too crowded, and though there was a bit of seating against the walls, it was mostly standing room for viewing of the show. Beware, the action takes place both inside and outside the ring, so be ready to move if you're on the first level and the wrestlers end up battling it out and rolling around on the floor or against the pillars, or on the merchandise table (like they did this past FrIday). We watched from upstairs, and didn't miss a thing... they had a large screen for closeup views of all the shenanigans happening in and around the ring, too. There were quite a few matches throughout the night, including characters like Cereal Man, Prisoner 420, and my bf's fave, Bart-Man, doing their thing. I was a big fan of the MonsterTown tag team, all of the creatures dressed in comical costumes and putting on even funnier moves against their rivals, especially the three-headed giraffe and mummy. Lots of props used throughout the show, including ladders, full-size doors (for the dramatic illusion of slamming opponents into these and breaking them), and fake weapons...... oh, but THIS IS REAL... and the dynamic chants from the crowd will remind you all night. Commentary by the "news anchor" host helped guide the storyline with a bit of humor, but I've experienced better and more entertaining announcers outside of Slam Town. Apparently this underground wrestling show is a lot tamer now (in April 2026) than it used to be, back when it was known primarily as "Hoodslam", but we still had a good time. The next Slam Town event is happening on May 22nd at Drake's in Oakland.

fun hyphy vibes in a quiet neighborhood AND hotboys for food?! it can't get better than this!read more

This venue fills a bit of the void left by the tragic closure of Cal Shakes earlier this year…read more Watching theatrical productions amongst the redwoods on a summer evening is not something I want the community to be without. We saw Anastasia this year, and the performers, designers, staff, and volunteers all created such a wonderful experience. The tickets were a little pricey, and the seats were a little hard, but there's no substitute for outdoor theater. (Bring layers so that you can bundle up once the sun sets!)

Went to see in the heights. It was great show. I love that they also allow you to bring in your…read moreown food.

I came here with my friends to see Sunday in the Park with George. The production was very well…read moredone and our seats were only $8/each since the show was still in previews! Support local theater! I'd come again to check out other shows.

First time at this venue. I had to see the Yellow Face performance. Parking was plentiful on a mid…read moreweek evening. People supporting the theatre were friendly. The theatre was cozy and intimate. I had a third row center seat, perfect view of the performance. The performers were wonderful. Since it was a small cast, many actors played multiple roles. It was a nice performance on a nice venue. It definitely provided an alternative theatre to better known ones. I will definitely consider future performances here.

The theater was an excellent place to watch a show, and I found it highly enjoyable. I went to see…read morePrescott Circus . They did an outstanding Performance.!

Great building, they do a lot for the community. My one complaint is that they don't turn off…read moretheir 4th floor bathroom lights (or close the blinds). As a next door neighbor, this is a bit annoying. And not energy efficient.

The Oakland Poetry Slam was founded in 1999 by a small group of Bay Area poets set on bringing…read morePoetry Slam to the sunny side of The Bay. These visionaries included Sonia Whittle, Charles Ellik, Nisa Ahmad & Nazelah Jamison. In that very first year the rookie team Oakland reached Finals stage at The National Poetry Slam, finishing the tournament as the 4th ranked team in the nation (of 64). After the teams triumphant return the Slam soon took of and took on a life of it's own. Over the years The Oakland Slam has been held at a variety of venues around the city of trees. The city doesn't always make it easy for the arts or the artists. Venues have included Mambo-Mambo, The Black/Oakland Box Theater, The Oakland Metro, Oaklandish Gallery, The Uptown Theater, KTOP Studios and currently The Oasis Restaurant & Bar. Since 2005 the Slam has been organized & promoted by the dynamic duo of Dahled & Nazelah who hosts the show and coaches the squad. While the team hasn't quite made it back to the Finals stage since 2003 they have performed consistently well in competition. In 2009 The Oakland Slam is branching out and growing. They've added a monthly COMEDY Slam and are part of the group importing Chicago's wildly popular Encyclopedia Show to the Bay Area. Past Oakland Poetry Slam Team Members: 1999 - Sonia Whittle, Jamie Kennedy, Shawn Taylor, Roxanne Hanna-Ware 2000 - Michael Cirelli, Nazelah Jamison, AfroKen, Y.A.D.D.O.S., Angela Boyce (alt.), Sonia (coach) 2001 - Michael Cirelli, Nazelah Jamison, Jamie Kennedy, Rupert Estanislao, Sonia (coach) 2002 - Danielle Drake, Meliza Benales, Ishle Yi Park, Mesej 1 2003 - Scorpio Blues, Danielle Drake, nerCity, Prentice Powell, Lucky 7 (alt), Sonia (coach) 2004 - Ise Lyfe, Lucky 7, L. Abdul Kenyatta, Dahled Jeffries 2005 - Mesej 1, Dahled Jeffries, Geoff Trenchard, Mack Dennis, Aaron Enskat, Nazelah (coach) 2006 - Prentice Powell, Mesej 1, Dahled Jeffries, Lucky 7, Nazelah (player/coach) 2007 - nerCity, Aaron Gardner, Dahled Jeffries, Queen D, Nazelah (coach) 2008 - nerCity, Jaylee Alde, Mesej 1, Dahled Jeffries, Deaidre White, Nazelah (coach) 2009 - Joyce Lee, D. Silence, "-i-", Stephen Meads, Dahled Jeffries, Nazelah (coach) -iWPS rep; Joyce Lee 2010 - Joyce Lee & Aaron Gardner, Jason Bayani, Milani Pelley, Nazelah (coach / alternate) -WoWPS rep; Milani Pelley -iWPS rep; Jason Bayani

Great entertainment, and Deandre is a great host. HILARIOUS. It was very touching to see these…read morepeople go on stage and share their stories through poetry... Majority of them were nervous, but they still did their thang. It was funny, touching, and raw. Beers are pretty pricey but a well spent night. They made me and my boyfriend one of the judges for the poetry slam. Just so happens my boyfriend is a poet himself. Great social activity with your people or significant other.