I am an avid theater fan (and sometimes participant), yet somehow I'd never been here. This is a…read moretragic fact, as they've done a lot of shows I really love over the years. But honestly, I think a big deterrent is their ticket prices. It looks like they do student ticket prices now, which is great and makes it much more attainable -- I don't remember seeing that as an option when I was in college or my first round of grad school, but it's been awhile since I was in that situation. (It looks like they have educator discounts, which I'm hoping I may be eligible for, as it doesn't specifically state whether you have to be a K-12 educator or if college faculty are eligible). They also have discounts for theater industry professionals, which is great. Their regular prices for shows are a bit more expensive than a lot of the theaters in the city. (But also it probably balances out when you consider cost to park downtown versus here). It also looks like they have pay-what-you-can options at certain shows, which is also a nice way to make it accessible to more folks. I still haven't seen a show here, but I came to a lecture event they did a few weekends ago that is related to the themes of their current show. It was really interesting to hear both an academic perspective from a professor and the perspective of a social worker and dramaturg. They also do a pay-what-you-can storytelling night, which sounds super fun. The space is also incredible. The lecture took place in the lobby area, and it's a beautiful space. I look forward to coming to see a show here. (And will update my review once I do.)

Saw JOB there. Very intimate and performances were top notch Got to speak with actors after show…read morewhich was great. Love the area and the cozy theater. Will be back soon.

Attended a production of Fiddler on the Roof here and I was pleasantly surprised. The setup of the…read moretheatre makes it so that no seat is really super far away from the stage and even the the left and right sections don't really skew your view too much although at times staging on the extreme edges might not be visible. The seats were a good size with better legroom than what I've seen as some other local community theatres. The building itself is setup nicely for hosting shows, with fairly wide hallways, furniture, and a good amount of restroom facilities. The production here that I watched was done better than average, with a good amount of costume and set changes that were designed fairly well. The sound was a good volume and in general the microphone volume management was pretty good, with only a few lines that were inaudible. The singing and dancing by the cast were also done quite well, with leads that performed their parts impressively. Overall, nice place to enjoy a show with reasonable prices and a nice community feel.

I went to the Northbrook Theater to watch their production of Fiddler on the Roof. This was a great…read moreproduction. The sound and stage, and scenery were all very high quality. The actors were tremendous. I think they will be ready for Broadway soon. I highly recommend Northbrook Theater. I can't wait to go back and see another show!

Nice clean, open theater for performances. The seats were decent - we at box seats to the right…read more Ticket prices were somewhat high for the type of venue and we had to get tickets through Ticketmaster so there are the extra fees involved. Called the box office and they were of no help in buying tickets for will call. We saw One Night in Memphis on Nov. 23. The performers were good, dedicated to playing their artists. The bad part of the theater? The sound - they cranked up the instruments and we could barely hear the performers sing. I felt bad for the performers trying to be heard over the drums and electric bass. Another downside was the lack of the ushers and staff with seating. It didn't seem to matter much where people sat as long as no one complains. Not sure this is good for honest people who pay for decent seats. When we got to our seats there was a couple already sitting in our seats. They claimed that the box office sent them to our seats because they got kicked out of their balcony seats. Without having an usher nearby, we had to take care of it ourselves. They begrudgingly moved to the next set of free seats in the box grumbling about how they should have stayed in their seats. The people with tickets to their relocated seats showed up and the balcony couple again claimed they were placed there by the box office because they were told to leave their balcony seats. They were finally moved by an usher. I noticed them sitting across the theater in the empty box seats, not balcony. I guess no one checks tickets. They must be pros knowing not to pay $75+ a ticket, but to pay a lot less for balcony and sit in premium seats because no one will check. Other than this irritating situation, the show was okay. Parking was easy and free which was nice. Overall, I think we'd be back only if there was a performer we must see, but we will not be paying for main or box seating prices. It's a small theater.

Clean and módem and parking lot. They sell snacks and drinks and have many typed of entertainment…read morehere like today they had the Red hot Chili Pipers ... Scottish bagpipers playing contemporary music and also music they wrotes.

What a gem! I pass the Oil Lamp Theater all the time, but never went. Purchased tickets for The…read moreOutsider during Chicago Theater Week and so glad I did! We are excited to attend more shows. When you first walk in, you're greeted by a hostess. There's a full service bar and various seating spots you can enjoy before and after the show and during intermission. The theater is cozy with 60 seats. They are moving across the street to a larger space, former Country Cobbler. Fun fact, I used to get my shoes there when I was a child. They are currently fundraising for the transformation. Check out their website to learn more. The Outsider was hilarious. The actors really brought this play to life. During this divisive political climate we are currently in, it was a refreshing perspective of politics and government. Everyone laughed throughout the entire show. I highly recommend checking The Outsiders out!!

I have never been to the Oil Lamp Theater before, but my parents treated the entire family to a…read moreshowing of It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play to cross it off of my bucket list. The parking was a little crowded for a Sunday night so my father dropped us off at the door and parked the car while we ventured inside. We got the warmest greeting from the person behind the desk who gave us instructions on how we could write our own shout outs to be read by the cast. (Probably more relevant to the patrons of the theater than the building itself, but they were a range of hilarious, heartwarming, and professionally personal!) There were free cookies available as well as a full bar menu. I don't drink so I always scope out the non-alcoholic options and I could have gotten a can of Diet Coke for $2--not bad! I did see that they did offer a curated drink that matched the show as well. I appreciate when small details like that are accounted for! I personally did not use the bathroom, but multiple members of our party did and I did not hear any complaints. The theater itself was very small, but it made sense for the show that we were attending? I am deathly curious (Pun not intended) to see how they will pull off Dial M for Murder in that space. I saw it in Oakbrook on a sprawling stage so my brain couldn't fathom how that would work. Anyhoo! Back to what I actually DID see. Again, the set worked for the show that we did see. It had a cool foley studio like I imagine radio stations did back in the day. My favorite contraption was the one that spun with a handle to sound like wind! So cool! The seats were black, plastic, chairs which I did not mind because I have proper posture. I didn't feel uncomfortable at any point during the 2 hour show. My grandma is shorty and had a hard time seeing at times, but luckily a radio play is more about what you hear over what you see. For your reference when picking seats, the the first row of every pair is the front row of another level. So Row A and Row B share a platform if that makes sense. Overall, I had a wonderful time (Again, pun not intended) and I signed up for the mailing list in the hopes that I can support again soon!

Attended a fundraiser here for this remarkable organization. Wonderful that they offer…read moreopportunities for our young musicians especially in this age of fine arts cut backs in our schools. A truly important asset to our community. Had the opportunity to hear some of their musicians play for us and I can honestly say that they are a truly talented bunch.

Going through a huge amount of turmoil and turnover internally. Staff turnover is exceptionally…read morehigh. What does this say about an organization when they can't keep consistent staff? I would question if this is a safe place for young musicians. There are other programs in the area who do a better job. All parent concerns are swept under the rug.

I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate and thank you all for another beautiful performance…read moreyesterday. My daughter isn't a dancer, but we've been coming to your performances as one of our favorite holiday traditions since she was 5 and she's now 11. Your production values get better every year and it's so special to have this incredible, intimate and affordable option to see the Nutcracker. The skill and passion throughout every aspect of this production are apparent, your ticketing is user-friendly and everything is very well organized. While I never have a dancer in your shows, I always tear up a few times thinking of all the hard work and training that goes into each performance. There is something so powerful about the way you tell this lovely story through music and dance. Thank you for all you do for promoting fine arts in the Northshore; it is much appreciated!!

YAYAY!!! For Adult Ballet classes! For beginners! I haven't taken ballet classes elsewhere, so I…read morehave nothing to compare this to. This place does seem to be one of the few in the area that offer ballet for adults.

We are so glad to have discovered this studio! We have just started taking classes at this studio…read moreand I could not be happier. In my search for a dance school for my daughter I came across other schools that were just plain snobby or that had did not offer ballet due to extremely low enrollment. At Irina Makkai, the instructor is fantastic as well as enthusiastic, the studio owners, Irina & her daughter Lilla are so nice and the patrons are also friendly & polite! I have been looking for a studio that is well run & professional - but also has a nice atmosphere/ vibe (aka, low drama & unpretentious) and this studio is exactly what I have been looking for! Located in Downtown Highland Park very convenient location. The studio is much larger than it appears with multiple studios that are beautiful. They also have a secondary business Kiddie Corner that offers wonderful cultural & enrichment programs. The owners also have thought about scheduling multiple age group classes so I am able to have my 2 1/2 & 6 year old in class at the same time or 2 classes back to back- which is beyond AWESOME. My kids love the classes we are officially fans!

The Adult Ballet class taught by Rita Ockrim is absolutely wonderful!…read more The class is essentially all about you, about really warming up and strengthening all of your muscles, and you will leave having worked your entire body! Since Rita generally does the class with you, she can tell which muscles have been properly warmed up for subsequent combinations, ensuring that you feel safe and comfortable as you progress through the class. Rita has an immense knowledge and passion for ballet that she would like to share with you. She will take time to explain and to help you feel how to properly execute different movements - which muscles to engage, how to position your head, where to apply pressure to the floor, etc. - all of the details that are generally left out of adult ballet classes, but that make the class much more interesting and valuable whether this information is just a refresher, or if you are hearing these insights for the first time. It shows that Rita genuinely cares about her students and strives to provide whatever it is you are looking to get out of the class. She makes the class as fun and enjoyable as possible, and definitely puts a lot of thought into her music selection. Anyone that has taken ballet knows that there is quite a plethora of cut and dry ballet music out there, or that it can become that way when it's played repeatedly. Rita makes sure to play new music essentially every class, and only recycles the best pieces that you probably wouldn't mind hearing again. If nothing else, you could come to class just for the beautiful and varied music selection! If you haven't danced in a while, don't be intimidated that the class is taught at an intermediate level. Rita will go over and do the combinations with you, so there is no stress in memorizing combinations, instead, you can really focus on what your body is doing. If need be, you can always simplify the combinations, but it is nice to have the option of a more advanced alternative, and to see how it looks when executed properly. This may seem like a lot of praise, but all of it is well deserved. I have been quite frustrated with many of the adult ballet classes I have taken, and I have finally stumbled on a gem that I believe deserves more attention!