Northern Stage had always been a bright spot in downtown White River Junction with their excellent productions until recently when they bought a bunch of apartment buildings and kicked the tenants right out, many of whom were local people who enjoyed shows at Northern Stage. SHAME on you Northern Stage for your greed, hostility, and horrible treatment of people in the Upper Valley. If the situation wasn't horrible enough, you do this in the midst of a pandemic. Don't try to call and talk to anyone at Northern Stage either, they hang up once you mention this situation because they know how pathetic they look. read more

A local friend suggested we see The Little Mermaid at the Northern Stage and my husband gifted the family with tickets on boxing day. We didn't expect much from a local theater but we were totally blown away! It's a small venue which means you are guaranteed a great seat. The quality of the actors was surprisingly excellent. Having been to a few shows on Broadway, this production really could have rivaled those shows. My daughter loved the costumes and the set design was very creative. Flounder, Ursula and Triton were real vocal standouts but the whole cast were excellent. It's too cold to ski! If you need something to do with the kids, give this production a try. I think they said it was running for another few weeks. read more

"Valley News - Jim Kenyon: Scant pay may have backfired on Northern Stage" https://www.vnews.com/Northern-Stage-Refuses-to-Pay-Workers-Vermont-Minimum-Wage-44968441 read more

I love Northern Stage! Whether to see theatre or work, the Briggs Opera House is home to one of the most exciting and professional regional theaters in the country. Broadway/New York actors brought in from Manhattan work with the amazingly talented directors and artistic directors to create incredible theatrical experiences. Everyone involved is a pleasure to meet from box office to actors, and in addition to shows, they offer classes for kids. So if you are visiting Vermont or New Hampshire or happen to be local, take a look at their season, it won't disappoint!!! www.northernstage.org read more

This has to be the most tragic theatre institution in the country. My family and i see alot of theatre in NY and recently bought a home in Vermont. We were excited to see some theatre in our new town of residence. HUGE mistake. The first show we saw there was Romeo and Juliet. Oh no. These NY "professional" actors that were shipped up here really have no idea how to handle the text. At all. What exactly are they teaching students in drama school these days? That acting is about gushing emotion? The only thing worse than Juliets incessent crying, whining, and "crazy" acting was Romeo's utter flamboyance and femininity. I thought maybe they were going to have Mercutio and Romeo get together in the end. The real person to blame here though is the director. Bare stage essentially with costuming from several fun periods in history that all look "classic." A balcony scene with no balcony and as Juliet held her knife high at the end... I found myself saying, "Plunge it in already and put us all out of our misery." We decided to give Northern Stage a second shot by seeing Dangerous Liaisons there. Oh no. Second biggest mistake of my life. The show featured some of the same actors doing some of the same terrible acting. This time though, we got to see the direction of the artistic director of the whole theatre! Surely that would improve things.... Oh no.... I would deacribe her direction, much like i would describe my experience meeting her after words : Intoxicated, a bit too thin, and more concerned about looking and sounding smart than actually being smart. I am embarrassed to say theatre is dying in this country.... And this theatre is a zombie shell of what once had a heart and soul. I would not recommend seeing anything there. There is a bingo hall downstairs of the theatre. Go there instead. I also noticed that some of the other reviews written about this theatre were clearly written by actresses who worked there... Isnt that against the "review" rules? Good luck yelpers. Yelp! read more

I am connected as I usher there for free to be able to see the shows. I don't get paid for this and am not connected in any other way. I have seen dozens of shows there over the last 10 years so feel I can give a better overall sense then only seeing 2 shows. It is not Boadway and to compare it to that is wrong. The actors and crew are professionals however. The theatre itself holds about 250 and the size of the stage is in proportion to that. It is intimate and you are right in the middle of the show. Northern Stage does not tend to have overly busy or complicated sets or staging as the size limits that. I feel that lets the audience concentrate on the words. However they do have some innovative staging, as in the recent production of "Red" where they opened up the backstage and used the whole theatre as the set. I have only seen one show on Broadway, "A Little Night Music" with Angela Landsbury and Catherine Zeta-Jones so I really cannot compare the two venues. I enjoyed that show immensely but I have to say I have seen shows at Northern Stage that compare. Not every show is for everyone obviously. The two the reviewer in March saw were somewhat similar which may have helped lead to his displeasure. I hope he will try again. For residents of the town of Hartford the theatre has an inexpensive preview night. But even regular price tickets are far far less than Broadway prices. I have enjoyed some shows and others not so much, but I feel that is part of the charm of live theatre. You may not agree with the staging, direction or choice of actors but it gives you a different perspective. I have seen thousands of patrons over the years, many who return show after show, year after year, which I believe is saying a lot in this economy. For a rural area there is a lot of choice of entertainment options. I feel you should give anyplace a chance and not rely on good or bad reviews from one person. However I wanted to give another point of view. read more

I have only seen one show here, but I loved it! I went in December with my 21-year old daughter to see their show Peter Pan. My daughter is a big fan of anything to do with Peter Pan--this was her first time seeing it on stage--and she was so thrilled! I really enjoyed it as well. There were lots of kids, but that actually made the experience all the more fun. The theater is also great because it's got a lot of seating, but it surrounds the stage so I bet there's not a bad seat in the house! I would definitely love to see shows here in the future. read more

Congratulations on a wonderful "Ernest" production. we saw it last night. Ms Dunne did a super job!. The set was outstanding, costumes great, casting was perfect ! It was such a relief to see this professional production after the disastrous performance of Peter Pan. It is so good to see the Northern Stage back to its professional roots. Will Reed, Cornish read more

The Northern Stage is a beautiful little theatre. It is intimate and clean. We have seen three or four productions at this theatre. The productions are hit or miss however and after Sound of Music last evening it might be our last. There were three strong actors and about the same number of quality voices however, overall, the acting left much to be desired. The production was flat, awkward and uncomfortable throughout many of the scenes. The staging was well done and represented the Alps as best can be given the small theatre though overall the show was a consistent bust. And speaking of bust...who decided to bring Maria down to a bustier on stage? It was awkward and baffling along with several other scenes which could have been poignant but evoked confusion, perplexity and an inelegant or gauche feeling....such as the whistle scene, Maria's return to the Von Trapp family's home, and Maria and Georg's realization/profession of love for one another, to name a few. Overall, Northern Stage Theatre is a small, intimate space for theatre though carefully pick the production you see. We learned our lesson with $65 tickets per person. Ouch. read more

This is one of the best things that exists in the Upper Valley. Back in 2015, they began building a new theater, and brought in new management. I believe we saw the first production in the new Barret Center for the Arts building, Mary Poppins. It was absolutely fantastic, and we fell in love with Northern Stage. Since then we've seen five productions here, and we loved each one. Our favorites were Mary Poppins, A Christmas Carol, and Living Together. I've told multiple friends an co-workers about it because I want everyone in the area to come see. I think Northern Stage could be a cornerstone of revitalization and development in the area. A small theater that delivers a great experience with talented actors. The venue is small, and the audience forms a half-circle around the stage, so there is almost not a bad seat in the house. You can always see everything and you're never far from the action. The tickets might seem expensive, but they are quality plays that go for at least 1.5 hours. I highly recommend anyone to go see at least one production per season. read more

Pretty good theater and actors considering we are in the Upper Valley. Very glad this is up here!

White River Junction has an artistic vibe without snobbery or exclusion and this attitude is typified by the Northern Stage. We had a yummy dinner at the Tip Top Cafe where the main actors were dining and an evening of "tongue in cheek" Oscar Wilde to shake us out of the winter doldrums. I appreciate the intimate theatre, creative staging and the willingness to take risks that typifies this theatre group. I have supported the group for several years and will continue to support the efforts of those who risk art for its own sake and enrich our lives. Thanks Kathleen read more