Great local productions Saw Jesus Christ Superstar and the…read moremusic, singing and dancing was fantastic. I love the intimacy of the theatre seats to the stage

Well, I wish there was a way to review individual shows, but I guess that doesn't make sense since…read morethe productions are temporary. So, I will comment on the venue itself up here and place a block below for specific shows and will update that block whenever I see a new one! I'll put the run dates in the title line so you know whether or not to pay attention to it. Venue Review My wife and I absolutely love live theater and I think we've been to most of the theater venues in Memphis. We've seen many productions at the Playhouse on the Square and it is just a fabulous place to see a play, or even the ballet. It is not a huge venue so when I say, "There isn't a bad seat in the house." that is dead on. The seating is comfortable. The facilities are clean. The staff is always nice. And the productions are always top-notch! One thing about Playhouse and its surrounding theaters is the pricing for their shows is usually very reasonable compared to the competing theater across town. We always come in from the North, down Central and usually, we park in the parking garage near the square itself. This last time it was raining and we noticed there is actually a parking lot on the East side of the building! It is a nice parking lot and it is, of course, a much shorter walk than the walk from the garage! However, if you plan to eat before or after a show, the garage might be a better choice. Production Reviews Below Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - 1/19-2/18/2024 I am a HUGE fan of the 1971 film, Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder (who isn't, right?). I think we all would like to forget the 2005 remake of the story with J. Depp, so to say I'm dubious when it comes to the treatment of this story is probably an understatement. Knowing I am such a fan of this story, my wife surprised me with tickets to this show. I've never seen it done live and I was excited but trepidatious because some of the stuff I loved about the 1971 movie, the special effects, the sets, just couldn't be duplicated on a live stage. That said, because I knew that going, in I was a bit forgiving and might have been a little excited to see how they adapted it. I was not disappointed one bit! Of course, the main storyline was the same, but there were nuances of modernization. The names of the children were the same and the core of their bad behavior too. However, their backstories and the style of their ultimate demises were slightly different. I won't give critical details away as I don't want to spoil it for you, but just as an example, Mike Teevee's problem is still sitting in front of a screen too much, but his addiction is to the Internet and video games rather than classic television. Clever. The young star of the show, Drake Shehan, was incredible and an absolute delight to watch! The young man could sing, and dance, and his acting quality was that of someone 10 years his senior! The rest of the cast was great as well, just a super ensemble. This was one of the best shows we've seen at Playhouse and they did a fantastic job of adapting this to the stage. You have a little more than a week to catch this and you should before it is gone!

This is a great place to go if you're looking for something to do on a summer weekend, especially…read moreif you want to be indoors. They do have outdoor concerts every Friday in the summer, but they also offer events that are inside. I attended one of their "Jazz in the Box" concerts and it was intimate and lovely. There is a bar stand that offers a few select drinks, but most of the outdoor events are family-friendly. This is located near a lot do great restaurants and shops in Germantown if you want to spend a day out and about!

Amazing Arts Center! We used to always come here to see an old friend for her performing dances…read morefrom her class. Beautiful place.

I've preformed in and also watched many plays here. It's an amazing place and perfect for anyone…read morewho wants to act! The directors are always extremely nice and helpful and you always build a cast family when you participate. If you just want to watch the plays are always so entertaining and the tickets are fairly priced, you definitely get a bang for your buck!

I attended a play written and produced by a fellow classmate. Upon entering the center, its a nice…read moresize. Very welcoming, not too large and not too small. The lobby was very comfortable. The theater was quant, felt kinda personal. The sound/acoustics was great. Not too low, just the right amount of volume. Very intimate setting. I love attending live performances from music to plays even ballet. The parking lot wasnt very big, but it was enough parking. And it was brightly lit up, no dark spots. I will definitely be looking to attend more performances.

I attended a play at this theater on a Saturday evening around 6pm. Access and parking is great and…read morethe facility is clean.

Amazing company! The Dancing Fire Entertainment is the best in the industry. I will be using them…read morefor my next event.

From the owner: The Dancing Fire & Entertainment is a performance troupe and entertainment company with branches in…read moreMemphis, TN & Los Angeles, CA. We specialize in unique dance including dancing with fire, belly dance, hawaiian/hula dance, fire eating, and more. We also have DJs, Photographers, Videographers, and free event planning. Let us make your event one of a kind! Free Quote 24/7.

Performing Arts of Germantown - Best dance studio in town! Both of my girls have trained there…read moresince three years old. Elizabeth Anne Brown has not only taught them to be amazing dancers, but she has instilled in them self esteem, confidence, poise, respect for others, and self-discipline. My daughters always know how to conduct themselves, whether it be for an audition, or for a job or college interview, a presentation at school, or a speech. Elizabeth Anne Brown and her staff not only have trained my girls in the art of dance, but they have been trained for life! Many thanks to Performing Arts of Germantown.

From the owner: Performing Arts of Germantown, founded and directed by Elizabeth Anne Brown, is Germantown's…read morelongest established dance studio for children ages 3-18. Now in its 56th year, the studio prides itself on providing the highest quality dance education--Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical, Tap, Modern and Hip Hop--as well as stage presence, acting and pageant preparation. Thanks to the combination of excellent training and Ms. Brown's emphasis on traditional values like hard work, dedication, team work, commitment and attention to detail, her students consistently win top awards in competitions, earn college dance scholarships and go on to perform professionally. While those accomplishments are impressive, perhaps the strongest testament to how special it is to "grow up" at Performing Arts is that former students bring their children (and grandchildren!) here to continue the tradition. If you're looking for contemporary training in a traditional setting, call today for further information.

My wife and I absolutely love the orpheum. We try to catch any show that might interest us. It was…read moreour anniversary. My wife got us tickets to see Gary Owen because she knows how much I love seeing him. The show was absolutely great and she picked some very good seats. I did feel like he cut the show just a little short. There's always that one drunk person that wants to yell out from the crowd. I think it was starting to irritating. What can you say about the orpheum? That hasn't already been said. It's a very nice historical place. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars. Is because like everyone else, they take advantage of people on concessions. I realized back in the day. This is the way places made their money. It's a little different these days. They make plenty of money on the shows. My other small complaint is the seating. Although its way better than Minglewood Hall, the seats are just too close together. I'm a big fella, and it's just very uncomfortable. Overall, they put on great shows and the place is very nice. I definitely wouldn't let the small things stop you from going.

Memphis does have a theater district & stars on the sidewalk in front acknowledging performers…read more The Orpheum Theatre, a 2,308-seat venue that opened in 1928 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Touring Broadway productions, Ballet Memphis, various concerts, comedians, a summer movie series, a family series of educational programs, and local cultural & community events such as Memphis in May, International Blues Challenge, and special Elvis Week events take place here. In 1890, the Grand Opera House opened on the corner of Main & Beale streets, and was billed as the most classy theater outside New York City. Vaudeville was the main source of entertainment at the time, featuring singers, musicians & magicians. The "STARZ" are actually names in the Orpheum Theatre's Sidewalk of Stars, a tradition honoring artists who have performed here. The names, found on brass stars embedded in the sidewalk at Main & Beale Streets, commemorate performers from the Orpheum's history, much like the Hollywood Walk of Fame,