Although I thought the play Circle Mirror Transformation was done poorly, I loved the theater…read more Intimate, the audience on three sides, there isn't a bad seat in the house. Acoustics are good and the lighting excellent. As for Circle, the casting was ludicrous, especially the younger women who didn't fit their roles at all. Their performances were less than high school level. They played into over-acting, exaggerating every facial expression and movement. It was embarrassing. This play's staging is all about mirror placement. The audience should be able to see the reactive expressions of the actors from different angles. This director placed one mirror at the back of the stage, barely reflecting the audience. What the heck was that? It served no purpose. I understand the Next Act Theater has a low budget, but hire actors who look the part of the characters they play. There are hundreds of wonderful theatrical artists in the Milwaukee area who would give anything for one of these parts. There is no excuse. All that being said, the Next Act Theater is still a fantastic venue to see a production, most are much better than this version of Circle Mirror Transformation, an Obie award winning play.

Milwaukee's theater scene is really strong, but don't sleep on this small powerhouse of a theater,…read moreNext Act Theatre! I loved my subscriptions in 2021, 2022, and can always count on Next Act to give me a play that makes me think, laugh, question society through the lens of a new play written in a Shakespearean style or through a multicultural lens. So far in 2023 I've enjoyed Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" the West End's longest running play, and am looking forward to another in 2024! The art in the lobby is curated to reflect the current play, as well! Seats are easy to purchase online or by phone, and there's even an audio service during performances for the hard of hearing. Next Act supports the best in acting talent in the Milwaukee area, great playwrights and I recommend you check them out!

The Warner Grand Theater is beautiful! I've attended two holiday pops concerts here as while as a…read moremovie night where MSO played the score. I've sat in the balcony and in the orchestra, there are no bad seats. Speaking of seats, they are quite a bit roomier than you would think! There are bars on all the floors and plenty of bathrooms. The lobby area has floor to ceiling windows allowing for lots of natural light to shine through. We are so lucky to have such a beautiful theatre and wonderful orchestra in Milwaukee.

First time here to see a concert, Keb Mo and Shawn Colvin…read more The theater is breathtaking. They have done such an incredible with the restoration. The inside is excellent. The stage, the audience seats, balconies, all wonderful. There was great attention to all the details. We had great seats, Orchestra, 3rd row center. Great sight line to the stage. The lighting was very good. Our issue was with the sound. Not sure if it was the location (too close), the acoustics of the room, or the mixing, but for us the sound was muddled. I think next time we will try to get a spot further back. The lobby area is quite comfortable. And the adjoining lobby the east allows for gathering or special events. The entire place is a GEM. Looking forward to our next visit.

We have enjoyed many shows over the last 3 years but tonight it went above and beyond in quality…read more Kinky Boots was SPECTACULAR and every role and touch was done beautifully. I have a slight hearing impairment and yet today the actors sang loud and clear all through the show. I so appreciate good actors who can pull this off. The entire cast was incredibly talented, and the music and staging rivaled shows I have seen in large cities. Cyndi Lauper wrote the music and lyrics, and she is brilliant. This theater has lots of parking and the ticket prices are easy on the pocket. There are refreshments for sale and if you have a few $$ to spend they are building a more intimate Black Box theater next to the main stage. This is going to be another big win for the theater crowd. Thank you for bringing this wonderful program to Waukesha. The two main actors, William Salinas and Caleb Joyner gave their all and the audience was all in for the entire production. But I also loved every supporting actor for their talent, which was incredible. I can't wait for the next shows- I plan to attend them all!

Last minute decision to see Murder on The Orient Express today. Very impressed by the intimate,…read morewelcoming atmosphere of the theater and dedicated volunteers. I was blown away by the cast and set. The acting equaled what I have seen at much larger venues with large budgets, ( and significantly higher ticket prices) ! I definitely will be returning, it is a hidden gem in Waukesha County!

The Liar was an outstanding performance The actors never flubbed a line. It was funny and so fast…read moremoving. A delight to enjoy in an outdoor setting. The lit Lapham Peak Lodge in the background added to the outdoor atmosphere. 5 stars..

Amazing space to watch a show and sit back and relax. Can't wait for the stage to reopen!read more

This past weekend, my fiancee and I were able to take in a production--Hatter's Madness--held at…read morethe Brumder Mansion. It was such fun!! There was a "tea" before the show; everything was tasty and it was nice to settle in and warm up. The tea smoothly transitioned into Theater Merriment, largely because of the play's content. An original play/production spearheaded by Amanda Hull, Hatter's Madness was a sequel of sorts to Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass. All the performers did exceptionally; the setting, costumes and script were spot on. It was funny and family-friendly. I'm so glad we went!

First stage does a great job hosting shows for children. I bring my nephews every year, and I don't…read moresee that stopping in the future! The space is small, so there truly isn't a bad seat in the house. There is crowd engagement, which is always so fun for the little ones.

Nice set up and the staff very professional. We stopped attending as my daughter was bored with…read moretheir techniques and lost interest. Overall, it was an excellent program, but not what we were expecting

This is a theater within a school - worth knowing if you're not from the local area! We did not…read moreknow this, so we were quite surprised when our Uber pulled up in a high school parking lot. There's no bar, of course. The theater is pretty comfortable, but sound quality will depend on whether the performer brings their own equipment or uses the school's. We were in the second row on the right side, and the speakers were so loud it was really uncomfortable. We moved back and it was better. This might be a better venue for plays and musicals than for loud rock 'n' roll musical acts.

This place was excellent! We came to watch The Sound of Music put on by Christian Youth Theater…read more(which was phenomenal!) and had a great time. All the staff was very friendly, helpful about assisting for seating arrangements, where to go, how to get there, etc. There were many people to assist outside and inside the theater for any direction you may need to find things like the concessions stand, bathrooms, exits. The entire place was very very clean, so you didn't have to worry about sitting on a seat that previously had gum on it or anything. The areas were roomy enough, and you didn't feel like you were packed in. It's still close quarters, but you have enough room to enjoy your time there. There were plenty of people there to assist in anything that was to come up, like if there were sound issues, technical difficulties, or similar.

We recently attended the Black Panther film performance and sound bites dinner at the Milwaukee…read moreSymphony Orchestra. The Symphony Center is a beautiful, massive space great for any event. They open up early before the performances to allow guests to grab a drink, snack, or mingle with others. There is a couple bar and snack area open to purchase items. TLDR: Sound Bites Dinner: 4/10 MSO performance and experience: 10/10 We arrived 90 minutes early for the Sound Bites dinner and were seated at our own table in a separate section of the dining area. The tables were huge for two people and I felt a little far away from my husband. Everyone was seated and a little confused on how the dinner was going to go. We snacked on some hors d'oeuvres and got our drinks before dinner was served. There were crackers, cheese, vegetables, salmon bruschetta, a salad, and vichyssoise (potato soup). Soon after, we were served our appetizer, ratatouille, which was very good. Next was beef and fries with some sauce, then a pork chop and piece of casserole to share. It was difficult to know what we were eating as they only thing we were told what it was, was the ratatouille. Also, about halfway through the dinner our waitress that we had disappeared and another person came to to serve us. We were kind of getting ready to leave, since she wasn't there, but then another person came out to give us more food. The whole experience lacked information. We weren't given a menu of what we were eating before we starting eating, we were only told what one dish was, and we weren't sure how many courses/plates of food we would be getting. It would be nice to get an email leading up, a print out, or at the very least told what we would be eating to prepare. We ended up not eating a lot of the last dish since we had filled up on the others, thinking that was it. The food was mediocre, and I was not sure how it was chosen, by what the performance is? seasonal items? It would've been cool if the chef came out and announced anything. I would've been more satisfied going to the food and beverage cart and not doing the formal dinner. It wrapped up about 5 minutes before we headed to our seats, due to the delays with the waitstaff and no one knowing if we needed to stay for another surprise plate of food. I would not do the Sound bites experience again. The performance hall is a beautiful restoration and space. The seats are comfortable and have enough space. We sat on the lower level and had a great view of the stage and move screen. I would like to try sitting up on the balcony to see all of the performers. The whole performance was great, we had a special guest appearance from Massamba Diop, playing the Senegalese talking drum that is featured in the film. The orchestra played SO well, you wouldn't know the difference. It was a fantastic experience and will love to go back to see another show!

Gosh, we love everything about the MSO. The performance hall is lovely, and I loved seeing the…read morehistoric photos and hope that they will build that lower level out to be more about the history and plans for the MSO. The organization tries to bring a range of music experiences to the Milwaukee community, and I have always appreciated the season offerings. The programs are well organized, and it's so great that they provide backgrounds on composers in addition to the performers. More education in the programs is great, given how much goes into preparing them for the season. I can't wait to attend more performances in the new space!