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    Pasadena Playhouse

    4.3 (399 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 6:00 PM

    Pasadena Playhouse Photos

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    The Terrance on the 2nd floor
    Ella H.

    It's always amazing to watch impeccable performance here at Pasadena Playhouse. We came for the premier of Amadeus on 02/11, Wednesday. It was definitely worth it. Thanks to Yelp experiences! The Playhouse also hosts a Mini Mozart concert before the show. It was a great, immersive experience. This is not my first time watching the shows performed by the talented artists. It's really a versatile team that for many times, I'm stunned by the artists' intelligence and impressive vocals. Amadeus is a show that fans will love it with widely entertaining effect and a touching story.

    Jessica R.

    Came here opening night to see the brand new play Amadeus! The playhouse is so gorgeous and since it was a Wednesday, we were treated to some complimentary wine by the friendliest bartenders! We enjoyed it in the elegant courtyard on a gorgeous night! Prior to the play, we were treated to a lovely complimentary Mozart concert to warm us up for the play! The play itself was so well acted with phenomenal performances. There was even song incorporated. The set design and costumes were so elegant and truly transported me to the past. They really make great use of the space! We were pretty high up in the Mezzanine but were still able to see really well and the voices projected well up there! I cannot wait to return to see another play here and highly recommend it for an elegant evening out! Parking was also really easy in their surrounding areas as most streets were free after 6 pm!

    Jason M.

    I would like to start off by saying that the Pasadena playhouse staff are some of the most hospitable people I've ever encountered. Susan was very nice and gave me a lot of insight on the history of the Pasadena playhouse. The overall ambience of Pasadena playhouse is awesome. I've never been to a play until I went to eureka day and I'm glad I went. Great play, great actors. Will be back for another play! 10/10 recommended

    Alejandro F.

    The Pasadena Playhouse is a staple of the city of Pasadena. It's a Tony-award winning historic performing arts theater and venue where I've had the please and privilege of watching several plays in my more than 3 years and a half of living in this city. This Playhouse is part of the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, and it shows. The building, built in the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture that characterizes several buildings here in Pasadena, has been preserved incredibly well, even if some parts, such as the restrooms, are a bit date. That adds to the charm of this place. Parking occurs in an underground, independent parking lot across from this Playhouse and paying and leaving the building can be easily done from your cellphone. There are interesting shows and plays almost every month and it's always worth the (very reasonable) price of admission.

    Show Night!
    Joshua H.

    Love this theater! I've been a handful of times now. The character of the building! The ease of entry and seats/bathroom. It's a great flow for a theater. I also love seeing so many actors I know from real life or TV work on stage here!

    Inside
    Christopher T.

    Took my kid (his 1st time here) to see hahaha ha ha. Still beautiful and unique. Staff are wonderful and friendly.

    Random artwork near in the library
    Danny V.

    Wife and I came to one of the recent shows on Wine Wednesday. The experience was great, and I really enjoyed talking to the staff up in the library. There was an old timer there who had started in Broadway as a kid and he left such a good impression, by his good vibes the way he shared his stories...that it makes me want to return. The show had us laughing so hard...it was about vaccines in schools....not a fun topic but somehow they made it work.

    Brooke M.

    My dear friend had invited me La Cage Aux Folles and I was so impressed by the hospitality of the Playhouse giving ticket holders a free glass of wine on Wednesday nights and the vibe outside waiting for the performance was so warm and amazing. The Playhouse was so beautiful it was my first time experiencing such a historical beauty. I had no idea as early as 1912 there was a period known as the Little Theatre Movement developed in cities and towns across the United States. In 1916 actor-director Gilmor Brown started the artistic community that founded the Pasadena Playhouse. This Playhouse was completed in 1925, the theatre was designed in a Spanish Colonial Revival style by Pasadena artist and architect Elmer Grey, with a fire curtain painted by Pasadena artist Alson S. Clark

    Existing the library
    Kimberly A.

    Got invited by a friend to Pasadena's Playhouse for a play this past week and it was amazing! 10/10 Experience ! It happened to not only be Eureka Night (the play name! But it was celebrated with Wednesday Wine night! When we first drove up to the event, there was easy access to parking right across the location. Only played about $5 for parking and it was so convienent. From there, we picked up the tickets for the play and were greeted so warmly. We went ahead and got our free cups of wine and had some time to sit down and enjoy the beautiful view of the place. Brought our own crackers and Brie cheese since we knew we're going to get complimentary wine. We were even blessed to have the opportunity to check out their library and saw an amazing book selection. The people there were so welcoming, giving us insight about the place and we even had the chance to speak with an alumni there! Learned that it has previously been a college of theatre arts! We then went to sit at our seats for the play, and let me say ... IT WAS A GREAT TIME. It was so well written and preformed. I don't want to ruin what it's about but I definitely recommend going! Such a different experience than what I'm used to doing on a weekly basis. Definitely give it a try because I know I'm definitely returning back!

    Jolene L.

    came here from a yelp elite event and attended their ha ha ha! season (a one woman show). i wasn't too sure what to expect but wow, i was surprised. not only are they hosting amazing productions, the building itself has so much history. the hospitality was truly great -- and not just for yelp elites, but for everyone. they have wine wednesdays where you can try a cup of red or white wine. admittedly, i came on the wrong day, but the staff fixed it with no problem. i was so impressed by the show, professionalism, and hospitality. my boyfriend and i had such a good night, we're definitely checking out their future shows :) thank you pasadena playhouse!

    Booklet
    Alyssa S.

    My friend had an extra ticket to a show at the Pasadena Playhouse and we had a great time! We watched a comedy show and the staff was really friendly and walked me to my seat because I had showed up late. The comedy show is great, venue was clean, and I highly recommend it if you ever have the chance!

    Ryna D.

    Been eyeing Pasadena Playhouse for a while now so as soon as I saw that Cyrano (the hot new version by Martin Crimp) was coming to Pasadena I immediately made plans to go see it. The theater is beautiful and the seats are very comfortable. Parking is located just across the street so it's convenient. We had dinner next door at Bar Chelou and we very much enjoyed our "dinner and a show" date night!

    View from the balcony
    Christine H.

    My first time attending a performance at this historical venue. It is a smaller auditorium where every seat, even the last row of the balcony, has a very good view of the stage. The playhouse architecture and style make you feel like you have gone back in time. The Pasadena Playhouse is 99 years old, first opened in 1925. It was designated as the State Theatre of California in 1937. Although it closed its doors in 1969, the City of Pasadena reopened the Playhouse in 1986 and it remains open today. We saw the play One of the Good Ones. Entertaining, funny, and relatable. Great play writing, dialogue, and acting! Parking was convenient for this evening show. Although there is street parking at the meters, free after 6pm (?), there was an underground lot across the street which is safe and plentiful. Hope you can catch a show here to experience this hidden gem in the SGV.

    La Cage stage pre-show

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    Great place to see a live play. There is parking across the street although not free but reasonable. Not a bad seat in the house.

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    Ask the Community - Pasadena Playhouse

    Where is the best place to park and do I need to buy parking in advance.?

    There is a parking,multi level, garage directly across from the Theatre. Very convenient

    Any bad seats in the house (orchestra) where your view might be obstructed? Want to take my kids all under 10...

    Honestly, no. It's intimate enough to where every seat has its own vantage.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Pasadena Playhouse

    ! The theatre is lavish without being pretentious, and we had second row center seats for only $29 per person

    Mentioned in 56 reviews

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    Young Stars Theatre Academy

    Young Stars Theatre Academy

    (20 reviews)

    1,000 stars if I could!!!! We cannot imagine our life without YSTA!…read more We stumbled upon it looking online for a musical theater company for our then 7-year old. She has been in almost every production in the four years since and LOVES it - it is the highlight of her week, both artistically and socially. I've seen other companies where they rehearse for 5 months and end up doing just a couple of performances; YSTA has the perfect ratio of a couple of months' worth of rehearsals and 6 performances for regular-season shows (camps are more compact). The kids are responsible for everything, not just acting! Our daughter has grown thanks to YSTA not only as a singer and performer but also in her confidence and independence. We love YSTA!!!

    Our daughter started at YSTA for a winter camp a couple years back when she was just 6 years old!…read moreShe's loved her time there so much! We were amazed at what Gloria and her team could do with these kids in that short amount of time (1 week) and the joy that they all show on stage. The warmth that Gloria gives these kids transcends down and the older kids are so kind to the younger ones. The older ones even come back to direct, costume design, and watch the shows. Our daughter has been in 8 shows at YSTA now - including camps and season shows. She always grows as a performer in every show with YSTA. YSTA is our daughter's happy place, and we couldn't be more grateful to have found such a wonderful community for our girl. She will continue to go to YSTA and continue to grow here as a performer. Thank you to Gloria and her team!

    Art Work Place - So happy making art!

    Art Work Place

    (19 reviews)

    I have to say I'm disappointed in Ms Billy. Initially she seemed like a great teacher - as my son…read morehad positive feedback and seemed to enjoy the class. Gradually my son would come home sad and upset. At first, I brushed off his complaints as maybe he just had a random rough day. Today, I picked up my son and Ms. Billy complained about his projects and all kinds of stuff right in front of my son. My son came to the car crying feeling terrible about his artwork. I asked him several questions about what happened as I didn't want to make any rash judgements about the teacher. He explained that he felt that Ms. Billie was being mean to him and that he was really struggling with clay (it's a new skill for him). I asked if she helps him with his clay a little extra since he's obviously struggling more than the rest of the more experienced students (I'd think she'd spend a little extra time with him). He said no - she was drinking tea and when she came back he had made a snail project where its tongue broke off and couldn't put it back on. He said he destroyed it and my son said she made another mean comment to him: "ohh so you're breaking stuff, instead of making stuff". He was struggling to put on the tongue, which you didn't help him with. Ms. Billy told me it was Gary the snail which didn't go with the CA theme they're working on. Ok. My question is: how is one of your struggling students able to make an entire snail project without you noticing until he's that far along with it? Then, the tongue falls ogf of it, you make a comment to him about it being wrong, he destroys it, you make another comment to him about him about breaking things instead of making things. Ok. If she's going to drink tea instead of helping struggling students then she shouldn't be surprised about them struggling. He said she was helping the other students - not him so much. He also said he got up to grab a toothpick, and she said to him "you're disrupting the entire class" and he was embarrassed that all the kids stared at him. He wasn't being defiant but she keeps treating him as if he is. My son said he was really surprised at how mean Ms. Billy was treating him - he genuinely didn't know he was doing anything wrong, She did sound agitated when she was complaining to me about my son. I know my son - he's not a bad kid and he's super kind. I'm not just saying that because he's my son. He truly is. I'm the type of person that takes criticism well and I'm happy to help correct behavior when necessary. In this case, I really feel that Ms. Billy is not spending enough time with struggling students - in my sons case not understanding instructions according to her. I didn't appreciate her putting my son down in front of both my husband and I. Ms. Billy made it sound as if my son was being defiant - I can assure you my son is not defiant - he genuinely is just having a hard time with the project! He's asking for help from his teacher in his own 8 year old way. He just turned 8 by the way. Mrs. Elizabeth in the front is amazing on the other hand! Very helpful and kind lady.

    My children love the classes and camps at Art/Work/Place- it's always a good sign when I try to…read morepick them up after a full day of camp but they wish they could stay and keep playing! The teachers here are incredible and create such a warm environment and sense of safety where children create and learn to their full capacities. I appreciate Ruby Hannan, Anayantzin Sanchez, and Billie Frolov who have all guided our kids in various classes & camps including Claymation, Make Your Own Stuffie, Mini Makers, and Youth Lessons. We've also been to some cool events here for children, our favorite being when they invited the animators from the new Ninja Turtles movie/Mitchell's Vs. the Machines to come talk to the students and show them people can become animators when they grow up! Truly an inspiring place where children come to explore and create their own art. So thankful to have found this studio! *also editing my review to add that I specialize in a field of child development & communication; I respectfully disagree with the parents below who claim this place is merely a bunch of babysitters or that their children didn't learn anything during their time here. I've been so impressed the way the educators here scaffold the summer camp in a way that the older kids are making Claymation videos or sewing stuffies alongside the younger ones. No one is so frustrated that they can't participate and at the same time these kids are challenged!! My children had increases in their artistic abilities, social skills, vocabulary, fine motor skills, ability to use technology to create art, and I would go so far as to say even their overall self esteem, as the final art show is truly a special time for families to come together and celebrate what these children have created with the guidance of some awesome instructors. Sorry, but I could go on! The only time I've ever seen the tv on at Art/Work/Place was during the gorgeous, hilarious, magical Claymation Camp viewing party a year ago and the time the Ninja Turtles animators used it to show us some clips from a movie they made. Again, context matters.... Let your kids give them a try and decide for yourself :)

    Pasadena Playhouse - theater - Updated May 2026

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