I love the history of Arcada Theatre. It opened in 1926 on Labor Day weekend (their 100th birthday…read moreis coming up!). I remember when I was a kid we went on a tour here and the tour guide talked about a few ghost stories and myths about Al Capone using this place as one of his hiding spots. He took us backstage and in the basement. It was one of the most memorable tours I've ever been on, and probably what triggered my love for historical tours. I used to come here as a kid to see movies too. I have a fond memory of seeing the Wizard of Oz here (which I remember being projected onto a screen), and their old concession stand. Back then, Arcada Theatre was pretty simple and they hadn't yet updated it to be what it is today. Seeing the changes done to it have been a little heartbreaking for me, but I do appreciate that the owner has tried his best to turn it into something fun and still on theme with 1920s vibe. Now, there is a huge focus on live shows and entertainment. It feels like over the past 5 years, the live entertainment here has exploded and become so much more popular than it's ever been. The theater now mostly looks like a concert venue with big stage lights, speakers, and screens. There are also multiple different restaurants on site. It's a little disappointing whenever I see slot machines at a business, especially one with so much history, but oh well. I came here recently because I saw on their website they do a Silent Film series every month and I thought it would be fun to see at a theatre that started out showing silent movies! They were playing The Kid starring Charlie Chaplin. Before the movie, I purchased a box of their popcorn for $6. There was a live organ player called The Phantom that played during the entire movie, which I enjoyed. Overall, the experience was good but during the movie, it started buffering for a couple minutes and when it started up again, you could see the bar at the bottom of the screen to press play lol--it definitely took away from the experience.

The Arcada Theatre is a really cool place to go. It is old and historic in a good way. We were at…read morethe St. Charles History Museum when the docent told my husband and I that you can go in the theatre and ask for a tour. So that's what we did. It was a Tuesday afternoon when we went, so there were no shows going on. We were able to see the performance area, the balcony, and backstage areas. We also got to see the restaurants and bars on the upper levels of the theatre. Around every corner is another historic artifact or interesting thing to see. I can't wait to go back to see a show or eat at one of their restaurants. I highly recommend the Arcada Theatre!

BFAC hosted the Applause Talent dance competition on March 7, 2020. The venue was too small for…read morethis event. Parking was at 110% capacity with every possible curb utilized. The main seating area was packed. Yet, they were reluctant to open the balcony. To cap it all off, a dumpster behind the facility caught fire. People were sprinting out the doors to move their cars. The fire department came and put it out. But, then the HVAC system started to pull smoke into the auditorium. Everyone reeked of a fire smell. Just a terrible experience. My advice to BFAC - know your limits.

The Batavia Fine Arts Centre is a quaint venue. The…read moreacoustics and lighting are great. I went to see Divas3, they were amazing.

What an incredible night at the Arcada Speakeasy! From the moment we walked in, we were blown away…read moreby how absolutely beautiful the venue is. Every room had its own unique charm, but the Charlie Chaplin Room was definitely a favorite--such a fun and perfect spot for photos! The food and drinks were delicious, the atmosphere was amazing, and the service was flawless. The staff was attentive, knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely seemed to care about making sure everyone had a great experience. To top it all off, the band was outstanding! They kept the energy high and had us dancing the night away. If you're looking for a unique night out with great food, drinks, entertainment, and ambiance, the Arcada Speakeasy is a must-visit. We can't wait to come back!

Conceptually this could be a fun and unique experience but it needs service, food and ambiance…read moreimprovements. We went for the music which was great but the venue is sad and tired. Menu is limited unless you like meatball salad, meatball appetizer or meatball sandwich. Wait staff seemed to lack training. Don't recommend.

We attended a play at Stageworks on Friday evening. There were only 50 seats total sold (the…read morecompany sold tickets for $30.90 each which is very high for a play, normal pricing is $10-$12). The place is very small and we were literally squished in our seats like sardeens; I can't imagine that it met fire code. The temperature in the place was so hot, that during intermission, it felt cool outside with the temperature at 85 degrees. At that price, couldn't the owners afford to rent a gym at a local High School with air conditioning? I felt sorry for the kids in the play which were all perspiring (actually dripping with sweat).

From the owner: Stageworks curriculum is based on the Common Core Standards in Education and encourages students of…read moreall ages (including adults), abilities, and experience to participate in the creation of theatre. Amber Mitchell, owner and artistic director, has over 35 years experience in education with a Masters in Theatre (Directing Emphasis) from The Chicago College of Performing Arts - Roosevelt University. Many of her students are currently working in professional theatre, television, and the cruise ship industry. Stageworks is all about the process of theatre.

I've been on both sides of the fourth wall in this little theatre, and all in all, it's pretty…read morenice. The seats are fairly comfortable, and the sightlines are mostly without issue, BUT they may add stools in the back for extra seating (which will be less comfortable), and anyone sitting house right should be aware that you might lose some of the action. Backstage, well, it's not exactly glamorous, but it's not exactly the Palace Theatre. And there ARE two separate bathrooms. For a small cast, you'll have room to stretch out. A large cast with multiple costumes and props, bless your hearts and good luck. If you see blood on the stage, I might know the owner...

Great local theatre. Comfy seats, easy-to-reach location. We went to see The Miracle on 34th Street…read moreRadio Play and had a good time. It's amazing what they do with limited space. The play was fun, and a great way to get into the Christmas spirit. Some great singing voices in the cast! And no, it's not a musical... LOL. We'll come back to see more plays. Support your local theater!

Excellent shows...comfortable and clean theatre with decent parking and affordable pricing…read more Elevator service...close to restaurants and the Fox River.

Albright is located on the 3rd floor of the Batavia city building - police & city hall occupy the…read more1st and 2nd floors. There's also a charging station for the cool folks driving electric vehicles. This building is very old; bricks and large wooden beams add a vintage vibe, as does the seating. If you've never been to Batavia, it's a cool little place to visit. There are plenty of choices for food and drink before a performance. Also, this building sits along a river and next to a park. Sweet. We recently saw Neil Simon's "Rumors" here. It was very funny, and the actors were AWESOME! My only complaint was their "modernization" of the script - LOTS OF SWEARING. F-bombs do not make the performance funnier, just crude. Albright, you can do better. Tickets were fairly priced at $17 - $22, with an additional $3 per ticket processing fee when purchased online. Bathrooms are currently available on the 1st and 2nd floors, so wait for intermission or you'll miss too much of the performance. Good news, though: the city of Batavia is updating the building. The new 3rd floor bathrooms should be ready in Fall 2022. Yay! Seating was somewhat uncomfortable, but not unbearable. Although rows are not on a slope, every seat in this intimate 88-seat theater likely has a good view of the stage. Candy and soft drinks are available during intermission. Cash only - come prepared. Who can resist peanut butter M&M's? YES, we will definitely go again. Just hoping they discover the vast world of adjectives and skip the F-bombs before the next show.

I came here for a magic show with a group of friends on a Friday. Overall, good facility! There's a…read moresmall parking lot for patrons nearby, which was nice. Bartenders were friendly. Bathrooms were clean. It was cold, but that's typical of buildings in the summer. I'd come back!

What's life without a little magic! We came by to see a show on a Sunday afternoon and we're able…read moreto enjoy the Physician's show. When you walk in there is a bar and some tables but through the double doors, you'll find a 2nd bar with a speakeasy feel. When we checked in, we were assigned our tables. We ordered drinks before hand and the drinks were brought to our tables. We also ordered the pimento cheese and crackers. We snacked on the crackers most of the show as there was quite a bit of pimento in the bowl. The show was great and was broken into 2 parts. There were a lot of great metaphors along with it being a very interactive show with the crowd. Many of the tricks and magic left us in complete awe. We can't wait to come back and see future shows!

I used to dance here in high school and have nothing but amazing memories and gained the talent and…read moreconfidence to go on to become the captain of my college dance team.

My three and a half year old niece loves Lady Gaga. So of course she loves to....Just Dance!…read more Every now and then I'll accompany my niece, Madelyn to her weekly Saturday morning dance class lasting about 45 minutes. About three teachers, eager teenage girls, lead this class of 3-4 year olds in basic but most importantly fun dance exercises. Teachers here are patient and truly take the time to make sure the kids are learning the proper forms while making it fun at the same time. My favorite part is to see my niece holding on to the bar bending into a plie with her frilly pink tutu. Parents are able to see their little ballerinas in action through a one sided mirror that looks in the dance studio. I definitely suggest arriving at least 5-10 minutes early so you get a good seat on the "viewing bench." Parents are typically not allowed into the class, but I've seen exceptions made for children with severe separation anxiety. As a parent, or even an aunt, it's easy to forget to bring this that or the other to class. Thankfully, both ballet and tap shoes are available at their gift shop for rental free of charge to children enrolled in classes. I cannot wait to attend the recital at the end of the class!