Saw "Clue" tonight thanks to Yelp's Culture Club. I highly recommend this show! Great cast, super…read morefunny and oh, the expressions! We were laughing.

I attended a performance of "Who's Holidays" ... a xmas comedy tonight…read more I was surprised by the transvestite theme but that is not my issue here at all! What bothered me was that the actor drank and spit his drink over half of the audience thinking that was a funny thing to do. I was heavily sprayed! In this era of covid and a triple threat of infections, this is extremely irresponsible behavior that is being allowed by this theatre. I will NEVER return... and I pray I did not catch anything from this vile act.

I went to this theater to catch a comedy show headlining several local comedians. When I tell you…read moreit took me back to the days of seeing two movies for the price of one at the Norwest or Mercury Theaters (those who are familiar with the city of Detroit know exactly what I'm talking about). Man oh man! Talk about old school. I loved every minute. From the red and white popcorn boxes to the old school metal fold down seats with the cushions. This place is truly one of the only theaters left that hasn't gone mega-plex. It appears that this theater is used for many things including concerts and live shows. I advise you to check out the website. I caught the Vagina Monologues here a couple of months ago. They host tons of events that don't do major advertising so you'll definitely be in for a treat once you check out the website to see what's coming up.

I have been to a few improv shows here in the past…read more The seating is very basic, provides an intimate feel with the Improv troupe. Narrator takes themes and prompts from the crowd. It challenges you and helps you think quick on your feet. Must be able to handle extemporaneous changes in themes too. I also have a friend that participated in the Improv school / program and found it useful. Helped my friend come out of his shell more, not so much funnier in his delivery. You either have it or you don't. I found it amusing and very clear cut who among the troupe excelled at improv. Only a few tend to stand out each show. Kudos to all for their effort nonetheless, it's not easy to do in front of bunch of strangers.

I would 10/10 recommend this place! My husband and I came on a Sunday night show, and laughed all…read morenight. Ambiance is intimate, I got seats right be the stage not realizing how small of a venue it is, and felt almost part of the show haha. Everyone was great, and felt like a supportive environment. I didn't not try the food or drinks. Service was great in seating us and not disruptive when bringing drinks to the table.

I went to Shakespeare in the Park again last night to see this year's play, A Midsummer Night's…read moreDream, and wanted to review right away to tell others to go see it this weekend because it was super fun! The set up at Starr Jaycee Park is very similar to a few years back when I went with the stage set up in the middle of the park. You can see the stage pretty quickly once you pull up, and there was ample parking in the parking lot and extra on the grass field. Plus the added benefit this year of a truck with snacks and alcohol (beer and wine)! The play itself was a lot of fun and really well done. We were laughing along with the crowd the entire time. Really all of the actors were good, but the woman playing Helena was my favorite. She really brought the character to life. Since the entire area is open in the park, it is very covid friendly. We sat on the bleachers and there was enough space for us to relax. I would definitely recommend it for all to go see this weekend if tickets are still available!

A pleasant surprise! Saw my first performance of the Water Works Theatre Company's Romeo and…read moreJuliet at the Starr Jaycee Park last night and it was quite good! Judging by last night's performance it's certainly obvious that there is much talent in the Detroit area. The acting was five star, the set was more than adequate, and the costuming was simple but effective. Many of the actors are from WSU's Hilberry Theater (another of Detroit's hidden gems) and their excellent training is apparent. All of the actors are skilled and effective. A few such as Michael Brian Ogden as Mercutio, Aaron Kirby as Friar Lawrence and Nancy-Elizabeth Kammer as Juliet's nurse are outstanding! You can bring your own lawn chairs, blankets whatever or sit on bleachers. Cushions are provided for bleacher seating. Mosquito wipes are also provided. Popcorn and other refreshments can be purchased on site. Tickets are $20 but it if you like Shakespeare this $20 well spent. Parking is limited but if you don't mind a little stroll street parking is available. This is a performance worth seeing and a theatre group worth supporting.

The shows this theater produces are indeed strong, but the leadership culture behind them is…read moretroubling. During my time with the company (two mainstage productions and one cabaret over about a year and a half), I saw a clear divide between the quality of the performances and the care for the people creating them. After I reported a more serious recent incident to members of leadership, it was deflected and ultimately ignored. In a follow-up call with a board member, he emphasized that their priority was "getting shows on stage," not addressing what happens between cast members offstage. That response made it clear that actor/performer safety and accountability are not treated as part of their responsibilities. From the outside, the organization looks polished and community-oriented. Inside, it lacks consistent, transparent leadership when harm occurs, and more troublingly, behind the curtain in rehearsals and offstage. The company prioritizes polished productions and familiar faces over genuine community. Long-standing contributors, especially skilled musicians or directors who have been around for years - also seem to operate without accountability. When serious issues arise, leadership's focus stays on keeping shows running and maintaining optics, not on addressing harm. This makes it difficult for newer members like myself to feel safe or valued. Connections at this theater stay surface-level because the culture doesn't encourage honesty or care beyond the stage. The theater's attention to sets, ticket sales, and production value is clear, but that same energy is rarely shown for the well-being of the people creating the work. New or prospective members/actors should be mindful of this culture and take care to understand how leadership handles concerns before committing their time energy, and talents here.

I was very impressed by this place, as well as the production. I enjoy going to community theater I…read morethink it is an inexpensive way to enjoy a good evening out. This place puts on a professional production, and the theater itself is so comfortable. There's lots of legroom and there aren't any blind spots really. If I had any criticism to give it would be not for the play, but for the concession and the 50/50 tickets. They need to post larger signs so you understand, or definitely have people tending who are bolder individuals.

Honestly, the ticket situation got under my skin. Good ambiance and did not try the food. I am a…read morestickler for having the online tickets up while at the box office. I feel played about the tickets. Somehow they were sold out then weren't for the half the price. Not Including resale.

This venue is a good size and located near the main roads in Royal Oak. It compares pretty well to…read moreother venues I've been to. The security was easy to get through. I went to a general admission show which was standing only so you have the ability to pick where you are. Overall you can see the stage pretty well from wherever you choose. I did notice during the show some technical issues with the lights but that was the only thing out of place. They had plenty of security walking around and you didn't feel too crowded.

We stopped in here while we waited for D'Amato's restaurant to open. What's super convenient is…read morethat Gracie's and D'Amato's share the space together. They have a number of craft cocktails that are absolutely delicious. I had the Cherry Bourbon Mule and my wife had a Dirty Martini - both were awesome. In fact, I had 2 more Mules afterwards if that tells you anything. The bartender was great - responsive, cordial and even humorous. When we come back to Royal Oak, we will certainly be back. Give it a try!

We tucked into the bar on a Saturday night for an early evening cocktail. They have a Saturday…read morehappy hour menu! So...the lovely barkeep took our drink order quickly so we could partake. A shared Caesar salad and zoodle/pasta dish later and we are sufficiently suffonsified. House made sauces are delicious (we tried the marinara but I'd like to try palomino next time) and there is no pressure to drink like fish or overindulge in food. DJ was setting up as we were leaving, so I'm sure the hospitable atmosphere only improves. We'll return.

We showed up here less than two weeks before our wedding to figure out a dance for the big day…read more More so to make sure we knew what we were doing - we honestly didn't think they'd help us choreograph something specific on this short notice. They got right to work. We got 4 lessons scheduled in the two weeks pre-wedding and they helped us execute a pretty flawless (if I do say so) first dance for our wedding. Super kind staff make it very easy and then help you drill in to make it perfect. Highly recommend these folks.

I went here with a groupon, which came with one group lesson and two private lessons. I scheduled…read morethe group lesson over the phone and was instructed not to wear tennis shoes or rubber soles. They also had a 24 hour cancellation notice. Note to people with groupons - ALL of your lessons must be used up before the groupon expires, not just the first lesson. The group lesson was 30-45 minutes long. There were about 6-8 couples and 2-3 single ladies. The instructor introduced us to a few basic steps and had us practice them, rotating partners. Instead of holding hands, everyone touched palms as if frozen while playing pat-a-cake. This weirded me out a bit because I realized I had not touched anyone's palms (boyfriend excluded) in years... hahaha. But I will admit that changing partners was helpful for practicing, especially since the instructor did the man's steps, so we ladies got to practice with the instructor several times. We did the box steps for waltz, rumba, and foxtrot. After the group lesson, you could schedule your two private lessons. Each person/couple also received a sheet where we could note the steps we had learned and which instructor we had; Arthur Murray then keeps this on file. We ended up scheduling our two private lessons back to back, as they were 20-30 minutes each. In the private lessons, we reviewed the steps from the group lesson and learned how to turn and how to place our hands/arms so that we looked more like we were actually dancing and not that pat-a-cake thing. We were then given information on signing up for the real classes and were also invited to join a practice ballroom session where people just show up and dance, with instructors roaming around and helping. I think this might have been included in the groupon. We weren't able to fit the practice ballroom session into our schedule, so we ended up skipping it. I wanted to sign up for classes, but they were kind of pricey. I would definitely need a lot more classes/practice because I have two left feet and also a terrible memory. I get better each time in class, but then I forget the steps so quickly. :( The dance studio is located on Main, north of 11 Mile, across the street from Hollywood Market (and slightly north of it). If you are coming from the north, the building is really hard to see because the Arthur Murray sign only faces south, so get ready to turn right when you see the used car dealership. It's just after the dealership, and it's a brown brick building with a brown roof. For the longest time, they did not have a website, but now they do... finally!