We joined The Center of Sage Studio last season, and it's been an incredible journey. My daughter started off very shy, and now -- just a year later -- she's won two solo awards at recent competitions! She's grown so much as an actress, dancer, and singer. We're truly grateful we found this studio and are so happy to still be part of it! read more

The Center Stage Studio - Last rewards - Performing Arts Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

Teacher's are great. Hannah and Annika. Management is poor, front desk is rude and short when asked ?'s for clarification, they do not communicate well. read more

My daughter finally found an activity she is excited to go to every time. What a production- from the costumes and set design to the wonderful teachers- what an amazing place to gain confidence and put yourself out there! read more

My daughter has been coming to this studio since she was 3 - she's 7 now. Needless to say she adores it here!! She started with Musical Theatre and now she's there 3 times a week doing a bunch of classes. Tracy and her team of teachers are fantastic and you can tell they care about the children. Even the little tiny ones get plenty of stage time...it's all about encouragement and participation here. I have to mention the incredible costumes and awesome stage setup that the studio makes for the kids' shows. Lion King, Sing, Little Mermaid, Elf, Harry Potter, Alice and Wonderland, Mary Poppins were all fantastic shows to watch. We'll be a part of Center Stage Studio for a long time! read more

See all

My daughter loves The Center Stage Studio. She started at 4 years old doing the weekly musical theater classes. The classes conclude with a full musical theater performance with all the kids and CSS does a great job with them. The sets and the costumes are excellent. My daughter is now on their competitive musical theater team. This studio is triple threat - sing / act / dance. They have the best teachers. This is a second home for my daughter, she wants to be here ALL the time. CSS also does special activities in addition to their regular dance/vocal/theater classes - they do AWESOME summer camps. And you need to look at them now as they fill up fast. CSS also does a fabulous Halloween party, they do movie nights etc ... Everything at CSS is very kid - centric. Tracey and Tony do a great job running this place. I feel they really care about the kids. My daughter loves it there and you can not fake that. Kids are too smart to go to places that are not fun or maybe not the best environment. CSS is the best and I am seriously so grateful to have found it. We have been there 6 years now and it continues to be an amazing experience. My daughters dance friends / dance family are the best read more

The Center Stage Studio - Performing Arts Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

See all

My daughter did two shows here with the musical theater department and we were not impressed. The prices are really high and they are cramming twice the number of performers (at least) that the plays call for. There are multiple kids playing the same role on stage and each kid is lucky to get a few minutes on stage. Who wants to pay those kind of prices and have their child spend most of their time waiting for others to finish performing? We will not be coming back. It is sad when a business prioritizes monetary gains over the welfare of the children. read more

We have been to a few studios but we call this studio home! My daughter is there 5-6 days and would go more if I let her. Staff, owners, families and students are amazing! It's like a big family. We also love that it is a Triple Threat Studio so we get acting, dance and singing all under one roof. Can not say enough about how much we enjoy The Center Stage Studio. read more

My daughters absolutely love this studio and the instructors! They have been in two of their theatre classes/performances already and have learned so much and have had the best time. We esp love instructor Chloe! Highly recommend this place for your little aspiring actors and performers. read more

See all

I'm so disappointed at the complete lack of health precautions taken at Center Stage during the pandemic. Photos of kids on stage without masks, not socially distant, and not following health guidelines by OC Public Health, the CDC, or following the protocols that all professional theatres adhere . My children had a good experience in the past, but I will not have them return and I will never recommend this to anyone after this clear disregard for public health and everyone's safety. Update: Thanks for replying Tracy D. High School Musical performance from this August shows photos on social media with kids in only face shields and one in only eye googles. No social distancing on stage. I would post photos but as I am not the children's parents, that would t be appropriate. I'm happy to show the photos to Tracy D. directly. read more

My 11 year old son has been coming here since he was 5. I cannot say enough good things about Miss Tracey, Tony and all of the instructors here. They all have one goal - to make sure the kiddos have fun while building confidence and improving their acting, singing and dancing skills. CSS is a place of positivity and respect. My son started by doing musical theater classes, and started taking conservatory classes via Zoom over the summer. Now he'll be on 4 teams this fall. He loves it! On a separate note, I have been so impressed by how CSS has handled/is handling Covid. Their policies and procedures are so "tight" - they even make this helicopter-mom feel safe sending my son there. The list of precautions is long and reassuring. All in all, I couldn't ask for more! read more

My daughter has attended both summer camp and also regular classes during the school year. Both are amazing programs. They are warm, sincere, talented and dynamic. They prepare them for the end show and it's a wonderful experience for the child and the parent! From great scripts to amazing costumes, the kids are ready to perform. I will just say my daughter wakes up, makes her bed and literally gets herself ready and is clock watching camp mornings waiting for 8:30am she is 7. Beth read more

The Center Stage Studio - Performing Arts Near Me - Aliso Viejo, California

Best place ever! Feels like a second home! I have been on The Center Stage Studios competition team for 4 years now and it has been the best 4 years of my life. The staff and students are the sweetest and most caring people I have ever met. Also when I was younger I did their once a week year round shows and always had a blast as a camper and always felt welcomed by the teachers. I have also volunteered with the little kids summer camps and I always see them having the best time singing, dancing, acting and making friends. read more

Both my daughter's have been going to CSS since they were 4 and 5 years old and I can honestly say this experience isn't about who gets the lead in the play or who gets the most lines, this experience paid off when my daughter gave a two minute speech in front of the whole school and wasn't nervous at all. Public speaking is a fear many adults have but both my daughters have grown up being in CSS performances and they have never experienced fear being in front of an audience. That confidence and skill is not taught in schools. And that skill and ability will help them as they grow up! It also teaches my children teamwork and responsibility as it is not easy to remember all your lines. It takes a lot of practice and dedication! In addition, the teachers are the absolute best! Ms. Chloe and Ms. Kara are awesome! Tracey and Tony are great! CSS always puts on adorable and great shows with great sets and great costumes! We have been in Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, Annie, The Lion King, Elf and now Mary Poppins! read more

Our family loves CSS‼ My first daughter was a student at CSS for 3 years and loved every minute of every rehearsal, musical, singing and all her dancing classes. Without her experience and the training she received at CSS she would have never made it through her many auditions to get into The Orange County School of the Arts. Acting Conservatory. OCSA. Currently, my 6 year old daughter is rehearsing every week for her performance of Sing the Musical and its her third Musical at CSS. (She claims she is better tan my first daughter already!) CSS is not the place if you want to create a STAR out of your child!! Its a place where your child's talents, passions and creativity will be nurtured in an environment where learning, teamwork, creativity and performing is cherished and taught. CSS will teach your child to be confident, articulating their thoughts clearly, stage presence, teamwork, reading and memorization skills and problem solving. Enough said. Thank you Ms. Tracy and Mr. Tony‼ read more

See all

They are very disorganized. My kid spend most of the time watching others run their lines because they did not provide enough staff to work in groups. I paid $600 and could not get a program with either of my kids names spelled right. Sad part is the staff does not care. Never called back with questions. NOT WORTH THE MONEY AT CENTER STAGE. read more

Really disappointed after our first experience of a musical camp. The front office staff was dismissive and rude on multiple occasions. The teachers seemed nice for the most part, although some of them seemed to be lacking the desire to work with young kids. The show was a separate fee in addition to the tuition and it was really bad. Every single school performance my kids have participated in was better than the show we paid for. It was actually hard to watch. The place as a whole was chaotic and not worth the money. read more

The Center Stage Studio in Aliso Viejo is a fantastic place for children. There's dance, acro, singing, acting classes; Children's theater, team competitions, camps, birthday parties. All levels of talent. NO experience necessary, the Center Stage Studio has something for everyone. Our family has been with the Center Stage Studios for the past 5 years. We really feel like it's a second home. Our three children feel welcome, safe, and are encouraged to blossom and grow. It's been amazing for our children's self esteem! The staff and owners are friendly and caring. The all love what they do! They make the Center Stage Studio a welcome environment. read more

Looks like these guys pay yelp to remove most of their honest or negative reviews. We would not recommend this place to anybody. Our child was miserable here. The management is very dishonest. read more

My daughters just finished a week of summer camp at CSS. They loved every minute of it! The staff was warm and professional, and the activities were super fun. My girls came back home so happy every day and the show at the end of the week was amazing. Hard to believe they were working on it for only a few days! Good job kiddos and good job CSS! read more

The staff at Center Stage Studio are wonderful. My son was a hostile witness, and very shy his first time in the studio, and they were very patient with him and let him warm up to them slowly. By the end of his second class he was excited about the play. I have a background in childrens' theater, and the way they interact with the kids is top notch. I am looking forward to seeing the show! read more

This review is based on 6 years of experience with CSS (sorry it took me so long to review.) We have two children who have had many wonderful experiences at CSS, and I expect that by next year, we'll be enrolling our 2 year old in their Itty Bitty classes. Why do we love CSS so much that we invest the money and time (driving down the toll road from the Newport Coast area) 6 days per week? First, our daughter who has been there for 6 years (since she was 5) considers CSS her second home. I've always felt that the teachers love her and care about her, which is more than I can say about some of her school experiences. She's done many of the recreational musical theater classes and moved on to solo coaching/training, dance teams, and musical theater competition teams. It can get busy at times, but it has taught my daughter the importance of hard work/training, commitment, and how to cope with stress and perform under stress. I'm amazed when I look at how much she has grown. Most importantly, CSS is where she feels the happiest, and she has some wonderful mentors in her teachers and in the owner, Tracey. She loves to sing, act, and dance, and the teachers at CSS have ALWAYS been encouraging and loving to her. [In response to some of the negative reviews here -- while the atmosphere might not be flashy and new, the owners really care about keeping costs down. In every business environment, there are those who complain, and I'd hate for their voices to deter other families from discovering CSS. It has a warm, community feeling, and the teachers are the very best. That is more important to me than a flashy new studio environment or the very newest, flashiest costumes, etc. A few negative comments are inevitable in any business.] Our son has also been training at CSS for 5 years, though he has opted just for the musical theater classes, not the teams. Again and again, I've been so impressed with how the teachers know and understand him and how much they care about his experiences! He just performed in the Lion King this past weekend, and we were really impressed with how much he seemed to enjoy himself on stage and how seriously he prepared for his part. He's looking forward to the next show already. As I mentioned, we have a two year old. He's already telling us that he will be on the stage next time. So, get ready, Tracey and Tony! We are counting down the days till Fall 2017 when he's old enough for Itty Bitty. read more

My oldest one did musical theatre, acting, jazz and voice lessons and she loved it! They were very supportive of her when she was 8 because she was shy at the time. Now she's a social butterfly and I know it's mainly due to being at CSS! She was accepted into OCSA two years ago thanks to the direction and guidance of Ms. Tracey. Now, my youngest one is 6 and she started last year doing musical theatre and dance as well. She is passionate and driven about it, so the performing arts is the perfect fit for her! I'm excited to see her blossom at CSS! read more

My daughters were in Lion King Jr. And now in Sing! Youngest daughter had her most memorable birthday party at centerstage and chose the Hairspray themed party! The costumes and sets were over the top! Very professional production! It has been a great confidence and self esteem booster! read more

Horrible experience!! My daughter has done two plays at Center Stage. First experience went ok, though I was not impressed with the costumes, staging, etc. very old and worn out. These items needed some money and TLC for update. The second play was a disaster. The kids auditioned for the play, the week after auditions we received a letter from Center Stage stating that there choreographer left the company and to please not respond if she try's to solicit you to follow her to her new position with another company. After the kids were assigned their parts from a new choreographer(sight unseen) they went to work rehearsing. After six weeks of practice the opening day came. No microphones for 3 of the 20 kids onstage. My daughter had been told at the dress rehearsal a few days earlier that they would not be miced for the show because they did not have enough microphones. We went to the show a few days later and we're dismayed to learn we could not hear a word of our daughters lines because everyone around her had a mic. The 2nd and last show was a few days later. After spending the week calling Center. Stage and and having no luck with anyone answering the phone, I dropped my daughter off to her call time, went into the studio to ask them about my daughter having a mic for this performance.I was rudely screamed at by the owner, her ex husband stepped in front of me to protect me from her verbal assault. She then screamed at me to leave her studio. She had been in business 20 years and didn't need my input. After paying $350, weeks of rehearsing my daughter and I left in tears. Her disappoint at not getting to perform was quite sad. After making a simple request for a microphone, which seems so obvious for a singer on a stage we were verbally assaulted and rudely booted from the studio. We will be finding a new studio and my daughter will continue to do what she loves, I want to warn others that this studio is in it for the money, they have no interest in updating their equipment, no concern for the kids, and no concept of how to work with a client. Don't waste your time. read more

My 5 year old step daughter just finished her 1st performance in Shrek Jr. In the beginning of the class she was a little shy in front of the other kids. But by the end she came out of her shell and found her confidence. I have to give credit to the team of teachers, Ms. Kelsey, Ms. Reagan, Mr. Michael and the others, that work at Center Stage. They work very well with kids, the newbies and the seasoned, and all their different personalities. My step daughter can't wait for the next show and the summer camp that the studio offers. I can tell that all the staff at Center Stage care about all the kids and I can see us becoming part of the Center Stage "family" as so many other families have. read more

I personally after my little girl's experience would not in future refer any other parent to bring their children to this place. All window shades and doors are closed and parents are not allowed to observe their children being instructed in recreational classes. read more

My daughter is signed up for the Summer Camp and absolutely loves it! I highly recommend this place for all they have to offer!

My son has attended Center Stage for over two years he has grown as an actor and entertainer !! Ms Tracey loves and cares for the children like they are her own! I would highly recommend ! read more

My daughter has been going to Center Stage Studio on and off for 5 years. We are on again and I am so glad we are. Not only has she vastly improved as a performer, the environment is more a family than you might expect. The energy there is supportive and not competitive and we feel right at home. read more

My kids started going here for camps and recreational plays a couple years back, and then they fell in love being there and now live there practically. My 9 year old son dances, sings and acts, and my 11 year old daughter switched from another dance studio to here because she loved the warmth of the teachers and staff. My 6 year old son is now doing recreational plays as well here. The owners and teachers/coaches truly love the kids and love what they do. My son calls CSS his "happy place." read more

Stepping into The Center Stage Studio in Aliso Viejo is like stepping into a warm hug:) Seriously the owners, Tracy and Tony, are both genuine and caring people who hand select their staff not only for their skills and expertise but also their love of children, theatre and dance! My daughter has been going to CSS for 7 years and not only did her experiences there groom her to be admitted into The Orange County School of Music as a Musical Theatre major but they have also helped to shape her into the caring, compassionate person she is today. She started out in the super fun summer camps and then was quickly inspired to be part of their Competitive Season and we are extremely grateful to be a part of it all! read more

My daughter started with CSS taking musical theatre camps eight years ago. Even if she didn't get great parts when she was younger, she always had a part and loved the whole creative experience and being surrounded by others that shared her passion for performing. Over the years she bloomed with Tracey and other teachers that believed in her. They trained her voice, got her to love dancing and taught her to act. Her talent, but more importantly, her confidence has grown to the credit of the studio and the loving environment. Is it always perfectly organized, no. Does everyone always get a mic for a show, no. But the very good outweighs all else any day. We'd gladly repeat the last eight years at CSS. It's been a game changer for our family. read more

My daughter has been going to CSS for many years starting when she was a little girl. She LOVES going to CSS and is on the United team. She has made great friends, loves performing and competing. She sings and dances in musicals and plays. The staff and coaches are wonderful. The studio has expanded greatly. It is always special to see her perform on stage. She has really blossomed and able to showcase her talents. I would highly recommend CSS to any child interested in performing arts. read more

This is a greatest place for active, creative kids. The atmosphere is fun, the kids have a great time while learning, and the owners and instructors are fabulous! I recommend it highly. read more

I have my youngest one at the studio. We did summer camps last year, and fell in love with CSS, from teachers, staff, students! I wish I knew about Center stage for my older kids! read more

See all

My daughter has been attending CSS for 8 years. She started in Itty Bitty and is now taking the teen class and is also a member of their competitive musical theater team. CSS has been amazing for her. She has been nurtured, encouraged, given opportunities to grow (both in theater and personally) and CSS has become a safe constant in her life. Over the years, whenever a concern does arise, either on my end or their's (lets' just say 6th grade was not an easy year for my daughter), Tracey and Tony (the owners) are always available and have taken the time and love to work through it with us. They have never let me down. One of the reasons I was moved to write a review (my second yelp review ever), is due to the negative reviews on yelp and I wanted to respond. Re: some of the negative comments about rude front desk people/ choreographers leaving - yes, things happen. Just like all of us, businesses too have to deal with things not going smoothly. I will assure you though, that anytime a problem comes up Tracey and Tony are on it, they take it very seriously. They quickly move to calm things down and make any hard decisions necessary to ensure their students are happy, nurtured, learning, safe and having fun and that their staff is contributing to the positive environment they have created. I have never seen two people care so much about their students.or their business. I have seen the heart these people put into their business and the pain they experience when things happen that do not reflect who they are or their business. I've watched them for 8 years, I've watched them handle many difficult situations and challenges they didn't ask for, and as a result they have earned my business and respect. Also, not as important, but re: window shades being pulled down? I'm always wandering the studio looking in windows and watching the different classes while I wait for my daughter. Shades are always up in the two main dance rooms that I have noticed. Studio in the back may have shade down occasionally as kids in class may get distracted by musical theater class on other side of window. Yes, doors are often closed because well, musical theater and dance are loud! Tracey and Tony are good, good people. No person and no business is perfect, but if you're looking for a place for your child to learn and grow in a safe and nurturing environment, with owners whose number one concern is the welfare of their students, CSS is the place. Your children will not only learn to sing and dance, but they will gain confidence and skills that will benefit them throughout their lives - whether they end up on Broadway (as their students have) or become an ER doctor (my daughter's dream). Highly recommend. read more

Love this place. Ms Tracey is kind, accommodating, and a wonderful human. My daughter talks about her incredible experience here all the time. We will be back. Thanks for everything! read more

Our 5 year old son just finished his second production of Itty Bitty (The Little Mermaid & Alice in Wonderland) and loved it! He started out so shy and timid but have grown to love performing thanks to his incredible teachers (Chloe and Reagan) at Center Stage. We also enrolled our 3yo in the Itzy Bitzy class and while he was reluctant to do it at first, he ended up WANTING to do the show and rocked it! I am so impressed with how CSS handles kids in the 3-7 age group - it's not easy to get them to cooperate, let alone put on a 1-hour production. The production value is high - the costumes, lighting, music, etc are all fantastic. The show itself can be disjointed at times, but not because of CSS, but because the performers are so young! Highly recommend this place for everyone! read more

The Center Stage Studio has completely made an unbelievable impact on my daughters life. The once shy, timid, insecure little girl, has evolved into a confident, self-assured, vibrant child! I have to say, she is happiest when she is at the studio. Thank you Mrs. Tracey, Mr. Tony and all the amazing teacher/artist that have made so many children evolve into amazing artist/dancers/singers. I know, my daughter, will carry all these positive attributes throughout her journey of life. read more

My daughter loves CSS. Had her 10th birthday party there. The kids had a lot of fun and the staff was great!