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.

Came here to watch A Midsummer Night's Dream for a paper I have to write for class. Although there…read moreare productions I could've watched closer to home, I never pass up an excuse to visit my dream school. I arrived 5 minutes early, which was amazing considering the traffic. The lobby is spacious with bathrooms conveniently located near the theater doors. The play was scheduled for 2pm and started a few minutes late. This Playhouse offers a nice, intimate setting and features a proscenium aka picture frame stage (putting my newly learned theater terminology to use). Both the stage and seating areas aren't too big, with a total seating capacity of 439. The orchestra section is very shallow with only rows. There are two gallery sections on the second floor if you prefer a bird's eye view. This being said, you are able to hear what's going on stage without the need of microphones (as long as the actor's are projecting themselves enough for the back to hear). A great venue to catch a production if you can make it out to Berkeley!

Nice intimate black box theater in the Fox. The Grapes of Wrath was fantastic. Beautifully…read moredirected. An old story made new. Actors brought it with their acting, physical and music talent. Wow, am I watching theatre in New York? No, downtown Oakland!!!!!

A memorable experience, reasonably priced, with easier parking by far compared to the downtown…read morearea. This is real theater with some high quality acting, albeit some a bit rough around the edges. The seats are old fashioned - like in a mid-20 the Century cinema, but are manageable. One of Berkeley's jewels.

A beautiful, historic, wonderful venue to see a show. So gorgeous - all that wood (love Julia…read moreMorgan stuff) - and great acoustics. Music, dance, small troupes, local artists - and rare international acts. All here. How I miss my Biz-erkeley Daze!

Great local theatre performances here! We saw Matilda Jr. here yesterday. Large roomy vintage…read moretheatre. Parking can be a problem so plan to come early.

I had a decent experience here from the only show I have ever experienced. I went with the husband…read moreand we parked for free on the street (always a plus in my book) and within walking distance. We got there early so we wandered the area and it is right near Shattuck and tons of places to grab a drink or a bite. As for the show (we saw Primus), I had no complaints. Our seats were good, we were up front in the first section of seats after general admission. I didn't even book the tickets right when they went on sale and we still lucked out with great seats. I found my seat comfortable, enough leg room for what you would expect. They did not allow photos, no one really does anymore though. We didn't try to eat or drink at the theater so their rules were not an issue for us.

I is be a smart people…read more We had excellent tickets to see Flight of the Conchords... never been to this theater, I was clever enough to read yelps. This one worried me: Jess s. 11/23/2008 'This venue is falling apart! Heres what I got to experience for a $50 ticket to a show here: 5 minute wait for the only ladies bathroom (5 working stalls), plus the entire bathroom was flooded with toilet water!' Before the show, all of the women's rooms were packed with lines of about 40+ squeezing their knees together or doing the pee pee dance. Being the ballsy girl that I am, I stomped over to the men's room. In and out... I was so proud of myself, I wanted to shake my imaginary penis. Halfway through the show, I need to go again. Guess what? The bathroom floor was flooded with ... you know.... toilet water, tinted with a nice shade of yellow and some floaters. Nice, huh? Leaving the show was a nightmare. The first show ran late, because it started late.... so the line for the next show was a mob of angry people. And the first show goers (me) just wanted out. I would prefer not to return to this theater. Unless it was someone totally awesome. Also.... the air circulation is poor. They did have the doors open to help... which with the bay breeze, made it nice... but there is no way in hell I would ever go to a show in the summer time.

Fantastic improv classes & great community! The teachers are all different, but all excellent. I've…read moretaken at least part of 8 classes, and have had nothing but great experiences. You will learn not only how to improv, but also improve yourself as a human. Also, to anyone who has experienced sexism, racism, homophobia, or ableism in theater: not here, you won't. At least I think. I have never seen it. (And have been at theaters where this wasn't the case -- here's looking at you, Pan.)

I'm extremely disappointed with all out comedy. I had a bad experience a while ago but then tried…read moreto give the place another shot recently and left feeling disappointed. I feel like it's just not for me. Now, I'm giving 1 star because I have further concerns about their professionalism and customer service considering the owner kept changing their response to my other review to random rude replies. First they wrote in all caps saying I'm spam, then they said something like "your car wasn't even ever here".Maybe they are confusing me with another customer and not intentionally trying to manipulate the feedback to discredit my review, but I still can't recommend this place by the odd and unprofessional behavior toward customers regardless of who they think I am instead of offering the typical kindness that you'd expect from a business. It's safe to say I won't be giving this another shot in the future

An incredible space with talented artists bringing us quality original content…read more The theater is easily accessible with plenty of accommodation for differently abled guests. I especially enjoyed seeing the love and respect centrally displayed for Lorraine Hansberry in the lobby. I look forward to other opportunities to support this community.

Everything about the experience of enjoying a production at this theatre is transformative. The…read morework on the stage, the crew, the staff, the audience. If you are looking for an institution to support with your hard earned money; look no further.

Had a lovely time watching a modern adaptation of "Henry V" while enjoying a picnic with good…read morefriends on a gorgeous, sunny day in beautiful Presidio. The field is the perfect size for the number of people who show up, and the stage is set in a way that most people will have a clear view of it. The mics and speakers also help ensure everyone can hear what is being said. I've never been a big fan of modern adaptations (or language translations) of opera and theater--I'm too much of a purist and always want the work to be performed the way the composer/playwright intended it to be performed. However, I can appreciate creativity in all forms and the company's choice to set "Henry V" in a sort of industrial, WWI-esque era was neat. I am so excited that they are performing "Macbeth" for the 2013 season! "Macbeth" is quite possibly my favorite Shakespeare play of all time and definitely my favorite tragedy. TIP: Take advantage of the Presidio's free parking and check out the Walt Disney museum before or after the performance. A great way to add a little whimsy to your day (if the Bard didn't provide enough). :)

"Shakespeare, the Musical."…read more I would not have believed that it would work, but it did. I've never seen the musical, "As You Like it," but I had a chance to see it today, on a cool summer evening in the spacious lawn of Amador Community Park in Pleasanton. It was a very large crowd tonight--perhaps one of the largest I've seen at any of their performances. The cast also offered a green pre-show which was also really funny and warmed up the crowd. Special shout-out to the Kilbanes songwriting duo for the magnificent songs in this play. The singing was surprisingly good! It really made a nice change-up from the traditional setting. Perhaps my favorite was the last song from part 1, "Blow blow thou Winter Wind." It also helps if you have a few drinks before Act 1. The plot seems to make more sense that way. I really love the costuming. Someone has spent a lot of time sitting up all these gorgeous costumes. I thought it really added to the entire production. This is also the first time I've seen a Shakespeare musical with a wrestling competition in Act 1. Ii was pretty brutal, and might have actually been mixed martial arts, rather than wrestling. So overall, a very pleasant evening. Great job cast and crew, and especially the musicians. Thanks for taking the time to set up this wonderful production. Perhaps the only gripe was the occasional crackling noise from the audio system. A really great way to spend an evening.

Arts House Gallery in Berkeley was the perfect setting for a milestone birthday party. The space…read moreitself is magical, full of character and charm that made the whole evening feel special. A huge part of that magic is Harold, our host. He was incredibly responsive throughout the planning process, making everything easy. But what really made the night memorable was Harold himself: a former photographer from the 60s and 70s with an incredible well of stories and anecdotes. Guests were captivated talking with him. If you're looking for a venue with soul and love, not just four walls, this is it. Highly recommend.

Absolutely special and visceral experience the moment I stepped into Harold's beautiful creation…read more There's NO OTHER place like this, and you must, before you die, experience Art House Gallery and Cultural Center in Berkeley! Harold and his team are so warm, and the posters on the walls will take you back, and for those like me interested in history, there are photos, so many of them, and so much fun to sift through, for sale. Harold is a prolific photographer who captured many movements in the 70s. Please help keep this space alive!