My family and I frequently visit this theatre for all different plays and school events. We love the energy of the staff and how the plays are organized. The enthusiasm is just mind blowing. Very clean and well maintained theatre for the young students and parents to enjoy . A big shout out to all the staff and sponsors for this theater in San jose . read more

Had both of my kids participate in season 58, and both my husband and I could not be happier with the community and experience that our children had. I cannot stop singing praises for CMT. read more

The event I'm about to describe took place twenty-five years ago. Only last night did my daughter share with me the abuse she was subjected to at the time. Granted the cast of character has changed, but I would expect the culture has not. Parents be warned. When she was nine, my daughter participated in a SJCMT production of "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown." It was her first, non summer camp, musical theater experience. She was part of the "ensemble" - the huge contingent of kids who do not get cast in speaking parts, but who's parents money, volunteer time, and expected associated ticket sales are necessary to keep the company afloat. As a parent volunteer, I was assigned to back stage supervision during tech rehearsals and performances. I was told that only people who were part of the show were allowed back stage. This production had an age cut off of thirteen. Nineteen out of twenty of the performers were girls, the majority of which were eleven, twelve and thirteen. At one point, a gangly, pimply male youth showed up in the green room. I didn't recognize him as part of the show. He seemed familiar with a lot of the performers and they with him so I decided to just observe for a bit. Within about ten minutes, most of the tween girls in the room - maybe a dozen or so - had formed a line and were one by one, in turn, hugging this young male. I asked them what they were doing. They said, "we are playing the hugging game." I turned to the male youth and said, "I don't know you. How old are you and what's your name." He said he was fifteen and told me his name. I said, "You aren't part of this show so you need to leave." He said, "I can stay if I want to. You can't tell me what to do!" I said, "Oh yes I can. You need to leave now." He left. I then found the producer, a woman who's last name was, I think, Santana. I relayed the story and she said, indignantly, "yes he can do whatever he wants. You can't do anything about it and you are no longer going to be allowed backstage." I was stunned, to say the least. Someone told me later that his parents were major donors. If I had had a tween daughter who was playing "the hugging game" with a fifteen year-old who wasn't supposed to be backstage, I would want to know so I called the fathers of five of those girls. For the rest of the shows, there was one or more, large, muscly father, arms crossed, standing dead center in the middle of the green room. Unfortunately, none of these fathers thought to look out for my own kid and neither did I. When Amelia went backstage for the next performance, she was taken aside by a couple adults - as in mature people in their forties or fifties - she doesn't remember who. I don't know if it was the producer herself or some of her minions. But nine year-old Amelia was then publicly humiliated with a long harangue about how terrible her mother was and how she should be ashamed of her terrible mother. This brought Amelia to tears. Crying she was then told to "suck it up and get out on stage!" There's more to the story, but I think that's enough for now. I know the people responsible are gone from this organization, but I expect the culture is the same. There is a sick side to the performance industry. If your kids loves theater, watch out. read more

Absolutely fabulous production! Everyone performed beautifully and I thoroughly enjoyed the show! Thank you to the cast, the crew and all the parents for their hard work! read more

Great place for kids to find out that all the world's a stage. This wonderful non-profit organization led by highly decorated artistic directors really cares about talent spotting and nurturing. The marquee productions are professional quality The auditions get really competitive. The regular productions accommodate all those who audition and give them some part of the other but the parts with the mic are hotly contested. Your child needs to be adapt at musical theater style singing and dancing and of course acting. The schedule is grueling and rightly so. The kids need to give up 3 hours every evening for a full month in an intensive prep for the production. Truly a great experience and opportunity for them. I'm so glad there's an organization dedicated to keeping the performing arts alive right here in the Bay area. Highly recommend it. read more

Been to almost every major broadway musicals with many repeats so I know the values when I see one. Children's Musical Theater puts out the BEST value ($20 plus $3 handling fees): Live orchestra, main performers have hand free microphones so the sounds are perfect, the singing has depth, choreography entertaining, the acting, by 8-14 years old kids, is so well done. If ones are on a budget and can't afford big production musicals, the Children's is a real treat. Time and money well spent. read more

Children's Musical Theater - Performing Arts Near Me - San Jose, California

Horrible experience. The teachers were very mean and didn't do a good job with the class. I got the feeling the management is extremely incompetent as well. read more

I can't say enough about CMT play, it has changed my daughters life. We had a great time great group of kids the performance was mind blowing, looked like a professional adult level musical. I am so excited and grateful to be a part of children's musical theater. read more

Yesterday, my wife and I took our 9-year old daughter to see CMT's production of "Mary Poppins". My daughter loved the show and so did we! Great production, superbly well done! Highly recommended! read more

Amazing theater community. Great staff and the kids are all supportive of each other. The talent that has been nurtured there is legendary. read more

I'm writing a review that reflects the experience our family has had with our kids performing in the junior talents and rising star shows. My kids have done several shows, so this is based on our experience over time, but it is from the perspective of kids who are receiving roles in the ensemble, rather than featured roles. First, the positives: * CMT presents beautiful shows at a higher quality than most youth performing companies in the bay area. *CMT as on organization strives to build a community among parents and children But, the area of growth and the reason why we are moving on: CMT really promotes their manta that they cast every single child---and they do, which is lovely. But here's the problem. There are waaaaay tooooo many children in a given cast, especially for the size of the stage at the Montgomery Theater. So, you're child will receive a role. And your child will be called in to rehearse anywhere from 3-5 days per week. And you'll volunteer a ton of hours, a requirement. It is a whole family investment designed to build community. But, the problem is that after all of those days and hours, if your kid is not already a star of the company, you are likely to attend the performance to then barely even see your kid in the show. If they're not part of the core group that gets speaking and singing roles every time, your child will be relegated to the very back of a very deep stage, unseen throughout the show, minus a glimpse here and there, if you're lucky. So they may be singing and dancing their assess off, but you won't see them. Or maybe you'll get a glimpse of the top of their forehead. This can feel very sad for families who have invested so much time and energy. And it's honestly downright embarrassing when you invite friends or family to watch after talking about how hard they have worked, only for your kid to be tucked in a back dark corner. They simply do not have the space or bandwidth to support that many kids on stage. One might think, "that's okay, we'll keep trying, pay our dues, and eventually get bigger roles." That's an admirable stance. But, the truth of the matter is that the kids who get even single speaking lines are the kids who are ready to perform to that capacity right then and there. If you're not already performing at a particular level, you are destined to the back corner for every show. There's no opportunity for growth in the back corner. The kids who are nurtured and grow as performers are typically the ones already getting roles. And good luck breaking into the group. I know kids who have been in show after show, unable to get even one single line in the show. On a social level, there is also a very clear and obvious distinction between the leads/featured cast members and the ensemble. You can always expect a natural hierarchy in a competitive environment, but there is zero effort to create relationships through the process. I talked to one girl in the ensemble of a show the other day who came to try CMT after having belonged to anther theater company, wondering how they compared socially. Her response floored me. "In my other theater group, there are definitely cliques, but people still know each other within the cast. At CMT, I'm in scenes with people who I have never spoken a word to. No hello at the beginning of rehearsal. Nothing." This worries me. Kids who are in the ensemble can potentially make friends within the ensemble, which is very nice, but if you have a kid who is aware and sensitive to social dynamics, this can be an emotionally damaging environment. If your kids is find just to make a friend or two in the ensemble, then great. In sum, if your kid is already an amazing performer who steals the show, this is a great place to show their talent. If your kid has some or little to no singing talent but just wants to be part of something high quality but doesn't care if they're actually seen on stage, then it can potentially be a fun and exciting experience nonetheless. If your kid is not quite at the "star of the show" talent yet but has some foundational skills and wants to learn and grow, my review is for you. read more

This place has changed our lives for the better. My daughter has made so many great friends here and has had so much fun! First, at the young age of 4, when she started doing CMT summer camps. At 5 years old, she said, and I quote "CMT is my life". Now she is almost 12 years old and has been in almost 4 performances at the Montgomery Theater. What an experience for both of us! There is nothing like CMT in the whole world. My daughter is actually producing her own version of the movie Coraline. The cast includes myself, my friend Betsy, my daughter, and my daughters Godfather, Adam. My daughter is very strict about rehearsals and is managing the whole thing in a very organized fashion that would seem well beyond her years. She learned it all from her experiences at CMT. Thank you CMT and all the amazing people that have made this possible. You are amazing! read more

Saw Les Miserables tonight and it was fantastic!! Performers were outstanding, such a talented cast. Costumes and sets were great. No reason to go to SF to see high quality musical theater, we just go to CMTSJ. My wife and I couldn't stop talking about the show the whole way home! read more

My son is a young actor, and this is one of his favorite places to work and create art. The programs are fantastic, the community very supportive, and the shows are of high quality. It does require parent participating (which I enjoy thoroughly). Highly recommended. The artistic staff is of high caliber and very professional. And the production value of each show is in the top 10 percentile for its category. read more

My 8 year old daughter and I attended our first SJ CMT production last night and had an absolute BLAST! I love to support local talent....especially kids, so when we moved to California from Texas a few months ago and discovered the SJ CMT warehouse across the street from our apartment, I dove in and bought season tickets for all of the upcoming performances. I was a little wary tbh, I usually like to check a theatre out once or twice before committing to a whole season. Well, if this first show was any indication ... we will be attending for years to come! We saw Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat last night and it was FANTASTIC! Seriously, the talent was actually quite impressive ... No small feat for a theatre whose policy on auditions is that no child will be turned away from performing (how amazing is *that*)! I found myself jigging along to the music alongside my daughter who I was delighted to see was doing the same thing beside me with a grin that was plastered from ear to ear. What an incredibly delightful experience! This is where passion for the arts is born ... Keep up the GREAT work CMT! You are clearly enriching the lives of your thespians and patrons alike! Top Notch! Additionally, the concessions were run extremely efficiently. Pre-ordering concessions and having them ready when we walked out was a really nice touch and well executed! Kudos on this it was a really nice touch! read more

Children's Musical Theater - "Joseph" posing with my daughter after the show. She was thrilled. - Performing Arts Near Me - San Jose, California

My daughter loved her experience after her first show. She was disappointed with the role she got, but made many new friends. All and all she loved it and that's what it's all about. Start your kids early so they can build up a resume that way they get known with the group and hopefully get more interesting roles. read more

My husband and I saw the White Christmas musical at the Montgomery Theater today. We absolutely loved the production! The acting, dancing, singing, and even the costumes were first rate. We are still talking about what an uplifting experience we had! read more

CMTSJ always puts on the best shows. Such talented kids! Sets, costumes, choreography...it's all there. And their policy of everyone who tries out gets a part is encouraging too. Sometimes it results in huge cast but guess what? They make it work! Nothing's sadder than an underpopulated 'big dance number' (side-eye to some SHN shows) and that never happens here. I've been coming for years now mainly because a friend's niece quite often gets the lead roles but I've seen all levels of shows from the adorable beginners to the returning alums and always feel the WOW factor. People are often surprised that I'll drive down from SF to see 'children's theater' in SJ but when they join me for a show they become converts too! If I lived closer, I'd probably come see the multiple casts of productions too. read more

I learned from some of the other mom's at my daughter's school that some of her classmates were going to be in the production of Alice in Wonderland. I thought it would be so nice for her to see her classmates up on stage and she loves music. The tickets were not super expensive either so I could afford them. We went to the prodcution this afternoon and it was so much fun! My daughter loved it! The kids in the production did a great job! I must say the girl who played Alice was really good and so was the girl who played the Queen of Hearts. Also, the caterpiller was very good too! The show started with the director of CMT coming out to welcome everyone and telling us about the future shoes. Peter Pan is coming up next and I think I will try to get tickts for that too. I saw a snippet of it at Santana Row's Tree Lighting the other night and the kids did a great job there too. I would highly recommend CMT as an introduction into theater for children. My daughter and I had a fun afternoon! read more

I've been coming to performances here off and on for the past few years. I am consistently impressed with the stage settings, choreography, costumes and make-up of the performers. The talent varies as one might expect in youth (or even adult community) theater. Sometimes you hear an actor/actress and think "Wow, that kid has talent!" So why not five stars? Almost every production seems plagued by the sound system. The performers have the new ear microphones, but invariably someone will start singing and you can't hear them. At first I thought it was a one time event, but this problem seems to be in every performance. The managing director and artistic director or someone on the staff should get the problem fixed. It's not fair to the children and teenagers who are working so hard to deliver great performances. read more

CMT is one of the best non-professional theater organizations in the country! Their Mainstage and Marquee productions are outstanding quality - quality that you'd go to San Francisco to see! Artistic Director Kevin Hauge is truly a genius - creating top notch productions while teaching performers how take it to the next level (and making them laugh a lot along the way). CMT regularly is given first crack at newly licensed shows based on their reputation in the national theater community. One measure of CMT's excellence: CMT has earned 9 (!!) National Endowment for the Arts "Access to Artistic Excellence," or "Masterpiece" grants - an unheard of accomplishment - and well-deserved national recognition! The production sets, lighting, music, costumes, etc. are excellent. CMT's Rising Star productions are great too, with a bit younger performers. Speaking as a parent who's son spent years doing CMT shows, CMT is exactly the kind of place you want your kid to be around!! Kids are empowered beyond what they think they are capable of. During the process of auditioning, rehearsing, dress rehearsal with a live orchestra, tech week in the historic Montgomery Theater, and performing in front of nightly audiences of 500 people, they learn teamwork, cooperation, verbal and non-verbal communication, intuitive feel, and so much more! They often make some of the best friends they'll ever have - bonds that last for years or a lifetime, based on common experience, common interests, and accomplishing something amazing together. Go see a CMT show, and you'll understand what an amazing organization they are!! read more

I just saw the Lily cast of The Secret Garden with my mother for Mother's Day and was TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY!! What a treat. I am a theater junkie and especially love musicals. I saw almost everything that Broadway was showing when I lived there. San Jose has been a little lacking in the culture department as far as I am concerned. I bought tickets to this show on a whim...more to support local kids and programs for kids than anything else. When I heard that they use every kid who auditions I was a little scared....if they would let me in they would have been in for a rough go of it :) But the show was without a doubt professional quality. The consumes and make up were great...the scenery is top notch. I cannot say enough about how great this show is...I will be a season ticket holder next year for sure! read more

We saw the Wizard of Oz last night and it was absolutely wonderful! I have never been to a production by CMT and to be honest, I expected an 'amateur' performance. We took my 4 year old because we just finished reading the L. Frank Baum book, and he was so fascinated by the story. I have to say that I was so impressed with this production! The lead actors were great, especially for being teens and younger. We attended the Emerald Cast production. The Scarecrow and the Wicked Witch of the West/Miss Gultch were incredible! The set and effects were so well done, and the sound was great. My only gripe was that some of the actors were difficult to understand, but is to be expected of amateur actors. What a fun evening. Highly recommended! read more

For anyone who needs a wheelchair friendly theater experience, don't bother trying to this organization. Wheelchair accessible seats can only be purchased by calling the box office, however no one answers the phone at the box office ! I have had the same experience trying to get tickets for numerous shows and no improvements have been made. It really should not be that hard to get ADA tickets. read more

5 STARS for Irving Berlin's White Christmas! As usual with a Marquee production, every performer was excellent, sets innovative, costumes appropriate and beautiful and the tap dancing....Wonderful! Even with the story being a little hokey the Irving Berlin score is fun, hum-able, toe tapping and delightful. I mean c'mon....White Christmas? A classic, along with many of the others. The full orchestra rocked under the direction of Amy Jan. It's a holiday must. read more

Amazing organization that gives kids of all walks of life a chance to experience the performing arts. Just watched the opening night of Jesus Christi Superstar, with the Rice cast, and was blown away by their performance, professionalism and the quality of the show. You must watch it. It runs for 2 weekends only, don't miss it. read more

Just got home from "Jesus Christ Superstar", Rice cast. I am overwhelmed by the talent of those kids. So very entertaining. I was drawn in by the singing and dancing and did not once fear that an actor would "faulter" or break character. The level of professionalism was off the charts. I'm so glad that my daughter got involved with CMT for this show. She can't wait for the next one. read more

Saw a production last night and it was fantastic. The kids were amazing. I love that the theater is quaint and intimate, but during intermission the crowd is insane Good luck getting to the bathrooms. Also, don't bother with the snack bar. The pretzels were hard as rocks and stale. Not edible at all. They have to do something about that because I felt ripped off. read more

This is an outstanding organization promoting the Arts - music, dance, performance for children 7 - 20 for over 25 years. Kids learn how to perform musicals and sing - I'm not talking about school stage musicals but real Broadway musicals. They perform with a live orchestra in front of a live audience at the Montgomery Theater. Prior Broadway musical performances were: Sister Act, American Idiot, Sound of Music, Honk, and many more. No child will be ever turned away from an audition. So if your child has any interest or desire to perform - check CMT SJ. read more

Re: Summer CMP camp - My child LOVED this day camp. She spent two weeks learning how to sing, dance and act. The camp culminates with a show at the end of the camp. It's amazing what they can do in just two short weeks. This camp fed my child's creativity and sparked a love for performing. Great!! staff, easy registration and communication made this one of the highlights of our summer. We will definitely be back! read more

I just saw High School Musical with my summer camp kids there last week. The address is different (it's right next to the Children's Discovery Museum in Cesar Chavez Park/Plaza thingy (where they have Christmas in the Park in the winter time). They did a GREAT job. The acting was good (for kids oldest 14 years old) and the way the staff handled all the diffferent camp groups there was great. read more

WOW...what this company can do even during tough times is AMAZING!! I have been to many of their shows but this one is one for the books. Can't be indoors in the theater?---NO PROBLEM for CMT!!! Outside works...the kids came through with flying colors!! Give the summer shows a try and be prepared for lots of fun and excitement!!! read more

Went to see Elf last night!! It was amazing! The children are so talented!! I didn't know that this group existed. You should definitely advertise more. read more

I am SO impressed with the production and cast of "A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder" we saw Friday night at The Montgomery Theater! As a professional in the performing arts, I was hesitant to see a "high school show" (despite wanting to support youth in the arts), but was pleasantly surprised when the quality and talent in this show surpassed other professional shows I've seen! A+++ to this company and cast for a beautiful, high-quality, and funny show!!! These kids are destined for fame! read more

CMTSJ is one outstanding place to see a musical... I grew up admiring so many actors and actresses on this stage - it seems as though every single show the lead cast is direct from Broadway, they're always sensational. I've seen over 50 shows here and I'm blown away each and every time. It's incredible to see someone play a role, thereafter "graduate" (usually when they're 21) and then return for my PERSONAL favorites, the Alumni Shows. Kevin Hogue has been the 'leader of the pack' since day one. (Meaning he introduces us to the production pre-show). I am not surprised folks are so dedicated to him and CMT, they're both terrific. So, if you want to see an amazing show and not pay hundreds of dollars, I highly recommend seeing a MainStage production at CMTSJ, you'll love it. read more

I just saw Disney's Beauty and the Beast. The whole cast was amazing! I would highly recommend checking them out! The theater was nice and clean as well. Everyone was very kind and helpful. read more

My eldest was in the Jungle Book in August of 2014. I heard about CMTSJ from my sister in-law who told me that the company does high-quality productions and has instructors with Broadway theater experience. I was really impressed at the Junior Talents (ages 6-9) director for the show, Michelle. She was so patient with children. The director, voice and choreography worked well together and put on a very entertaining production. My eldest looks forward to auditioning for the next Junior Talents production. I read comments about the audition process being fast-paced from a parent who had their child audition. I thought my seven year-old's auditions were fast-paced, but she seemed to handle it well. I look forward to enrolling my children in a CMTSJ's theatre class and the eldest on an audition master class. Other parents told me their children have enjoyed taking the classes. Being in CMTSJ is a place where you meet other families that are supportive of each other. read more

My daughter who is a Rising Star and soon to be Mainstage performer invited me to see White Christmas with her last night. This Marquee performance was excellent and very entertaining. The entire cast of tap dancing was great, in sync and fun to watch. It was perfect to start off our Holiday season and can't wait for the next performance. Great for the entire family and there is never a bad seat in the house. Thank you CMT! read more

Update 3/7/08 - School House Rock! I took my grandson to the most current CMT production of "School House Rock." It was a wonderful, lively production that had my little guy rockin' and a rollin' in his seat. The songs brought back some good childhood memories that also got my foot tapping. What a great way to spend the afternoon with the family! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ My niece participated in the current CMT's production of "Charlotte's Web." She previously was in the spring production of "The Wizard of Oz." I was totally amazed as to the talent that these children have! The age group for the production of "Charlotte's Web" was 6-9 year olds. Wow - this coulda fooled me. These kids act are acting pros and I'm so very impressed with how the children who played the main characters (Charlotte, Wilbur, Templeton and Ferne) remembered all their lines. If they made a mistake - I never noticed. The audience was filled with young children. The children in our group ranged from 2-6 years old - and they were mezmerized by the production. CMTSJ is a wonderful organization. I'm very impressed as to how they're able to cultivate the talents of all these children and organize them into a "professional" stage production. Sorry to learn about Mistress of Mischief B.'s nicece - I'm sure her little heart was so very sad about missing out on being in "Charlotte's Web." You'll be sure to see me at future CMTSJ productions. (I understand that "School House Rock" is scheduled in the Spring of 2008!) read more

My husband and I purchased the tickets for the Hunchback of Notre Dame. We were in row B, seat # 9 and 11. This was our first time at the CMT theater. From the website, these seats looks like we could view the entire stage; however, the view was quite misleading. For this particular production, the two sides of the stage were blocked by some fake walls that obstructed the view of the patrons who sat extreme to the left (in our case) and extreme to the right. If the actors and actresses came more out to the front and center of the stage, we could see them but if they were in the back and center, or further in the stage, we could not see them. At certain scenes, some of the actors and actresses blocked the sides, we absolutely could not see anything of the main characters as they were acting, even when they were in the front and center. I give two stars for the seats we got. The actors and actresses were great in their acting and singing. We loved the orchestra as well. I give four stars for the show. In the future, I will definitely avoid these seats! read more