I have supported Jackie Taylor for years and she has never disappointed me with any of her fabulous productions. Just had the pleasure of taking a group of 12 people to see the Jackie Wilson show. It was an award winning production. The performers are truly professional with lovely voices and excellent acting skills . Jackie's always delivers excellence performances for her audiences , I had an extra treat from a delightful lady that traveled from Lombard to attend the performance . Not only classy and delightful ...she graciously offered me one of her delicious home baked butter cookies what a wonderful treat for me. Scam alert !!!! Be careful when you go on the website. There is a scam page that's trying to have you pay $150 per ticket ....that is not the correct website. Her tickets still average $50-$60 and it is worth every penny. Treat yourself to a night of spectacular entertainment and go see The Jackie Wilson Story !!! One more thing !!! ... you'll learn some very interesting history about Jackie Wilson's life and a very surprising fact about Elvis Presleys generosity to Jackie Wilson read more

Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center - Jackie Wilson story at Black ensemble theater - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Black Ensemble Theater is an enjoyable evening to see beautiful plays and musicals. The Jackie Wilson Story is a MUST SEE! For those of you that didn't grow up with Detroit's Motown sound, he's part of it. Jaitee Thomas who plays the lead role of Jackie is nothing short of phenomenal in portraying the realistic story, song and dance! His voice is powerful that hits all the notes perfectly. His artistic dance moves leave you in awe and are exactly to how Jackie moved. With a live band/orchestra ensemble, I could easily go to see this play over and over! All the actors were very good and portrayed their parts exceptionally well. Costume design was colorful for the genre' and tastefully created. The theater created by the dynamic Jackie Taylor over 50 years ago is still running the show. This is nothing short of amazing that she writes, directs and operates the entire theater but there's so much more to her than I can write herein. Thank you for the gift of art you've given the community! I'll definitely be looking to see other plays here. If you haven't been here then I highly recommend attending one of the shows that are featured throughout the year. read more

Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center - Playbill - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was my first time at the new location. I would advise anyone to go and check out their shows!! I was there last Saturday and saw the Jackie Wilson story. They don't allow you to video the show which is a good thing and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I will definitely be back to see other shows. Singers are awesome! read more

Every time I see a show here I leave jazzed up and remembering the great music growing up. This is a wonderful place to listen and watch a show that tells great stories and uses even better music to do it. The performers are skilled and really know how to entertain. The staff are friendly and the location is superb. Easy parking and no hassle. read more

First of all, 13$ for valet parking at the theater is amazing. Once inside, it's time for mingling, drinks and a first trip to the restroom before the line forms. Miss Jackie Taylor was among the crowd; smiling, shaking hands and taking pictures. Such a warm spirit. About the play; it was a hand clapping, foot stomping, sing a long, get up and dance good time. There was absolutely NO way one could sit still in there seat. NO way. A really good time. Last run date is May 12th. read more

Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center - Mom and Me - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came here with my family to see the Earth Wind & Fire Tribute. The whole production team and theater was incredible. My first time coming to the Black Ensemble Cultural Center and won't be my last time. You could hear the music and singing clearly. Every seat in the house had a nice view of the stage. We sat in the balcony and saw the stage even better from the top. There is meter street parking and valet parking next to the theatre for $10.00. FYI come a little early cause traffic does back up and it takes some time to park your car. Nothing less but a phenomenal time and amazing group of talented people. read more

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1st time here. We saw the Patti LaBelle, Dionne Warwick and Gladys Knight program. First of all, it's one of the nicer small theaters in the City. Seems like a new venue. The seating is nice, comfortable and I don't believe there is a bad seat in the house. Well organized. Clean, well lit and reasonably priced. The program was so much fun! We weren't sure if it was ok to sing along, but the cast sent a signal to join in. Songs that we love, and the actors/singers were outstanding. Everyone was on their feet! A great mix of people in attendance who all seemed to have a blast! If you haven't been here, I would definitely put it on my list!! read more

Horrible experience. Rude valet and box office staff. Will not be back and don't recommend this establishment to anyone, take your money elsewhere. read more

I have very much enjoyed every musical play I've attended in the last 25 years.Great singers,playwrights and seats,also the cast members are very friendly and welcoming. read more

I always enjoy the types of shows that are here. They choose topics that you won't find everywhere. The views from all seats are good. read more

Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I went to see The Other Cinderella. The play was great. The parking, which is $10 valet in their garage, was absolutely nice seeing as there is no parking there. They do serve drinks, snacks, and water. read more

Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have not been here in quite some time, but I have seen quite a few of their plays pre-COVID. Although I've seen a lot of plays there, the Marvin Gaye one and the Curtis Mayfield ones stick out in my mind. I'll randomly see a cast member who looks familiar from another play, but they all do REALLY REALLY REALLY well as singers and actors. The seating is comfortable. It's not too loud, which is interesting considering the singers are definitely giving it their all. I've seen performers jump off stage and into the audience, and it's entertaining to watch. The plays are well-written. The pacing is on point. It's just a lot of beautiful black folks doing their thing and paying homage to legends. I'd recommend this theater and the plays to anyone! read more

I absolutely adore the black ensemble theater. I try to attend all of their plays. They are definitely geared towards senior citizens, but that is the majority of the client. Regardless, I always have a good time when I visit the black ensemble theater will continue to go, hopefully for many years to come. My favorite plays are the black Cinderella and any bio pics that they do? The Vio pics are sometimes about people who are no longer interesting such as Chuck Berry, but still entertaining. read more

Spectacular productions every time I attend an event at Black Ensemble Theater. The group I was with had such a great time! It is always worth the cost and drive, since we don't live near the location it's like a field trip that you won't regret! read more

The venue is great, parking on the street is easy, the performance was fantastic. It was a great evening.

Can't Fake the Funk Show! If I'd seen this earlier in their season, I would have gone back every week to see it again. It was excellent! Extremely talented cast, well done. One nation under a groove.... Bring it back.... read more

Went to see the other Cinderella. The production was wonderful and the theater was nice. There was definitely a mix up in the seats that we purchased which had other people seated there who needed handicap accessibility. My hope was to be moved to another section where we could be at the end like the seats we picked. Overall I enjoyed the show. read more

This review comes a little too late, but better late than never We went to watch "Nina Simone: The High Priestess Speaks" in fall 2006. I am a die hard fanatic of Nina Simone, how can I not go? I'll never forgive myself if I never see this. After all, it is about Nina...Nina, my idol!! I didn't get to see her live...so, I am going to see all performances inspired by her. I cannot go to anything Nina without getting emotional. The woman has touched my heart in more ways than one. So, here we are, on a cold evening, waiting for the show to start....I am silent and eager, my partner is happy for me. The show starts with a rendition of "Feeling good" transporting me in to another world. The show continues with different numbers to showcase each stage of Nina's life...the moment comes when she sings "Four Women". That is when I lost it, I really did! I was quietly sobbing... tears of joy and sadness flowed down my cheeks ...only my partner noticed. The show resumes after half time with more numbers like "Lilac Wine", "Little Girl Blue" and "I Love you Porgy"...more sobbing ensues. I had the opportunity to meet the cast after the show as they all stood outside the door to thank the audience for coming. I thought that was a nice gesture, you don't see many artists do that. That was the last straw for me, I broke down crying and hugged the lady who played Nina. She was so convincing as Nina that I don't remember her real name, I can only remember her as Nina Simone. You probably think I am a freak for sobbing during the show but, you have to understand Nina's music...once you "get" it, there is no other artist who will touch your soul like she does It is hard to listen to songs like "Don't let me be misunderstood" and "Black is the color of my true love's hair" and not cry. The performances were brilliant and the production was flawless. I am happy I went. read more

This may be my new favorite theater in Chicago. Wait? You haven't heard of it? Neither had I until a friend suggested we go and see Dynamite Divas and I was blown away! First of all, there isn't a bad seat in the house. It is almost like a "theater in the round" (half round?) so you are practically sitting within a few feet of the actors. This is their new location that was specifically built for them and it works very well. The staff are all volunteers which makes for some very friendly people who just love theater, and I also LOVE that the talent comes out after each show and you can personally congratulate them on a job well done! The seats are reasonably priced, the theater comfortable and the productions? Amazing! And know if you drive, you can usually get street parking on this park of Clark or there is a parking garage located next door. If you like theater, you can sign up to volunteer as a usher right at the event. And there is even a concessions stand inside (although know that nothing is allowed in the actual theater) As I evaluate my theater subscriptions for the upcoming year, you can bet the BET is going to be at the top of my list. Check it out! read more

My wife and I were in Chicago for our anniversary and decided we wanted to go to a play while we were there. I remembered going to a smaller production play at the Black Rep in St Louis years ago and wanted to see if Chicago had anything similar. We found the Black Ensemble Theater and decided we wanted to give it a try. While we were there, a festival was going on where a different play was being put on each night. We decided on The Trial of Moses "Fleetwood" Walker, as it appeared to have the most interesting story line of the bunch. I had never heard of the Black Ensemble Theater or Moses Walker before, so I didn't really know what to expect. I must say that I was very pleasantly surprised! There was plenty street parking and valet available, and their will-call station was simple and quick. The theater itself is very nice looking and has great seating and sound. The play was AMAZING! And best of all, we were able to do a Q&A with the director & writer about what inspired him, and to offer suggestions. I highly recommend the Black Ensemble to everyone while visiting Chicago. I had never heard of it before, but I'll definitely be back! read more

Last night I saw Women of Soul here. The crowd is a mature distinguished group of people. The price for our tickets was very reasonable ($65) most events of this nature would have been more expensive. I've seen many performances here, and personally I don't think this was one of their best; however I've always loved going to this establishment. I'll definitely come back. The only bad thing is valet parking. You have to wait (a long time) to get your vehicle. It appears to me they never have enough drivers to retrieve the cars. read more

We attended the performance of My Brother Langston. We enjoyed it tremendously. The problem was with the box office over charging for the tickets. The website does not work very well and charged my credit card twice for the same performance. I called twice and was told the charge would be removed in 5 days. When we attended the performance I talked to the box office people who told me the charge would be removed in 5 days. The charge was not removed and, of course, I then had to go thru the trouble of challenging it with the credit card company. It appears the actors are not only on stage but in the box office as well. read more

Amazing!! Went to see The Other Cinderella. From the moment we walked in we were greeted by the most welcoming staff. The show was amazing. Several messages throughout the show. My young daughters really enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend. read more

A group of friends and I met here for a Saturday afternoon matinee of The Other Cinderella. Pros The staff is friendly and welcoming. Valet parking is adjacent to the building so I didn't have to walk outside in the elements. The valets were very nice and trustworthy. Cost $10. The building is beautiful. Bathrooms clean and modern. Plenty of benches to sit on while waiting for the play to start. A mini bar area to get refreshments that can be eaten during intermission. Cons We had balcony seats. My seat was the front row on the end and I literally felt my knees pressed up against the balcony railing, plus the seat was too close to the railing which made me uncomfortable. I had to move to a different seat and sat separately from my friends. There is no leg room between seats. For the size of the theater there should be larger seats and more leg room between seats. With the play being over 2 hours long, people will want to stretch their legs. The seats are not comfortable for plus size, big and tall or fuller figure people. The tickets were $56. Way overpriced for what looked like a grade school stage set up. I'm all for supporting the Black Arts but charge $20 bucks for this and ask for donations. The acting was okay. (Neither bad or amazing.) There were some social sterotypes that we didn't like also. Im glad I experienced The Black Ensemble Theater, just not too eager to go back anytime soon. read more

Went to see the Curtis Mayfield story. The theater is smaller but roomy therefore no seat is bad and the stage is up close so you Dont miss anything. Anyhow I must add the play was awesome the music was good and the storyline was very informative I learned a lot about Curtis Mayfield A+++ read more

Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hi, I just had to say something about my terrible experience I had with the Black Ensemble! I've been to the theatre about four or five times, always had a wonderful time, shows have been amazing. But on August 2,2023 Chicago had a flood disaster, which was no one's fault. It was raining so hard and long, all viaducts on the west side of Chicago were completely flooded, no one could pass through. I called to speak to someone about hopefully rescheduling my tickets of which I had purchased three. The person that answered the call told me "someone had just got there from the area where I lived, that was quite unlikely. She told me to call back on 8/3/23 and speak to Brittney, I called daily and Britney was never there, Needless to say nothing was ever addressed or resolved. If Brittney was the manager, why was she never there? Why didn't they call me back. I didn't want a refund just to see the show on a different day. So disappointed and disrepecful. Don't think I'll buy tickets again. read more

The new facility is really nice, the vallet parking was really slow and stupid. Me and my family came to see the play about Marvin Gaye, it was done really well, and I really enjoyed the story and actually learned a lot about him that I didn't know. read more

Went here recently to see a play titled "The Invisible Man". Very good performance by all the actors in the show. Sound quality was real good. Seating was pretty comfortable as well. Very ideal for students and field trips. Very reasonable prices for a 2 hour show. Will definitely visit again. Street parking available. read more

This was my first visit to the BET and I saw The Etta James Tribute...IT WAS WONDERFUL! The theater is clean and well laid out and has an appealing decor. The seats are comfortable and angled just right to see the stage from any level. Our group was off to the left and the view was fine, nothing blocked and the sound was AMAZING. The washroom was clean, which is a particular peeve of mine at such places, but no complaints here. The ushers were friendly and very helpful with Information and guidance, not much needed but they were approachable. Bottled water and candy snacks were available for sale during intermissions. Bottled water is allowed in the theater but nothing edible. The audience was diverse and full. Jackie Taylor has done a great job putting together a growing cultural venue not far from downtown Chicago. I'm planning to return for another wonderful experience. read more

I've been to 3 shows at Black Ensemble in the past 2 years. My first time there was in Nov 2010 when my mom, sisters and 2 teenage daughters saw "The Other Cinderella" at the old theater on Beacon. We absolutely loved it. We were thrilled to see it again last weekend I also saw ONE NAME ONLY in November with my 19 yr old daughter and we both thought it was fabulous. We had front row seats which made The actors at BE are very talented and the productions are original and wonderful. One really nice touch is that, after the show, all of the actors stand in a line outside the theater and shake hands with patrons on their way out. Ticket-buying tip: call the theater and buy tickets over the phone w/ your credit card and pick them up at Will call on the day of the show. This saves the tickemaster fees which I hate to pay! Also, take advantage of the onsite valet parking - easy and reasonable ($10) I'm looking forward to seeing more Black Ensemble shows in the future. Highly recommended! read more

Bravo, Bravo!! I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the "My Brother's Keeper" play/musical at the Black Ensemble Theatre this weekend. All of the talent in the room was just amazing - there was tap dancing, singing, and great acting. This is the kind of place that would be a different and fun place to go on a date, or on a fun night with the girls. love to support small community theaters like this, and I like how they help you to learn about black history by telling stories about people that we may not be as familiar with, and making it come to life. I now know all about the Nicholas Brothers and their relationship with Dorothy Dandridge. The theater space is intimate, which is a nice change vs. some of the larger theaters in the city. I left this play feeling inspired, and honored to be in a room with such a talented group of people. The Black Ensemble Theater is a hidden treasure. read more

My girls and I came here on a Sunday afternoon and we saw ONE NAME ONLY. I really enjoyed the show. The band was also jamming in the background. nice staff, very polite and friendly. When the show was over, the cast came out and shook hands, took picture and because it was my friends birthday, they sang happy birthday to her, she was real excited and it made her feel special, thanks guys. Lots of street parking or you can valet for $10. I parked on the street and paid, I think $5.75. They serve snacks, alcoholic beverages, water, soda, juice. The actors took a short break (15 minutes) and then its back to work. Fellow Yelpers, who have not been here, come on out and catch a show, you will not be disappointed!!!!! Loved Tanika and Marilyn read more

I was excited to see the play, "You Can't Fake The Funk", but I was unable to attend due to an emergency. If you buy tickets, please note that there are absolutely no refunds or exchange date/rain check options. I bought two tickets and I have to count it as a loss. This was my first visit, and now unfortunately, I won't try again. I felt that since the tickets were paid for, the theater could have tried to reschedule my visit. They didn't even try. read more

We attended the preview for "The Other Cinderella" on Saturday, November 26 and it was amazing, beautifully written, produced and directed. There is not a bad seat in the theater at all. What blew me away was that after the show the director asked for the audience feedback. Our experience begin as we pulled in the garage for $10 valet. This was great because we didn't have to walk outside. Then we approached the ticket counter for our tickets and was greeted by two of the friendliest strangers I've ever met, they were so lively and personable. We waited in the lobby until about 7:30pm (the show started at 8:00pm). Then we were tastefully escorted to our seats to enjoy this well thought out production that included gospel great, Sherri Addison. We laughed the entire time. Please support BE Theater and Ms. Jackie Taylor. read more

We went there to see 'At Last' and had a really great time. The building is an architectural gem, modern and a bit minimalist. Inside is well laid out, and very appealing as well. The show was absolutely fantastic. All the staff and volunteers were really friendly, as well as the other theater goers. It's truly a 'community' theater! We sat front row on the side of the stage and loved our seats. I walked around during intermission a bit and discovered that actually every seat in the house has an excellent view. It's 'stadium' style seating, so you don't have to worry about a tall person sitting in front of you. It's rare to see something so well designed and executed! read more

We went to see the preview of "My Brothers Keeper-The Story of the Nicholas Brothers" last night. Since it was a preview, press were not allowed, so I will refrain from any review of this particular performance out of respect for the producers. I will say this, the script was well written and the players are multi-talented vocalists and actors. Tim has seen performances here before and he really loved them. We will make this an annual event as there is always a new play or musical to come and enjoy. read more

My husband and I purchased tickets for the Roger/Chaz Ebert play for our anniversary. High school musicals have better productions. I should know. I'm a high school teacher. The storyline, music, "dance" moves were something I remember from the 1980s while in theater at my high school. I do believe that with the right material or direction, nearly every actor/actress could be wonderful, but not with this particular script. I so wanted to love this, but I will think twice about purchasing tickets here as I paid 110.00 for two tickets for something my high school could have produced. The staff was great. That's why I give two stars rather than one. read more

The Black Ensemble Theater is the Best entertainment Venue. We go to every show and was there last Saturday afternoon. There are few words to describe the talent of these people. The voices are simply incredible, their dancing, the costuming, the staging AND the musicians are the best that I've seen. These folks belong on Broadway, and I don't mean Wilson and Broadway. Everyone needs to go to this wonderful theater. read more

I went here with the family to see a play called "The Crooners". I really love the theater and this play was good. I enjoyed the story line and the actors were good and the music amazing. For some reason, the AC decided to take a vacation. It was brutally hot. I appreciate the work they are doing with the theater and look forward to going to the new location when I'm back home. read more

Saw the Josephine Baker Story. The singing, choreography, music, story line and costumes made this play very entertaining. Also, any seat at this venue is a good seat. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and look forward to seeing another production here. read more