I haven't been here in almost 20 years so I wasn't sure what to expect. I came in for The Mothers skit show and it was okay. The "Day Drinking" and "Cats" skits were the ones I enjoyed. Everything else seemed out of left field for me and that's okay. The staff was friendly and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves so it wasn't a bad night at all. read more

We went to watch my younger brother at Trustus in The Mad One's. If you know where the Publix is in Vista the theatre is across from parking lot behind. This was my first live show in many years, tickets were $35 per adult. There are concessions w pricey beer/wine choices, free popcorn. The theatre is somewhat small for seating, in front of all seats is a long wood plank for placing objects or feet. For musical we saw the actors had to pretend to be in car without any props, it kind of pulled me out of the immersion. The limits or lack of budget for these minor cosmetics may have increased my vision of story being told. Quaint theatre to watch amateur performers. read more

Im a theater and musical lover, I try to support all my local talent whenever I get a chance. Ushers give you the playbill & seat ever customer. Ive been coming to this little spot for a few yrs. Plenty of parking, complimentary popcorn, and reasonable priced beverages. Great customer service and friendly staff, seats are comfy with plenty of room. Ive enjoyed myself each time, and will continue to support! Thanks to the staff read more

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Finally got to check this place out last night for Evil Dead and now I wish I'd gone sooner. I don't even like musicals but it was hilarious and they even had a "splash zone" in the front which made things more interactive. It's not a big theater but the design is very smart. You have plenty of leg room in front of your comfy seats so those who arrive late don't have to disrupt everyone by climbing over you. Another bonus: free popcorn!! They refill it for you at intermission which was great. You can also bring your own alcohol or buy some at the bar: beer buckets, wine bottles, etc. All in all, a very well thought out venue and everyone was very welcoming. I'll be back for another show soon. read more

COLUMBIA GEM! This is a Columbia institution. Great local theater, that does not mean bad local actors. They get great shows here. Some local some national all great. Comfortable stadium style seating with a great bar serving beer and wine (by the bottle or glass). Always a great time when you step through these doors! read more

Outstanding place. I've been here multiple times and always enjoyed myself immensely. This is the kind of place where it doesn't really matter where you sit as you can see the stage well in every seat. The seats arrangements are very comfortable and this is coming from someone who hurts sitting through performances. There is also seating with a kind of shelf type thing in front of you so you can put your snacks and drinks on the shelves without having to hold something through the performance. They give complimentary popcorn for the show but they also have a nice little concessions stand where you can also buy wine and beer if you wish. You can buy a whole bottle of wine for your party if you would like, Frances Ford Coppola wine is good. If you like to keep posters from a performance you enjoyed, you can ask them at the end of the show's rung and they will give you a poster for free. I thought that was really nice. My friend collects posters of each performance she attends and they were happy to give her a poster at the end of the show's running. I also did the Trustus deal that they have with Gervais and Vine across the way. I called the Trustus and paid over the phone for this package that included my ticket for my show, dinner at Gervais and Vine, and dessert after the show for about 40 dollars. Fantastic considering the ticket for the show alone was 25. It was really fun to have dinner, attend the show, and then meet back up at the restaurant to discuss it over dessert. G and V alone can get expensive so the package is well worth the money. I cannot say enough positive things about this place. I love it. Any show is great. Also, if you get the chance to attend the improv shows, they are also great fun. read more

Went to see Sunset Baby tonight & it was awesome! The show was 90 minutes. We were on the edge of our seats the whole time. The script was perfectly written. The main actress performed gracefully & was on point. This was our first show at Trustus. Will not be our last! read more

Words really can't describe the experience we had here. It was freakin awesome from start to finish. My boyfriend and I went here on a Friday to see the Evil Dead Musical. First, the musical was incredible. The actors, the set, the whole production was really well-done. The musical was hilarious. The theater only seats a little over a 100 people so there's not a bad seat in the place. There's free popcorn placed about every two seats and there's friendly volunteers and workers that fill it up for free. We had at least 3 people ask if we were doing alright or if we needed anything else. The manager, Larry, came up and introduced himself to us and chatted for a while. Really personable and just a great guy. The whole vibe was like you were hanging out with your closest friends and family watching a play. Everyone we met was welcoming and friendly. They sell alcohol. Good alcohol thats reasonably priced. I mean imagine it...sitting in a reclining seat with a bowl of popcorn and a bucket of coronas ($16 bucks for five beers...a great price!) while watching a fantastic play. It really doesn't get better. I loved loved loved my experience and cannot wait to come back for the next play. read more

Awesome cast each time I've attended the shows. Love the popcorn. Keep up the great work, and keep on singing and acting, Katrina Blanding. You are the one! Keep on using the gifts the Lord has given to you. Henderson you are the man and know how to please your audience. read more

What a cool place! I recently discovered Trustus when I was looking for something interesting to do in Columbia and came across a play called "The Palace of the Moorish Kings." The website indicated it was showing at Trustus theatre so off I went to get my tickets. Let me preface by saying I really like theatre, both small and large budget productions. I've seen a few great plays at USC's Longstreet Theatre and Drayton Hall. While I've enjoyed their performances, I've gotta say, Trustus makes theatre so much more fun and much more of an experience! Trustus is not a huge space like Koger Center for the Arts but it's still a decent size where you can cough and not worry about everyone looking at you! What I LOVE about Trustus are the seats, they are wider and very comfortable, and you will not feel cramped and can really relax and enjoy the performance. In addition they provide free popcorn (awesome!) and they have a small bar where you can order a glass of wine or champagne, etc., and soak in the play while sipping your favorite beverage. The acting at the show that we saw was terrific. We were in the second row and could pretty much make out every expression on every actor and could take in all the details that make for a solid production. The script was equally noteworthy. But I have to give Trustus a lot of credit, the way they designed the venue makes it so comfortable and so enjoyable, you have so much opportunity to stretch your legs, sit back, and really enjoy the show. I cannot wait to go back and see another play! p.s. If you're a budget conscious student, get there fifteen minutes before the show and you can buy tickets at a discounted rate. read more

CLEAN AND COMFORT MATTER! My husband and I attended a performance at the Trustus this weekend and found it to be a very nice community theater. The show was sold out and it was great to see the community come out and provide their support. The space is comfortable and open. Upon entering, you are taken directly to your seat and given the playbill. As you are seated, you will see a basket of free popcorn seated in front of you. If you need a beverage, you can go to the bar and purchase water, pop or alcohol at reasonable prices. My only issues tonight were as follows: the air conditioning system was not working properly and the theater was very warm and uncomfortable. The bathroom was not clean and smelled like an old outhouse. I understand that they are working to raise funds to replace the air conditioning system but the bathroom situation can easily be addressed by the employees. Perhaps our next visit will be much better once current issues are resolved. Regarding the performance: We saw the Dreamgirls performance and it was a sold out show. I was very impressed by the talent of this group and overall it was a great show. However, during the performance two incidents stood out as a major distraction. When the actress who played Lorell came out on stage with make-up that looked as if she was wearing black face. I was taken a-back, but when I nudged my husband he just dismissed it as a "bad make-up job". Really? Okay so this really bothered me because it was obvious that the make-up was significantly darker than her complexion. I believe that it was corrected during intermission because it was less noticeable. In the future, I just hope that they take the time to really examine the make-up AFTER it is applied and before the actresses hit the stage. On to the next incident. When the actress who played Effie came out in her purple suit, she spent the entire scene awkwardly holding her cardigan together and this was very distracting. I assume that she had on an ill-fitting dress that made her feel self-conscious but she should have added a button to the top or used a pin. I actually found myself more focused on her holding her top than enjoying the scene. Actors and actresses: Nothing is hidden when you are one of the main characters on stage. If you have an issue please resolve it prior to taking the stage so that nothing gets in the way of your performance. Thank you. read more

Free popcorn - need I say more? Great little theatre nestled in The Vista with grat shows. I believe they have two theaters - one main stage that shows various musicals / plays and another, more intimate theatre for more intimate shows. Went here for the first time and really do like the set up of the main theatre. May not have as much seating as some old the other theaters in town, but the seating is not cramped so you do not feel like you are sitting on top of other audience members (and makes things easier if you're sitting towards the middle of the aisle and need to get out - you're not crawling on the people sitting in either side of you to get out). And you can take your drinks inside the theatre with you. The chairs come with cup holders - or there's even a small table in front of the chairs so you can place your drinks / purses / etched in front of you rather than on the floor. And they even serve free popcorn during the performances! I would suggest making it here if there's ever a performance you want to go to! read more

We saw the Story of Bob Marley. We went on a Saturday, it was too crazy packed. Everyone was very polite and helpful. The chairs were nice and comfy. The show started there were 3 actors and 1 actress! Wow..amazing right 4 people to put on 2 hour play. It was really good. I am not used to the theatre, my mind has become lazy with all the movies and TV. So getting started into the play was a little uncomfortable, I could get my mind to relax and let my imagination go. Isn't that a shame as adults some of have lost that ability. I also was not used to actors looking at me. That was uncomfortable for me, but it is just their way of connecting with humans in the show. So as the show progressed I was able to relax my mind, and use my imagination to see what they were seeing. There were very little props maybe 7 at the most. Which made it actually better in the end, because the whole show was about the basics of what human beings need...forgiveness, love, acceptance, second chances. Nothing elaborate. Just the basic human needs. We will back, it was nice. Oh another thing that was interesting, human beings, strangers talking to one another, as if we knew each other. You dont find that often in society. read more

My first visit ever was last Friday. Great ambience, bar and free popcorn. Larger venue than it appears from the outside but still cosy. A real treat for the capital city! Great location for in-and-out. The production of Dreamgirls opening night was out of this world. I shall return!! Soon!! read more

Great experience! I attended a recent performance and have nothing but positive things to say about my experience. Comfy and spacious seating, decent concessions, and a nice choice of beverages. I am one that has never really attended plays and performances, but after this experience I am confident that I will find myself back there again. Go check it out! read more

Theatre is a fire trap. Production value has gotten really bad. Ticket prices are ridiculous for community theatre. Go anywhere else!

Trustus is awesome. I really wish I had the means to go more regularly as it makes for great entertainment, not to mention support of the local arts. The atmosphere there is always so high energy and the cast and crew is remarkable at what they do. Show your support for the arts and allow yourself a little culture--go to Trustus!! read more

Entertaining play and talented cast each time I've gone. The seats are comfortable and spacious so you don't feel crammed next to other people. The only knock was how warm it felt in the summer. I'll be going back for future plays, but might have to avoid the summer months. read more