Pasadena Playhouse. Brigadoon. If you're considering…read morespending your hard-earned time and money at the Pasadena Playhouse, do yourself a favor: skip opening night. Wait for the unbiased reviews to trickle in before committing to their latest offerings, because if Brigadoon is the current standard, the bar hasn't just been lowered--it's been buried. Wednesday's opening night was, to put it bluntly, a stinker. We arrived with open minds and tempered expectations; we weren't looking for a Gene Kelly reincarnation or a Broadway-scale miracle. We understand the constraints of regional theater. However, what we witnessed was so profoundly lackluster that it felt less like a professional production and more like a mediocre college workshop. The "Highland" Lowlights: * Atrocious Casting: With the sole exception of Betsy Morgan--who possessed the only singing and dancing chops worthy of the material--the casting was a disaster. * Cultural Caricature: The premise of Brigadoon relies on a town preserved in time to protect its Scottish heritage. Why, then, was this cast like a generic Disney Channel original movie? The "Scottish" culture on display was a cringeworthy caricature reminiscent of a Mike Myers sketch. In a city like Los Angeles, home to thousands of versatile actors, is authenticity really that hard to find? * Anemic Energy: The choreography was limp, and the vocal performances were consistently weak. The sound system was so quiet it felt like a mercy killing; perhaps turning it up would have provided the "punch" the performers so desperately lacked. I cannot remember the last time I saw a professional audience flee after only a few scenes. We endured the first half, but left at intermission. It was simply that unbearable. While the Pasadena Playhouse relies on the generosity of donors to stay afloat, one has to wonder: is there any quality control left? Or is the current mode of operation simply to shovel substandard content at a captive audience? Thank God we aren't trapped in this version of Brigadoon for a hundred years. 45 minutes was more than enough.

This was the first time I attended the Pasadena Playhouse. Came here to see Amadeus. I really…read moreenjoyed the venue as well as the play. Loved the historic feel of the playhouse which was very appropriate for the play. We didn't know exactly where to park but found out afterwards that the parking was conveniently located across the street. Will definitely consider coming here again in the future.

My son loves this place. The staff and other children are amazing. He feels so comfortable here. He…read moreis about to perform in his first production... and we can't wait to see him shine! He has completed summer camp and a weekly class for the first half of the school year. We are signing up for winter!

One fateful day ten years ago a family friend (a professor of dance at USC) upon hearing of our…read moreyoung daughter's enthusiasm for all things theater, suggested we look into 'Theatre 360' in Pasadena and noted that for kids who are serious about theater there isn't a comparable program in the San Gabriel Valley. That amazing piece of advice, so many years ago, changed our daughter's life, and our family's, for the absolute best. For the past decade we have had the absolute honor and privilege of being able to engage our daughter in classes and shows that have grown her in every aspect of her physical, mental, social and creative life - on and off the stage. Theatre 360's entire approach is to develop a child's talents and one only has to see a class showcase or a watch one of their amazing productions to realize that tangible growth is possible over the course of a just few weeks, be it a summer or winter camp and even more so over the course of months in a semester class. When we first started at Theatre 360 we were amazed at the poise and maturity of the older teens in the program and we wondered how these older theater kids had grown-up to all be so well spoken and capable, but now, after years of living and loving her rich theater experiences at Theatre 360, we have found our own child has learned and grown to have that same maturity and poise and we could not be more thankful. For my daughter over the years at Theatre 360 the experience - be it in classes, in a production, or helping backstage -the experience has been one of constant renewal of her interest, drive and enjoyment of theater. We have been floored by the endless energy she brings to her theater work, her drive to push herself to improve, her expanding interests in the deep details of performance, dance, voice, staging, costumes, etc and her deep delight of the entire process every day. Theatre 360 for a decade has been our daughter's second home and we could not be more happy to have been so fortunate to have found it.

Maybe you lost your fantasy football bet. Maybe someone lied to you too often, claiming that you're…read morefunny. Maybe you just like comedy in general, or maybe you wanted to challenge yourself to do comedy in a language that isn't your native one. When you show up to class, you don't really know what to expect. The word "class" brings many weird associations to all of us. I was never good at school, so I didn't know how this particular type of school would work out. I'm just so, so insanely grateful now. Corey has been a phenomenal teacher. He just has this ability to find the funny in you. He has this ability to help you understand comedy and see it as a craft. He's a good listener. He has little to no ego. That's one of the many things that makes him so good. You're not just there to listen and take notes. You'll be on stage early, first in front of your fellow students and then in front of up to 120 people. Being on stage like that can be a life-changing experience. Even though you're expected to joke and be funny, don't treat the class as a joke. You soon realize how much work goes into being funny, and that a five-minute set can feel like an eternity. You're forced to cut things out. You're forced to make your jokes better and more direct, sort of similar to how you're forced to keep reading this review of mine. Don't wait until you've done an open mic first. Don't wait. Don't be scared that you're not funny enough. Just show up on Sunday at the oldest comedy club in LA and do your best.

Worth the money! And I'm a cheap Asian woman! Doing stand up was always on my bucket list, so…read morethis was a perfect chance to try it out. Corey and Andrew are legit coaches that have a lot of experience and can coach you to present your best sketch. I also have a lot of new friends from the class, my classmates. These courses are available for adults and children. Classes take place inside the historic Ice House. Their air conditioning is the best of all the comedy clubs I've attended. That's important because I run hot.

Sierra Madre Playhouse is an intimate theatre house in SM. It is one of SGV's cultural performing…read morearts. It may not be the Lincoln Center but it can hold its own. Folding seats were comfortable. Atmosphere was vibrant. I got a Nutcracker ticket show at an affordable price. Its perfect for kids and the entire family. It's my first time watching a puppet holiday show, so I was curious enough to see it as a bday gift. For a playhouse this size, it's enough to garner four stars. Playhouse staff were cordial and professional. The performance show is only an hour long. Parking was easy. Overall, it's a nice holiday kid show.

My wife and I attended a Cello recital at the Sierra Madre playhouse. The performing artist, Mia…read moreBarcio-Colombo, is the daughter of friends of my wife. The venue is an historic cinema building in downtown Sierra Madre and it has a really cool 50's vibe with the crushed red velvet seating and dated interior. Seating inside is very limited, which makes for a very personal experience. Recital was amazing and I highly recommend this venue!

Very nice venue, comfortable although the seats are a bit older and the space to get past others to…read moreget to your seat if others are already seated is tight. The acoustics were fine for the event we attended; band, choir, horns, strings and lead vocalists on mics. Clean and easy to access restrooms. Street parking with a short walk.

Cal Tech is a truely tree laden campus with Jacaranda's and some decent (actually brilliant works…read moreof art). This prestigious university is under the careful direction of Dr. Thomas A. Rosenbaum, Physicist. "The orange light was fleeting" as I made my way for the eight o'clock lecture by Dr. Don Pettit being held in a building that looked like "Braut Kuchen mit Mozartkugeln" German for: Bride cake with chocolate covered marzipan balls (an Austrian specialty). He stressed the varied ways one may view a "Space Photo" and showed us live examples of how linear thinking does not always apply. In space "Off the Planet" and "far out of the box" thinking as "no answers at the back of the book" and problems must be solved in real time. Dr. Don Pettit kept interest for over an hour on his adventures in space. Delightful! Funded by Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS). Well organized and helpful staff on site sporting smiles and water. PS: Einstein lived on this campus for three winters---initially in a bungalow located at 707 South Oakland Avenue.

Came here to watch a high school performance if Miss Saigon. The performance was wonderful and the…read morehigh school kids were really very good. The set was well made and had good props and lighting. The only thing is since there is no assigned seating, the main area gets very crowded quickly whether its the middle or even the side aisles. That leaves the 2nd floor level. It would've been wonderful if all the seats had a good vibe of the stage. But if you were unlucky enough to sit in the seats closest to the stage, you lose sight of what's going on. My recommendation is to arrive early so you can sit in the main hall. Every seat there has a great view of the stage. If you have to sit upstairs, make sure to sit where you have a direct view of the stage. If you end up sitting on the ends, you have an impaired view of the stage and you miss seeing part of what's going on because it is blocked so everyone is leaning forward to try and see what they're missing. Good theater. Nice acoustics. Parking is pretty tight but there is extra available parking at the high school and on the street.

Bought tix to come watch one of my favorite groups, All-4-One, at this performing arts center…read more Simply put... wow! The facility is beautiful and very very clean. The sound was great and the parking was very convenient. Very intimate setting but well worth the money.

Bill is a fantastic teacher of Improv! I've learned so much about the craft, as well as myself,…read morecoming to class. If you're nervous like I was, this is the perfect place to be supported, heard, and feel safe. Not only is Bill wonderful, but everyone I've had the pleasure of attending class with was equally as kind, and you learn just as much from your peers as you do with Bill by interacting and observing them. If you're still on the fence, check the website for Sample Classes and free showcases so you can get a feel for how great his classes and students are. Thank you Bill and The Improv Trick!

I just completed my first 5-week improv class with Bill Chott at The Improv Trick. Did I love it,…read moreyou ask... YES...AND I got out of my comfort zone, let go of self-consciousness, met fabulous people and stirred up some much needed playfulness! I thoroughly enjoyed the class and would (will!?!) definitely take another dip into the improv pool with this crew.

I was looking for a studio offering modern dance classes in the 626 because I really needed to go…read morePina Bausch for a few moments in my life; the feelings/urges strike around the winter solstice. But I wanted a jump start into it of a class in a group setting. I love love love that this place as a non-profit, offers free movement healing classes for TBI, stroke, Down syndrome, and Parkinson's. A class is $14, well worth it - seriously, take my money. A package deal is 70ish? And there's currently a Yelp $200 for $240 deal for the well committed. Their website is useful and informative as to their very accommodating schedule (another reason I decided to stop by here). You can park at a nearby garage structure for 90 minutes free and classes are an hour average so it works out perfectly. They are diagonally across from Panache Bridal next to a parking lot (not to be confused by a parking structure). I got here a bit late (15 minutes) but was welcomed warmly...some dance studios like this one in mid-Wilshire I used to go to for modern can get pretty serious about it (for a brief/awkward moment anyway). They were super chill the whole time. The instructor's energy is laid back, informative, open, encouraging and vibrant. Expressionism is healing. Give this place a shot. Will definitely make time to be back, occasionally, when the mood strikes again.

Great cultural place if you love ballet & enjoy theater…read more Love the location and ambiance , in the heart of Old Town and so close to many great restaurants.