I love the shows they put on at this beautiful little theater. It is an old building, a bit beat up…read morein the most endearing Berkeley way. A community theater at its best. You can see high quality shows at a very affordable price. The youth productions are particularly great for young kids. When our kid was young, we took them to see shows at BPH. They were great shows but also at the price point, if my 4 year old couldn't sit still and we had to leave the show, I would not cry over the ticket price. Our kid did summer camps at BPH every year and they are now part of the youth production. BPH has become their second home. The staff are deeply caring and supportive. Kids are incredibly kind, passionate about musical theater, and supportive of each other. It is a wonderful community where our quirky theater kid found their tribe and has a sense of belonging. Being different is celebrated at BPH. I highly recommend their camps and youth programs to kids who enjoy performing on stage.

Unable to get into my account to buy a ticket after multiple attempts they make it almost…read moreimpossible for the end user Additionally they do not answer the telephone when the box office is said to be open I would not recommend these people or else your blood pressure is normal

4.5 STARS When:…read moreFriday, May 3rd at 7:30pm What: The Addams Family Price: $10 A nice affordable night of entertainment.

Great day of the dead performance here everything was very well acted and professionally handled…read more Auditorium was very clean and was allowed to take pics during the performance.

Last Saturday was my first time here. I've lived in WC for years and never been until now and will…read morebe back. Last Saturday I did one of their art walks. Staff/volunteers explain the art murals in the area. It was very interesting to learn about their artist and history. The sane day I went to see the Aztec stories exhibit. I loved it! Got to talk to the artist and his wife. Great people, very humble. His art is amazing, colorful, creative, and so detailed. His wife explained it takes him about 2 months to finish one. It's beautiful, def recommend visiting if you haven't. Both of the above events were on donations. So worth it!

Came here to leave a review about A Christmas Carol and was surprised, but not surprised, to see…read moreseveral negative reviews for it. It was the worst play I have ever seen in my life! We have been coming to see A Christmas Carol at Lesher Center for the Arts for at least 10 years now. It has always been the exact * same * play, one that was known and loved by many, if not all. This year's new adaptation was so bad that we actually walked out early. I'm going to go ahead and mention the elephant in the room here. There were way too many wheelchairs in this play. There were 3-4 wheelchairs on stage at any given time and we found it really distracting. Tiny Tim was zooming around the stage in his electric wheelchair which doesn't fit into 1800s London. So there was a lack of period accuracy with this adaptation. It might have been acceptable for Tiny Tim to be in a wheelchair (but only him) IF his acting wasn't atrocious. This kid was terrible. He had no acting skills and seemed to have no interest in playing his part. It seems like he was selected for the part only because he was in a wheelchair. Next, the actor playing Ebenezer Scrooge is an old white guy but as he looks back on his life, they have multiple ethnicities playing Scrooge as a little kid, school age boy, and then a young adult. Each version of him was a different ethnicity. There was a serious lack of continuity with his character, which was really confusing if you didn't already know the story and know which part these people were supposed to be playing. They also had the same actors playing multiple parts in the play. For example, the Filipino Scrooge (who played him as a young adult) and his love interest were playing the part of the aunt and uncle later on in the play. Again, if you didn't already KNOW the storyline, this would be really confusing as to why Scrooge was acting the part of the uncle later on. Another example - the ghost of Christmas Past was a beautiful African-American woman who leaves Scrooge at the top of the stage to go to the bottom of the stage and play his sister when he was a kid. Then she walked back up the stairs and played the part of the Ghost of Christmas Past again. Really confusing. My 10-year-old daughter was totally lost and had no idea what was going on with the characters. Finally, the Ghost of Christmas Future USED to be a 20-foot-tall black ghost figure that silently came out on the stage. Now, they rolled out an actor in (you guessed it) a wheelchair with a black sheet over his head. We were like "Really? Is that the best they could do??" They threw a sheet over this guy's head like he was a 5-year-old! And the ghost was so rude and criticizing Scrooge the whole time (he's not supposed to talk). It was so, so bad. That's when we got up and left finally, although I had wanted to leave during intermission but had hoped it might improve some if we stayed. It didn't, it only got worse. It felt like the director was taking a cheap shot at hiring so many actors in wheelchairs, because what critic or reporter is going to watch it and criticize a play with multiple disabled people in it?? They're not going to do that, so it felt like the director used an underhanded method to force positive reviews from critics. Yet we were not the only ones leaving during the middle of the play - multiple people walked out before us. I'm all for diversity in acting, but at least keep the characters consistent. Scrooge didn't need to be played by four different ethnicities. That also seemed like an intentional cheap shot by whoever does the hiring. In years past, when Tiny Tim passed away, my daughter and I were always near tears because we were so engaged with the play and felt sad for him. This year, the actor was so bad that when he "died" we felt nothing, because it all just seemed so fake and bad. Sad to say, we will NOT be returning to this play ever again if it remains in this format. The worst piece of garbage I have ever seen. I wish I could get my $250 back.

Attended Slam Town's Ekpyrotica at the Continental Club this past weekend, and had an enjoyable…read moreexperience. The listed ticket time was 8:00 to 11-ish, but in reality it was more like 8:45-11:20pm (doors opened around 8:00pm, and the entry line went quick). The place wasn't too crowded, and though there was a bit of seating against the walls, it was mostly standing room for viewing of the show. Beware, the action takes place both inside and outside the ring, so be ready to move if you're on the first level and the wrestlers end up battling it out and rolling around on the floor or against the pillars, or on the merchandise table (like they did this past FrIday). We watched from upstairs, and didn't miss a thing... they had a large screen for closeup views of all the shenanigans happening in and around the ring, too. There were quite a few matches throughout the night, including characters like Cereal Man, Prisoner 420, and my bf's fave, Bart-Man, doing their thing. I was a big fan of the MonsterTown tag team, all of the creatures dressed in comical costumes and putting on even funnier moves against their rivals, especially the three-headed giraffe and mummy. Lots of props used throughout the show, including ladders, full-size doors (for the dramatic illusion of slamming opponents into these and breaking them), and fake weapons...... oh, but THIS IS REAL... and the dynamic chants from the crowd will remind you all night. Commentary by the "news anchor" host helped guide the storyline with a bit of humor, but I've experienced better and more entertaining announcers outside of Slam Town. Apparently this underground wrestling show is a lot tamer now (in April 2026) than it used to be, back when it was known primarily as "Hoodslam", but we still had a good time. The next Slam Town event is happening on May 22nd at Drake's in Oakland.

fun hyphy vibes in a quiet neighborhood AND hotboys for food?! it can't get better than this!read more

The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe is only on for 4 more performances- SEE…read moreIT! STREAM IT!! Marga Gomez is utterly astonishing in her talent performing this brilliant & iconic (Lily Tomlin) monologue of the 80s/90s (written by her wife Jane Wagner). It's a MUST SEE in the absolutely charming downtown Berkeley arts district theatre!

the SEARCH for SIGNS of INTELLIGENT LIFE in the UNIVERSE is fabulous. Marga Gomez does a fantastic…read morejob. It is on until August 10th. Don't miss it.

Can't believe it's taken me so long to write a review for Fox Theater! It's a great concert venue,…read morewith beautiful Indian-inspired architecture, harkening back to the days when American theaters were inspired by not-politically-correct ornamentations of foreign cultures in their escapist surroundings. Over the years, I've been here to see a variety of artists perform, including Evanescence, Lindsey Stirling, and most recently AFI. Fox Theater is Bart-accessible and in a safer part of downtown Oakland. If artists I want to see perform live come here, then this venue is a definite yes on my list!

The inside of the theater is beautiful. Thats pretty much it for a positive note…read more Seating is super tight. Sound was not very clear at the balcony level. Unless you are seated very close up, you are just looking at an ant. Drinks are close to $20 each. Also, if you order water at the bar, they tell you to go get water in the lobby. Bad service for that.

Lovely venue. Very intimate. When they say arrive early, do so. There is no need to get VIP. There…read moreis no bad seat in the house. However, I am all for supporting the Arts. So if you do wish to pay the higher ticket price, know it is going to a good cause. There is a parking garage. The entrance is on Kittredge st, you can exit the garage on Allston Way.

Great place to see top-rate solo performers! They have an intimate theater, as well as a…read morebar/cabaret space. Last night was the first time we saw a show in the bar space and it was very fun, ordered reasonably priced cocktails.

I am in utter disbelief that people pay $40, $60, or even more for tickets to this glorified high…read moreschool auditorium. One star for $10 student tickets, though be warned that if you purchase at the box office, they will encourage you to take a bad seat. The auditorium is in poor shape. Small, dated multicolored seats with dirty upholstering, very little leg room. No AC is especially fun when it's 80+ degrees outside and packed in the Playhouse, stage lights glaring. The bathrooms are beyond disgusting. Of 5-6 women's stalls, 2 had broken locks. Cleanliness was seriously worse than Dwinelle; empty soap dispensers and cracked, filthy mirrors. We were here for one night of the Ojai festival. The event was excellent, but I was shocked to see in the program that, with the exception of a few one-off years when there was a group of directors, there has been a grand total of ONE female music director since the first festival in 1947. Is this real life? Is this Berkeley?! But yes, it is. World-class programming in one of the worst auditoriums I have ever seen on a college campus; Berkeley, y'all.

This is a lovely small theatre on the northwest side of Zellerbach Hall. We've been here a couple…read moreof times years ago, once for a student production and once for a Berkeley Rep production. A few days ago we read an article about a student production of Philip Kan Gotanda's play, "After the War Blues" and ordered tickets for today's matinee online. Prices were very reasonable, $10 apiece for seniors and a $1 service charge for the total bill. We found convenient parking on campus a short walk to the Playhouse and picked up our tickets at Will Call. The lobby is spacious and attractive, w/ bathrooms at either end by the theatre doors, men's on the west side and women's on the east. Posters of past seasons' productions line the walls. Seating is unreserved and we found good seats. The seats themselves are roomy and comfortable and sightlines are good. The audience ranged from seniors to students. The play was very good, although not all the actors fully inhabited their roles, but most did a fine job and the price was right. The set was intricate and looked very professional and the music was superb. I had forgotten what a very nice theatre this is.

I'd never been to a Berkeley Repertory show until this year. I'm surprised because I'm such a big…read moretheatre nerd. I was served an ad on Instagram for Arthur Miller's All My Sons in March 2026. It stars Jimmy Smits (of Star Wars and the West Wing fame! That's my President Santos and Bail Organa!) and his wife Wanda DeJesus. Such big names! I took my mom to a weekday matinee. It was a packed house and skewed older (hey, it was a weekday.) The theatre was clean and intimate. There was no bad seat in there! They did have a young person's discount if you're under 35 which was nice (if you're under 35.) Maybe if Berkeley built more housing, the city would be more welcoming and inclusive to young people and there wouldn't be that discount. Bathrooms were clean. After the show (which was a tearjerker), there was a Postshow Discussion with a docent (a UC Berkeley grad student.) It was fun discussing the show with other attendees who stayed. It was like a book club! Intimate and inclusive, and then there was a surprise--Jimmy Smits and Wanda DeJesus came to listen and contribute to the conversation! (And then do autographs and photographs.) Berkeley Repertory is a community hub. I appreciate their shows and the discussions they evoke (and the space they provide to have said discussions.) The SF Chronicle raved about All My Sons and I could not rave about it more either! Time to reread Arthur Miller and also support local theatre!

Saw How Shakespeare saved my Life on Saturday evening…read more Excellent one man performance. Atmosphere and staff were great! Wonderful experience and the actor was fantastic!!

They were very organized and really helpful with finding your seats. I would come here again for…read moreanother show!

This is a really lovely, historic old theatre. I've been here a handful of times. Most recently, I…read morecame for a comedy show. The theatre is ornate! Look up at the ceiling, and around at the walls. Head up the curving staircase! Snap a photo of the marquee and the tall neon sign. The building is opulent! It's very close to BART, so it makes transportation to the venue a breeze. Avoid driving or you're likely to get your car broken into like I did when I came to a Yelp Elite Event nearby. :( Also, take note, they have a very strict no outside food or drinks policy. I had a very tiny purse, and I had a small package of crackers from Colombia my friend had just gifted me, and the staff took them off me! I also had a chomp stick and a package of roasted chestnuts. (I hadn't had dinner and was worried we wouldn't have time to eat before the show, so I packed a couple of tiny snacks in my bag). The door person was super nice and she said she'd hold them for me until after the show. Unfortunately, after the show, she went to get them from the locked ticket booth and someone took them! So a fellow staff member snatched my snacks. That's pretty messed up. I mean, I should have looked up the policy before I attended, but it's also pretty messed up that a staff member took my stuff after they were being held for me. The staff member said she had it with her own stuff; she was very surprised that they went missing as well. Other than the snack snafu, the seats were very comfortable and the pitch between the seats is generous! There was so much leg room! Plus, I didn't feel cramped at the shoulders. This is such a rarity for a theater and deserves mentioning! There are bathrooms both upstairs and downstairs. Overall, this is a great venue with a convenient BART accessible location! I'll be back.