Went to see Flu Season. Unbelievably fabulous! Unfortunately not a full house, but those who did…read moreattend, seemed more than happy with the show. The actors were stellar tonight.

The Youngstown Playhouse is truly a hidden gem in the area. It is a very unique piece of Y-town's…read morehistory & golden age. I'd honestly be curious to know just how many locals know that this place is still in operation. I mean, this place has been around FOREVER. They do a pretty good job with dramas, especially when hosted in the smaller more intimate theater on the base floor. Where things get blurry is in the big theater upstairs. The entire property is in desperate need of some TLC... Firstly the Youngstown Playhouse is square in the middle of a pretty bad neighborhood, so don't linger around the area. Secondly, the building & property have been allowed to fall into a pretty significant state of disrepair, however, it is much nicer on the inside. It's really a shame, moreover, you can tell this place used to be pretty special in it's hay-day. Thirdly, the biggest issue is their sound system- it's awful. Every time I have seen a musical here I can't understand half the lyrics. The sound just comes out distorted. Do yourself a solid, come see a drama or comedy & you will have a good time, just pass on the musicals until they upgrade their sound system.

ESP are an invaluable asset to the Youngstown community that offer a Broadway production for…read moreaffordable prices. They have been around for decades and offer many kids and adults an opportunity to practice and refine their skills as performer within our small community.

Be forewarned about this venue! It is a beautiful place with historical significance so a good…read moreplace for photos. BUT...if anything goes wrong you will be on your own. The management of Powers will view you as an adversary if you have a complaint. My sister was married there on a day of 90+ degree heat. During the rehearsal there was no A/C but they promised it would be comfortable for the ceremony the next day. At 9 am on the day of a 6:30 pm wedding the management was aware that there was NO AIR CONDITIONING. The entire place felt like an oven when we arrived at 5 pm. Indoor temps in the low to mid 80's. 90 in the room given to the groom and groomsmen to change! We called it the greenhouse room. There was NO attempt or concern shown by management to remedy this situation until shortly before the ceremony. Their solution was to purchase two, yep, TWO fans in addition to the two others already there. No, they were not industrial fans -- just regular fans from Wal-Mart. For 14 tables of guests! That's it! NOTHING else. Miss-Management, a woman of clearly limited talent was resentful that she was shamed into putting that wholly inadequate solution into place. The ceremony had to be shortened, the cake was melting, and guests had to leave early. The auditorium is gorgeous but you can imagine what a difference it makes in the experience of the patrons when the management not only takes no responsibility for the basic comfort of their guests, but demonstrates outright resentment and hostility toward the couple who are paying them thousands of dollars. Would YOU ever take a chance like that? Stay away from Powers unless you are going to a performance. There are many other local venues where the management will actually appreciate your business and treat you like an honored guest.

We had our wedding ceremony and reception at Powers Auditorium in August 2018 and were quite…read morepleased with how everything came together, at least on the venue's end. (The in-house catering was another story altogether, and our negative Yelp review for Jeffrey Chrystal Catering reflects our displeasure with that experience.) Leslie was great to work with and was always available to answer our questions and address our concerns. In addition, the venue itself is beautiful and really helped to set the tone for our wedding--we can't imagine having had it anywhere else.

The Oakland Center resurfaced in 2015, after a couple of years of being closed. I am pleased that…read morethey did and am always amazed at the dedication of the kids who participate in Kids First Theatre Initiative! They prove their abilities every time they go onstage. They are being challenged by the director to raise the bar for themselves. The programs at the Oakland Center are enabling all ages of people to participate in theatre in the Youngstown area. They put on awesome shows! Your missing out if you don't come to a show.

Community theatre done right. Don't walk in expecting something off-Broadway or even off-off. Do…read moreexpect insightful, witty, relevant shows done by True Believers in the power of live performance. Seeing an Oakland show is the best way to start your evening. Be grateful our City has this.

My wife and I went to to the TNT in March to see the comedy Perfect Wedding. The TNT was a nice…read morelocal theater with some actors from near by colleges like YSU and Kent. The theater, in general, was clean but pretty small. The auditorium seats are close but comfortable enough. The crowd on this particular night was a much older crowd who laughed at everything, which added to an enjoyable experience. The six person cast ranged from pretty darn good & funny to OK, but no one was horrible. All and all it was a nice local theater and a good place to spend an evening out.