I studied improvisation with Steve Ivcich decades ago. I wasn't interested in becoming a…read moreprofessional actor (and lacked the talent even if I had wanted to become one). I took the class just to have an interesting life experience and possibly meet some new people, nothing more. And yet what I learned from Steve has stuck with me all these years later, and I still think about my experiences in his class from time to time. They were that meaningful -- even profound in some ways. That's the mark of a great teacher!

So... I realized something the other day... I actually dove…read moreinto acting because of this guy... I took several of his Professional Program classes and never looked back. Unfortunately I never finished the last class, but wow, as I thought about it, Steven taught method acting like none other. Pure genius. Pretty much in line with the teachings of Stanislavski and Chekhov, but with Stevens' own blend of artistry mixed in! Without a doubt, his classes gave me the drive and ambition to pursue my acting career. And thankfully, I've been involved in some really, really, awesome projects. Thanks Steven! Highly Recommended!!!!!!

After completing the Studio program, I can say I highly recommend this class. It's definitely for…read morethose who are ready to work hard and are in it for the long haul. This class slowly delivers their method which gives you great structure for prep and gives you tools to focus before an audition/performance. The way it slowly unfolds definitely is intentional and allows you to really hone your process and helps to try to avoid common pitfalls. I especially appreciated this program already having a lot of acting training - getting some new tools (while being familiar with some things) and more structure for my process. However, I talked to newer actors who loved starting with this program too and complained of other schools not actually teaching students how to act but rather just getting notes on specific scenes done in class. What you learn in this class can be applied to every audition/performance scenario. Every teacher I had (4 total including subs) were generous, kind and still pushed you hard. They also did a good job of giving fair feedback that both encouraged what was working and helped you fix things that needed to be worked on. I found the teachers to have no ego and there to be no favoritism which is something I found annoying in some previous LA acting classes. All in all, if you have the time, energy and curiosity to commit to it, this class will help you grow immensely and hone your artistic voice.

This place has a certain way of teaching that necessarily isn't going to connect with everyone…read more Although sure it could work for you, 8/5 times I'd say it won't. Also this studio comes off as prestigious, they make you retake the class if the teacher thinks you aren't good enough to be in the second or third level. Acting isn't something that is able to be graded in a traditional learning model, it's art, art is up to anyone's own interpretation. If you truly want to make this place a safe place to evolve and practice the craft of acting, I recommend taking a strong look into fixing this 'grading' scale and actually be more hands on with the students and improve on what they are good at instead of throwing them into the deep end of something they have no idea of how to portray and then bury them for it. To me this form of retaking courses comes off as sort of a scam business model, each course is close to $500, hold at least 2 kids back and make them retake the class and now they paid $1000 to take the same class again. I've taken classes around the city and this model certainly seemed low class. This establishment has nice bathrooms though.

My wife and I throughly enjoyed our experience at the show. Kayla was charming, funny and really…read moreamazing at her craft. Can't recommend this enough. Cary W

I decided to see a show with a group of my friends for my birthday and OMG we had the BEST time!…read moreHarrison continuously cracked us up - he's not just a magician, he is SO funny and his improv game is on point! And the magic is AMAZING!! The space is wonderful (I prefer intimate spaces and it couldn't have been more perfect), love the cosmic theme, and they even gave me the CUTEST stuffed alien birthday present! Hurry up and go see a show here before they blow up, because they absolutely WILL! THANK YOU for making my birthday special, Cosmic Underground Theatre!

Had my Quince here - August 2015…read more I absolutely loved it! It felt like a dream, I would have another event here in the future.

Speechless. That's what comes in mind to this banquet hall…read more The banquet was so elegant and unique, dazzling and illuminating the occasion while keeping an energetic and galvanizing vibe to the event. It defines what an aesthetic banquet should be - from the lavish interior to the beautiful lighting to the stunning decor on the tables and props across the banquet. It left my family and I in awe by how BEAUTIFUL the place was! When it comes to service, be ready for some of the most eloquent and friendly staff you've encountered. Each staff member carried a huge smile that brightened my day and made the experience even better. From the coat service promptly and carefully taking care of your belongings to the food staff who were more than happy to tend to our needs - it felt great not having to run around for help and receiving genuine service. They are the epitome of friendliness! Now you can't have an exhilarating experience without talking about the food! The variety of foods was phenomenal and oh so delicious. At other places, I find myself finding it a hit or miss on all the foods, but here, the food was constantly coming out fresh and warm - and I kid you not when I say I tried nearly every dish. What put the icing on the cake (early pun intended) was their selection for desserts because my goodness was it to DIE for. This was my very first time attending this banquet and I have another event to attend here in the coming weeks so I'm already ecstatic to see what's to come!!!

We were referred to Carlo by a friend of a friend for Spanish guitarist for our wedding. He truly…read morewent above and beyond for our day and worked with us to ensure it would be perfect (even during a pandemic). We were originally only looking for music for our cocktail hour, but after meeting up with Carlo and hearing him play we ended up asking him to play for our ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner! Could not recommend his services enough.

The duo played at my daughters wedding at Elawa farm in Lake Forest and created a wonderful…read moreenchanting atmosphere for the ceremony and during dinner. We were so delighted with their performance that we asked them to play longer. I cannot recommend them more highly.

We saw two shows at the Den Theater in Chicago over the weekend. It is a small venue, but very…read morestylish. The bathrooms are pretty clean (even at a late show). The seats are comfortable. It is an intimate venue. The drink service is great. The drinks are good. I had a "Dirty Shirley" which is a Shirley Temple made with vodka. The standout is the service though. The box office staff is amazing. I am not going to share how they saved my bacon one evening, but it totally blew me away. The security folks are nice and helpful and the servers are wonderful. If there is a show you are interested in, go see it if it is at the Den!

I was at The Den Theatre for the first time for the #ChicagoTheatreWeek kick off party where I got…read moreto sample new to me food and cookies, sip on a complementary Shirley Temple, take a commemorative photo, and see a sneak preview of 4 shows and hear about the impact of the theater. The venue was nice, although parking at 5:30p even on a Tuesday was hard to find. I did a SpotHero spot a good 7-8 minute walk away. I felt safe walking, for there were a lot of people walking to the variety of businesses in the area. The eclectic mix of chairs in the mainstage area were comfortable and my party of 2 shared a table with another party of 2 without feeling overcrowded. The acoustics were good and I suspect no matter where I was sitting, I would be able to enjoy the show. I did not use the restroom. The bartenders were nice when making my Shirley Temple. They didn't just have plain cherry grenadine, they had pomegranate cherry! (...I didn't taste the difference, though). It looks like a lot of famous comedians and entertainer come through the Den based on their walls and it looks like I just missed America's Got Talent favorite Darci Lynne by a day. I would definitely consider seeing another show at this venue!

We went to the afternoon performance of Good Night Moon this afternoon and my son adored it. I was…read moreon the fence about buying tickets as it was expensive for us ($50 each) but my son did enjoy it more so than the paw patrol live shows he has seen. The show was about an hour and 15 mins and he sat through the entire show (he is 4). The props were great, the stage was great and the actors were great. We did get there about 45 mins before the show and the small parking lot next to the theater had plenty of parking spaces available. The doors opened a half hour before show start time and it gave us plenty of time to do a craft and use the bathroom before the show. Many parents must frequent the theater because they started lining up before the doors to the theater opened to get a good spot. I'd say all seats are good visually but the benches weren't the most comfortable after an hour for an adult. I do think we will be back for their next production. :)

I had a very nice time here with the little one. It was a great performance and interaction from…read morethe crew. Great experience for the kids to get out and enjoy.

Absolutely made our ceremony and cocktail hour so special! 10/10 communication and experienceread more

I booked the String Theory Chamber Ensemble for my grandmother's funeral service. When booking they…read morewere very empathic and easy to work with. They are were able to bring a portable piano and their equipment. I was very happy with their performance. They played beautifully and really added a nice touch to the service

Beautiful building, been here for several performances. Friendly staff. Usually use SpotHero to…read morefind a decent priced parking nearby. Holds about 3,500 people I believe, so the lines for drinks etc can get very crowded. The trick for entry is to use the side entrance which has 3 security lines and moves fairly quickly.

The Chicago Theater is a beautiful landmark to see a show. The inside is inspired by French…read morearchitecture with crystal chandelier, several murals and a grand staircase. 5/5 stars for the entry process! Security and bag check moved incredibly fast and were very well-organized. We had seats on the main floor and they were surprisingly roomy, and even from the side, the view of the stage was great. This is a great venue to see a show.