Very fun, even for the grownups. Cute place, our kid loves every show there. They also do camps.read more

The Puppet Showplace Theatre is one of those hidden gems you just need to check out. They hold…read morefull-on puppet shows with elaborate puppets crafted by world-renown artists and with stories told by famous storytellers. You've probably driven by a hundred times looking at the bright lettering and the cool paintings on the windows but really, stop by for a show one night. They have adult shows too (not that kind of adult show) which is what I'm recommending. I'm sure the kids shows are amazing, great for brithday parties etc. but I've never actually seen a kid show. If you're looking for a funny interesting night, check out a PuppetSLAM which is what I saw... This is from their website: "It's an evening of short varied theatrical mini-plays for adults that use (or sometimes abuse) puppets for all or part of the drama. Each piece is performed by a different artist or artists, and the content can be wide-ranging; some are elegant or poignant, others are satiric, irreverent, or humorous, and still others can be passionate, political, or spiritual in nature. The performers range from the seasoned professional to the nascent puppeteer, and often include poets, musicians, dancers, mimes, actors, and other sundry affiliated artists." These guys are also non-profit, so help 'em out and go see a show. They're funny and you'll have a good story to tell about how you went to a puppet show :)

Used to be good when at the Schubert. As a Homeless Company it has gone way downhill and not worth…read morepaying to see the amateurish performances

The Boston Lyric Opera remains to be the best Opera group! I recently saw Pagliacci and it was…read moreabsolutely fun, mesmerizing and engaging. The cast were professionally superb as well as the orchestra. The ambiance of the staging costumes and props were phenomenal! They converted an ice hockey rink to circus and the creative director here went all the way! The Boston Lyric Opera have done a tremendous work using social media to target younger audiences and the general public. Opera was once considered an elitist bougie show for The aristocrats and royalty... Not anymore... it is for everyone! Good job Boston Lyric Opera.

I love this family friendly theatre. Attending their shows is a great way to introduce young…read morechildren to the arts. They use the whole theatre in their productions, you never know which aisle a character will run down or dance across (at least that has been the norm for the past 4 seasons). My children have enjoyed every production they have attended from Peter Pan to Pippi Longstocking. They actors, novice and professional alike, really do a fabulous job on and off stage. I remember my little guy was afraid of the pirates in Peter Pan, we decided to leave early and happened upon the pirates waiting to enter through the door we were trying to exit. He freaked out a bit until the a couple of the pirates took off their beards and eye patches and explain to him that they were pretending. They didn't have to do that but they did and it helped calm his fears. I love that they break traditional casting norms, for instance: one bearded pirate in Peter Pan was a woman; Marilda in Anne of Green Gables was black and Matthew, her brother, was white; in Pippi, Mrs. Settergren is black while her children, Tommy and Annika, are white; in The Wizard of Oz , Glinda was Asian and pregnant. The shows are affordable, and accessible. The theatre is conveniently located near the Longwood Medical Area and I'd suggest parking in a nearby garage as opposed to taking your chances on The Riverway.

The summer camp for children is purely based on favorites, and they give the same children time to…read moreshine over and over again while the students who are just as talented get ensemble parts with no singing or even single lines. Some kids who are arguably worse repeatedly get cast as very important roles while actual talent takes a back seat. Awful, unfair, and horrible.

When you take that leap and allow your child to join a dance studio, you feel like you might have…read moreto drink the Kool-Aid and become a "dance mom" and that the dances will be too mature (putting it politely) for your child. This is the third year that my daughter has taken part in this program and I have to say that I am extremely impressed with the attitude and skills of all involved. Miss Pam knows her stuff and have a great knack for talking to "kids". This year my daughter did not know if she wanted to continue mostly because her friend moved away. Miss Pam called us up (something a busy study director does not need to do) and asked my girls was coming back and I explained this issue to her. She had me bring her in and she talked to her and listened to her. She found her a class and so far, she is enjoying the group. The whole recital thing at the end of the year is still too much for this humble introvert but it is not nearly as bad as I have seen at other studios.

I danced at Step-By-Step as a teenager at the original Newtonville location. Miss Pam was energetic…read moreand inspiring! She helped build my confidence and love for dance. I've since returned for adult classes at their Waltham studios, which are gorgeous! The sign on the door says dance school but this place feels more like a community. I'm looking forward to getting back into their adult classes this year!

Background: I'm from Worcester, went to school in Waltham (Bran to the Deis!), and I happen to know…read morethe director and her husband, who was an actor in the show. We also went out for drinks after, so there. Anywho, went here to see Stopkiss. I'll get to the review on the show in a bit. First, the theater. If you go to the Waltham Public Library, walk over to Spring St., look down the road and where your blindspot is, that's the theater. It is a hidden gem that takes a bit to find, but worth the look. At the entranceway, you'll find you typical, small theater atrium before you descend stairs into their lair. The theater itself is a small space, but very, very well used. And this production was no exception to that. Stopkiss has everything going for it, from the direction, to the acting, to the choice of lights and music (I gave my friend crap for one song, but it was only because it gave me visions of a Spanish Soap Opera at a crucial time in the show, not ruining, but adding a bit of levity to an otherwise melancholy moment). The cast is fantastic, with strong moments of acting coming from everyone, and I mean everyone, in the cast. The two lead actresses Jennifer McCartney and Gabrielle Hatcher steal the show, from what, I'm not sure, and are very well supported by Michael Soulios, Jason Rutledge, Andrew Boncoddo, Carolyn Cafarelli, and Melanie Bernier. Tatiana Rutledge has maintained her keen eye and artistry and only shown strong strides of development in her role as director of the show. The lighting design, well crafted set and, overall, highly kind stage crew make this a must see. Tatiana, much love. Z

Just saw Stop Kiss. Was the best community theater I have seen in years. The two lead women were…read morequite wonderful, sensitive and quirky with a great range. They created real, whole living characters.

Speak Easy is Boston theater at its finest - great shows, decent prices, wine and chocolate sold in…read morethe lobby, no bad seats in the house. I just saw my third Speak Easy show of the season, and each production has been better than the last. "In the Next Room (or "the Vibrator Play") was... enlightening to say the least, "Nine" was musical genius, and "The Drowsy Chaperone" made me laugh so much, my sides still hurt. Look out for special events too - last night, Meredith Goldstein (who writes the Love Letters column for the Globe) was there dishing out free relationship advice after the show!

I saw a Speak Easy production of The Great American Trailer Park Musical which was absolutely…read morehysterical. It was in a black box theatre, and though my seats were in the very last row, I was still able to see the actors' expressions. Also, fantastic set for a tiny, tiny stage. I really enjoyed the production and can't wait to go to more!

Amazing performance for the Nutcracker ballet 2024. Executed very professionally, the dancers,…read morethe music, the costumes, the set. do not miss the next performance you will not be disappointed.. Donnelee T. Garofalo

The best dancing school around! Very professional and great with kids! I went to see their…read moreperformance of the nutcracker at Norwood theatre and it was amazing.

Wish I could give this place zero stars. I went to a trial class here. The woman who was at the…read morefront desk and taught the class asked me about my last name. I told her my ethnicity and it was a total mood change. From then on, I experienced nothing but rudeness. Perhaps it was ethnocentrism, or maybe she didn't like the way I wore my hair or something more innocent, but either way who needs to deal with that.

Olga and Ferenc put a lot of love and hard work into this spectacular yet cozy studio. I attended…read moretheir workshop in Bolero last week and I was so impressed that I took private coaching yesterday and it was top notch, I felt I was in the presence of world-class dancers and gifted instructors. For their dance parties, the sound is terrific as it permeates this soft and luscious ballroom, I highly recommend them