Love Pops!! I have had students throughout the years who have participated in their many great programs! They offer students incredible training and performance experience, and they are such an important part of the South Bay community! Highest recommendations! read more

My daughters have been a part of POPS for the past 5 years. They have both performed in my-stage plays (small stage for those new to acting), then mini-pops (7-11 years on the big stage), and my oldest is now in Rising Stars (ages 12+). Between the two of them we've probably been involved in 20 different POPs productions and our girls have learned so much. Regardless of role, in each production the girls have felt valued, developed wonderful friendships, learned teamwork, and the value of hard work! In addition to the productions, POPS also has great training classes for Acting, Voice, and Dance of which we've tried several. The owners, Julia and Mark Mirkovich, have worked to build an amazing youth theater company where the productions are outstanding. The producers, directors, and teachers Hazel, Ashley, Chloe, Evie, and Marcela work so hard with the kids to teach and support the kids as they learn about theater. If your kids want to try musical theater, POPs is a great place to check out! read more

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Having joined POPs when it first began, I can truthfully say that it is solely responsible for all my theatrical knowledge. The staff is amazing, the choreography is always fantastic, and the overall quality of the shows is superb. The kids are always nice and welcoming and POPs strives to be free of any cliques or friend groups. I was always in the Mainstage group (the 12+ age group), but becoming friends and mentors to the rising stars group (next younger group) was not unheard of. The older kids would help do the backstage work for the younger kids shows which was nice. Not to mention, POPs students are always very supportive of their friends, seeing them in shows with other youth theater companies (something students from other companies sadly don't often do in return). All in all, POPs was a truly great opportunity and fun group to perform with. --Brian Liebson, POPs alumni read more

POPs - Puttin' On Productions - Performing Arts Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

My daughter is in her third production with this company and I've been really impressed. The emphasis is rightly on the community of a theater group and about working together to put on a show regardless of the size of your part. I can see my daughters confidence growing with each rehearsal and I see a huge difference from her last production to this one. She's having fun and building great teamwork skills. I couldn't ask for anything else. read more

My daughter has been in 16 Pops shows. Pops is her second home and she absolutely loves it. It started out as a fun after school activity in the early years of elementary school and has become her community and her happy place. The kids in her cast, show after show are like family. The creative instructors are her biggest mentors. It's an amazing community of support, encouragement and love that has allowed my daughter to shine. It's rare these days for kids to have such an incredible bond, supportive community and an avenue to express themselves free of judgement and criticism. Thank you to Julia and her amazing team for being a solid rock for our kids! read more

We've been with the POPs family for about 4 years. My daughter was 5 when we went to see POPs do Annie at the Hermosa Beach Playhouse. We were blown away at the talent, the production quality etc. My daughter immediately turned to me and told me she wanted to be on that stage too! Dozens of shows later, my daughter lives for POPs. I can't say enough good things about the staff. We haven't met one teacher who doesn't go above and beyond to ensure each child not only gets a great theatre education, but makes sure each and every one is comfortable, taken care of, and having fun! POPs makes sure every child can express themselves in a safe environment and there's no other place I'd rather have my child spend her afternoons! read more

My daughter is now in her second POPS production. ( mini pops MainStage) I can't say enough about POPS. It starts with Julia Mirkovich, the founder. She truly puts her heart into this company and it shows. POPS encourages children to express themselves in a safe environment. Everyone on staff has been so helpful and accommodating and my daughter has learned so much in her short time with them. She loves going to rehearsal and lives for tech week! She made wonderful friendships with other students who really support each other and root each other on. The productions really feel like the kids take ownership of them. You couldn't find a more warm or nurturing place! read more

Pops is a greedy business. They take a 10-15 person play and put 40 people in it. They force the kids to sit around and do nothing because and only attend to the people who are highly active in that particular play. If you are planning on going here do not there are other places you can get better service at. They think you are working for them when in fact you pay them so essentially they work for you and should not be calling any shots. They put 40 kids in each play which has multiple groups so the number is more in the closer to 100 so they can make thousands per child to be there plus what ever donations they beg for, and thats what they do is beg for donations. I promise you, you will waste your money on this place if you need a baby sitter for a few hours a day that is fine but if you are looking for a real theater place to teach your child anything go to a real drama acting class not this. They should have try out and cut the kids who are not going to be doing anything so they can do something more interesting with there lives instead of just taking advantage of people and taking their money. What should POPs do? 15 people max per play per day unless it calls for more, Every kid on stage gets a real part instead of the majority not doing anything but walking around and taking up space. If you want extras you should pay them not them pay you the same as the kid who has the lead. Do not have people on stage just to take their money. POPs you works for the parents and their children not the other way around. You are getting paid by them, the parents and their children who pay your bills. You should not get angry when someone has to leave early its not a big deal your plays are not good in fact I've been to many and most of them are pretty bad and not very entertaining and a lot of fake people pretend they are good. Let the kids do other actives instead of taking advantage of the situation if they don't make a role they should be able to leave so they can go play a sport or something and try again next time. You have kids who have one or no lines when some kids have two or more major roles, Wasted childhood much better things are out there for your child. Rotate the kids after a kid gets a major role put them in the back and give someone else who hasn't has a big role get it. Oh wait if you did that they wouldn't come back would they so you need to keep using the same kids over and over for the bigger roles. read more

Absolutely one of the best companies around, the staff is incredibly friendly and wonderful to the kids as well as to parents, always very receptive to any concerns parents may have, which is very rare to find with companies. Probably the thing which stands out the most is the work ethic, the directors and staff complete the things they set out to do, they teach kids great values which they will need to succeed, and above all empower them to pursue their dream whatever it may be. read more

We've been a part of the POPS family for 8 years and 16 shows. Our daughter has never had "the Lead" but at POPS, the Lead is not what it's about. It's about loving the process, the hard work and the commitment to an amazing group of leaders and fellow cast members. This past weekend they had their first every 24 Hour Musical. Yes, kids showed up on Friday afternoon and were told the name of the show, their role and within 24 hours (with the exception of 10 hours at home to sleep) they put on an amazing performance. This was by far the most opportunity for growth our daughter has had! If you have ever wanted your child to try theater, this is the place! Just like with all theater programs, there may be some "drama mamas", just avoid them. And tech weeks are long and kids are tired, but go in knowing that is a part of the HUGE commitment they make to a team of hard working kids that will pour their hearts into each and every show. And when you see your child on stage, smiling, happy and confident, the feeling is worth it all. Take the time and check them out. Try out a class, drop in and talk to them. You will not be disappointed. Thank you Michelle and Ashley (and Julia, Mark, Hazel, Susan, Beth, etc) for making your hearts a home for our daughter and many others. What you are doing matters so much and is shaping these kids!! Come try out POPS----you will be blown away!! read more

Let me state for the record that overall POP's is a good extra-cirricular activity. Unfortunately, they see their program as paramount to everything else including school. Recently, my daughter participated in the bye bye birdie play. Its rather in-depth and demanding. The issue finally came to a head when two nights before the play they had a mandatory 4 1/2 practice on Wednesday and Thursday. My daughter had two difficult tests on Friday. As a result the practices from 4-8:30 gave my daughter little time to study. I called Mark at POPs explained how important these tests were and she needed to study. She has been going to practice for 6 months. I asked Mark (the owner) if she could attend from 4-6:30 or 7 so she would have time to study. He said NO and that if she was not there for the full practice she could not participate in the play AT ALL ! Great work Mark ! To compound matters, both he and one of his supervisors said that she should bring her homework to the practice and between sessions he would have older kids work with her. WRONG, not only did my daughter tell me that there was no time to work on it, no older kids helped her. As a result she got 2 F's on her Friday tests. In summary, this is an extremely inflexible program which makes no allowences for more important matters such as school work. Please consider that in looking at this program. read more

This company thinks they are amazing and the "ultimate" theater experience. This could not be further from the truth. This is truly just a business, not a passion for the owners. Rather than ensuring every child feels valued and has their "time in the light", they clearly focus on the children of families who spend more money on their business. Children who are talented and excited about theater are not recognized with significant parts unless their parents spend lots of extra money buying ads and enrolling their children year after year. Your child could be a professional actor and POPS is going to give them a role that spends 5 second on stage. Part selection isn't based on talent or passion. It is clearly "just a business" and they don't want to disappoint the children of the "wealthier" families. Families are forced to purchase 20 tickets to performances (shouldn't POPS promote and try to sell the tickets themselves?). They charge a lot of money and give so little back to the children. You would be much better off spending your money on actual professional acting /training. If your child wants an acting experience, try the less expensive options which truly care about the child's experience rather than just making money and ruining your child's self esteem. read more

Everything about POP is done with love and care for the children. It truly has become an extension of our family. The staff is absolutely wonderful and extremely knowledgeable. The shows are always top notch and it is truly amazing seeing how the children blossom on stage. We have been going to all the production for the last six years and look forward to the next show. The children and parents are so lucky to have such an exceptional family theatre group in town. read more

I was with POPs since the beginning and I can easily say that they are the reason that I am now pursuing my dream studying Musical Theatre at Indiana University. Everyone in POPs is incredible and it will forever be a part of my life. I started Musical Theatre with the group and learned everything I know from the company. Everyone loves each other, which is very difficult to find in any group. Each division supports the others and it feels more like a family with open arms than any other group I have been a part of. Even if you are not pursuing theatre, POPs is an amazing experience for all involved and I highly recommend becoming a part of this incredible family or even just supporting the shows. read more