My best friend and I got tickets on a whim to see the children's holiday performance Holly Jolly at the patio Playhouse last night. It was absolutely delightful. We laughed we clapped we sang and left with such a joy in our heart. Everything was phenomenal the costumes the lighting the community participation. I'm definitely going back. read more

This theater is phenomenal!! It's a little gem tucked into a "downtown" area of Encinitas. Walking in, we were greeted by extremely friendly people and a rush of cold Air conditioning; which hit such a sweet spot after the warm day. They have a little mini concessions with extremely reasonable prices and a great selection of sodas, chips, candy, and some yummy baked goodies. Walking into the theater you quickly see that there's not a bad seat in the house. These are the most comfortable cushion seats that can recline a bit and there are drink holders for the ice cold drinks from the concessions. This theater is small and intimate, but the show is big! Beautiful voices, beautiful music played live by a band, great lighting, and you feel every emotion these phenomenal actors portray. There's a selection of restaurants in the immediate area for a bite to eat before this amazing show. So glad to have found this gem and will definitely be back to see their future performances! read more

Patio Playhouse - Performing Arts Near Me - Escondido, California

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Accidentally reserved one weekend we couldn't go and I called and someone was super helpful on the phone to switch my dates. Little bit hard to find. But great friendly people help you right in. Fabulous show! Great place to come and check out! Their seats are actually NOT hard plastic! My behind thanks you. read more

Patio Playhouse - Signage for their current show. And the show was incredible! - Performing Arts Near Me - Escondido, California

When you first experience Patio Playhouse, whether as an actor, parent, volunteer, or audience member, it can feel exciting and welcoming. On the surface, it looks like a great community theater. My experience was with the youth program. At the beginning of productions, you will hear that kids are never charged to participate. Technically, that may be true, but families quickly discover that there are constant requests to donate money or volunteer time. Fundraisers, raffle baskets, sponsorships like "King or Queen of the Show," and other contributions appear regularly. Volunteering also shifts from being encouraged to feeling expected. The longer you stay involved, the more time and money families are asked to contribute. Over time, it starts to feel like families are expected to "kiss the ring." There is also a noticeable pattern of favoritism. Families who contribute the most time and money seem to receive the most opportunities, while those who cannot keep up with the expectations may find their involvement becoming more difficult. Patio Playhouse does produce impressive shows, but families should understand that the "free to participate" message does not tell the full story. read more

Last night we attended the opening of "Little Women." The acting was superb. This is small theater. You feel as though you are part of the production. We have attended plays here for more than 10 years. Each play was performed with excellence. read more

Cozy nook catering to aficionados and the curious dilettante alike. Old world charm with limited seating such that only the very interested would partake of what is on display. The stage is a few feet away from the audience since it is a playhouse making for s unique and intimate theater going experience. The atmosphere is semi-formal almost as if we are being transposed to a bygone era. All in all an experience to be cherished and repeated since the tickets are reasonably priced and bargains available on ticketing sites. Much recommended if your sensibility is enhanced by experiences such as these. Fir others there is always the movies! read more

Patio Playhouse - Getting ready for Pygmalion ..!!! - Performing Arts Near Me - Escondido, California

This little playhouse is a hidden gem! The theater holds about 40 guests, so every seat is a good one. The staff are sweet. The lighting was great. There were several mentions/postings about community initiatives. I love to see that they support community needs. I love that the location is close to the great restaurants on Grand Ave. While on the topic of food, Patio Playhouse is right next door to a great gelato place for intermission or après. My daughter and I saw Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" here last night. Looks like there are other family-friendly pieces coming this season, too. Can't wait to visit again! read more

Want to see fun plays, musicals, and improv theater while supporting your local community? Well then the Patio Playhouse Community Theater is where you need to go! This outstanding group of talented and dedicated people have been teaching and encouraging kids and putting on quality shows for over 50 years. Every time I go I leave feeling not only entertained, but with that good feeling inside knowing I was able to support such an amazing place and such a hard-working group of people. For less than the price of a dinner out you can become a member and do your part to keep the creative arts alive and thriving by supporting your non-profit community theater; and you'll get your name in the program! Go to their web-site, check out their upcoming shows, and join now; I'll see you there read more

Patio Playhouse is an amazing community theatre! They not only make sure to be inclusive to all people but it's also completely free for the actors. Everyone volunteers their time and puts in so much heart and effort to make great shows. It's a small venue so every seat is a great one! Right now they are showing Twelve Angry Jurors and it exceeded all of my expectations. These kids really amazed me, I really felt like they believed what they were saying and became their characters. It's an important message they have conveyed. I highly recommend you go see a show at Patio Playhouse, the prices for tickets are reasonable and you won't be disappointed. read more

I recently saw the heartwarming, finely acted, fun production of A Boy and A Girl written by cartoonist Greg Evans, and had hoped that there would be more dates for the accompanying play, Quibbling Sibblings, also by Evans. Here's hoping they'll reprise it. read more

The Patio Playhouse a wonderful hidden treasure! Tucked behind a courtyard in downtown Escondido, this small theater is full of high caliber acting and good season selection. The mix of shows are in inventive and a bit sassy at times, but always entertaining. I know that some will shriek and hide at the concept of community theater, but they shouldn't in this case. The Powers That Be are making smart choices (some bolder than other pro theaters around town) and for an affordable price. There also isn't a bad seat in the house. They also have a Youth Theatre (featuring some amazing talents) and I think they offer classes and camps as well. The Youth shows I have seen have been entertaining and enjoyable for the whole family. And in the summer, they do a musical in Kit Carson Park (the month of August) that has become a family tradition over the last couple years. Definitely check Patio Playhouse out! read more

I have had the pleasure of not only being a patron of this wonderful community theatre, but the honor of producing two shows for Patio, including the current production. This past weekend, the theatre was subjected to Michelle M. (a Yelp "reviewer"), who can only be described as rude, loud, unaccommodating, and a disruption, simply because she did not care for her chosen seat. This patron was not only rude to me and the volunteer theatre staff, but made many of the patrons around her uncomfortable by virtue of her unreasonable outburst, shouting that elderly and handicapped patrons, who were clealry in need of special seating were not entitled to such accommodation. This unruly woman, obviously able-bodied, nearly brought one special needs patron to tears. She then continued to disrupt the entire theatre as she shouted at those trying to address her concerns. After she was refunded her ticket price, at her request, and politiely asked to leave, the remainder of the audience expressed their gratitude to staff for calmly, reasonably and efficiently addressing this uncommon situation. Patio Playhouse performs an invaluable community service in Escondido by not only providing the community with classic and cutting edge theatre year-round, but by playing a vital role in the enrichment and betterment of the community as a whole. The theatre welcomes ALL and serves as a pillar of the North County community. read more

Patio Playhouse is a hidden gem! This small up close and person theater allows the audience to really get involved in the performance. There are no bad seats because of the size. I went to see the " Beard of Avon". It was a fantastic performance, with enthusiastic and talented performers. I was in shock to learn that this nonprofit playhouse is run 100% by volunteers including the actors. It was a wonderful evening out :-) I will def be visiting again soon for their next show! read more

This theater never lets me down. Top-notch plays with great performers. The best part is how many great little restaurants there are near by. One of my favorite date night locations. Check it out next time you're in the area! read more

The staff her are absolutely rude! They over book, don't have enough seats, and then make accomodations for their friends and staff to get the only open seats, and everyone else is left without seats. Then they even let non-handicapped people sit in handicapped seats and made handicapped people who could barely walk go up the stairs as they changed their seats. Unfornate as we are avid theater watchers, we will not be back here. read more

My mom and I went to see The Fabulous Lipitones play last Sunday afternoon. We LOVED LOVED the performance!! The place was packed! The actors/singers were SO talented and did a fantastic job!! The singing was wonderful and the message of love and non judgement of cultures that differ from our own, came through loud and clear. Left us feeling grateful. I emailed Peggy a few days before the show to ask for special accommodations for my Mom who has limited mobility and is disabled. Peggy hooked us up and we really appreciated her help! read more

The entire venue is great! It is small, which is cool because every audience member can become part of the show. My favorite production was Aladdin Jr. Director Geoffrey A. Cox did an incredible job directing. I met him after the show and it was obvious he has a strong passion for theater. read more

I've attended two plays this past year and thoroughly enjoyed them both. The audience is close to the actors; the venue is intimate which helps you feel more a part of the play. The quality of the actors has been impressive. The Third Wave was thought-provoking and Sweeny Todd (currently playing as I write this) was lots of fun. Definitely planning to attend more plays at Patio Playhouse. read more

Came here on a Saturday to watch the production of "I love you, you're perfect, now Change". It's one of my favorite off broadway musicals and I thought it would be a great way to support local theater. The place is very small and intimate. On a packed night it could probably fit 90 or so people if they all crammed in - dress lightly, even though it was on the chilly side outside, it was borderline hot with the house full. Still, they do a decent job with local talent. All in all, for the money I paid, I was satisfied. read more

I have been performing at Patio Playhouse for over 20 years!! It is family friendly, the shows are wonderful and they are always looking for new volunteers! If you would like to see fantastic theatre, or if you want to shine on the stage Patio Playhouse is the place to be!! Patio is also one of the ONLY youth theatres that does NOT charge to be in their productions! read more

WOW GREAT!! Yesterday was my first time at Patio Playhouse and we watched the " Beard of Avon". The show was outstanding, the acting fabulous and the set design charming. The costumes were awesome making you go back in time , at the Shakespeare era.. The theater is small with nearly 6 rows of seating which gives the theater a warm and friendly ambiance perfect for a romance date. The audience is in font of the stage and everyone gets a nice view. The performance is even more impressive when we know that it is performed by volunteer actors I really enjoyed the intimacy of the performance and can't wait until there is another show to come with my hubby!! read more

I would give zero stars if I could. I felt severely mistreated by the pianist at my audition for In The Heights, Annie and Jesus Christ Superstar. I wish I knew her name so she could be held accountable but it was the 1:15-1:30 timeslot on 4/7. It all began when I simply (and politely) asked her to play the song in a lower key. Not only did she refuse my request, but I have reasons to believe she intentionally sabotaged my audition. She started by randomly singing along with me during parts which completely threw me off. Up until then, I hadnt experienced anything like that in an audition. She also seemed to pause for unnecessary long amounts of time which made me wonder when to start singing again. However, I think the most unprofessional thing she did was stop playing abruptly mid chorus. She said something along the lines of "I'm sorry I can't do this can someone else transpose?" And no one would. There were about 8 directors watching me. I was then told by the directors that they had heard enough and to sit down. I did not receive a call back. I don't think I'll even get ensemble. Before you judge me for asking the pianist to change keys...hear me out. I haven't done musical theatre in a little over 7 years. I called Patio Playhouse a few days before and left a message asking for audition times if any shows were going on. I was called less than 24 hours before the audition deadline date. I had almost no time to prepare a new song. I had to go with something i was familiar with. Of course, it's only three half steps higher than my voice can handle. I didn't think the pianist would be so offended. Furthermore, my sister did a professional show last month and was able to educate me later on about how the audition customs have changed. You're not supposed to ask the pianist to play in a different key. Apparently it's considered rude and unprofessional. But that's not as unprofessional and rude as stopping a potential cast member in the middle of an audition. I was shocked. Especially since I had no idea of this. I wish I did because maybe I would have gotten a fair chance at an audition like everyone else. I am not the most talented but I was eager to get back on stage to show everyone what I can do. Patio Playhouse put a dent in my self esteem and I thought musical theatre was about growth and support. Due to what you just read, I will not be working with Patio Playhouse in the future. If I were you, I wouldnt either. read more

What an awesome playhouse! The theatre is intimate and so conveniently located. It felt like a treat to have the quality of a big theatre production but we were just a few feet from the actors. read more

I watched Patio's production of Into the Woods at Kit Carson Park. I loved it! I was impressed with the abilities of the actors! The witch was my personal favorite but they were all outstanding. Outdoor venue was large. We brought our stadium seats so we were comfortable. Very professional and GREAT show! Well done Patio! read more

Into The Woods at Kit Carson Amphitheater is outstandingly! The last performance is 8/26/2017, I hope they perform it again sometime. It's Grimm's Fairy Tales grown up. Stephen Sondheim's music and lyrics are hauntingly familiar yet surprisingly different, and the harmonies are sometimes dissonant yet incredible. Witch's Lament song is 1 minute 30 seconds and tells the complete story of every parent - the Patio Playhouse production has elements better than the original Broadway production.. IMO :) read more

went last eve to see 13 rue de la amour. cute comedy. i thought the actor who played the doctor was especially talented. i like the small venue. second time to the theater, will go again. read more