The Empty Space is one of my favorite places to be in Bakersfield.. Scratch that. The Empty Space…read moreis one of my favorite places to be period. I've caught at least a dozen shows here since finding out about this local gem in high school. From musicals to plays, every show has been amazing. They can make me crack up laughing, want to boogie on down with them during a dance break, and maybe even shed a tear. I can confidently say I would go to any show they put on. A friend could ask me if I wanted to go to the Empty Space tonight, and without knowing what was playing I would say yes. Consistently very talented casts! Phenomenal stage design! Great directing! Fun choreography! Lighting and audio teams always do a great job! It is always clear the whole team are fully invested in the material and bringing out the best in each other. Top tier local talent all around. The Empty Space is more than a place to catch amazing local theater. They also showcase art from local artists in their art gallery which acts as their lobby. I recommend getting there early to enjoy the artwork and grab their super affordable snacks. After being away for a while, I was excited to attend my first show at their new location, Dracula: A Comedy Of Terrors. And a bust out loud comedy it was. Phenomenal show as usual. I'm not sure I could've gotten a better welcome back to The Empty Space. Thank you to the whole cast and crew who made that show happen. Their new location is super nice and spacious. The old location had its charm, but their new location is much larger and the seating has extra leg room, which is always appreciated. Many longtime fans of the Empty Space will recall how the old building immersed the audience was in the show due to the close proximity to the performers, and how many of their productions would utilize the space in creative ways for stand out moments. I'm glad to say they do a great job utilizing the new space in a similar manner. When you walk into the theater you actually walk onto the stage initially which provides an all encompassing immediate immersion into whatever world you're about to enjoy an awesome story in. For those thinking of auditioning to be a cast member, I actually had the pleasure of being in their 2016 production of "In The Heights" which took place in their previous location and highly recommend it. It was a super fun experience. They're very kind and welcoming.

LOVE LOVE LOVE The Empty Space. I've only started going this year (2025) and so far have not been…read moredisappointed. The location is easy to get to and parking is plentiful. The lobby is nice and cozy and the staff is always super nice! The concession stand is reasonably priced with a good selection of snacks and drinks. I enjoy the custom cocktails they serve. The theater seating is good with good views no matter where you sit. The cast is always great and super talented. I highly support local theater and have been recommending The Empty Space to all my friends and family.

Such friendly staff and the show was amazing! My friend and…read moreI saw "Beautiful: Carole King Musical" and it was amazing! The staff were very accommodating and showed us to our seats! Will definitely go again:)

I took a friend of mine to see Sweeney Todd on 11 / 2 . The music backing up the vocals was way…read moretoo loud and made it well nigh impossible to hear and understand much of the dialog. I wouldn't give that performance one star. I just wasted $70.00 on a lot of unintelligible noise. Major disappointment.

I really enjoy the shows here! It's really the people that make this theater amazing! Especially…read morethe children's programs! I've also enjoyed several shows that aren't kid's shows. The theater has been there and long time and despite updates, it does show it's age with the seats being a bit tight and lacking elbow room also cooling system in the summer could be nicer! However I still love every show I've seen and look forward to many more!

My daughter and I enjoyed the 37th One Acts performances. We saw friends there as well as one of my…read moredaughter's friends in some of the One Act performances. We had a good time. More people need to discover the Bakersfield Community Theater.

This theatre is a wonderful thing for kids that need a place to belong in some way. I've seen kids…read moreblossom here and do wonderful things. They build friendships, gain confidence, learn how to work together, learn responsibility and so much more... I've seen kids that have had behavioral problems change participating here. I've seen shy kids become bigger than life. I really can't describe how awesome this is. It may not be perfect as nothing is in life but it is a place that many need or love. Encourage your kids to try things they show interest in whatever they may be, they might shine! This theatre is about the kids

Our children have tremendously enjoyed being a part of AOTCB's theater "framly". They have grown in…read moreto their own little shells and have learned so much about theater and made so many friends in the process.

We did not eat dinner have ate here before and it is typical theater food…read more Service is good. We went to see man of La Mancha seating is excellent and I've probably seen over 20 shows here and never disappointed

We were given our playbill and salad immediately as we were seated. I was in the front row next to…read morethe yellow brick road, and I loved it! They traded my salad for a soup because I had also ordered a salad for dinner. I didn't think about it, they did, so thoughtful. I loved our seat mates, delightful couple. The show was outstanding. The actors were cast perfectly, and the singing and dancing made the show! I loved the lion, the tin man and wicked witch. They were always my favorites and even more so now. This is my second visit to the theater and even though we have to travel from Arizona I will definitely make more shows in the future. Highly recommend!

They offer classes for ages 2 to 102. Specializing in classical Ballet they offer jazz, tap, modern…read moreand hip-hop as well. Not a competition studio, a place for kids to dance and develop community and become amazing adults. And for adults to to continue a dance experience or begin a new journey.

If you are looking for a dance studio in Kern county, I highly recommend Civic Dance studio! My…read moredaughter has been coming here for 3 years now and we have really enjoyed seeing her progress as a dancer, as well as see her up on stage in those adorable costumes each year ;) They hold the dancers to high standard with a firm, but gentle hand. Each class has a head teacher with 1 to 2 student assistants. They are very focused on teaching each dancer the fundamentals and helping to mold them into the best possible dancer they can be. At the end of the year they put on a gala where you get to see all their hard work pay off! Check them out, you won't be disappointed!

I love the people here. There is a great sense of support and an environment to learn. The space…read moreis wonderful for an improv show - lights, stage, AC, sound, etc. It's a great place to enjoy a show!

I stumbled upon the Center for Improv Advancement at a workshop put on by a local art gallery a…read morecouple years back. I had no idea this town had that kind of talent, and I started seeing their shows in the back of a restaurant way across town. They would totally involve their audience in the process, and every show was completely different from the last. With everything made up right on the spot like in "Who's Line is it Anyway?" only better. Then they got their own venue and started putting on classes. I signed up for the first one, and took that series of classes and then the intermediate classes that came after that. I can't even begin to tell you how fun that was or how much I learned. I even got invited to take part in an improv competition which was an absolute BLAST. Some shows are family friendly and some are not, so if that's important to you, look carefully at what they're offering the night/time you want to go (www.ciacomedy.com). If you have a medical condition or have had a surgery and laughing would cause you harm, then wait until you heal up a bit, because trust me--you're going to laugh. At $5.00 per show, it is, in my opinion, the most fun you can have in Bakersfield without someone calling the cops.

My wife and I came to see a showing of Our Lady of the Tortilla, and we had a great experience. The…read moretheater was fairly small, but the performance felt very personal and was very enjoyable. The actors/actresses did a great job, the location was nice (being fairly close to our house) and the concession stands had a good amount of food and drinks to choose from (including mixed drinks, beer, and wine!!). We will definitely be back, and will definitely recommend!!

My husband and I came her to watch our friend perform in NUTS, a story about Claudia Draper. I had…read morenever been to this location of Stars. It's a small, quaint building for a performing arts theater. Upon arrival, we were greeted in a friendly manner and I was excited to see I could purchase tickets at the door, since it wasn't the main Stars Restaurant and Theater. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars is because the outdoor lighting wasnt very good and had I not been 100% sure that the showing was at this location I would have drove away and gone all the way downtown to their main location. Additionally, I am three weeks post op and there really wasnt parking and I arrived at 7 and had to walk quite a distance to get where I needed to go.