I'm a regular visitor to Auburn in the summer months and I never miss a production by the REV. The…read morebest theater you will find.

A fabulous theater space in middle of the Finger Lakes, and completely worth a drive from the…read moreRochester area. I have been to this theater pre-covid in 2019 and after they opened again in 2021. Both fabulous shows (South Pacific and 42nd Street), both Broadway-level talent and professionalism. The theater itself is/was called the Merry Go Round Playhouse as it used to house a carousel. I believe the building is about 100 years old. The grounds are in a park and overlooking a lake, and there is a patio area and seating to enjoy wine and snacks before the show or during intermission. The restrooms (at least the women's) could use some extra attention and/or a renovation - they are small and not going to pass a stringent cleanliness check. Other than that, the experiences here have been a fun date night/road trip. If you like musical theater, this is a must do!

This is my second or 3rd year as a season subscriber. Top notch quality theatre with reasonable…read moreprices. It's local cast and crew which is why I subscribe. I don't always love the shows they pick, but it's a wide range - keeping my theatre chops sharp. Always opt for the Sunday show with the talk back with the actors. Great stuff.

Returning to the Hangar Theatre felt like coming home. We got lucky enough to catch a performance…read moreof "Matilda", sponsored by the wonderful Running to Places Theatre Company. The evening turned into a lively night. Watching the young cast navigate those first-night jitters with such grace became a joy. The audience felt their excitement in every note. Walking through those doors brought back a flood of memories--most notably, our best man Andrew's wedding. Rare to find a space that can host both life's biggest milestones and the budding dreams of local actors. The Hangar has built a reputation for excellence. I feel proud to support it.

Giving four stars for now until I can FINALLY see a show indoors here! I went to see Sweeney Todd…read morein their gorgeous outdoor stage just to the back of the theatre proper. Parking was a breeze which was really nice - the theatre is also conveniently located so you can hop right back on the road and head home after seeing a show if coming from Rochester region. I loved that they served finger lakes wine at the concession stand, and all of the volunteers and staff I encountered were wonderful and helpful. We went on a HOT day, and I wish for the outdoor stage they would have sprung for a covered option. The bulk of the audience were boiling by the time the razors came out, and we still had two hours of murderous fun left to go. The show itself had its great and not so great moments (I am not sure if it was a budgetary thing but the set for this show was...off putting. I don't need to be reminded that they're eating humans in word form on the set - there's a Greek chorus to remind me every other scene! Also, there were pretty severe issues with the mix and sound. Forgetting to turn actors mics back on, inability to hear the orchestra at times, etc.) Overall the cast and team at Hangar absolutely did the best they could given the circumstances all theatres are being forced to operate under right now, and I am SO GLAD to be out watching theatre and making snide comments about sets again! If there's a show you love playing here - go go go! Broadway talent and stardom in FLX!

So I kind of debated between giving this theater a two or three star (if I could it would be 2.5),…read morebut I settled on a two thanks to some.. "annoyances" This is a pretty small basic theater in a casual plaza area in downtown Penn Yann. The theater itself is so small it's built into the plaza and at first glance looks like a normal storefront. Inside it's pretty bare with a few movie posters and two little ticket buying booths along with a small concession stand. The staff weren't rude or overly nice, they just kind of did their jobs with slightly unhappy / neutral expressions and demeanors- which didn't really add or take away much to the experience. Despite only being a three screen theater my family and I did find Pete's Dragon to be a good choice which we enjoyed and the ticket prices were reasonably low. The room itself wasn't extremely spacious (which was to be expected) and the chairs weren't that comfortable either, but it was ok in all. However, the aisles and rows being so narrow ( also there wasn't any floor lights either so it was completely pitch black) caused one of our party to accidentally brush against a fire extinguisher which was supposed to be "rigidly attached to the wall" and it just came crashing down to the floor disrupting the silence in the theater which was annoying to everyone. Also probably the worst part of the experience happened about halfway through the movie. We were enjoying the movie, and then I noticed a weird dripping noise and I felt a few drops of water on my leg. And as the movie progressed the leak got worst and more started leaking as water steadily collected on some of the seats (which were empty but very close to some groups). After it got a bit worse someone told a few employees and they came in with a bucket to collect water from the main leak and then left Although there probably wasn't much they could have immediately done about the situation it was very annoying and I got partially wet and had to move during the movie to avoid further discomfort. Overall, this would have been an ok / good theater, but the few problems that we did come upon were hard to ignore and I hope they're fixed soon. It's hard to say whether or not I would recommend this theater, but if your in the Penn Yan area it might be your only choice, and although it isn't great, it's not the worst it could be. Hope things are improved soon.

I've been going to this theatre since I was a kid, but it has really gone down in quality in the…read morepast few years. I've sat though movies in there where the roof was leaking into a bucket; but for me the worst thing, as a cinema fan, has been the lack luster sound system. You come to the theater for a cinematic experience, but the sound seems to be coming only from the front speakers, and little to nothing from the sides. You're seating there watch epic shit onscreen expecting to be hit with the full force of the score and sound, but unfortunately you are left wanting.

It was a lovely place to see a show…read more Free easy parking in a lot across the street! How awesome is that? The staff was friendly and welcoming, the seats were comfortable and were not cramped -- we were in the second row left. We felt like we were on stage. I didn't use the ladies' room or visit the bar, which I was told is a beautiful copper bar. 4 stars instead of 5 because the act itself was not of the caliber I expected. Perhaps it was a one-off. I look forward to returning again if I am in the area.

The shows are great, but the old small seats are horrible for anyone with hips or a booty.read more

We got the pleasure of attending feast based on Beowulf but from the mother's perspective. It's a…read moresmall intimate venue with had a great set. It was almost like life theater because the first row was basically on the stage with the performer, single woman performer right in the middle of everything so it was a really cool. First experience the staff was very friendly. They have a full bar with snacks and yeah, they have a lot of associations with non-for-profit loaves and fish as the sponsor for the show who feed the homeless and there was other art organizations present there as well. You know it's a great central theater that has like a lot of like really good shows known for having great actors from Ithaca College, so usually seeing a performance in the city is a solid choice and I definitely recommend the kitchen theater. Their regular shows. It's very popular.

I came on the "pay what you can" night for Peter and the Starcatcher. It impressed me they had such…read morea night to make theatre accessible to anyone by means of financial ability. The building is modern and artistic in a simple way. It was my first time coming here and I suppose I had the expectation it would be like the other plays I'd seen in my life; your standard auditorium and sitting in darkness, alone to my own devices. I was pleasantly surprised! Their motto is "bold, intimate, engaging", and I soon found out why as I walked back a hall which entered into a small theatre where the relatively small amount of seats were placed in such away around the room you had no choice but be part of the stage. What an experience. It was like someone was not only telling you a story, but acting it out for you... You personally. And they were so close they would all make eye contact with you from time to time making it more personal. I felt engaged and pulled along with the story. They move so fast and don't have time or a way to dim the lights and move props etc so it's interesting how creative they get... It's literally like daddy acting out a story to his children at some points, very sweet and special. You can tell the actors are having fun, and they did a splendid job! I'd go back, but make sure to reserve ahead if you can- it's small!

RBTL's Auditorium Theatre is always a wonderful location to see a show. The theatre is currently…read moreunder construction and some of the outside areas were fenced in. One exciting edition I noticed on this visit were working elevators. In the past they did not have elevators which was difficult when I came to a show with my mother who has limited mobility. Very pleased to see this has been addressed by the venue. Check in process is quick. Scan your tickets and move through the security screening line. The bar had speciality drinks for the musical we were seeing, Back to the future. We purchased some candy for the show, $3 a piece. Cookies and cheese & crackers samplers were also available for purchase. You can also purchase merchandise for the show on the first floor. The theatre is gorgeous with molded ceilings and stained glass light fixtures. We were seated on the main level and the seats are comfortable. I did feel packed in at times but overall comfort was good. I would order aisle seats next time, as this is my preference. Bathrooms were very clean though the lines were crazy during intermission. I went to the lower level and it was chaos with no clear direction for the lines. I did not want to wait in this line, so I walked up to the second level. The line was shorter and the bathroom had an attendant directing the line traffic. The second floor also had a photo op area for the show and the rbtl staff took a photo for us. RBTL does a great job bringing exciting productions to town. Very happy to have the opportunity to see broadway shows in Rochester.

Lovely place to see a show. We showed up a few minutes late so they turned up the volume on the TV…read morefor us to watch the first song while we waited to go in. Staff were very friendly and helpful. The auditorium itself is beautiful. Multiple paid parking lots nearby including the back lot whih you can pre-reserve.

First time visit and couldn't believe such a beautiful theater was only a half hour away from me…read more Looking forward to 2024 schedule of events.

If you are a local then the Clemens Center is a decent option to go to for theater and performing…read morearts. (This is mostly due to the fact that there really aren't a lot of choices for these types of things in the area.) I have been to the Clemens Center many times throughout my life and have had both really good experiences with shows as well as really poor ones. On occasion there will be actual legitimate shows that come, such as STOMP. One thing that I dislike is that the workers (many volunteer) are often times rude, unfriendly, or lacking knowledge when you have questions about tickets, etc... so be prepared for that if you are going to the Clemens Center.

Perhaps it isn't fair to compare the current iteration of this festival to what's been offered in…read morethe past, but I think it's relevant. The organizers of this festival need to answer the question: What does the Sterling Renaissance Festival want to be when it grows up? I think its future depends on that answer. I'm also keenly aware that, while I'm writing this as an objective veteran of attending this event, and have past experiences against which to compare current experiences, the SRF appeals to a lot of "first timers" and people who've always wanted to see what it's like, and thus, will continue to attract new generations of visitors who have nothing to compare their experience to. There are "givens" when you decide to go to the SRF. It's going to be crowded. It's going to be noisy. It's going to cost you a lot of money. But, for someone like me, whose first visit to the SRF was in the 1980s, I have seen the value of the "product" diminish while the cost has exploded. We went Sunday, August 4, 2024, arriving around 12:30 p.m. Highland Games weekend. No wait getting into the parking lot. Easily found a parking space. It cost the four of us just under $200 just to get in. Another "given." We knew the cost of admission before we drove there. What you have to decide: is what's offered worth the price of admission? Sadly, while in past years I would have answered enthusiastically YES, that's no longer the case. Adjust your expectations. For a "theme" weekend, it was decidedly NOT packed. Then again it was Sunday. Literally, the only "Highland Game" we noticed was a bunch of large men throwing a giant tree branch around. The reasons I kept returning after my first visit in the 1980s are all gone. Mainly, it appears to be a staffing issue. Certainly, the food vendor booths could use additional staff to cut down on the time spent waiting in line. That's either the owners/operators willfully trying to keep their expenses down and profits up, or they simply can't attract enough staff. Perhaps young actors no longer want to do this type of gig. And the ones they managed to hire, for the most part, seem to be mailing it in. The casts of the past were truly committed to creating the "Shire" environment. None of them would be caught dead speaking in their non-Elizabethan-era accent. They found a character and stayed there. You'd wander the gravel paths and repeatedly encounter small improvs going on: actors and visitors interacting, actors and actors interacting. We spent five hours there and saw TWO very brief moments: a wench pulling a guy with a rope and the "Queen" and her handmaids stopping briefly to chat with a child and a few other visitors. That was it. Half the cast members/staff with whom I spoke didn't even bother to fake the accent. I also was unpleasantly surprised to hear some of the acts using recorded modern music in their shows. Certainly not "period." And there were a lot of performers taking time away from their shows to market merchandise. The performers and acts in past decades were markedly better than what's offered today. Acts like Don Juan and Miguel and Daniel, Duke of Danger, set a high standard for performing at Ren Faires, and I'm not sure they're even still performing. They seemed joyous in challenging themselves to create the Shire environment. With only a couple of exceptions I noticed, today's actors are just filling time making some rent money. Speaking of money. Plan on bringing lots of it to Sterling. As I said: four of us handed over almost $200 just to get in. A Ren Fest turkey leg being one of the "must haves" we eventually made our way there, only to find what used to cost me $6 now costs $19. You read that right. $19 for a turkey leg. And the line was still long. And twice, while people were standing in that line, they announced there was only one leg left and it would be a half hour before more were ready. And they were DRY and tough. $4 for a bottle of water. $7 for a snowcone. $15 for a sandwich. Case in point on diminishing quality with higher cost: One of my favorite memories of SRF food: the amazing fried scallops and fish and chips smothered in tartar sauce. Those offerings have been replaced by some sort of pre-formed flattened fish patty fried brown. I saw someone walk by and said "That CAN'T be what they're selling as "fish and chips" now. $24 for the four of us to shoot 7 arrows each in the archery booth. $12 for two pretzels (no cheese to dunk 'em in). And speaking of dunking: the Trial/Dunking chair was broken, so roughly 250 people took the long walk down to the little pond to watch a group of actors push each other into the water. Even the joust was lackluster. It's just not a joy to visit this event anymore. I spent the day, unfortunately noticing how everything is not as good as it once was. It used to be a great time that truly transported you back to another era. Now, it's an assault on your bank account disguised as mediocre Community Theater.

Only one thing to give 5 stars to, "The performers and artisan's" . If you want something to drink…read moreor eat be prepared for 16 dollar beers and 13 dollar wines ( which are terrible), beyond high prices for food that is not worth eating. The food vendors don't accept cash which ignites long lines waiting waiting for credit card processing. The grounds are pathetic, wash outs all over the upper shire, muddy paths, tripping hazards everywhere, tree maintenance work during the first day of 2026, and a retaining wall behind the main stage collapsing ( as it was the last 2 years). After many years of going to Sterling we will see the performers at other Ren fairs going forward. It was such a beautiful fair back when Baj was the Queen and there were so many wonderful actors participating with the visitors. Those days are gone since it sold. We send our final farewell to Sterling unless a new owner replaces the present owner.