Excellent and fun production of Mamma Mia! by the Novato Theatre Company! The cast was talented,…read morethe music of ABBA was wonderfully performed, and the energy throughout the show was infectious. A thoroughly enjoyable evening of theater that left the audience smiling and singing along at the end. Highly recommended!

It has been nearly 72 hours since the Sunday matinee MMTC/NTC performance of Alanis Morissette's…read more"Jagged Little Pill" and the choreography, the acting, and the music just continue to play in my head!  Morgan Olson and Evvy Calstrom-March are riveting talents with commanding stage presence. You simply can't take your eyes off of them! Music director Megan Schoenbohm, from whom I sat a mere ten feet from, was herself fascinating to watch as she meticulously and flawlessly conducted her musicians from one Morissette hit to another  (while on guitar and harmonica). The intimate and cozy NTC routinely delivers outstanding productions. Add this one to the long list.

A great little playhouse for youth plays. Not sure I'd want to come for an adult professional…read moreperformance, but what a great resource for kids to perform in this beautiful, historic playhouse surrounded by big beautiful trees, with a beautiful field in front with benches. Yes, it's old. Yes, it has limited seating. Yes, I'm sure a lot of the tech and other amenities are outdated, but it's so beautiful. What a wonderful resource for the town of San Anselmo and the kids that get to start their acting and musical chops there.

I came here yesterday to see Mama Mia. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly…read moresurprised. The group putting on the performance were probably a range of elementary to high schoolers. They put on a great performance. I was so impressed by the vocals, acting, and arrangement of it all. Everyone knew their part and you could tell they put a lot of practice and time into making sure they were ready for the big day. It's a pretty small venue, but good for small performances like this one.

AlterTheatre keeps the edginess intact with North Bay theatrical events. They are based in downtown…read moreSan Rafael and will perform at a different local venue for each production they produce. Most recently this was 888 Fourth Street on the eastern side of downtown San Rafael. Prior to that, they could more often be found in a venue on the west side of town. AlterTheatre is an ensemble place, which means that strong attention is placed on casting, design and script choices. This past year, they expanded their season to three plays, and intend to continue with three for the foreseeable future. I appreciate how they often mix bold new plays in with something more known. With this past season, that meant re-introducing INTIMATE APPAREL by Lynn Nottage, world premiering a new workshop piece by Bob Ernst, and local premiering TWO SISTERS AND A PIANO by Nilo Cruz.

Dedication, passion and provocative…read more No, this isn't a personal ad. This is AlterTheater Ensemble. Performances here are thought-provoking,well performered at various locations for a great and reasonable price. Concessions are all by done by donation (but much deserved for all their effort!) Being a theatre goer AND doer...I know that it's hard to get funding even if you do all of the above--so I highly HIGHLY recommend checking out their website and dropping in for a show. You won't regret it. www.altertheater.org

Some of the best Shakespeare in SF Bay Area. Gifted actors and theatre makers giving it there all…read morefor the love of it. The sets are always stunningly inventive; crafted by local Throckmorton Theatre's resident artist Steve Coleman. And, enchanting live music accompaniment with a four piece band! Last summer's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was stellar and magical in all ways. You just can't get better than this for local theatrical summer entertainment; and it's FREE. (Of course donations are very welcomed and well earned.) The stage is set in an unforgettable setting; outdoors in a redwood grove near a pleasant creek. There is even a little refreshment stand! https://www.curtaintheatre.org/

How rare a thing it is to see exceptional Shakespeare- This…read moreyear Romeo and Juliet broke my hard hearted heart wide open!!! Tears. Laughter Joy. and then some. & it was free!!! How does it get better than that?

I just saw Kinky Boots...a tour de force performance by the leads and cast. Lola was spectacular…read more It is a poignant story that brought me to tears. Great songs and music. There's one week left. Don't miss it!

This organization has a history of dishonest communications with the public. For many years the…read morecompany claimed it had James Dunn as Artistic Director, when in fact no such position ever existed in the company. More recently, it issued a press release about an upcoming hiatus, in which it claimed there have been six challenging seasons, but then discussed only challenges in the last five seasons. Requests for a resolution to the discrepancy have been ignored and snubbed.

We were invited to a Canadian costume birthday party. Say what? We were stumped what to wear. Our…read more"go to" place for costumes .. Belrose Theater. We had such a good time looking through the many costumes. The woman (sorry I didn't remember her name) was so helpful in finding just the right ones. We decided on being Canadian Mounties. See pic. Overall, an excellent experience in costume choices, customer service and a whole lot of fun.

To be fair, I've been coming to this studio since I was in my teens (years ago!) so it's not a new…read moreexperience for me. But we went this weekend to see Will Durst and couldn't have had more fun. Even though we worried as it was hot outside, fans were going and kept it cool. Great show. Great ambiance. Really glad we made the show.

What an absolutely dreamy spot for a wedding…read more San Rafael Community Center proved this weekend - to be the most picturesque location for a gathering of beaming friends and family - all coming together to celebrate a special union. As an event space it is phenomenal. It has a plethora of parking out front and nearby. I loved that it was right next door to the Marin Bocce court (bringing back lovely memories). The security personnel out front were welcoming and friendly and we were able to walk right in for the festivities. Once inside - we were greeted by kind staff. As we entered the main auditorium we all let out a big gasp at the same time. The space is awe inspiring. The ceilings are tall and majestic - with beautiful wood beams and strategically placed skylights. The stage was big and perfect for the incredible band. - and the main room easily accommodated a plethora of tables - elegantly adorned with stunning flower arrangements. The best part of the venue - was that it opened up to an absolutely gorgeous patio area - complete with an historic fountain, and lined with magical trees and flowers. The whole afternoon was a dream. Everything flowed beautifully. You could tell from every aspect of this wondrous building, and the hired staff that made the event run smoothly - that a lot of love and pride has been instilled in this building. If you enjoy celebrating community spaces in an authentic way - I recommend staying up to date with the different community events happening at this remarkable spot. Be sure to also potentially keep it in mind for your own special event down the road. Trust.

This is a very nice Community center. It's located in the heart of San Rafael with a good size…read moreparking lot. For big events the parking lot is often full. The center has a very large ballroom and smaller rooms that expand to accommodate smaller functions. I've attended events in the ballroom such as the Chinese New Years event with performers using the full stage. Other events include Goldenaires bingo, armed Cross blood drives, and the Mull Valley Film festival party. Even Jared Huffman has used the ballroom for his in person events. The smaller rooms are terrific for trainings by the Women's Pilitical Action Committee and lunches or parties. There is a full kitchen and custodian on staff. It is also a good value.

Our family has participated in shows with Katia and Company for the last three years, and we have…read moremany more years ahead of us. Done right, performing builds confidence, teamwork, timing, problem solving, and resilience. We've recognized all of these qualities developing in our boys, and they have an absolute blast on stage. My husband and I really appreciate Katia's whole-child approach to this work. She has long-term relationships with former cast mates who are now staff working with young thespians. We also attend the teen productions which have been stellar. If your child is curious about theatre, I suggest starting by attending a show and then participating in a week-long summer camp. I suspect they'll be hooked!

My daughter was just in their production of Frozen jr and she loved it! She gained so much…read moreconfidence and I loved seeing her light up on stage. The show itself was fantastic. The parents aren't really involved in the process so I had no expectations going into it but it was amazing! The older kids were outstanding. We will be back!