This lovely theatre has a wonderful mix of shows (I've seen Dial M For Murder and Mean Girls Jr. so…read morefar). Both were beautifully produced. Staging and sets very impressive, sound is great, costumes fun - in short, great shows! Seats are comfy, snacks and drinks available (including wine & beer), the ticketing easy, and parking has been impressively convenient. Catch you at the next show!

Local theater has much to offer when you come to the Arts and Eats District on Main Street in…read moreWillimantic, CT. This theater is no exception when it comes to great productions, creative and talented performers, and events that go on all year round. The Windham Theatre Guild offers plays, musicals, concerts, special events, and a HUGE indoor tag sale that happens every January. There is something available for every age and stage of life. Tickets can be purchased at the door most of the time. The old velvet covered seats as well as the local Hosmer Mountain Soda that's available during the intermission are sure to bring a smile to your face if you remember the days when theaters had these things to see and drink. You'll also get personal service with REAL people when you get ushered to your seat, given your snacks that you can eat during the performance (yes!), and an opportunity to enjoy yourself in a very intimate setting. Often times there is art work on the walls around the theater so there is the possibility of a gallery showing during your attendance at a performance. Some of the art could also be available for sale at times. Be on the look out for good stuff! You'll also see Playbills of performances that have been done through the years. Since 1985, the WTG has been delighting audiences who have attended their performances and events. My only qualm is that it can be tough to afford on a regular basis, although I would not begrudge and artist his or her due! I've had the pleasure to both accompany and perform on stage in the past. And before and/or after a performance, check out all the great flavors on Main Street. Let me know if you are coming to town so I can meet you! http://www.windhamtheatreguild.org/

If you're into comic books and anime, this is definitely the place to be. It was a Friday through…read moreSunday event. All sorts of collector items, toys, books, snacks, clothing and all the things. I loved the people that dressed up and were gracious to take photos when asked. Everyone was super nice. So many vendors that you definitely need a plan to get through it all. I loved watching the comic book illustrators illustrating on site. They were so amazing and talented. It was my first time and I'll definitely be returning each year.

This was my first year at TerrifiCon. We purchased tickets (online) for Saturday. On the web site,…read morethey recommend buying tickets online as tickets are $5 more if you purchase at the door ($30 online vs $35 at the door). Unfortunately, they sell them through TicketMaster and after all the fees, you end up paying $36 and change for the ticket. You can buy them at local shops around CT, but I live in Boston. One of the best things about the event is that it's held at Mohegan Sun. Why, you ask? Well, if you need a break from the convention or it's just too crowded you can get a bracelet and step out into the casino and there's plenty to see, eat, or even gamble! I saw soooo many people just sitting on the floor eating food they got at the little concession stand outside the entrance when there are literally 10 other food options if you step out from the convention and walk 5 minutes. I really liked that there were an abundance of comic book vendors. I've been to other conventions (Boston comes to mind) where they are few and far between. Lots of digging to be done and lots of $1 bins to go through. Photo ops and autographs aren't really my thing, but if they are the lineup of celebrity guests was a little...eh. I'm a little surprised to see how many people were waiting for...wait for it...Val Kilmer...in 2019. The other big name was Billy Dee Williams. Eh. Again, photo ops and autographs aren't my thing. Overall, I thought it was a great event and well organized. Will definitely consider coming back next year

Excellent live theatre! Make a point to check them out this summer!…read more Flock's Summer Shakespeare Festival includes A Midsummer Night's Dream running in the Connecticut College Arboretum July 16-Aug 2; Romeo and Juliet running on the Custom House Pier August 6-16 and Richard III running in the Connecticut College Arboretum August 20-September 6 www.flocktheatre.org

Long Day's Journey Into Night…read more Reviewed by Edmond Chibeau Flock Theatre at Monte Cristo Cottage, New London 28 April 2018 Derron Wood, director With: Christie Williams as James Sr.; Anne Flammang, as Mary; Victor Chiburis, as Edmund; Eric Michaelian as Jamie; Madeleine Dauer as Cathleen. Monte Cristo living room This production takes place in the actual living room of O'Neill's childhood home at Monte Cristo Cottage in New London. Seeing the play in the room where the events actually took place give us an uncanny feeling of eavesdropping on the family. The room is small, so the audience is limited to 26 people. The performance I attended started at 9 in the morning and ended at about 9 at night. Director Derron Wood wanted the light to be entering the room at the angle it would have been when these events took place in the life of the O'Neill family. Stage directions in the script list Act 1 at 8:30 a.m., Act 2 at around 12:45 p.m., Act 3 at around 6:30, and Act 4 at around midnight. There was only one great performance in the production; it was given by all the actors working together. Every performer on stage played their part to perfection, and more importantly, they were all acting in the same play. Often when we go to the theatre we see as many different versions of the script as there are actors.In this case the cast was united in their interpretation. No grandstanding, no upstaging! To achieve that kind of unity, we need both a director who is able to communicate his particular understanding of the script to the players, and actors who are willing trust each other. Actors must listen to each other and live in the moment that is happening on stage. They must live the moment and allow the audience to see it, hear it, and share it. The actors must also trust the audience to stay with them. When they fail to trust the audience the performers "indicate" what they are feeling rather than live it. Each actor must be generous with the other actors and with the script they are performing. To be an actor you need a strong enough ego to be able to put up with rejection at auditions, and still believe you can share your insights with a large number of people. At the same time you need to be self-sacrificing enough to bend your personality to the character you are attempting to portray, and to share the stage with your fellow actors.The actor must decide if the script is to be a vehicle for pyrotechnic display of thespian prowess, or if that actor is to be the interlocutor who helps the audience feel the play. To achieve this higher calling, as this cast does, the actors must be yoked together in a kind of emotional performance-yoga where each harnesses and enlivens the energy and intelligence of the other. (The words yoke and yoga have the same Indo-European root) That performance-yoga must link the energy of the whole team. The script is full of transitions that take place in the middle of a speech. The characters emotions are whipsawed back and forth in a matter of moments. To try to do this on stage in a thousand seat theatre would require a kind of broad-gesture melodramatic acting that is anathema to Eugene O'Neill's vision of the dramatic art, but is the cornerstone of his father's approach. There are no stars in the play written by O'Neill, nor in this production directed by Derron Wood. But there is a constellation of integrity to be found in both the characters and the actors. Preston Whiteway, Executive Director of the Eugene O'Neill Center took a chance in allowing this production to take place in Monte Cristo Cottage. He was rewarded with a great production that should be repeated as a yearly event.

The theater itself is nice and cozy, but there are a few things that could be improved…read more There is no restroom inside the theater so you have to exit the theater and use one of the restrooms nearby, they're not far so that's not the problem. What's annoying is you have to go through security every time you re-enter it isn't like you come out and get your hand stamped so you can get back in quickly. We didn't realize when we left the theater, so when we got in the show early there was no line, then realized there was no restroom so we left to use them before the show started and then were told by the annoyed security employee we had to get in line to get back in, by this time the line was fairly long. This particular show didn't have servers for drink orders, not sure if that's standard or not. The small "bar" is a podium with rolling carts filled with ice so the selections are limited and the canned/bottled drinks cost ~$12 and up. This was ok because it's faster to get your own drinks but I wish the selection was bigger. When I picked my seats online the floorplan did not match what the seating was in person. I purposely picked a section that appeared to have cushioned chairs and a small cocktail table but when we got there my section was actually rows of folding chairs. I loved the show and I'm sure Mohegan has gotten this feedback several times, especially about the bathrooms but the Cabaret has been there for years and years so I'm surprised these problems haven't been fixed. I would go to a show here again because it's nice to be in a smaller venue than the arena but I wish I knew these things before we went so hopefully this will help someone else be prepared.

This is a great intimate style theater. I would guess it probably holds around 250 people…read more When I think of a cabaret theater - I think of plush deep red chairs and very dim lighting. Their interior was more golds and classy looking - it really worked well. They have table seating with some round style booths. Not a bad seat in the place. My only complaint would be that having tables right against the stage is a little awkward for people depending on where the stage performance is taking place you have to crank your neck to try and see - there is not enough room to turn your chairs. They have a bar right inside which is very convenient but no restrooms.

I was fortunate enough to have one of my plays included in the 2008 Playwrights' Conference, and…read moresince the playwrights are asked to stay for an entire month (even though our own workshops are only 1 week), I got to have the full-on O'Neil experience. While in Waterford I saw an extremely diverse batch of plays (in terms of style, content, and execution), a handful of so-new-they-wrote-the-music-yesterday musicals, and all kinds of special panels and events -- all worth the price of admission. The staff at the O'Neill were beyond friendly, and the creative team we worked out for my play were top-notch. My room in the cottage did what it needed, and a bit more by being a mere 50 feet from Blue Gene's Pub. The productions at the O'Neill are workshops, meant to help their creators refine and develop the work. Consequently, the actors have scripts in hand and the design is only sketched out. I thought this meant things would be pretty rudimentary, but I was surprised time and again at how there were just enough elements present to allow me to imagine a full production. The work they do is truly remarkable. I haven't a negative thing to say. If you can make it up, catch a show. You won't be disappointed.

Want to see theater no one has seen before? Check out the O'Neill Center. New plays, new…read moreplaywrights, musical readings, dramatic readings, a host of programs. Saw a terrific reading there today. They've got all kinds of programs running through the summer. There's a cute little cabin on the property where you can get a drink and a snack, and you can walk beautiful grounds right down to the water. They have indoor and outdoor theater settings and there's more than one thing going on at the same time. Very cool.

Great sightlines, very good sound, and the theatre is small enough that every seat is good. We were…read morethere last night for the Bob Marley comedy show and the line moving into the theatre moved really quickly. We did not try the food or beverages at the concession stand, but instead opted for dinner at another Foxwoods venue before the show. After going to shows in Boston and at other venues, we appreciated the free parking and I'd definitely return here for another show.

Great Venue. Make sure you park in the Fox Tower unless you want to get your 10,000 steps in. We…read moreparked in Rainmaker and it was a hike...and none of the staff seemed to know how to get there-very frustrating. Line was long but moved quickly to get in. Been to many different events here and the sound and lighting are always great.

Excellent professional first run musicals in the heart of historic downtown Norwich. They always…read morefind stories with depth and intrigue.

The little theater with a big heart is located in downtown Westerly Rhode Island. This theater…read morehosts musical and dramatic performances all year long and pulls talent from the local region. We saw Shrek! The Musical here as our first show and thoroughly enjoyed it. The theater itself is small (holds less than 200 people) and is located on the second floor. Bring a jacket, or something to cover up with because it's kept very cold (for the benefit of the performers). The stage is small but usable. The live music added a cozy touch that made you feel fully immersed in the production. Sometimes it was hard to hear the singing over the musicians, but that's a tech crew issue. The concessions sold soda, water, and Jonathan Edwards wine, and beer with cookies, chips, and crackers. The food and beverages were reasonably priced. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience and would consider attending other shows.

I've seen a few productions at Granite. What a nice place to go. It's so important to support local…read moreestablishments-not to mention we a friends with one of the actors. The building is very charming and seems to take you back in time a little, without being stale or old feeling. Ample seating and every seat is close! Refreshments at a good price are a nice feature and being able to bring them into a show is a huge plus. Great place for a night out of any kind. Younger people need to go more! I notice every time I go, the average age is 70-75 years old with only a handful of younger folks like ourselves.