love this place with a passion. vibes are amazing, the people you meet will become your friends…read moreinstantly , and all around great time.

best music venue to go to for the underground scene! the staff is so friendly and the community is…read moreso accepting!

I've watched several films in the Oriental Tbeater over many years, and I believe I've watched a…read morefiñm in each of their 3 theaters. The sound system in the main theater is pretty impressive, but the mostly "flat" seating area presents a challenge to see the full screen when someone sits in front of you. The good news is the seats are not assigned, so you can move to another seat. The true allure of the Oriental Theater is the sheer beauty and history of it. I saw Odyssey here a few weeks ago, and last night I saw Landscapes of Memory, part of the Dialogues Documentary Festival, which was really enlightening. The staff is very helpful, and vending options are sufficient. Everyone needs to experience watching a film here!

The Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival presented "Hanging By a…read moreWire". A tense, nail-biting tale of local heroes rescuing young passengers trapped inside a cable car hanging 900 feet above ground. Upon entering the oriental, a table of muslim themed paraphernalia of baby books, film posters, pamphlets, t-shirts were stationed on the table. Two ladies dressed in earth tone hijabs greeted me warmly. A Q&A panel comprised of the fire department and muslim community members discussed matters related to the film.

The Warner Grand Theater is beautiful! I've attended two holiday pops concerts here as while as a…read moremovie night where MSO played the score. I've sat in the balcony and in the orchestra, there are no bad seats. Speaking of seats, they are quite a bit roomier than you would think! There are bars on all the floors and plenty of bathrooms. The lobby area has floor to ceiling windows allowing for lots of natural light to shine through. We are so lucky to have such a beautiful theatre and wonderful orchestra in Milwaukee.

First time here to see a concert, Keb Mo and Shawn Colvin…read more The theater is breathtaking. They have done such an incredible with the restoration. The inside is excellent. The stage, the audience seats, balconies, all wonderful. There was great attention to all the details. We had great seats, Orchestra, 3rd row center. Great sight line to the stage. The lighting was very good. Our issue was with the sound. Not sure if it was the location (too close), the acoustics of the room, or the mixing, but for us the sound was muddled. I think next time we will try to get a spot further back. The lobby area is quite comfortable. And the adjoining lobby the east allows for gathering or special events. The entire place is a GEM. Looking forward to our next visit.

Saw "& Juliet" at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, in Uihlein Hall…read more Our seats were in the Loge section, row C, seats 311 to 308. Plenty of volunteers were stationed throughout to help direct people to their seats. Beverages and snacks were available in the atrium. For bathrooms, I would recommend heading down to the atrium level rather than staying on the upper floor. The upper floor restroom is smaller, and the line was quite long. Sound and view from our seats were both good. The 2026/2027 season is posted now, and there are several shows on it I'd like to see. Being able to catch these here without having to travel to Chicago is a nice perk.

I've always thought that the theater could use a higher incline. It's such a large theater, but it…read morecan get pretty uncomfortable in the back, with views very obscured by taller gents seating in front of you. Obviously orchestra seats are the best. As are the front loge seats. But unlike, say the Fiserv where you get a good view from any seat, further back seats here can get pretty uncomfortable. One little bit of luck I had seating on row W was that this was the second to the last row on orchestra floor, but the last row was set up with sound tables and no one was seating there during my show. And because I had a really tall guy seating in front of me, I couldn't see anything, but I could actually flop up the fold down chair and sit up high without obscuring anyone behind me and get an unobscured view myself. So if I want cheap tickets in the back, get the very back row and sit up like that to get a better view lol. It's not comfortable though.

Saw the last performance given in this venue, Before a complete renovation to reopen the stage more…read morethan a year from now. What a great tribute to the Quadracci powerhouse to have four amazing voices harmonizing through the Nina Simone, four women story. Thank you. Will be back in a year and looking forward to the Stackner in the interim.

This is my 3rd show in the last year at this theatre. The seats are very comfortable with ample leg…read moreroom. The ushers are all very friendly and more than happy to get you to your seat and answer any questions you have. The actors/performers really get into their parts and make the show what it is. Parking underneath the Rep is easy and you can even pay online ahead of time to park and avoid the machines on each floor to pay parking before you leave.

This theatre is a hidden gem in a great part of Milwaukee. I realized it happened to be right down…read morethe street from my apartment on Broadway. What a great location! When you walk inside it is so much more magnificent than expected! The people are friendly and helpful in directing you to the right place. There is a full bar on the second floor that allows you to bring drinks into the theatre. It seems as though they usually have two shows rolling at once -- one to the right, one to the left. Lots of people and so much fun! The play was awesome and I'd love to go check out others.

This is a very beautiful venue, home to 3 different companies. The theatre itself is stunning -…read moreeverything is beautiful! I loved the ceiling,chandelier, and the color scheme. There is a bar area next to the theater for drinks before shows. I was lucky enough to check it out during a special event :) Parking can be difficult on a busy evening, but street parking is free after 6pm. I am looking forward to seeing a show here next season!

The last time I reviewed the Milwaukee Rep, they had been going strong for 63 season. Now that…read morenumber is 72! They recently renovated and the theater is even more comfortable than before. The seats felt roomier where we were sitting with a bit more leg room. As with any trip to the Rep, there's not a bad seat in the house. I love musicals and love that their first production of any season is typically a musical. Most recently, it was Footloose which was wonderful. They offer pre fixe dinner deals with their show tickets if you so choose and it's seriously one of the best deals in town. For $35 more per person, you can get a pre fix dinner that comes with choice of soup or salad, choice of entree, and dessert at the adjacent Stackner Cabaret. $70 for two for three courses? Just a couple weeks ago, we spent $50 at a local coffee shop for lattes and a breakfast sandwich, so, in these inflated times--that's a steal. Always happy to support the arts and the wonderful local productions at the Rep! Get to it!

Another update because this theater continues to update their accessibility! Today we loved "And…read moreThen There Were None" at the Checota Powerhouse Theater. As usual the production was done wonderfully, with the actors giving us laughs as well as suspense in this great Agatha Christie mystery. The stage set is wonderfully interesting and visually exciting. Very well done. But today I was able to watch the show with subtitles, which is incredibly helpful for someone like me who wears hearing aids, but I still need a little help in live performances. Milwaukee Rep here offers the closed captioning of the shows, all in your own phone. If you prefer, you may also borrow a tablet for this service. By using the app GalaPro on your phone, you can have all the words in front of you without getting in the way of the actors or your seat neighbors. We were using our own phones, but borrowed a seat holder which kept the words in front of us but not in the way. Thank you, Milwaukee Rep for regularly updating your accessibility options. This new one is so helpful!

Although I thought the play Circle Mirror Transformation was done poorly, I loved the theater…read more Intimate, the audience on three sides, there isn't a bad seat in the house. Acoustics are good and the lighting excellent. As for Circle, the casting was ludicrous, especially the younger women who didn't fit their roles at all. Their performances were less than high school level. They played into over-acting, exaggerating every facial expression and movement. It was embarrassing. This play's staging is all about mirror placement. The audience should be able to see the reactive expressions of the actors from different angles. This director placed one mirror at the back of the stage, barely reflecting the audience. What the heck was that? It served no purpose. I understand the Next Act Theater has a low budget, but hire actors who look the part of the characters they play. There are hundreds of wonderful theatrical artists in the Milwaukee area who would give anything for one of these parts. There is no excuse. All that being said, the Next Act Theater is still a fantastic venue to see a production, most are much better than this version of Circle Mirror Transformation, an Obie award winning play.

Milwaukee's theater scene is really strong, but don't sleep on this small powerhouse of a theater,…read moreNext Act Theatre! I loved my subscriptions in 2021, 2022, and can always count on Next Act to give me a play that makes me think, laugh, question society through the lens of a new play written in a Shakespearean style or through a multicultural lens. So far in 2023 I've enjoyed Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" the West End's longest running play, and am looking forward to another in 2024! The art in the lobby is curated to reflect the current play, as well! Seats are easy to purchase online or by phone, and there's even an audio service during performances for the hard of hearing. Next Act supports the best in acting talent in the Milwaukee area, great playwrights and I recommend you check them out!

This place is dive bar heaven. I'd never been there, even though it's been around forever. The…read moreentry is hidden off the street - you enter through their magical garden space. Drinks are affordable. The bartender was a lovely older woman with kind eyes and a big German Shepherd colleague. The outside space is adorable, although be warned, the lattice cover over the patio screams and creaks like it has been possessed. Even though this feels like a hidden gem, the bar drew constant visitors even early on a Saturday evening. One challenge - parking in the area is extremely limited.

In Paddy's Pub you will find an atmosphere as close to that of a genuine Irish pub as exists in…read moreMilwaukee. Conversations in a normal tone of voice are a given as the music is always soft and the other customers, on a normal night, are always considerate. For example, I belong to a book club who meet there weekly and we are able to read, aloud, without raising our voices and disturbing, or being disturbed by, other customers. Patty, the owner and chief bartender, is always cheerful and accommodating. The people who frequent the pub are friendly and always looking for someone to talk to, be that person another regular or a stranger. The pub has three rooms so you can pick the ambience you want, e.g. tv or no tv, crowd or no crowd (relatively speaking). The decorations are authentic. As I've said of Ireland many times, go once, you'll go back. Slainte!

I am thrilled that The Estate made a comeback after its closure of almost two years. The vibe, the…read morecocktails, the staff, and most importantly, the musicians are all amazing and make a perfect outing with friends or a date. Have you been to Bryant's or At Random? You know that feeling of walking in to a dark moody vibe from yesteryear, knowledgeable staff who make you feel at home and cocktails that are top tier? This is also The Estate, but with the bonus component of live music (the best kind of music!). Some of my favorite acts to see here include the soulful Cameron Webb, the organ trio Righteous Rooster, the Commercialists (especially for their annual Charlie Brown Christmas) and more. Such a great variety of sound and styles. Bonus is that online ticketing is very easy and the lowest fees I have ever seen. It is not your typical ticket master / live nation extortion pricing. I highly recommend supporting this venue and their artists frequently.

Great bartenders. Consistent drinks with quality go-to drinks, quality liquor, and often an…read moreeclectic option or two. Can't beat the vibes when there is live music playing. Waitstaff keeps drinks flowing. This place is a well-oiled machine.